Top Of The Box

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the new wave, post-punk sound of young Scotland heralded bands like Orange Juice & Joesf K, and the now legendary Postcard Records.
The Fire Engines were a part of the young, vibrant Scottish scene, and in 1980 released their debut single, Get Up and Use Me. A treble lo-fi [...]

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Debbie Harry & Blondie achieved commercial success in the UK in 1977 with the release of Denis from their second album, Plastic Letters.
Here’s a rare live recording of Blondie performing an earlier single, Rip Her To Shreds, in Los Angeles from the same year.

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Public Image Ltd (PiL) – Careering & Poptones, The Old Grey Whstle Test
Here is one of the most powerful performances both Annie Nightingale and I ever saw on The Old Grey Whsitle.  Public Image Limited, PiL at their very very best performing Careering & Poptones in 1980.
Johnny Rotten was still known as John Lydon and [...]

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The Cure – A Forest Live in 1979
Here is a rare clip of The Cure before Robert Smith began backcombing his hair and raiding his mother’s make-up box.
Here’s The Cure performing a song called At Night which went on to be reworked and eventually released as A Forest in 1980.
I believe this is a live [...]

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The Cocteau Twins – Hazel live at The Brixton Ace Theatre in 1982
As a part of the new Channel 4, there was a ‘youth’ programme on Monday nights called Whatever You Want introduced by a very young Keith Allen.  The programme was pretty awful, if my memory serves me well, but at the end of [...]

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