MUSIC LIST/ROCK
I Travelling overto the Eastern side at the country, we tind that WlN’s new single, ‘Love Units', is out this very minute, with their second LP due in March. Following their interesting coupling with The Proclaimers, Win are to play some rescheduled dates with the twins . . . Rumours that DANNY WILSON’s second LP is to be a double are rite, but not being given too much weight by their record company, Virgin, who are still reeling at the 34 songs THE INDIAN GlVERS have demoed ior them so lar, with more to come, apparently. The Givers are now working with Iormer Cure producer Phil Thornally. . . GOODBYE MR MACKENZIE have two British tours lined up, the lirst being on the college circuit. Their lirst LP is iinished, and while they’re waiting tor a release date the band are already hard at work on the second . . . THE SILENCERS’ LP, ‘A Blues tor Buddha’, has been put back yet again, this time to February, but ‘The Real McCoy', their new single, is out now. . . THE DOG FACED HERMANS have lett Calculus Records and are looking tor an alternative outlet ior their waxings. They have also joined in what seems to be an exodus irom central Edinburgh into the hills oi File, Iollowing WE FREE KINGS, who have relocated to a phoneless house in Anstruther. . . And gravel-voiced bluesman TAM WHITE has been wowing them at the prestigious Ronnie Scott’s in London, with a band which includes Bad Company's Boz Burrell . . . I It looked like being THE place to bring in the New Year, but the special Tackhead Sound System presentation at the Edinburgh Venue was marred by an invasion oi around thirty uninvited and unpaying guests, who proceeded to terrorise the partygoers, and carry out random attacks in the crowd. The troublemakers were eventually, with a little diplomacy, ejected, and The - Venue have issued this statement: ‘The Venue, War Club and Tackhead Sound System wish to apologise to any customers who were involved in incidents with gatecrashers at the Hogmanay Party. Steps are being taken to resolve the situation and prevent the recurrence oi such incidents.’
I THE KEVIN McDERMOTT ORCHESTRA who launched 1988 by signing to Island will be releasing their lirst ‘product' In the early part ol1989. Their album, Mother Nature’s Kitchen, has been completed at Park Lane Studios ln Glasgow, where the production credits were shared between Kevin, Kenny McDonald and Pretenders’ guitarist, Robhle McIntosh, who also played guitar on the album. A live band has now been assembled, and some warm up gigs have been arranged in Paris belore they play either in this country or in America, where record company
enthusiasm is suitably high.
I FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE will be releasing an independent EP In the early part oi 1989, although it is expected that they will sign with a major label in the very near Iuture.
I PRIMAL SCREAM still exist! Bobby Gillespie was recently sighted at a Pastels gig in Glasgow (also present The JAMC Reid Brothers) with long hair! While Gillespie is still writing songs, ex-Primals guitaristJim Beattie has apparently written a handiul oi songs and is on the search tor a band. I FAlRGROUND ATTRACTION have been working together again in the studio tor the lirst time since the release ottheir debut, platinum album, First oi a Million Kisses. Guitarist Mark Nevin has visited Nashville in the interim and has been writing songs tor Mary Coughlan (as well as Sandie Shaw). Alter a lew English gigs this month, and the release oi a new single, Claire, the band can be expected to tour in Scotland soon.
I DEACON BLUE, with whom Fairground Attraction toured last year, have llnished the recording oi their new album with producer Warne Livesey. January sees the album being mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and its release and coinciding tour should be in the April/May period.
I THE PAINTED WORD will also be releasing their iirst records ior RCA in early 1989-the lirst single being That’s The Reason l’m Alive.
I HORSE will also be releasing their lirst single iora major label in February, namely You Could Be Forgiven, the song with which they appeared on the Tube nearly two years
ago. I THE RIVER DETECTIVES will be recording torthe lirst time under the auspices oi a major record company having signed to WEA at the end oi last year.
I TEXAS, who include iormer members oi Hipsway and Love and Money linally make their way into the record buying public’s hopeiully waiting arms with the release ot a single, I Don’t Need A Lover on 23 January.
I LLOYD COLE has holed himselt up in Greenwich Village, hoping to turn
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himseli into the new Leonard Cohen, or Suzanne Vega, or REM, or something. I THE BIG DISH are writing new material.
I THE BLUE NILE have completed tive oi the six tracks tortheir next LP. This is however no guarantee that the record will see the light at day in 1989. ..
I SIMPLE MINDS wish it to be known that they have not sacked their drummer, Mel Gaynor. As in the past, he will be on the new album alongside other drummers. And they seriously seem to be considering calling the new LP Street Fighting Years.
ALBUMS
I The Skeletons: in The Flesh (Next Big Thing). The diversity displayed on The Skeletons’ previous LP, ‘Rockin’ Bones’, was impressive enough, but ‘In The Flesh' covers enough territoryto be the work oi hall-a-dozen ditierent bands. Brassy R&B, bubblegum pop, outrageous country parodies, swamp-rock, even an accordion-swathed Sacha Oistel workout-The Skeletons’ brieitakes in all this, and more. ‘In The Flesh’ is the sound oi a group at musicians in love with the songs at less cynical times, when rock'n’roll was young and it swung, as the saying goes, like angels on a Saturday night. The Skeletons may or may not be the best bar band in the world, but it there are any more in Missouri bursting with this much talent the music-lovers oi that state must be some oi the happiest in the Union. (Mab)
I Swamp Trash: Bone (DDT). A mini-LP, composed mainly oi tracks recorded tor a Janice Long radio session, ‘Bone‘ kills any suspicions that Swamp Trash are some kind oi ramshackle Caledonian joke. Their proiiciency on their instruments never dips, even at the iurious pace whipped up on the opening title track, and the iollowing instrumental ‘Glasnost’ (‘Fiddler on the Rooi’ gone bluegrass) shows their tacility ior getting any kind at rhythm cooking. They can be delicate too, as in ‘The Cullein', where Neil ‘Cal’ McArthur’s iiddle weaves around the other instruments in the slow and evocative intro. The band's iamous version oi the Johnny Cash song ‘Ring oi Fire’ puts in an appearance as well, and singer Harry Horse manages to bring it all, singing like a man who's been there, seen it and been haunted ever since. Swamp Trash, a ramshackle Caledonian joke? On the contrary. (Mab)
it/l’ve got everything/I’ve got The Monkees “Head” soundtrack- ON TAPE!’ You want more? ‘Forceied By Love’ is the best song AC/OC haven’t written yet. ‘Orgasm’, recorded live in somebody’s tront room, is a minor classic, and, all things being equal, The Pooh Sticks should have been the ‘Tiswas’ house band. THIS is what they want! (Mab) I Runrlg: Once in a Liietime'— Live (Chrysalis). Including ‘Loch Lomond’ (and, yes, l’ve sung along with it at Runrig encores-they’re iniectious occasions) maybe isn’t the best waon convince the rock industry that here is a thunderous rock group capable oi moving up to world class, but you never know. Their attack on that song and on ‘Nighttall on Marsco’ in particular is nothing short oi phenomenal, and a iar cry irom the tinger-in-ear iolkiness I recall irom some years past. This is more a souvenir tor the tans than an essential purchase in itseli, but lor those who might be hearing Runrig lor the lirst time, especially those who lean towards the big, impassioned rock at U2 and Simple Minds, it could be the start at a long relationship. (Mab) I Playground: Sleeping Dogs (Decoy). The promise oi the ‘Seeking the Truth’ EP is easily iuliilled here, as Playground soar over the hurdles and become contenders. Produced by Iain Burgess, whose past credits include Big Black, this mini-LP otters a bruising sound which otten driIts towards a trance-like psychosis. A iresh, live ieel prevails—on ‘Violence’ especially you can almost smell the adrenalin. A heity jolt to the brain, and no mistake. (Andy Crabb)
SINGLES
I Vivienneo Clarke: Kiss Me Once More (Legal Light). Ms Clarke tells her partner in no uncertain terms to pack his bags and get the hell out oi her lite, but you’d be Iorgiven tor thinking that this creamy slice oi lovers reggae was a song oi seduction. Only Iault to iind is that, like the pedal steel solo it accommodates, it’s all too briei.
PLAYIJS'I'
John Williamson with the LISTEN! fortnightly Hit List.
1. PERRI: The Flight (Zebra/MCA LP) 2. ANN PEEBLES: Greatest Hits (Hi, LP) 3. EDIE BRICKELL AND THE NEW BOHEMIANS: Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars (Getten, LP)
4. THE WATERBOYS: Fisherman’s Blues (Ensign, 7in)
5. CHAKA KHAN: Eternity/Sticky Wicked (irom CK LP, WEA)
6. VAN MORRISON: Moondance (WEA, LP)
7. HORSE: You Could Be Forgiven (EMI, iorthcoming single)
8. MARY MARGARET O‘HARA: Body’s In Trouble (Virgin, LP track)
9. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: 4th oi July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (irom live LP, CBS)
10. WAS (NOT WAS) WITH BONNIE RAITT: Baby Mine (AGM, 7in) J
The List 13 — 26 January 35