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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In 1979 Billy Mackenzie & Alan Rankine aka The Associates released their debut single, a version of David Bowie’s Boys Keep Swinging. The most surprising fact, especially for David Bowie is that it was released before Bowie’s own single.
In 1994 Billy Mackenzie perfomed David Bowie’s beautiful ballad Wild Is The Wind live on tv just [...]

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Lou Reed performs a superb live version of the old Velvet Underground song, Sweet Jane in Paris from 1974 in this live video.
The band are very tight, starting with a very funky intro before switching to what sounds more akin to Crazy Horses by The Osmonds, before drifting into the familiar three chords of Sweet [...]

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In 1978 Joy Division made their television debut on the Granada Television early evening light entertainment programme, So It Goes, hosted by Factory Records record label boss, Tony Wilson.
Here’s a great live performance of Joy Division with Steven Morris (drums), Bernard Sumner (guitar), Peter Hook (bas) and the late Ian Curtis (vocals) performing Shadowplay.

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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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