Three Colours Red - This Is My Hollywood 7"

Here, my friends, is a band putting the rock into indie-rock. Maybe even the ROCK! This is proper sub-three minute guitar fun, and to add a little something to this post it's the first release of this single, which was their first, on the Fierce Panda label. After this record they ended up signed to Creation, and apparently then went by the name "3 Colours Red". But ha! Here's the proof you've been looking for all this time to settle the argument with that floppy-haired mate who was into Marion too. "Three" it was, back in the day.

Fierce Panda, eh? Great name for a label, and a great label. I have a couple of 7" compilations they put out, which I'll try to dig up. I also bought their 7" release of a fight between Liam and Noel Gallagher, called "Wibbling Rivalry", which I remember being very funny. If I can find it, I'll up it.

Meanwhile, though, this is a proper jump-around-the-room record. Stick it on, stick it up, and pretend you're 16 again.

1. This Is My Hollywood
2. Hate Slick

Reet here.

Marion - Sleep 7"

I can't tell you an awful lot about this band, except that one of the guitarists is now in Bernard Sumner's new band. I'm sure that either Wikipedia or one of your mates who used to have that sort of floppy hair will be able to let you know more...

What I can tell you, however, is that they released one of the finest singles of the era, and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that. It has everything, great intro, harmonica riff, killer indie-rock bassline. Brilliant. If you were listening to the radio any time in the mid-'90s you will probably recognise it, and if you've not heard it before you're in for a real treat. Love it. And, on top of all that, the b-side's really good too (in a Suede kind of a stylee), and it's on orange vinyl! What more could you ask for? Except fewer crackles. But it has been played a lot.

Hope you like it. I appear to have paid 99p for it back in the day, and that, my friend, is a bargain.

1. Sleep
2. Waiting For No-One

Hear it.

Super Furry Animals - The Man Don't Give A Fuck 12"

By way of yet another apology for being a bit slack, here's a special request. The 12" version of this magnificent SFA single, which apparently has some exclusive remixes. The single itself should need no introduction, but it's a proper sing-along bit of cussin', and very well worth a listen if you've not heard it before/for a while. It's dedicated to Robin Friday, a legendary Cardiff City footballer, in action (to an extent) here.

The b-sides are very much from the SFA era of having their own rave tank which I remember being confused by at Reading one year. If that's your taste, then you'll be right into these. And if you're into Howard Marks you might be interested. For me, it's all about the a-side to this one, but it's an a-side which you should have.

1. The Man Don't Give A Fuck
2. The Man Don't Give A Fuck (Howard Marks Mix)
3. The Man Don't Give A Fuck (Wishmountain Mix)
4. The Man Don't Give A Fuck (Darren Price "Mix")

Yma.

Pizzicato Five - Mon Amour Tokyo 7"

So, do you know these guys? If you do, then this won't come as any surprise. If you don't, well, now that the spring is here (for one day only) and the daffodils are coming out, it's time to stick the b-side to this record on loud and open all your windows. If 'Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs James Bond' doesn't have you simultaneously bopping, giggling and wondering what the hell's going on then you're a hard, hard man/woman to please.

Japanese, on Matador, from 1993. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the sound of Pizzicato Five?

1. Mon Amour Tokyo
2. Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs James Bond

此処.

Sparklehorse - Rainmaker 7"

So that's weird. This was going to be the next post I put up, having kind of delayed it for fear of it being spotted and taken down by those folks at the DMCA. Now, for all the wrong reasons, there's Sparklehorse stuff all over various blogs, so hopefully no-one will mind. Anyway, for the second time in this blog's short history it's an accidental tribute, but a tribute it is, to a wonderful songwriter who will be sadly missed.

This single is a great introduction to the band if you don't know them, a killer track if you don't know it, and an excellent b-side if you're not in the first two categories. This is off the first LP, 'Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot', and apparently made it as high as #61 in the UK chart. So it was a hit then, and still is now.

1. Rainmaker
2. I Almost Lost My Mind

Here.

Teenage Fanclub - What You Do To Me 7"

It's that time of year, the sun's out, the birds are singing, and it's time for what may be the last installment of my trawl through TFC's singles, although there may be one or two more hidden away... Back to 1992 for this one. That's right. 18 years ago. Does that make you feel old? It does me.

Anyhew, this is quite simply a great song, with a nice cover, and a nice cover on the other side. The TFC-written b-sides are alright, but to be honest they kind of live up to their names. Not to say they're not good, and they're worth a listen for sure (for completeness if nothing else), but they're not LP material. 'Life's A Gas' is a good version.

Now put it on whatever you carry around with you and listen to it on a picnic.

1. What You Do To Me
2. B-Side
3. Life’s A Gas
4. Filler

Here!

Veruca Salt - Seether 7"

Here's a 100% bona fide indie rock classic. 1994 was the year, and as far as I know this was the first single by Veruca Salt. Apparently not the last, as they're still around, four LPs in. I don't recall ever hearing anything other than these two tracks, and the a-side is certainly the sound of 1994 or thereabouts.

It's a good track, and when you hear it you'll know what I mean about it being timely. It has a great intro, with a proper guitar sound. If you were listening to music around this period, I bet you'll recognise it, even if you don't recognise the name. The b-side's pretty good too, not quite so good a tune, but has more of a garage-y quality to it.

Hope you like 'em!

1. Seether
2. Straight

Them's here.

The Jesus Lizard / Nirvana split 7"

This came out around the height of Nirvana madness, about 1993, and being an excitable schoolboy at the time I remember finding out about it and reserving my copy at Revolver Records in Bristol. Happy days.

Around the same time, I went to see Senseless Things supported by The Jesus Lizard. I thought the support were terrible, and sat in the bar with my mates. Looking back on it now, I realise that I can only be described as an idiot.

Anyway, the Jesus Lizard track is great, and the Nirvana one isn't on any albums of theirs (I don't think - maybe a compilation..?), and is also worth a listen. It sounds like something off Bleach, but a bit more mature, which is a pretty good combination in my book. This 7" is also worthy of a mention for the worst cover of the decade, possibly. Back cover's cool though.

1. The Jesus Lizard - Puss
2. Nirvana - Oh, The Guilt

Here you go.

Pure Morning - four singles

By popular demand, now that I have a HiFi working again, here are four singles by the band Pure Morning, who became Clinic. The first is from 1995, and has my favourite ever track of theirs ("Dress Up"), the other three are from 1996. That first 7" is a little scratchy - it's been played a lot...

I did post a couple of them a while back, but they don't seem to have stayed where they were put, so here they are again. This is great stuff!

While I was digging around I found a couple of Clinic 7"s ("Monkey On Your Back" and "Cement Mixer") from way back, so will put them up sometime too.



1. All The Guests Smile So Sweetly (the original version skips - here's a proper one)
2. Severed Cuts Up
3. Dress Up

... is here.



1. Scum
2. Funky Hospital

... is here.



1. Dinky
2. Fake Lady
3. Police Car Atrocity
4. Containers

... is here.



1. Foxhole
2. IPC
3. The Gardener

... is here.

Sorry...

Sorry for the delay, folks. Normal service will be resumed shortly.