Day 146.

Smudge: the Australian label Half a Cow has made available the “Scary Cassettes” by the classic Smudge band on Bandcamp! 28 songs of terrific pop that are compiled here by Tom Morgan. These songs feature the second line-up of the band, Tom Morgan, Alison Galloway, Adam Yee and Pete Kelly. Great stuff!

Passmore Sisters: previously only heard as part of the bands BBC Radio 1 session for Janice Long in 1987, the song “These Things I Feel” has been re-recorded b y the band this year and is now available as a digital single on Bandcamp! How great to hear again from this amazing band!

Victorian Tin: a new song, well from 2000, that has been re-recorded, by the duo from Karlstad, Sweden. Erik and Christian seem to continue being active and that’s quite cool. Hopefully there will be a new release soon!

Agent Blå: the Gothenburg band is also back with a new song. It is called “Atopos” and it is superb. I feel it came just in time for the summer. Not much info about it, it just looks like a digital single.

Throw Like a Girl: Two girls from Leicester playing some cool upbeat punky pop! There are two songs up on Bandcamp and they actually date from January! So yeah, quite late to discover “Fight or Flight” and “Wednesday”.

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Who remembers Hospitalle?

David Hansson, Emanuel Hallongren, Maria von Hall, Patrick Jensen and Philip Gates are listed on Discogs as band members. I remember them because of the connection of Philip Gates as he had been in that wonderful, terrific, amazing, band Days. But only now I am discovering Hospitalle. See if I can track down all their records.

Actually there are two records they released properly. The other stuff is only available digitally.

The first release was actually a split 7″ on the classic label Dolores Recordings (DOL 164) back in 2005. There were 300 copies made of this record that was part of the Dolores singles club. The band would appear in the B side of the 7″ with the song “Let’s Not Tell Our Sad Stories”. The A side had the band Dreams End with the song “She Touched My Hand”. Now that I think of it I should try to write a post about Dreams End at some point.

The next year, 2006, the band released on the label Little Hill Recordings (LHR 001) the EP “Day Before May”. This EP had four songs, “Black Heart”, “I Envy You All”, “In a Bag” and “Heavenly Grey”. This release is the only one listed on this label, it makes me think it might have been a self-release.

We get some credits here too. Now we can point which instruments each band member played.
Maria Von Hall – vocals, xylophone, strings
Patrick Jensen – vocals, bass and he also wrote the songs
David Hansson – guitar, piano, vocals
Philip Gates – guitar
Emanuel Hallongren – drums

Other people that are credited on this record are Linn Lauterhorn, Maja Rasmusson and Stefan Strömberg (from the great band Vapnet) on vocals (I am guessing backing vocals), David Chocron (from the band Hemstad) on trumpet and Karl Ander (from Hemstad and Agent Simple) on guitar, piano, vocals, bass, organ, drums and accordion. The production and mixing (aside from also playing guitar, keys, percussion) was done by Kalle Von Hall who had been in the Bad Cash Quartet.

Going through all these people and bands made me curious and I checked in which other bands had the members of Hospitalle been. So I find out that:
-David Hansson had been in High Voltage, Los Ochos, Pats and Vapnet
-Emanuel Hallongren on Agent Simple and Hemstad
-Maria Von Hall on Pats
-Patrick Jensen on Pats
-Philip Gates on Los Ochos, Vapnet and Days

It is also worth mentioning that in 2010 these songs were re-released as 4 MP3s by the label Record Union. Not sure why 4 years later or why a new label. It is very curious.

But this date does match with three MP3 releases they did that year. Aside from this release they also put out 6 more songs on Record Union that year. This 6 songs were “Drinking the Memories Away”, “For Every Kind”, “These Screwed Up Times”, “You Fell Asleep”, “Violence, Ambulance!” and “The Clouds”. The EP was called “L’Antidote Dernière”.

Then they would put out stuff on a label called Knoppar. Two Mp3s would be released separately, “Forest Fire” and “Let’s Not Tell Our Sad Stories”. This last one was the same song that was included in the split 7″ back in 2005!

And that’s it. That’s all the info I could find for them. They disappeared at some point after releasing their EP, then they reappeared re-releasing MP3s.  But after that what happened? Who remembers them? Where are they now?

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Listen
Hospitalle – Violence, Ambulance!

Thanks so much to Raoulie de la Cruz for the interview! The Casino Ashtrays was a great band he had with Laura Watling/Mazzucco (The Autocollants, Tears Run Rings, Laura Watling) back in the 90s. A proper DIY indiepop band who released a few tapes, one CD and appeared on some compilations back then. 9 years ago the great Jigsaw Records released a retrospective compilation that is a must-have for all indiepop lovers. You can still find copies here. I’ve always been a fan so I had to do this interview sooner or later… and yeah, it took a while but finally all my questions are answered!

++ Hi  Raoulie! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? I have been curious about this for years now, are you still making music? Or involved with music at all?

Hi Roque! I am doing fine…all things considered! Right before you sent in these interview questions I was actually recording some trumpet parts on my old 4-track for this band I was in called Folklore. Folklore is basically Jimmy Hughes who ran Bumblebear Records. He also played guitar in Elf Power for a few years when he still lived in Athens, Georgia. Anyways, Folklore was his band and I played trumpet in it. And then he moved to Philly, where he continued with new members. Here’s a funny story – and you can cut it out if it goes too long: When I first moved to Athens in 2005, I just kinda hung out for a couple of months before getting a job. One day, I went to go browse in the Star Wars aisle at the local Toys-R-Us (I used to avidly collect Star Wars action figures). When I got there, this dude was already going through all the action figures. I thought, “Dammit! This guy is gonna buy up all the good stuff!” He could sense that someone was behind him, waiting, so he turned around. When he saw me he said, “Raoul???? It’s me…Jimmy!” It took me a minute to register and then I was like, “Oh yeah! Hey, Jimmy!” Then he asked me, “Did you just move here???” “YES!” “You wanna be in my band?” “Sure! Yeah!” And just like that, I was in Folklore! And then while I was in Folklore, I started a super twee band called The French Toasts with my girlfriend, Missy Kulik. We mostly played covers on toy instruments. And then I started playing trumpet in another local Athens band called Werewolves. And in-between all that, I had another short-lived band called The Slow Rowboat. Up until just a couple days ago, I hadn’t worked on music since Missy and I moved to Atlanta a couple of years ago.

++ I reckon that it has been 9 years since Jigsaw Records compiled all Casino Ashtrays songs on the compilation “(Are Your Boring Ideas of Fun the Same as Mine?)”. I thought when that came out that I had to interview you. Not sure why I didn’t ask you then. But now, years after this compilation, how do you feel these songs, most recorded during the 90s have aged?

I still like most of the songs on there, so I guess they aged pretty good? That is to say, I’m still proud of the songs and recordings. Not sure how Laura (Watling/Mazzucco) feels, though! I still like the lo-fi quality of the recordings. To me, it’s indicative of a DIY “Just do it!” kinda approach to writing and recording. We didn’t let limitations in skill, equipment, etc. stop us from recording and sharing our music. It was like, let’s just get these ideas and sounds down on tape and have fun making something. PUNK ROCK, Y’ALL!

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I remember that my parents had 8-track tapes that they would play in the van. I remember there was a best of Elvis tape that got played a lot. And I think a Sha Na Na tape. My mother had this 8-track of piano instrumentals that she liked to listen to. They were all old Latin-American standards like “Tico Tico”. And then when we weren’t listening to 8-track tapes, the radio would always be tuned into some sort of oldies station. Definitely listened to a lot of oldies from the 50’s and 60’s growing up.

My first instrument was probably a toy piano! I remember having one as a child. Funny, because when Missy and I started up French Toasts many years later, we decided to use this toy piano that she had rescued from a trash heap as our main instrument. It came around full circle! In elementary school, I had a chance to learn an instrument and I guess I sort of decided to play trumpet. So, from about 5th grade all the way up until the end of high school, I was involved in school bands, learning how to play trumpet and read music.

++ Had you been in other bands before Casino Ashtrays? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

Long before the Casino Ashtrays was my first real band, Honeychurch – named after Helena Bonham Carter’s character, Lucy Honeychurch, from the movie “A Room With A View”. We were heavily influenced by the whole “MADCHESTER” scene that was al the rage at the time. Xavier, our keyboardist, was very good. Classically trained pianist. Because of him and the organ parts he would come up with, we were able to channel the spirit of The Charlatans. There are a couple of recordings of Honeychurch. The music sounds good, but the lyrics are crap, so they’ll probably never see the light of day. HA! I was still learning how to craft good lyrics with that first band.

After Honeychurch came Cha Cha Cha. That’s the band that I started with my friend Rachel Thorson, who was a later member of Honeychurch, and our friend, Mike Perez. Cha Cha Cha originally started out as a zine that came with a tape of music that Mike and I made, with different singers for each song. The tape was more popular than the actual zine, so the project morphed into a full-time band, with Rachel as the lead singer. We were often described as a “lo-fi version of Luscious Jackson”, which was a fair assessment. We released a bunch of tapes through my cassette label, Popgun Recordings, before being picked up by Japanese label, Motorway Records.

When Casino Ashtrays started up, Laura was already in Autocollants with Ed Mazzucco. They sounded like dreamy, shoe-gazey pop. Brian Medford joined the band towards the end, playing saxophone and drums. Brian and I were in high school marching band together, so that would be the only other band he was in before joining up with us.

++ Of course you were also involved with Popgun Recordings, and that’s something I hope we can talk about in another interview, as well as your other bands. But I wonder, what did you enjoy the most playing in a band or running a label?

Playing in bands was definitely more fun than running a label! I mean, I kinda got burned out on both eventually, but I got tired of running the label long before my interest in playing in bands had waned.

++ How was your town (was it Riverside, California?) at the time of Casino Ashtrays? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Riverside was okay. It’s mostly a punk rock kinda town. Aside from the bands that me and my friends were in, there weren’t many local bands that we liked, HA! There were a few venues like Spanky’s and The Barn at UCR (University of California, Riverside), but again, it was mostly punk. To be honest, unless you went to one of the house shows that Laura or I put on, there probably wasn’t much chance of seeing indiepop bands at that time. This was all long before The Summer Twins became such a big indiepop hit in Riverside. As far as record stores went, there was none better than Mad Platter Records at that time – and everyone from the core group of Popgun bands all worked there at one time or another, including Laura!

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

Both Mike and Rachel of Cha Cha Cha had radio shows at the University of California Riverside (UCR), 88.3 FM KUCR. We all used to hang out at the radio station while they did their shows. Mike played a lot of funk, instrumental hip-hop, electronic music, etc. while Rachel played mostly shoegaze, indie rock, and indie pop. Laura used to listen to Rachel’s show and would sometimes call the station to put in a request. And then one time we invited Laura to come hang out at the radio station. It was around that time that I asked her if she sang and she said that she was actually the singer in band (The Autocollants). I asked her if she would be interested in singing on a couple of songs I wanted to record and, to my surprise, she was like, “Sure. OK!” I think that was sometime during 1996. Cha Cha Cha and Popgun Recordings started in 1995, so it would have been 1996 when we all first met Laura.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

I think I wrote most of our original songs. I would write the songs and maybe record a rough demo for Laura to listen to. She’d learn the singing parts, and then we would quickly record them. And then she would come up with vocal harmonies or additional instrumental parts. And then we’d quickly record those, too. My little Porta 03 4-track was quite mobile and I could set up anywhere. We probably mostly practiced and recorded at my parents’ house, but I think we also recorded and practiced at Laura’s from time to time. I just remember the process being really organic and quick. Feels like most of the recordings came about very quickly. We weren’t super perfectionists about the recording process, and I liked the recordings to be more raw and lo-fi, so I think that helped in that regard.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

The name “Casino Ashtrays” came from a lyric on “Bus to Vegas”. I had written the song long before the band existed: “The rain fell / from the sky today / and my heart felt like / a casino ashtray”

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

I know for a fact that I was listening to a lot of Lois, The Softies, Astrud Gilberto, The Beautiful South, and The Sundays at that time. They were all definite touchstones.

++ Most of your releases came out on your own label, Popgun. I was wondering if that was always the intention, or did you shop for labels at all? 

It was always the intention to put recordings out on Popgun first, just so we could get these songs out into the world as quickly as possible. Parasol Mail Order had started distributing Cha Cha Cha cassettes through their mailorder catalog already, along with a few other Popgun releases and compilations. So, it was natural to just release things through Popgun Recordings. The cassette releases acted kind of like demos, anyways, and they sometimes led to certain acts getting picked up and released on other labels.

++ The art of the releases of Casino Ashtrays is quite peculiar, at least there are two cat photos and one snowy ball sort of souvenir with a jackpot machine in it. Were these your own photos? Who designed them? 

I designed the covers on all the Popgun cassette releases. The first one, “Bus to Vegas”, features a photo I took of a snow globe I bought in Las Vegas. I used to collect snow globes from all the places I visited. The back cover is a photo of a slot machine that was in my friend Amber’s living room. On the “Just Like Me” e.p. I used an image of a Siamese cat I found in an old book. I would sometimes buy books from the thrift store that had interesting images, and I would sometimes use those to make the the sleeves for Popgun Recordings or show flyers. “Live from 88.7 FM KSPC” was mostly done with silly stickers and images cut out from an art history book. “Long After The Commercials Have Ended” uses commercial clip art from the 60s and 70s. Those also came from an old book. And lastly, our CD release of “Bus to Vegas” on Twee Kitten Records features a photo of my then-girlfriend’s cat with a roulette wheel that her family had. We just wanted to tie in the whole kitten thing with the casino thing.

++ Your first tape was “Bus to Vegas” from 1996. Were the two songs on it the first ever recordings by the band? Or had you had previous songs made? Also, did you two ever take a bus to Las Vegas?

Yes, those were the very first two Casino Ashtrays recordings. I had just finished recording all the instrumental parts when I met Laura. It was very good timing. I have been to Las Vegas many times. And I have travelled by Greyhound Bus many times. But I’ve never actually taken a bus to Vegas! I just kinda combined those two experiences in the song.

++ The second tape was “Just Like Me EP”. Now we find 7 songs! A proper mini-album. This is your longest release, but at the same time it makes me wonder, why didn’t you ever release an album? Were there plans to do one at any point? 

Well, in general, I just prefer singles and short releases over full albums. As far as Popgun was concerned, it was just a way to put out more releases in a short period of time. I always thought of Popgun as a sort of a “singles-only” type lable. Also, dubbing tapes was less of a chore with shorter releases!

++ “Bus to Vegas” was reissued in 1998 with an extra song by a different label, Twee Kitten Records. How did you end up working with them? And whose idea was to re-release this tape? Was this third song “Invincible” from the same period of the two other songs?

It was Scott Z from Twee Kitten who approached us, I believe. I don’t remember exactly how, since it was so long ago. I think he had gotten a copy of the “Bus to Vegas” tape through Parasol Mail Order and then wanted to re-release it as a cd on his label, but with an extra song to make it different than the original release. I had already been working on “Invincible” for a release on Popgun, but then ended up recording it for the Twee Kitten instead.

++ And that release was the only one on CD as well. Did you have a preference between cassette as most of your releases or CD? 

I think if someone had offered to put out an entire Casino Ashtrays album on CD or vinyl we certainly would have done it. Popgun Recordings was set up as a “cassette-only” label mostly as an issue of cost. It was simply cheaper and faster to release music on cassette. And so most of the Casino Ashtrays catalog was released on tape.

++ In 2000 you released “Soundwaves & Radiowaves” which were 6 songs recorded live at 88.7 FM KSPC. How was that experience? Was it your first time recording a live session in the radio? How did this opportunity come to be?

That was fun, if a little nerve-wracking! By that time, both Laura and I were seasoned performers, mostly with our other bands. It was certainly my first time performing live on radio, not sure about Laura. I don’t remember how the live session came about. I think that was something that was set up with Laura. Anyways, the show was nerve-wracking for me because the DJ who was on beforehand was Franklin Bruno!

++ Your last release came out in 2004, “Long After the Commercials Have Ended”, it was 4 years after your previous release. Why did it take so long?

“Long After the Commercials Have Ended” was basically a small collection of loose ends. The cover of “Sleepyhead” by The Cat’s Miaow was supposed to come out on a tribute compilation that some other label was putting together. We waited several years for this release to come out and, by that time, I think we had waited long enough and was convinced that the tribute CD would never see the light of day. So, I thought I should, at the very least, put it out on Popgun just so people could finally hear it. We were very proud of our version! “Must See T.V.” was from a CD compilation that Japanese music magazine Beikoku-Ongaku put out. I added it to the tape to help flesh it out. And then “Books on Tape and 45s” was basically a demo that we recorded before Laura moved up to Santa Rosa, California. A finished version would’ve had more instrumentation – like drums, keyboards, and sleigh bells. I didn’t want the song to languish without a release.

++ When it comes to compilations you did appear on a few and one was in a Beikoku-Ongaku compilation, with the song “Must See T.V.”. How did the Japanese find out about your music? Did you get to sell many tapes there? 

Initially, Japanese music fans found out about Popgun because of the releases we were selling through the Parasol Records mail order catalog. That’s how Cha Cha Cha ended up getting signed to Japanese label, Motorway Records, which ended up bringing more attention to Popgun Recordings. Eventually, a few indie record shops in Japan, such as Propeller in Nagano and King Kong in Osaka, started stocking select releases.

++ Then there was your first time on vinyl with the song “Gilded” on “The Crayola Catastrophy” compilation 7″ released by another California label, Kittridge Records. I wonder were you close to them? Was there a close-knit scene in California back then?

The indie pop scene in Southern California was a pretty close-knit, I would say. We came to know Doug Jones who ran Kittridge because he used to come to the Popluck house shows that either Laura or I would curate and host. A lot of folks from the local scene would come to those shows, definitely. Everyone was collaborating and vibing off each other. It was a great time!

++ And were there more songs recorded by the band that didn’t end up on the compilation? 

Aside from the “Live at KSPC” recordings, Not many. Maybe only one song, I think. One that was written by Laura that she chose to leave off the compilation.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Dress Code”, with its cool trumpets, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

Awww, thanks! The song is about that joyful feeling when you meet someone who’s into the same weird or obscure stuff as you are. All music tribes/scenes usually have an unspoken “dress code” or style that comes with fandom. That’s really fascinating to me.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Casino Ashtrays song, which one would that be and why?

That’s a tough one. I really like “Gilded” because of the beat that Laura plays on it. To me, it kinda has a “funky drummer” groove to it. And I really like our vocals – I like how we trade on and off, I like the counter melodies, Laura’s harmonies…there’s just a lot of nice layering in the song. The lyrics aren’t too shabby, either. HA! There’s a lyric that Laura sings on it that goes “Are your boring ideas of fun the same as mine?”…we ended up using that as the title of the anthology that Jigsaw Records put out. I also use that lyric as the tagline on my personal Instagram account.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

Not too many, I don’t think. We probably played almost all the house shows we put on, though.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share? 

Playing at the inaugural San Francisco Popfest in 1999 was, hands down, the best gig we played. No doubt. We were the first band to go on, on a Friday night, opening for an amazing roster of bands which included The Fairways, Monterey, The Crabs, and Marine Research. I remember that the Bottom Of The Hill club was sold out and packed from the front of the stage all the way back. And you could just feel and see the excitement and anticipation in the crowd. It was probably the most nerve-wracking show ever, but also one of the most fun times performing.

I have a couple of great anecdotes about this particular show, but this is the best one. Okay, so, the previous year, back in 1998, I was living and studying abroad in Oxford, England. Literally, one of the first things I did when I arrived in Oxford was to get my hands on a local weekly that listed all the gigs and concerts in town. I was ready to see some live music and have some fun! To my surprise, I saw that fellow Twee Kitten labelmates, The Relationships, were playing a show in Oxford at this club called >>The Point<< at the end of the week – my very first week in town! What were the odds? So, I ended up going to the show, of course.

After The Relationships played, I introduced myself to the lead singer, Richard Ramage. I complimented their show and said, “By the way, we’re labelmates on Twee Kitten. I’m in this band called Casino Ashtrays!” and Richard, with a surprised look on his face exclaimed, “What the bloody hell are you doing HERE???” We all had a good laugh and many pints were shared that night. Well, I soon learned that Richard used to be roommates with Amelia and Pete from Heavenly…and he suggested that we all get pints one day! And of course, I didn’t turn down that opportunity! I barely remember that day with them at the pub because I think I was so star struck. But I do remember vividly Amelia saying, “Well, maybe someday we’ll get to play with your band!” I thought to myself how great that would be…and that it would probably never happen. But then the next year at SF Popfest it DID happen!

++ And were there any bad ones?

There was this one show that we did with The Boyish Charms, Poundsign, and the Aislers Set. The line-up itself was awesome. And the music and performances were awesome. But the venue was at this all-ages punk club somewhere in Long Beach, California. I think it was called the PCH Club. Anyways, it was basically a rundown warehouse space by the train tracks that was literally crawling with rats. Hardly anyone showed up, so it was basically bands playing to the bands. That was probably the worst show we ever played.

++ When and why did Casino Ashtrays stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

Casino Ashtrays ended pretty much after Laura moved upstate to Santa Rosa, CA. It was just too hard to do the long-distance thing at that time. The internet wasn’t a thing like it is now. Plus, Laura was busy with The Autocollants, Monterey, her own solo stuff and other musical projects. And I was busy being in a bunch of other bands, too. Besides doing Test Pilot, I was in Winnebago, Red Pony Clock, The Easy Outs, a band called The Summer Flings…and I did a bunch of one-off things with different bands. And then when I moved to Athens, Georgia, I started a band with my girlfriend, Missy Kulik, called The French Toasts. And soon afterwards I joined the aforementioned Folklore. Then, both Missy and I were briefly in a band called Gemini Cricket. Somewhere in there, I started a band called The Slow Rowboat that lasted a hot minute…long enough for the band to play one show! And then the last band I was active in was this local Athens band called Werewolves.

++ Has there been any The Casino Ashtrays reunion?

No, there hasn’t been a reunion. It would be fun, though, if we could pull one off!

++ Did you get much attention from the radio? TV?

Well, we did play that one live show at KSPC!

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

No. None from any traditional newspapers or magazines.

++ What about from fanzines?

From fanzines, definitely. Mostly in Japan and Sweden, I think!

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

The biggest highlight would definitely be Casino Ashtrays performing at the 1999 San Francisco Popfest. Such a fun and crazy time! We were so grateful for that opportunity.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

IS there anything else besides music? I like to travel, go to museums, work on craft projects, root around in antique shops, garden, hang out with Missy and our pets. Mild-mannered stuff.

++ I know you are based now in Atlanta, and I have never visited so would love to hear your recommendations as a local, what sights one shouldn’t miss? Food and drinks one should try? 

Well, it’s not Atlanta, but if you’re a hardcore music fan, you should definitely spend a day wandering around Athens, GA. Do that, first. If possible, sign up to take one of the music history tours of the town, if available from the Welcome Center. Maybe catch a show at the world famous 40 Watt Club or at the Flicker Theater & Bar a couple of doors down from there. And of course, spend some time and money at Wuxtry Records and at Bizarro Wuxtry, the comic book shop above the record store. Hiking around the State Botanical Gardens in Athens is a lovely way to spend the day, too. Vintage and antique finds can be had at Starlite Showroom.

We’re still fairly new to Atlanta, so our recommendations are going to be pretty basic and touristy! You should visit the King Center, for sure. It is the final resting place of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and there are exhibits honoring his life and work, along with exhibits for Coretta Scott King and Gandhi. We really like The High Museum of Art. Highly, recommended! The Georgia Aquarium is cool too – it’s crowded, but totally worth it if you’ve never been. I know you’re a soccer fan, so maybe try to catch an Atlanta United game while in town! Or catch a show at The Earl or Terminal West. Record shopping at Criminal Records is a must.

Food-wise, we’re vegetarian. So, in Athens, we highly recommend eating at The Grit. It is a vegetarian Mecca of sorts, especially for road-weary bands. Even if you’re not vegetarian, you have to eat there if you are in town. We also like Heirloom Café and Condor Chocolates. Drinking-wise, we like Rook & Pawn because it’s where all the nerds hang out. But also check out Flicker, Little Kings, and World Famous if you like your drinks with a side of live music.

In Atlanta you should basically just go up on Buford Hwy to eat. It is a long stretch of road bursting with Asian and Latin American restaurants serving up authentic cuisine. There’s also Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market – both are basically fancy food courts, but in the best possible way. Our favorite place to eat is just up the street from us – Arepa Mia. Yummy arepas served up Venuzuelan-style. Drinking-wise close to us in downtown Decatur we have the Brickstore Pub with a wide selection of craft beers and S.O.S., which is this really great tiki bar. And we have My Parent’s Basement which is a bar-arcade-comic book shop combo. It’s where the freaks and geeks hang out. Our kind of people!

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for the interview, Roque! Apologies for taking so long to get back to you!

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Listen
Casino Ashtrays – Dress Code

Day 144.

Tigre Ulli: Kocliko Records is back in full force! There are two new releases worth talking about. The first is this one by María Zamtlejfer, one of the founding members of the great Argentinean band Las Ligas Menores! Tigre Ulli is her project and she has just released a 7-song EP and it sounds amazing. I will need a copy for sure!

The National Honor Society: remember I was complaining that there was no proper release by this amazing Seattle band? Well Kocliko was the smartest of all and picked the band up! They have just released “All the Glory We Never Had”, a wonderful jangly 10 song album that may be among the best this year. Not to be missed!

Majorelle Blue: the Malmö band have 4 new songs on their Soundcloud part of their “Nostalgia Porn” EP. I have recommended this band in the past and I have to do it again as these are great in-your-face pop songs. It doesn’t look as the release is available on physical formats, but at least we can play it time and time again online.

Lisa Bouvier: our friend Lisa will be releasing a 7″ this coming October. It will have two songs and one of them is available to preview, “Every Year Until We Die”. The songs were also recorded and produced by another Cloudberry friend, Adam John Miller from The Manhattan Love Suicides. So yeah, this is good. The 7″ will be limited to 120 copies and it is up for pre-order now.

Saturday Looks Good to Me: the great Michigan band have a few live recordings from different gigs on their Bandcamp. The latest they have shared is from October 14, 2007, at the legendary Schuba’s in Chicago. There are 15 songs here that sounds good to me.

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I discovered Roof through their song “Chick House” that was included in the classic, legendary, compilation “Grimsby Fishmarket 4 – Norrkoeping 0”. This tape compilation compiled by Marcus Törncrantz is one of the most important ones in my book, especially when it comes to the early 90s. Released in 1991 in Sweden on his own label Records from the Cookie Nose Tower (CNT001) it introduced so many great bands. I have talked about this compilation many times in the past, like when I wrote about Mary-Go-Round, Bummer Twins, The Apple Moths, My Finest Hours, and more!

Roof appears on the A side of this compilation, with the fifth track overall. Until now I didn’t know anything about them really. My surprise would come almost immediately after doing a quick search. One of Japan’s leading pop figures was involved in this band playing bass, Hideki Kaji!

This particular song “Chick House” is credited to Mitsunori Sasaki who had been in another band called The Bachelors. Now, The Bachelors just got reissued a cassette on the Blue-Very label last year. Wow! I should interview him one day I hope!

So we know two members. There were two more. There was Hirotaka Shimizu and Yasunobu Arakawa. Hirotaka had been in so many bands, Bridge, Brother’s Sister’s Daughter, If By Yes, Marble Hammock, Mi-Gu and Spielgusher. Yasunobu on the other hand was in Favourite Marine, Flipper’s Guitar, Lollipop Sonic, Marble Hammock, Museum of Plate and The Stars. Okay we are finding this band is formed just by Japanese indiepop royalty! How cool!

This means one thing, I should try to track down the two records they released in the early 90s. The first was a mini-album called “Two-Lane Blacktop” that was released by Confusion (PCCC-00015) in 1992. Confusion was a Japanese label run by Kazuhiko Hirata. He had released Loco-Holidays (remember them? I wrote about them last year!). This mini-album was released on CD and included these songs, “Point at Issue”, “Planes”, “Going Home”, “Story about Love” and “Cities”.

The band’s last release seems to date from 1997. It was a CD mini-album as well. It was also released by Confusion (PCCC-00020). Again 6 songs appear on it: “River and Road Part 2”, “Small Town (is a Strange Place)”, “Feel Sick on Sunday”, “Free Land”, “Standing in the Station When I Think of Him” and “Pink and Blue”. The art was created by Yutaka Kawase while the liner notes were written by Asako Koide. The record was recorded and mixed by Hidenori Ataka and Masaki Hayashi.

But that wasn’t all. The band appeared on compilations as well. Aside from the “Grimsby Fishmarket 4 – Norrkoeping” tape they would appear on the 1991 Crue-L Records (CRUELCD 001) CD compilation “Blow-Up 6 Singles and Jingles” with the songs “Tears of Crown” and “Green”. Then that same year they would contribute “(Waitin in the) Ferry Boat” and “Chick’s Room” to “Les Frederick Presents Innocence & Peppermints”. Worth mentioning that both songs were written by Mitsunori.

In 1991 they would also appear on the “Confusion Label 2nd Release” CD released by Confusion (DSP-138) with two tracks “Small Town (is a Strange Place)” and “Feel Sick on Sunday”. Lastly in 1993 they would have two songs, “Angels are Coming” and “Standing Still” on the very fine compilation “Ask the Sky” co-released by the great ¡Por Supuesto! Records and Rail Recordings (STAP 0313).

Interestingly enough, there is about no information about the band on the web. Sure they had all these well known members in it. But for some reason that I understand there are no reviews, no bios, no nothing. This is a true mystery to me! I should try to get the records. The compilations they were in also look great, so many good bands. I don’t know if it is good time to be spending lots of money, but these records look great. Promising. And the little I’ve heard by Roof (2 songs only!) are fantastic.

So yeah, I wanna know more about them. If they had more songs. Maybe more releases. Anything would be great. Help is appreciated!

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Listen
Roof – Small Town (Is a Strange Place)

Day 141. How many more days?

Phosphene: I had recommended the band earlier this year as they were releasing songs that were going to be included in their album “Lotus Eaters”. Well, the good news is that the album is out now! There are 10 fine songs of terrific melodies and guitars by this Portland, Oregon, band!

Neurotic Fiction: this post punk band from Bristol sounds really exciting. They have a 7″ EP called “Romance” that was just released and it is a corker. 4 songs with female vocals, catchy choruses and some great guitars! I need to order this!

The Shells: never heard of them before I must say, but here is a collection of 34 songs the band recorded between 1999 and 2005. The band actually released one 7″ on Little Mafia Records and it is quite cool to discover now this Austin band formed by Carlos Jackson, Laurelin Outman, Tommy Stockslager and Mike Nelson.

Ferns: this is fantastic news! the best band ever from Kuala Lumpur is going to be back with an EP later in August! It is called “Navalgazing” and will come with 4 songs! At this time we can preview the opening track “Auf Wiedersehen”, a beautiful indiepop song. The EP will be released on CD and I urge not to miss it. If you are a proper fan there will be t-shirts as well!

The Sylvia Platters: what a nice discovery! This Vancouver band has written a terrific jangly pop song called “Invisible Ink” and I am delightfully surprised. Alex Kerc-Murchison, Nick Ubels, Tim Ubels and Scott Wagner are the people behind this band, and I have to say I will start following them from now on! Looking forward to more songs by them.

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The short lived Gothenburg label Reazone to Release Records was founded by Joakim Johansson in the late 80s, releasing their first record in 1989. The next year, 1990, the label would release a 7″ by the band Drums in Minor. This is the one I am interested in today.

This band also hailed from Gothenburg and I don’t know much about them. Actually I know nothing. So I want to learn more.

This 7″ had just two songs. The A side had the terrific “You Would Be Sorry” while the B side had “Cold As My Hand”. We know that both songs were recorded at RRL Studios and were mixed at Studio Urania. It is not clear how many copies were pressed, but it is estimated to be less than 1000. Another interesting fact I learned from Musikon is that supposedly there was going to be an LP album to be released next but the record company folded. Was this album recorded? Would be great to find out!

We also know the band members:
Johan Forsman – guitar, vocals
Patrik Andersson – bass
Carl-Johan Rydén – guitar, vocals
Benno Damerau – drums, vocals

And we know too about other bands they have been involved with. For example Johan Forsman had been in Fidget and worked in production for Brandgul, Caesars Palace, Cry, Godnose, Gordon, Honey is Cool, Soundrack of Our Lives, Thåström. Patrik Andersson had been in Arrows, Extaz, Pöbel Möbel, Long John, Los Concombres, Railroad, Hydra, Pejnäs Ork, MAgnus Johansson and Suffer.

Then some very good finds on Youtube. Johan Forsman has a channel where he has uploaded a few tracks by Drums in Minor! We find the A side of the 7″, “You Would Be Sorry“. A 1990 song called “Drowning in the Pool of Life“. Then there is “Blast” which was recorded in 1991 but written in 1989. “Coming Down For Me” which was produced by J. Cremonese and recorded at Musicamatic, with Nille Perned as the engineer.

Then on Wikipedia I find an entry for a band called Simpkins. According to this they had the same band members and all. It may have been that Drums in Minor changed names at some point? Would be interesting to find out!

And that’s it really. It seems Simpkins first release was in 1993. It was an album. After that there would be another album and two EPs. But I am curious right now about their time as Drums in Minor, especially as it seems there are more songs, even an unreleased album! Who would know more about this cool sounding Göteborg band!

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Listen
Drums in Minor – You Would Be Sorry

From left to right: Wayne Booth, Jon Brown, Ian Finney, Andy Starkey.

Thanks so much to Ian for the interview! I wrote about Christopher not so long ago and just a week ago Ian got in touch with me! He was very kind to let me listen to more of the wonderful songs he recorded with Christopher and even better was up to tell me the story of the band on this interview! Hope you all enjoy this!

++ Hi Ian! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Thanks Roque I’m good, thank you. Yes I’m still making music.

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

My first musical memory is of me and my family visiting an aunt when I was about three years old and seeing her upright piano. I went nuts. I’m not sure why but I had to get on it and play. They literally had to drag me off it. A few years later I saw The Osmands performing Crazy Horses on TV and I made a pretend synthesizer out of an old shoe box. When I was fourteen a friend of my sister had an ARP Odyssey (a retro synth) and I spent five minutes on it and was blown away. Despite my interest in keyboards the guitar was my first instrument. When I was thirteen my first girlfriend dumped me while I was sick with a cold so I wrote a song about it and taught myself to play on an old acoustic guitar.

When I was growing up, radio was my main thing and I loved music. It was music typical of that era which was pop, soul, rock, punk, disco, new wave and easy listening. I got turned onto other stuff through my brother’s record collection, like prog and classic rock. When I was teaching myself guitar I’d play along to Rush, Blue Oyster Cult, Santana and Sex Pistols albums.

++ Had you been in other bands before Christopher? If so, how did they sound like? Are there any recordings?

I formed my first band with Lee (Latch) Parker and Simon Deakin when I was fourteen and we were a punk band. I was also in a great band with Jim Free and Barry Cox when I was briefly at college. It was a freeform rock band and we made a few practise tapes. I got expelled from college then got an audition and ended up with a record contract. I was in The Tempest. We were signed to Magnet Records which is now part of Warners but at the time it was the biggest independent label in the UK. I was seventeen years old when I signed the contract and my parents had to co-sign it too because I was legally a minor. The Tempest were an 80’s acoustic pop band, I guess similar to Aztec Camera. I found out we have a kind of cult status in Japan and Spain. Japanese fans go nuts over memorabilia and the vinyl is quite collectible. The unreleased album sells for over a thousand dollars. We made four singles and an album and were produced by Gus Dudgeon who had produced David Bowie’s Space Oddity and all of Elton John’s 70’s classic stuff. Glenn Tilbrook from the band Squeeze produced our album and first three singles and Steve Levine produced our last single. I’m lucky to have worked with some really great producers and musicians and I learned a lot from them, especially in sound production and studio recording.

After I left The Tempest I formed a band called The Snakeskins with some new friends I made at my old college. I didn’t tell anyone I’d previously been signed. We sounded mostly like indie guitar pop but the sound eventually changed into something more like REO Speedwagon and I left. The Snakeskins were together on-and-off for about six years and we made quite a lot of demos but never released anything. We nearly got signed by Island Records and I think we lost out because we didn’t have any management. The MD of Island Records asked us all why should he sign us and we just sat there saying nothing. I left The Snakeskins around December 1989.

++ What about the rest of the band members?

Jon was in a band with the drummer Andy McClure who went on to form the indie band Sleeper with Louise Wener. I’m not sure about the other guys.

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born in an area of Liverpool called Prescot but I was brought up in the town of Widnes in Halton. I’ve lived here all my life.

++ How was the Halton at the time of Christopher? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

Halton was thriving musically at that time and we had great nightlife. Everyone was listening to REM, The La’s, The Stone Roses and ‘Madchester’ was going full throttle. The Stone Roses Spike Island gig was a couple of miles away from where I lived. I didn’t go but I heard it. There were at least three indie clubs in Halton – The Cherry Tree in Runcorn and Storeys and Players in Widnes. With the pubs also doing indie music nights you could party from Wednesday to Saturday – four full nights, and we often did. It was crazy. I had some of the best times of my life then.

My favourite band at that time was Jennifer Fever, Jane Weaver’s first band. I’d hang out with Jane in a small cafe and shop called The North. It was kind of idyllic. A couple called Adrian and Nikki ran it and they sold records, tie-die clothing, food and hippy paraphernalia. I spent entire afternoons in there with a coffee talking about music and comic books. At first I had no idea that Jane played or wrote music until there was a gig by her band in the cafe. They were great. I thought she had something good going and asked if I could produce them.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

I called the local newspaper asking to put out an ad and instead they ran a story on me. I was kind of locally famous a few years before for signing a big recording deal when I was in The Tempest and I guess they remembered me.

A few people contacted me. Jon was already an old school friend and I asked him personally. We found Wayne and Andy through the newspaper. Mark Kinsella was also a member but he left before we started playing live in ’91. Around October 1990 we began the first rehearsals. By December we were ready to gig.

++ Were there any lineup changes?

Later on we recruited Martin Burns from Jennifer Fever but I guess the biggest lineup change was when I left ! The band hung together for a while but eventually split.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

With Christopher the songwriting process was pretty much how I’ve written all my life, except that I’m not as lazy or scatter-brained these days. I’d get an idea, some kind of inspiration, and I’d run with it musically. Everything was written in my imagination or on guitar. I’d record ideas on a small tape recorder or a portastudio – a multitrack tape recorder. We practised in a local rehearsal place called Pentagon Studios, run by Ade Sleigh and his father, Stan and it was a great place. One day I walked into the studio and Alan Crookes from the hit band Poacher was sat there with Ian McNabb from The Icicle Works listening to my Christopher demos. Alan showed interest and invited me to record but after he copied my drum patterns from a drum machine he avoided my calls. I never heard from him again. A few years later one of those Christopher riffs from the demo also appeared on an Ian McNabb song. It’s always great to inspire people.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

It was a solo thing for me at first and I didn’t want to use my own name so I settled on using my middle name Christopher instead. Then when I recruited the other guys I just stuck with it. Trying to find a good name for a band that hasn’t already been taken is the hardest thing.

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

From my point of view as the songwriter it was everyone who I’d been listening to at that time like REM, The Byrds and The Beatles. I’ve never really been that conventional a songwriter to be honest. I don’t listen to a lot of music, don’t play any covers and I discover new artists very slowly. Popular music at that time also had an effect on my writing, especially the production style. I was also listening to The Bangles album ‘Different Light’ throughout the summer and that guitar sound got into my head. They took the 60’s influence from The Byrds and Beatles and mixed it with west coast sunshine pop vocal harmonies and I loved it. Coincidently a few years later I was briefly in the Coal Porters with Sid Griffin, who had been in a relationship with The Bangles’ Micky Steele and had also shared a house with their drummer Debbie Petersen.

++ As far as I know there were no releases by Christopher, is that right? Why was that?

Well apart from the track on the Idea album, we never got that far. I had a knack back then for giving up easily. I wasn’t ego-driven and I’d get downhearted quickly. We had my brother-in-law managing us and he really helped us out a lot and I’m still grateful for that, but we didn’t have the right breaks when I was in the band. We sent demos out to lots of major companies but heard nothing back. I think we sent around thirty or forty tapes out to every major and big independent label in the UK. I left the band even though I was writing prolifically at the time. Months later I heard from Wayne that the major label Polydor had contacted the band after I’d left and were interested in us but our manager told them I’d left and the band was finished. If he’d called me at the time I would have been straight back in a flash.

++ Was there interest by labels at any point to put your stuff out? Did you consider self-releasing?

As I mentioned, Polydor was interested but it wasn’t followed-up. Self-releasing in those days meant considerable costs,for recording, artwork and pressing. It was an expensive business, not like today where anyone can release something digitally and get it distributed globally for almost nothing.

++ So the song “Touch” appeared on the “What’s the Idea” compilation. How did you end up working with Idea Records?

I got a call from my manager Greg and he said they were putting something together with local artists but we had to move quick as there was a deadline. I went in the studio, recorded the song on my own and then produced Jennifer Fever. The tapes went out and we did some gigs. That was it. My manager handled the business side and we liaised with Dave Wycherley, who was Halton Council’s Arts liaison at the time. I’d later heard that they wanted “the two best artists in Widnes” and they picked me and Jennifer Fever. I remember that this pissed off some people.

++ Idea Records, from what I understand, was put together by the St. Helens Community Arts Team. Who were they? What else did they do for the arts in the area? Were you part of it?

I’m sorry to say I didn’t know much about it, but it was a great idea and hats off to them for making it happen. I wasn’t interesting in those kind of details at the time. I was just a kid intent on writing and performing. Business never interested me.

++ So it was a tight scene and you even collaborated with other bands, like producing Jennifer Fever. Was there a lot of collaboration between all of you? What other bands were in town that didn’t appear in the compilation that you were friends with?

At that time, I don’t recall other bands apart from Jennifer Fever and The Snakeskins, who I’d previously been with. The main scene I was involved in socially was around 1987-89, when I was with The Snakeskins. There wasn’t that much collaboration but I’ve always been interested in helping out other artists and still do.

++ Back to “Touch”. When and where was it recorded? Were other songs recorded in this session?

It was recorded in Pentagon Studios Widnes around late Spring or Early summer 1990. The band wasn’t ready and the song was under a deadline so I recorded the song by myself and played everything on it in one afternoon. Adrian Sleigh engineered it and I produced.

++ Were there demo tapes by Christopher?

We made two tapes of three songs each. The first was early in ’91 and the second was made later in ’91 after I sold some recording equipment to fund it, which in hindsight was a mistake. We recorded both demos at Bus Stop Studios in Leigh where in fact I met my then-girlfriend, who was a trainee sound engineer. The studio was run by a guy called Herman, who was kind of famous for having thrown up over Queen’s hairdresser backstage at some event.

++ And are there more unreleased songs by the band?

Not the band as such, but there are demos that I’d recorded myself which were intended for the band. I still have boxes full of demo tapes.

++ I think my favourite song, the only one I’ve heard so far!, is “Touch”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

I was twenty-three years old and my first long-term relationship had ended. I’d started dating another girl but I felt numb. I put what I was feeling into words and I discovered that songwriting could be cathartic and after that I began to start expressing myself with my music more intimately, emotionally. I think it was the first honest song that I wrote.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Christopher song, which one would that be and why?

It has to be Touch. It was very much part of my life at that time and summed up how I was feeling. Writing introspectively like that kind of makes me feel exposed but I like honesty in music.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

As Christopher, probably around eight. Pre-Christopher, hundreds.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?

The second gig we ever played, Christmas or new year 1990-91 at Storeys in Widnes was one of the best gigs I’ve ever done. Jane Weaver was there, John Snaykee (of Manbreak and ex-Snakeskins) and Chris Leckie from Adlib Audio was doing the sound. Chris is one of the best live engineers in the world today and he tours with A-List bands. They all loved it. Everything came together just right and it was wonderful gig for everyone.

Anecdotes? Well we played a gig at St. Katherine’s Teacher Training College in Liverpool and it was full of girls in the audience. One of them took off a stocking and threw it onto the stage while we were playing and after the gig there was a serious discussion trying to figure out who it was intended for. It was all scientific stuff – her throwing direction, the intended trajectory, aerodynamics, etc.

++ And were there any bad ones?

We played in St Helens at a pub known for hosting hard rock bands. It looked like it was full of Hell’s Angels and we were an indie band. The atmosphere was menacing and after the gig a barman told us that was a great response because usually the audience threw things at the band.

Another gig was so poorly publicised that only five people turned up. No one knew the gig was on and those that came to see us were only there because they were friends of the band. We just cracked on and did the set.

++ When and why did Christopher stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

It was around summer 1991. I left the band because I’d lost my best friend, a lot of time, money and I’d had enough. The other guys carried on for a month or two and then split up.

I rejoined The Snakeskins for a while. I formed a band called Fiasco with Dave Pichilingi and played a John Peel session with them. I rejoined the Snakeskins again, then they split and me and Andy from the band formed Muddyhead with ex-Fishmonkeyman bassist Terry Lloyd. We were managed by China Crisis’ Eddie Lundon. I was in The Coal Porters (The Long Ryders’ Sid Griffin’s band) very briefly, around two weeks I guess. In the early 2000s I briefly formed a band called Penny Blue, then in 2006 I got an offer from Tommy Marolda to record in Las Vegas and interest from The Killers management, but due to family commitments and my health at the time I couldn’t do it.

Since then I’ve been working on various projects, producing music for computer games and writing orchestral pieces for documentaries and The History Channel. When Glenn Tilbrook played in my home town we met before the gig and he asked me if I wanted to perform one of my new songs onstage. I was nervous as hell but I did it and it gave me the confidence to play live again. I’d been having problems with agoraphobia and leaving the house and it was a big help in getting me interested in playing live music again. After that I formed The Coralaines and recorded a Rock and Roll album because it was something I always wanted to do. I used all the right period equipment and production methods to get an authentic sound and it was great fun. We played a few great gigs thanks to Mike Badger (from the La’s). We performed at the Jacaranda club’s anniversary which was a big deal as it was one of The Beatles’ first venues. Travelling and rehearsing was really tough for me and it took about two years to play two gigs but it was worth it. The band split at the end of last year so I started working on new songs for myself. I’ve done some remote guitar sessions over lockdown and I’m currently working on my solo music. I have lots of plans.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?

Wayne and Andy went separate ways and did their own thing, I think it was mainly cover bands. Jon was writing his own music and Martin moved to the states.

++ Has there been any reunion gigs?

No, I never really considered it. I’d never say never though, to any of my previous bands.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

We got interviewed on a BBC Radio show called Hit The North which was hosted by Mark Radcliffe who is a BBC DJ legend. He loved ‘Touch’ and said with the right backing it could be a hit. Coming from him, it was a great compliment.

++ What about TV? Made any promo videos?

Not with Christopher. I made one with The Tempest and I’m making new ones for my upcoming music. Film-making is a growing interest for me.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

Yes, the local press was great but we never got any national coverage.

++ What about from fanzines?

We weren’t approached, though there were a few around at that time. I honestly think we weren’t around long enough to make an impression.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

Being on the IDEA album and definitely the second gig at Storeys at Christmas 1990-91.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Strictly-speaking music isn’t a hobby for me as I work in it professionally, but I do love composing orchestral pieces. I taught myself orchestration about twenty years ago and it’s the purest form of musical expression I know. Apart from music, I have plenty of interests and hobbies. Art, particularly impressionism, art deco and art nouveau. I trained in Art before I was expelled and I’ve always been fascinated by it. I was a huge Salvador Dali fan when I was a kid and tried to paint like him. Alphonse Mucha and Edward Hopper are other favourites. I love film, all film, classic fantasy and horror, certainly the classic Hollywood movies and all French cinema. I adore nature and animals. I like photography and gaming, especially RPGs -both computer games and pen paper and dice RPGs – and I’ve been a comic book geek since I was a kid. I love the work of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jim Steranko and Alex Ross. Alan Moore is phenomenal. Kurt Busiek’s Astro City is a recent discovery and I think it knocks the ball out of the park. I’m not a TV person, but I’m nuts about classic 60’s and 70’s TV like The Avengers, Batman, Doctor Who and all of Gerry Anderson’s work. I’m also heavily into French 1960’s pop music. It combines two of my favourite things, 60’s music and France. I tend to slowly discover music that I’ve found on my own. It’s great when that happens. There’s a universe of music out there that I’ve never heard and I think that’s amazing.

I also get lost in the internet and often wander down rabbit-holes of weirdness that sometimes yields good things. I find the internet inspirational, crazy, terrible and fascinating. I’m also fascinated with Paris at the end of the nineteenth century during the Belle Epoch and 1950s America.

I have tons of interests and I never get bored. The only problem is time. There’s never enough of it.

++ Never been to the Halton or the St. Helens area. So I will ask for some recommendations. If  I was to visit your city what shouldn’t I miss? What are your favourite sights? And any particular food or drinks that you think one shouldn’t miss?

Generally Halton is a quiet place and it’s not a tourist haven. There are old places around Halton like Norton Priory, and Farnworth Church which was built before 1066 and we have an historically great tradition of Rugby.

I spent my younger years in Crow Wood Park and Sunny Bank, The Bongs (an area of open hilly land nearby) and later Pex Hill. As a kid or teen I’d ramble around with friends, walking or running everywhere. I still love walking in Victoria park. It’s an old Victorian park and it can be a magical place. It also has a great ice cream shop.

I haven’t been into town for food in ages, but Marie Barrows Fish & Chip Shop is legendary. Donatello’s in nearby Warrington makes the best pizzas I’ve ever had in my life and Eureka, the Greek restaurant just out of town is amazing.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

I played guitar on some remote sessions during lockdown recently for an old friend and Joe Walsh from the Eagles said he loved my guitar style. That was such an amazing thing to hear. You can’t buy compliments like that.

I’m also recording new music – please keep an eye out for that.

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Listen
Christopher – Touch

Day 139.

The Reds, Pinks & Purples: two new songs by the ultra-prolific project of Glenn Donaldson. If you like your indiepop jangly you are going to like these! “Pictures of the World” and “Tell Me What’s Real” are up now on Bandcamp.

Vic Godard: the legend is back with a new album called “1978 NOW” on GNU Records. It looks as it is only available digitally and you can’t listen to all 14 songs on Bandcamp, but three of them, which is fine as a preview. My favourite out of the three? “Why Did You Shoot Me?”.

Happypills: the Fukuoka based Yuki Kondo has finally released a record! How cool! It is out now on Citrus City Records from Richmond, Virginia. It is a 10 song cassette album called “Milk Floe”. And it is really good!

Exploding Flowers: now let’s head to Los Angeles. Exploding Flowers just released an album on vinyl and CD called “Stumbling Blocks” and it does sound really good. 12 songs of pure jangle and classic melodies. I am going to play this album all summer long.

Milky Wimpshake: another classic band that makes a return. The Stoke-On-Trent band will be releasing the album “Confessions of an65 English Marxist” on October 16. The vinyl album seems to be limited to 200 copies. So run before it sells out!

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Definitely one of the hardest finds to find information about is Perfect. With that name in the world wide web you are lost really. And on top of that the one song I know by them is called “Desire”. Quite impossible. But hey, there might be some luck as this one song was included in “The Sound of Leamington Spa Volume 5”!

Being included in these legendary series of compilations that Firestation Records puts out helps. Why? Because there is a booklet and there is always some info there. Maybe that would end up helping finding out any other details about them.

So yeah, they appeared on the 2005 “The Sound of Leamington Spa Volume 5” (FST065) which at that time it was still a co-release by several labels. It was a Firestation release but also Bilberry Records (BILB 09) and Clarendon Records (W6 7CD) are listed. The song the band contributed as I mentioned was “Desire”. And this is what says on the booklet.

There weren’t many constants in Perfect — lead singer and main songwriter John Smith fronted a band that evolved with every gig — original guitarist Carl Hodgson left, so Duncan Lomax moved from bass to guitar, Andy Frizell swapped his flute and sax for bass, trombone player Dave Jamieson added a unique sound, and sax and flute players Phil and Simon stepped in to complete the brass section that made Perfect a breath of fresh air in early 80’s Liverpool. Only drummer Dave Francis seemed to stay in the same seat as the band grew.
The band gigged relentlessly and supported Microdisney and The Men They Couldn’t Hang, but apart from demo tapes (their first produced by The Pale Fountains’ Mike Head), they never actually released anything. So now, more than twenty years later, we present Perfect — enjoy…

Okay that’s some interesting details. Now we know they hailed from Liverpool, the early 80s and I have some names. The question for me is mostly about these demo tapes. How many did they record? How many more songs are there waiting to be discovered? I’d love to listen to them.

The only other hit I get on the web is from the website Link2Wales. Here it tells a few little interesting things like Duncan Lomax was also on Wake Up Africa, 35 Summers and Hal. Andy Frizell was also on Wake Up Afrika and Vernons Wizards of Twiddly. I had written about Wake Up Afrika in the past but had no luck getting answers to my questions. Maybe I should write about 35 Summers soon as they were another terrific band. This small blurb also mentions that the band played lots of gigs around Liverpool and Chester at venues like The Venue, Mardi Gras and Bierkeller.

And that’s all really. Any help to shed some light on Perfect would be appreciated!

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Listen
Perfect – Desire

Thanks so much to Dominic Silvani for the interview! Penelope’s Web was a superb indiepop band in the 80s that released a self-released EP and then another on Cherry Red. In 2014 the band released a retrospective album with a bunch of unreleased tracks on Firestation Records. I thought that it was better late than never to get in touch and find out more about this terrific bands that left many songs that should be considered C86 classics!

Oh! and do check their Facebook page!

Day 137. In the end I will be around all August. It is quite impossible to have vacations this year if you live in the US.

Anuncio en Blanco: the latest on the Mexican netlabel is a new album called “Un Lugar” by Anuncio en Blanco. At the moment we can preview two out of the 9 tracks included, “Siento Que Estés Aquí” and “Juntos Otra Vez”. Both are nice dreamy tracks. The album is to be released on August 14th.

Boosegumps: some low key bedroom pop in the “5 demos” tape release on Lost Sound Tapes. This project by Heeyoon Won from Philadelphia does remind us of The Softies, right? Especially the track “Perfect Autumn Day”.

Ribbon Stage: this New York band is releasing a 7″ EP with 5 tracks on August 7th. Right now we can preview two of the songs, “Favorite Girl” and “Cry in the Driveway”, two noisy pop songs that were recorded in Brooklyn and mixed in Olympia. Makes sense!

Shiny Times: “So Alone” is the newest track from Kim Weldin, one half of Tape Waves, is really good! If you like sweet, smart, melodic bedroom pop, that doesn’t sound too lofi, then this is perfectr for you.

Fritz: and perhaps my favourite song in this little review is Fritz’s “Arrow”. This band hailes from Newcastle, Australia, and is formed by Tilly Murphy, Cody Brougham and Darren James. Check them out!

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Who were 99th Floor? This Swedish band is a mystery to me. I don’t own any of their records (yet). But I think I will be able to get some information on the web!

It looks like their first ever release was a self-released 7″ with two tracks, “Dreamland” on the A side and “The Blue Hour” on the B side. It also looks like this was a promo release. And only 171 copies were pressed! The release had a sleeve, a black and white photocopy looking logo of the band. Here we also see who were the band members:
Andreas Brodow: bass
Anders Lindgren: guitar, piano
Bengt Lindbäck: guitar
Gunnar Sätterkvist: musical box
Ylva Lindgren: vocals, glockenspiel

Of course the first questions is if Anders and Ylva are siblings or family?

The band’s next release was a 7″ on Joker Records (JOKE 920). This label was based in south Stockholm, in the Johanneshov area and interestingly enough it was the first indie Swedish label to release a CD in 1989. That same year, they released the “I Walk Alone” 7″ by 99th Floor, with that track on the A side and “Blue Hour” on the B side. We know too that Anders and Ylva wrote the A side while the B side is credited to both of them and Bengt too. The band lineup continued being the same as the previous 7″ and one detail one here is that Anders Hörling was the engineer for both tracks. It is also worth mention that Ylva by this time had changed her last name to Håkansson… and that in the label of the 7″ we see Lindgren spelled Lindhgren for Anders. What was the correct spelling then?

So far my favourite song by them is “(Take Me To) Wonderland”.  It may change after listening more and more their songs. I have just discovered them a few weeks ago. Well, this song was their third single, a 7″ with that song on the A side and “It’s Time to Leave” on the B side. This time around the band would change labels, now the label to release them was Exercises in Style (EIS 003). The year of this release was 1991 and the people behind this early 90s label were John Cloud, Joakim Jähnke and Peter Lindholm. The band members were still the same on this record. The two songs were recorded at Park Studio in Stockholm, with Anders Lindhgren from the band and Jan Olov Gullö (from the bands Sjöstrom&Gullö and Safari Season) as producers. Per Sommarström would design the art of the sleeve while Joakim Pirinen, a well known illustrator and comic book artist, provided the drawings. So now, can we agree that Lindhgren is with an H?  Or did Anders change the spelling of his last name?

Their next release would be a CDEP called “”Sad Songs on a Happy Day”. Four songs were included in this 1992 EP: “Happy Revolution”, “Annie C/o Loneliness”, “Say Hello to the Day” and “Inside of Me’. It was released by Gullö Gram (GG-5991) which was possibly Jan Olov Gullö’s label who once again co-produced the songs.

Two years later, in 1994, the band would release a CD single with two tracks on Hawk Records (HAWKCDS1173). The songs were “Happy Revolution” (is this a different version of the previous release?) and “Window with a View”. I notice too on the credits on Discogs a credit for Lars Sköld (who played on Tiamat, Avatarium, among others) on drums, Malin Bjurberg on backing vocals and Niklas Olsson on organ.

In 1995 two of their songs would appear on the Swedish movie “Vackert Väder”: “Happy Revolution” and “Window with a View”. The same songs as the CD single. Then a few years later, in 1999, the band would again contribute a song to a movie, “Mamy Blue”.

The band also appeared on 5 compilations during their time. First in 1989 on the compilation “Nordic Sounds Volume 2” released by Joker Records (JOKE 917) they had the song “I Walk Alone”. Then the next year, in 1990, their song “Sell My Soul” appeared on the compilation “Motion” on Exercises in Style (EIS CD001).  Munster Records from Spain would include them, in 1991, in the comp “Not the Singer but the Songs: An Alex Chilton Tribute”. On this one they would cover “Nightime”.

In 1991 the band would also contribute “Another World” to the LP compilation “The 4th Adventure” released by the Danish label Guiding Light Records (JEWEL 4). Lastly, “Happy Revolution”, would be incldued in “Pop & Rock! (Hit Acts Sweden 1995)’. This last one was a promotional CD released by ExMS (INFOGRAM 27) in 1995 in Sweden.

Then something quite surprising is that in 2016 the band released an album in MP3 format through Gullö Gram (SEVJR160001). I wonder if these were new recordings or sort of a retrospective. Who’d know? There were ten songs in this their one and only album that was called “Different Colours of a Stone”. The tracks were: “Dreamland”, “Ydoi”, “Happy Revolution”, “Having Fun”, “Carried by Imagination”, “Another World”, “Waterfall”, “Funny Tragic World”, “And Death”, “Outside my Window”.

Something that I noticed too is that Ylva, Anders and Lars had been in the band Safari Season that had releases even in the US on Zip Records. And this band actually has a website. Here it tells that he started his music career in the punk band Ebe Johnsson’s Swing Quintet, in his hometown of Karlstad. Then he would move to Stockholm and there with Ylva they started 99th Floor. With this band they would play in many festivals in Sweden and get airplay and TV appearances in Sweden and abroad.

And that’s what I could find. If they were popular at their time I am sure people remember them. Oddly enough there’s not much online about them, and I couldn’t find their TV appearances on Youtube. I’d definitely would love to learn more about them. Who remembers them?

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Listen
99th Floor – Take Me to Wonderland

Day 134. Friday!

Here is new music.

WYWY: I had to write about this dreampop duo. I am a sucker for “exotic” bands. And this one is at least for me. It is the first time I have heard a band that sounds like this hailing from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Their latest song, “Isolated”, is pretty good to boot.

Post West: now another band that I couldn’t let pass. The band hailing from Providence in Rhode Island has released a wonderful EP called “Bronco”. The curiosity here is that they have a song called “Astoria”, and that’s where I am based! In Astoria, New York. This is very very cool for me!

Grizzly Coast: now onto a more produced band, one that sounds a bit like Camera Obscura. And that’s a good thing of course. Five songs are out now on their EP “Party of One”. Digital only it seems. But hey, you can have on repeat their amazing opener “Catch & Release”. Really enjoying this project formed by Allanah Kavanagh, Pavel Soitys, Jacqueline Tucci and Taylor Lucas.

Floodlights: time to head to Melbourne, the land of amazing indiepop. The 12″ album “From A View” is already sold out. But good news is that the 2nd pressing on vinyl is available. On top of that, we can listen to this solid 11 song record on Bandcamp and preview it there.

The Apartments: “Initials PMW” is a 4 song EP out now on Microcultures label from France. The amazing project by Peter Milton Walsh recorded these 4 songs in Ashgrove, Australia. And they are really pretty.

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This is as obscure as it gets. I really hope my Japanese friends can solve the mystery of who were Camera Works.

I only know the one song they had on the “Pop Comes Up! Bluebadge Compilation Vol. 2” that was released by the Bluebadge Label (BBCD-002) back in 2002. That song was called “Is She a Happy Girl?”. It appears alongside many bands that I have featured in the past like Margarets Hope*, Clean Distortion or Cyclon86. But I could find more info for these bands.

When it comes to Camera Works there’s absolutely nothing on the web. I know there’s a girl singing. I know they are Japanese. But aside from that there’s nothing.

The band also appeared on the first Bluebadge compilation which was called “Send My Badge!: Bluebadge Compilation Vol. 1” (BCD-001). This one is not listed in Discogs so that makes it a bit harder to get info. I do know that the song they contributed was called “Crumble”. I believe it was released in 2002 as well.

I haven’t heard “Crumble”. Maybe that is something someone can help me too. At least. I love the Bluebadge label, but it is hard to get the records and info on their bands! Any help will be appreciated.

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Listen
Camera Works – Is She a Happy Girl?

Just last week I wrote about the Isle of Wight band Cassie on the blog. It didn’t take long, as you see, that Hugh Lewis, the drummer, got in touch with me! And even better he was up for an interview! So here it is, the chance to learn a little bit more about this obscure powerpop band that left a classic 7″ that now has just been reissued!

++ Hi Hugh! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Thanks for your interest in Cassie. I’m very well!!! Sadly I’m not involved in the making of music anymore although I did stand in on the drums for a Turkish band a couple of weeks ago, really enjoyed that

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

I must have been 6/7 when my Mum first took me to a folk night.Loved it and we went quite a few times after that. It was 1972 when I pestered my parents to buy me my first 45’ Starman by David Bowie.
Played about a bit on the guitar in 1977, within a few weeks I wanted to play the drums. Had a handful of lessons, but after that used to watch drummers play when I could, and then lots of practice.

Early 70’s glam rock!! Bowie, Faces, Rod Stewart, Stones, Who, Slade, Sweet. Mid to late 70’s Punk/new wavw. Early 80’s: NWBHM

++ Had you been in other bands before Cassie? I read that you all were in a band called Flirt? How did it sound like? Are there any recordings?

Yes Hunter, you can hear the material we did on isleofwightmusic.com, made my live debut with them in late 79′.

++ And aside from Flirt, were you all in any other bands?

Flirt was the same as Cassie, same line up, it was Wilf Pine our manager in the early 80’s who got us to change our name. As mentioned I played in Hunter originally, also Warrior a NWBHM band, sadly there are no recordings.Also Rendezvous- go to Isleofwightmusic.com and you can hear everything I recorded with them

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born in Bromley, Kent, UK, but we moved to the Isle of Wight when I was about 2 years old.

++ How was the Isle of Wight at the time of Cassie? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

The IOW is a holiday destination, it was always great in the summer, quiet in the winter. There were loads of places for bands to play in those days.

Local bands I liked were The Pumphouse Gang, Last Straw, Thin Red Line

Studio 4 in Ryde was the best!!!

Stacks of them at the time – Prince Consort, LA Babalu Club,Crown Inn, Royal Sandrock, Eight Bells, Solent court etc etc

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

We think about 76/77

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

Nigel wrote the riff, Debbie would have the lyrics down,Me and Eric would sort out the rhythm section. In a little village called Binstead, in a converted shed

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

Wilf Pine who signed us to a.k.a records changed us from Flirt to Cassie

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

Blondie, Pretenders, Kim Wilde??

++ So early on you signed a deal with Video Records and even a publishing deal. I don’t think that is quite common these days, so quite curious how did you caught their attention? Through demo tapes? Gigs?

It was a demo we recorded late in 79’.

Radio victory a south coast radio station featured us and played the demo, Video Records heard it from there I think!!

++ But for some reason the songs you recorded for Video Records never pressed on vinyl. The label folded, right? What happened? How did the band take this blow?

No they never got out. Yes that’s right, ran into financial problems. To be fair in our stride, although we were all pretty gutted.

++ After this you went to record demos for Wilf Pine who was Black Sabbath’s manager. How did this relationship happen? And how was that recording session?

To be honest I can’t remember how Wilf got involved!! One day he wasn’t there the next he was!!

Arnie’s Shack in Poole, 3 tracks were recorded.The A’ Side , ‘B’ Side plus Falling which was to be a follow up single

++ Again for some reason you couldn’t get a record deal, right? So in 1982 you self-released a 7″ on your own A.K.A. Records. How did this work out for you? How did you raise money? Was the 7″ sold? Or was it mostly for promo copies?

Not well, the label was nothing to do with the band more Wilf’s project. There was no official release, and from what we can tell hardly any pressed, no media interest.

No idea, Wilf paid for the recordings. We don’t know anything about sales as there was no feedback, certainly no royalties paid.

++ There was no sleeve for it, right?

Nope, everything done on the cheap!!!

++ And did A.K.A. Records name mean anything?

Don’t think so, if it did I don’t know what!!!

++ Then there was interest from Dakota Records. But again nothing came out of this. What happened? Was there interest from any other labels?

Yes. The band never had any management again when it all finished with Wilf so nobody drove the business side of the band!!

No the band called it a day after the Dakota thing never materialised!! 3 Labels and nothing to show for it, I guess we’d had enough by then

++ The Isle of Wight Music website have all your recorded output, 12 songs. Well, I have to ask, is that all your recorded output or are there still unreleased recordings by the band?

Not anymore they don’t, we have asked them to take them down.

I think including the single and B side there are a total of 18 songs

++ And from where do these recordings in that website come from? Different demo tapes?

Yes from 80 to 84

++ And aside from the 7″ you put out, did you appear on any compilations?

The band no. I also appear with Rendezvous on the feet on the Street compilation

++ This year a reissue of the 7″ came out on Reminder Records. I only noticed that it is a US based label! I am curious about the story of how this release came together? How did the label track you down?

Yeah great isn’t it!!! Our fourth label !!!!! Yes from Brooklyn, New York City.

They heard the song on Yo tube, saw us on isleofwightmusic.com and got the band members names from there.After that they found that Nigel Hayles is no longer traceable as he sadly passed away in 02’ Eric Biggs has no social media presence at all.Debbie Barker is now married and obviously had a different name Debbie Coles. That left only me they could traceI spoke to the Labels CEO Jeremy Thompson in December last year about it all, from there as they say ’the rest is history’

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Change of Image”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

Great song.

Who knows, Debbie wrote the story!!! It’s about female empowerment

++ If you were to choose your favorite Cassie song, which one would that be and why?

“Hold Me” or “Find a Way”.  I think. Just really like the groove of both

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

Yeah at one stage, three times a week

++ You even got a six month residency at the Royal Sandrock Inn in Nilton. How did this happen? How many gigs did you play there? Did you have a big local following?

That’s right. The owner of the pub saw us at a different venue, liked us and asked us to play there. No idea, I guess once a week for 6 months, around 24/25 I would think

Not really, but we were very popular in Niton lol!!!

++ And were there any bad gigs?

Plenty lol!!! Sometimes you’d hear ‘“ Your shit you are”

++ When and why did Cassie stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

I think we’d had a gutful by 84. Yes Rendezvous until 86 time.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?

++ Has there been any reunion gigs?

No

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

A fair bit, but only mainly local stations

++ What about TV? Made any promo videos?

Nope

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

A little bit at the time

++ What about from fanzines?

Nope

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

We wrote some catchy tunes and the fact that people seem interested in them 40 years on is great!!!

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

My main other love is football, I’m a qualified UEFA ‘A’ Coach and have earned a living in football for over 20 years.

++ Never been to the Isle of Wight. So I will ask for some recommendations. If  I was to visit your city what shouldn’t I miss? What are your favourite sights? And any particular food or drinks that you think one shouldn’t miss?

The Isle of Wight Festival!!! Brilliant festival. It’s a stunningly beautiful Island

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Nope I think we’ve covered it all pretty much, thank you for your interest in Cassie!!!!!

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Listen
Cassie – Change of Image