Jun 24

THE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN OF NUGGETS. Or: A New Beat Heard Around The World.

I was able to get a copy of this tribute to Edward and was very pleased and excited when I received the following comments and insights from him – Wally:
 
 

THE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN OF NUGGETS. Or: A New Beat Heard Around The World.

Here’s what I know. I could not be listening to this grand collection of recordings if it had not been for the unswerving commitment of Wally Salem. How he concentrated equally on the ‘84 to ‘99 Times / solo catalogue as much as the early period stuff. And for those who’ve recorded for Wally and follow his label faithfully, his enthusiasm and dedication are such that his name is one amongst the greats, like Marty Thau’s Red Star (for Suicide), Greg Shaw’s Bomp! and Voxx, Alan Horne’s Postcard, Dan Treacy and Emily Brown’s Dreamworld, Alan McGee and Joe Foster’s Creation.

I also know that I should not be writing this, I should not be so involved. But I am, and if it comes across as naff or self-serving then all I can say is you just don’t get me, as I think Wally does with his generous liner note. And together, Kally and i – the Wife-fi to my Hub – have listened with joy to these terrific performers and artists take songs, and God-like, breathe new life into them, bending and melting them in to improved ideas. Me and The Times never sounded particularly “garagey”, psychedelic or even really mod. But these artistes bring all of this and more to the party. These are the Great Grandchildren of Nuggets and this Class of 2010 to the present day are more in tune with the Original Artyfacts dynasty than any of the interim generations.

And there lies my dilemma. How to thank these Individuals. I love them all equally, and feel compelled to thank them personally in my characteristic pidgin. I’ve also endeavoured to thank and acknowledge key collaborators and contributors to the sleeve notes as well, many who are Real Stars and True Geniuses.

I know that these selections are magnified by the fact that many of us have been moved and inspired by visionary actor/writer/directors, Pop artists, mega-rock-stars. And just as many have been hurt by love so blue, bewildered by controversial lovers, and if you’re lucky, visited by angels sent from Heaven. In this connection, may your personal-choice God bless you all. And may all those Gods bless The Beautiful Music.

  1. I’ve reviewed them in reverse order. Don’t ask me why. I like things backwards or in the wrong order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISC TWO.

THE TIMES – BRITANNIA SLEEPS TONIGHT. “Hello London, this is Europe!”. Live at the 100 Club 1986, I think.

THE TABLES – LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH DARK SHADES. “Hello Europe, this is Oslo calling!” It might be ‘Beatles at the Star-Club’ quality but it’s a gritty snapshot of the Tables and I’m pleased some very important people found this recording. Bring back The Tables.

TETLEY – BIG PAINTING. A Mod Scholarship student with 1.1 (First Class Honours). Armed with a fuzz box and a beat box, one-man band David creates an exclamation of joy and what it is to be alive. The scholarly bit here is he takes the alternate second verse melody and by dropping the first chord of the verse makes it more unique.

TERRYBALL – BOYS ABOUT TOWN (REMIX 2025). José and Rafa take this song a few steps closer to it’s spiritual conclusion with extra texture oohs and la-la-la s. Great vocals. Spray-Paint me spellbound on this one.

The original was from The Times ‘Up Against It’ soundtrack. I used Boys About Town as the title for The Times 12” EP featuring “David Jones (Is On His Way)”. It then became the moniker for a make-shift band of Tony Conway, Paul Bevoir, Simon Smith and I put together to play charity gigs. Forty years later, Mike Cuenca’s film ‘Boys About Town #1’ comes out, a Pop Art, Mod Culture, French New Wave-inspired romance movie that was cut to a soundtrack of “The Sun Never Sets”, “This Green and Pleasant Land”, “Heaven Sent Me An Angel”, “Boys About Town”, “Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat”, “Goodbye Piccadilly”, “Pop Goes Art” all by The Times, “Leave Me” by O-Level and “Kiss Me” by Teenage Filmstars. The film looked and sounded smashing. Sadly, music clearance became an issue. Still a good flick, though.

Listening to this I’m reminded how lucky we were to have John East’s musicianship and arrangement skills. Most of that album was recorded by just John and I in a short few days. John East, Dan Treacy and I were the REAL Made In Chelsea.

SPRING RAIN – LIAM GALLAGHER OUR LEADER. A great marriage between their voices and haunting arrangement. With the cunning “Love Like Haze or Rain” Times song refrain within its twain, it’s the point where the whole thing drops to a half-time slo-mo pace and takes on a fluoxetine love dream quality which I absolutely adore. Dylan and Morgan, this is a Psychedelic symphony.

THE CHE MEN – MILL HILL SELF-HATE CLUB. A Northern Soul-inspired banger with a great arrangement and inspired performances all round. Soho Mod Caff soundscape. The omnipresent Mark Barrett takes Muff Winwood’s “I’m a Man” groove and makes magic. The instrumental version is great too, ‘Che Men Take a Train’ Roy Budd stylee. Railway sleepers rhythm rolling down the track. Is it the 14 stations of the Cross from Waterloo to Dover Docks? I think so…

As we are in ‘Catholic Guilt’ territory, and the Boo Radleys were such a great support to me on that album, I’d like to thank Tim Brown and Bob Chieka for their great musicianship on both my solo albums. And I’d particularly like to thank Sice for his liner note. We really did share many interests and it was so easy to get on with him as his intelligence, finely-tuned sense of humour and easy demeanour made you want to hang out with him and bask in his glory. The last time Kally and I saw Sice was 2007 and I miss him loads. And when that missing gets too much I just put on the Eggman ‘First fruits’ album, Sice’s reassertion of his identity outside of the Boos, recorded with his best friends, the Boos. One of my favourite solo albums of all time. My favourite track is Sice-all-alone on “First Fruits Fall” where all the instruments and voices are his.

SELF-LOVE – BLUE FIRE. Rafael plays everything with consummate ease, Charles sings with an unforced tone which makes for a smooth and confident take on this song. Much more natural than the original.

WOOG RIOTS – MY ANDY WARHOL POSTER. Mein Gott im Hansa! Bravo Marc and Silvana! This is how it should’ve always sounded, passionately dispassionate. And is that a sample of Little Teddy Ball there giving it large? I love this. Dang, Drella would’ve loved this.

At this point, I’d like to thank Alan McGee for his kind words. And for his total support between ‘88 and ‘99, my personal Reformation period. The idea of Andy Warhol as a role model for us lot was huge – those Pop paintings of his literally informed Times / TVPs Whaam! record sleeves. His management and “production” of the Velvet Underground has obvious echoes in Alan and the Mary Chain. And I’m sure Alan won’t mind me correcting him that the last time we actually hung out was 25 years ago, mid-September 2001. We had lunch at Lemonia at Primrose Hill, just around the corner from Poptones where I was working for him trying to launch Poptones Films, partly in the spirit of Warhol’s underground movies but also as a commercial concern, rather like Warp Records did the following year with their Films off-shoot. Digital film-making had become so easy and cheap, I saw it as us taking on the new digital era, like we did in 1988 with Acid House, only in 2001 we’d be drawing in talent like Chris Cunningham and Shane Meadows as well as the new Ramplings and Weatheralls. So yes, a quarter of a century ago! I have been meaning to meet up but what with the washing and the cooking, and… well, you know what it’s like. To this day Alan is still the best in his field.

¡LOS PADRINOS! – LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH DARK SHADES. I believe my spiritual friends Alain, Banzo, Don, Daniel and Oye! are rebellious characters living outside societal norms as they have nailed this mini epic to false cool with magnificent Sangre Fría. Exquisite singing.

DODGY ACCENT – BIG PAINTING. I am secure enough in my 21st cent. evolutionary state to admit that I wept like a weeping willow when I first heard this marvellous rendition. Five hours to create, seconds to destroy an overly emotional middle aged man. Two words. Edwardian Kittens.

LLOYD MEADOWS – THEME FROM DANGERMAN. So flattered Lloyd took our version of Johnny Drake’s theme rather than the original by Edwin Astley. We recorded it from memory on the spot without referring to the original. The magic here is the channelling of Reg Dixon and Jimmy Smith, every true organist’s touchstones.

Both Ray Kent and Paul Damien gave The Times at this time (1982) a lighter-than-air sound, mainly due to their modern jazz influences like Coltrane and Miles. This was so important to me as bands like The Byrds, Manfred Mann, The Doors and The Zombies took much of their inspiration from the same sources.

CHERRY FEZ – IF ONLY. Multi-instrumentalist Todd dives straight in no messin’ and nails this spiritual to a life of if onlys with a voice all his own, summing up existential alienation and dread. And all in two and half minutes.

THE GREAT AUK FANCIERS SOCIETY – PINSTRIPES. Comes on like a warped merry go round. Who thought pinstripes could be so threatening, like prison bars. One-person operation Marcus gives this the early Mothers of Zappa treatment in the breakdown bits. My kind of breakdown. Vastly improving on our 1980 original.

In fact, 1980 was a big year for John Patrick Bennett, his brother Gerard and myself as the Air Raids, our band who wrote loads of songs, did one gig, then split up. Our Sound was a big influence on The Times that formed later that year. I’d like to use this moment to acknowledge John’s generous “sound-bite” about me. As a founder member of the Television Personalities, his knowledge of the first three years is second only to Dan’s. He re-joined the tvps in 2005 and was there right to the end on all the records. None of us would have even got bands together in the first place if not for his resolve, lyric writing and dedication.

THE NOMEN – KISS ME (TEENAGE FILMSTARS). Another psychedelic symphony. A Trip to the Centre of the Collective Mind of George, Allan and Brian, where they imagine Jimi Hendrix visits Lee Perry and begets this sound so cool I can’t feel my toes any more.

THE DUPONT CIRCLES – JOKES ON ZANDRA. Everyone is “on it” here. Michael and Jonas, Amir and Bob have their prime chops on display and I’m talking your up-market type of Charcuterie establishment. Mike sings like this is the only song in the world worth singing, which is quite something for me. “What would I wear the next day?” is the hero-shot line. As for the song, well, in ‘78 I was very cross with Zandra Rhodes for stealing Vivienne Westwood’s complete persona, and in a totally naff sort of way. By 1980 though, it was all change and no one remembered to tell Zandra off. So I did.

CERDITO – IT’S TIME. The Sirens of Greek Mythology walk amongst us and here’s the proof.  Óscar, Begoña and Mark have relocated to a house on Cerdito Road where The Shirelles have mucked in with Kevin and Bilinda from My Bloody Valentine. And. I. Want. To. Go. To. There. Take me home, Cerdito Roads.

BARTHOLOMEW MELLOWGLASS – PICTURE GALLERY. Spiritual guides of psychedelic lineage, they adapt ancient practices and make our dull world a better place. Nifty backward guitar-work. As Timothy Leary might have said about these cats “Bartholomew Mellowglass are prototypes of evolutionary agents sent by Mod”. They are a law unto themselves and serve no other God, other than Mod.

THE SELFISH CALES – THAMESBEAT. Right this moment I’m living on a Torinese rock, and so should you! Proto-surf punk-rock. And one of them even looks like a young Syd Barrett! Vocalists this good are not to be had for love or bitcoin! Cunning vocal breakdown in the middle. Wicked geetar solo and Hammond arpeggios at the end.

We need to get smart here and thank Doctor Anthony Meynell for his kind sleeve-note. And the honorific is totally deserved. His work ‘Recording studios and the psychedelic experience: British and American recordings in the late 1960s’ is my absolute favourite on the subject, and there are quite a few if you know where to look. Squire’s “No Time Tomorrow” was the best psychedelic single of the ‘80s. His love of Big Star’s third album – long before the trendies latched on to it – had a big influence on me. His knowledge of Pop-Psyche Americana is immense. Introduced us to Greg Shaw and Rodney Bingenheimer, again, long before the trendies even knew who they were.

CRABBER – CONTROVERSIAL GIRLFRIEND. I can’t believe this! I’m going out of my mind! Crabber Mach Schau at Hypersonic Mach speed 5+. I want to hang out the window and play this all the way up to eleven – 11,000,000-watts of punk pop powerrr. Olli, Ulrich, Jens and Peter, come on strong like a heat-seeking missile, infrared in-the-red blast of noise and dropdown sections. 

Martin Carr…one night in Preston, hardly Vegas, I know but this was the beginning of a new adventure, tho’ I genuinely thought it was an audition. The night in question was Sunday 16th January 1994 and I was staying over with Martin and his then-girlfriend, as a way I think for Martin to suss out the sort of person I was. We played records all night and he played loads of new bands I’d never heard, loads more old ones I hadn’t heard either. On another stay-over in April that year, he played his one-man demos for the Boos next album, ‘Wake Up!’  They were so inventive! Martin had proved what a great writer he was on the two previous Creation albums and these new songs were primed for the year to come. And the band recorded those demos faithfully. That next day in January we travelled to Crash Rehearsal Studios Liverpool for what I thought would be auditions with the band for a keyboardist for which I was to make up the numbers. Turned out to be a week’s rehearsal, with me in the job, ability unseen. The last time I played with Martin was in Abbey Road doing Corin Ashley’s session, April 2008.

THE PAINTED WORD – CONFIANCE. Straight in like a Tarantino film soundtrack. Arash Torabi is a genuine 21st century Renaissance Man. He gives this song a smashing alt.country swing that befits the Celtic-Catholic resignation inbuilt within it. And Arash and Lucille sing the living daylights out of it. A little birdie told me that the wonderful Phil Wilson played banjo and the sensational Dave Morgan drummed this to its safe harbour. Can this be true?  Or the stuff of pure urban-myth-making? Cool ending.

The Times version was on ‘Et Dieu Crea La Femme’ which featured Paul Heeren and Paul Mulreany, The Times core members from ‘89 to ‘93… Mulreany went on to Primal Scream where he and Gary “Mani” Mountfield were the rhythm section on ‘Vanishing Point’. Paul Heeren is the most complete guitarist I ever worked with.

THE EDDIES – RED WITH PURPLE FLASHES. Take me! I’m yours!! So exciting. Inspirational figures on the LA Mod Scene and I can totally see why. And do you know, I think these fellows are having a lot of fun with this song, I can tell that sort of thing.

THE WOERMWOOD SCRUBS – BRITANNIA SLEEPS TONIGHT. “We few, we happy few, we band of PunkMod brothers, let us cry Havoc, and Let Slip the Dogs of War! And gentlemen from Brighton to Konstanz now-a-bed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here to hear this clarion call from Marco and Markus”. What a head banger! Like an assault. And 40 years later, 60 years on, England have still not won the World Cup! Top-notch video too.

Phil Vane…what a gentle kind brilliant soul…Phil Vane (lead vocalist for the grindcore band Extreme Noise Terror) teamed up with me in 1993 to form the experimental noise-rock project Conspiracy of Noise. “Losing My Grip” and “Henry” are so arresting.

DISC ONE.

POST PLASTIC WORLD – I HELPED PATRICK MCGOOHAN ESCAPE. PowerPop Powerrr to the people! Angel, Jack and John play it straight sharing the exact truth of the master copy without the Beatle-istic sugar-coating. The Number Two performing here is one evil motherfricker. I think Number 6 hisself would’ve loved this interpretation.

THE ANSWERS – IF NOW IS THE ANSWER. The mercurial David Fleminger has everything under control here, ably supported by some wicked drums and bass. So urgent. They power through the middle bit with a degree of menace as only the end of the world could warrant. Smart guitar arpeggios on the last chorus. Mint.

Paul Bevoir…pop genius songwriter…sleeve designer extraordinaire…hand-drew Enjoy the Times ‘Coca Cola’ logo right in front of me in 20 minutes…wrote “The American Way”, the best song on the ‘Enjoy’ album… His 1985 album ‘The Happiest Days Of Your Life’ splits RealLife / TrueStories sunlight into a rainbow that fades to black with the title / final track. It’s a heartfelt masterpiece. I would urge Ventil Verlag to consider publishing 100 selected lyrics of his songs.

SUPER 8 – LIAM GALLAGHER OUR LEADER. Paul “Trip” Ryan is perhaps the closest we have here to a genuine Roy Wood (my childhood hero), a musical polymath and virtuoso. The last 40 seconds here are stunningly beautiful. Nashville are you coming to my town? Or am I coming to yours? We’re on different buses Nashville, but we’re both using Pedal steel knee levers.

Corin Ashley…an extremely intelligent and astute songwriter and musician, liked “Liam Gallagher Our Leader”… I love his “Badfinger Bridge” even more…Fab day at Abbey Road; best bit was Corin and I doing backing vocals, he turns to the mic and sneers in a Seinfeld-esque voice “Hello, Neumann!”..It was Dizzy Holmes of Detour Records who switched me on to the Brit-style R&B of The Pills single “Scooter Gurl”. Corin’s still a star performer; check out “Empathy Centre”, great song great vid. Toit!

TENDER ENGINES – LOVE IS BLUE. Harvey, Andrew, Jack and Graham handle this with love and care, the vocals are a beaut, giving it a punk blues feel. Clever drop of the first chord of the chorus speeds it on brilliant. Nicely arranged ending. If I still played live I’d Dylan / Hendrix this version à la “All along the Watchtower”.

SI FARRIER – HEAVEN SENT ME AN ANGEL. Perfect electropop for the 21st century. With its heavenly choir and enchanted vocal I think Si Farrier has had a Celestial visitation too, touched by the seraphim wings of an angel because this sounds just like I saw it in my head. 

Jowe Head…first time I met him was at Rough Trade early ‘79, when I was taking up a bundle of “We Love Malcolm” eps. I didn’t actually meet so much as experienced him standing in the middle of the main office on the second floor wearing a tweed bouclé jacket and a huge globe earring about the size of a pomegranate, holding court and berating the staff as “Imperialist Lackeys” hahahaha. Played in my favourite line-up of the TVPs, the 5-piece with Dan, Mark Sheppard and Dave Musker where you had to be a Gemini unless you were Joe Foster. ‘Pincer Movement’ Jowe’s first album featuring Joe Foster and Mark Sheppard is ingenious and clever, with “Cake Shop Girl” as the hit that never was.

THE BROKEN HEED – MILL HILL SELF-HATE CLUB. So epic. Personal relocations carried out here; Watford Fields and Harrow-on-the-Hill help inform us what I suspect is a similar story to the original’s narrator. Modern romance performed with thunderous tenderness. Very hard to pull off.

ALISTAIR JACKSON – THERE’S A CLOUD OVER GILLINGHAM. I can see the ‘This is Priestfield’ sign right now. “You’ll never walk again” – not after an Andy Frampton tackle you won’t. Tackhead star Brian Moore would be very proud. Seriously, I really enjoyed this.

Dan Treacy – If I Could Write Poetry: Selected Lyrics, is a book everyone should have. Touching and surprisingly honest accounts from those who know him. A few minor mistakes; “East Sheen” was actually recorded one week after “14th floor” and released in November ‘77. Also, when Bernard Fox had disappeared after recording the Gifted Children single, Dan asked if I would come in and record with him and Mark. Dan had just played on ‘Pop goes Art!’ So of course I said yes. That was ‘Mummy Your Not Watching Me’ the second TVPs album. I played bass guitar on six of the 11 tracks; “Adventure Playground”, “A Day In Heaven”, “Brian’s Magic Car”, “Where The Rainbow Ends”, “David Hockney’s Diaries” (long version) and “If I Could Write Poetry”. Some of these started as my bass riff created on the spot with Dan and Mark Sheppard joining in. I mention this here as I think it was the best work the three of us did together. The excellent Bernard Fox played on the other 5 songs.

PRETTY EYES FOR CAPTAIN AMERICA – I HATE IBIZA. Big Star power pop for all us star-crossed lovers. Holly and Calen have a lovely take on this with a ukelele and some beautiful guitar work in a smart breakdown bit. Great voices all-round.

ARMSTRONG – IT’S KINDA LONELY WHERE I AM. A very pretty interlude of courtly love that is at the heart of my song here. Very haunting.

Karen Parker took the photos for the album ‘If A Man Ever Loved A Woman’ that the original of this song was taken from. Karen and Christine Wanless were the backbone of Creation Records from ‘89 to ‘93. That period of the label’s working party was made up of musicians, like Paul Mulreany, Alan and Dick obviously, Grant Fleming, Karen Parker and Christine Wanless. Including Graham Gillespie, these people were the closest to Alan, like family. Christine had been the singer in Revolving Paint Dream and occasionally Biff Bang Pow! At Creation she developed into an excellent label manager. Karen had the desk next to Christine’s and was Head of International. Karen’s is the voice you hear on the Mary Chain’s ‘Psychocandy’ that gives the album that much-needed vocal colour. She did the same on the Teenage Filmstars ‘Star’ album. She came into her own personal inheritance as One True Parker, remixing The Orb’s ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ and my Love Corporation’s ‘Give Me Some Love’ and best of all, her album ‘Will I Dream?’ on Richard Norris’s label Eruption.

LOVEJOY – WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR LOVER LEARN TO LOSE. A Damien Hirst vitrine of love flatlining in formaldehyde. So beautiful it makes Edward and Kally catch their shared breath. Richard and Ally do this like they’re in a little boat on the Ocean and there’s only the stars above, and you’re happily lost and you don’t wish to be anywhere else.

Actually, the whole bit about “a little boat on the Ocean…and you don’t wish to be anywhere else” sounds just like Lovejoy’s most recent albums, ‘… And It’s Love!’ and ‘Under the Weather’. Richard Preece is the real deal, the full-on triple threat, a marvellous guitarist, a lyrical and melodic songwriter, and, most importantly, a great singer.

MIKE GALE – CONTROVERSIAL GIRLFRIEND. This is Divine. Brian Wilson meets My Bloody Valentine. What a beautiful voice Mike has got. Like listening to a cross-line phone conversation where you can only hear one person talking, the other sighing, revealing their story over the phone to you. That is the spirit I take away from this.

JAMES CLARKE FIVE – EXTASE. Perfect, subtle and artful simplicity. The tender vocal conveys a very personal truth.

COLIN SWAN – LAST TANGO FOR ONE. There were two true Mod bands on Whaam! Small World and Colin’s wonderful Direct Hits, who had a more enquiring sound, almost progressive mod say, in the spirit of The Who ‘Sell Out’ or The Jam ‘All Mod Cons’. A snappy arrangement here that adds a whole new dramatic aspect to the song. I’m also pleased that Colin took part in this project as for a very long time I thought the DH’s didn’t like me. When they supported the Times at the 100 Club, as I went over to say hello to them, I distinctly heard one of them hissing in my direction “Merchant Banker!”. “Please yerself!” I thought, veering off to the lavs. High jinks, I think.

APRIL EVENTS – MISS LONDON. I wish I had this singer’s voice. Love the La La La’s in the middle. Somehow, this has managed to conjure up Julie Christie and Laurence Harvey in Darling, where as the Times version is more Becky Sharp and Lord Steyne from Vanity Fair.

THE LEADING END – LOVE IS BLUE. The sound of a caress, two lovers kissing at the end of a nightmare. It’s got trumpets trombones and cellos and a wicked Jeff Beck-esque geetar middle solo, and a Miles Davis mini solo …nihilistic overtones of Nietzsche’s “God Love is Dead” with Jack Nitzsche’s arrangement skills, this has got the lot.

Gary Crowley played “Love is Blue” to death on BBC Greater London Radio (GLR) with his radio other half Jim Lahat when it came out. From his Mod Roots with Eddie Piller and through his Junior Best Disco In Town on his ITV network TV show The Beat, which The Times did – “Finnegan’s Break” and “How Honest Are Pearl Jam?” he has always been, like Eddie, a progressive mod of the highest order.

SUMMERHOUSE – TEARS ON A RAINY SUNDAY. Why isn’t this a hit!! Such an emotive performance. I see two spontaneous lovers on the run for the last time, one final anarchic road trip of the soul, defeated by their indoctrination within a stifling society. And by God, it works. Bowie drops in for some ‘Bop-bop-ba-ooh’s at the end. Doomed Love Eurodance for the Modern world.

Simon Smith…this man could’ve made a fortune as a session drummer. His abilities and timekeeping have always been second to none, and his willingness to investigate drum programming in the early ‘80s make him a standout choice as my fave drummer ever. Everyone who has ever worked with him will tell you the same.

MOORE – LIAM GALLAGHER OUR LEADER. The first of the Warholian ‘Triple Liam’s to be featured on this compilation. Neil here gives a sort of Kurt Cobain warning to our leader that fame and fortune ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. In this way he makes it all his own. Such a lovely grainy quality to his voice.

THE YELLOW MELODIES – MANCHESTER. Great vocal performance and playing. Wicked trumpet part. Rafa and Pilar imagine Ennio Moricone at the Hacienda and everyone’s “on one”. Mur-c-ia Murcia Es-pa-ña, Mur-c-ia Siempre te amaré.

ROTIFER – RED WITH PURPLE FLASHES. Comes on like the Electric Prunes at the beginning. Joe Meek stately-like production. Robert and Mike and Ian relate a real sense of innocent defiance in this.  I hear the singer confronting the fragmented, ambiguous narratives of the song and leaves the listener convinced that what is unreal, imagined, or a lie can also be Real Truth.

Are you looking for two absolutely smashing guys with wonderful skills and talents? Look no further than Robert Rotifer and Mike Stone. I have a great deal of respect for Robert who, like me, was born into the southpaw tendency and as such has many eclectic gifts. A big hearted human being who recognises the true ills in our world today. We need more Robert Rotifers. I won’t embarrass Mike here by regaling in his musical chops, and with all his good deeds, but suffice it to say that in the scheme of things he has been Dan Treacy’s greatest benefactor, giving him shelter and, with John Patrick Bennett and Texas Bob Juarez, forming a constant band around him. There, I’ve said it. Love these fellows.

TRUE STORIES – I HELPED PATRICK MCGOOHAN ESCAPE. Brilliant production! Jerry Seinfeld as Number 6 meets Marvin the Depressed Robot as Number 2. Seriously, this is great. There’s playfulness here that’s totally infectious. Garage Pop at it’s best.

Bart Mendoza…is a genuine unstoppable force of nature. The quintessential mover and shaker. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and have been proven right. One part Bill Graham, one part Ralph J. Gleason, several parts A Hard Days Night, The Standells and The Zombies, Bart absorbed all the Britpop permutations from the ‘60s to the ‘90s and created a scene with his pals that has become a booming beat-boom sensation.

 Phewee! I’m all tuckered out. That’s me done for the next seventeen years.

Love, light, and blessings to Adam and Matt and all at Cherry Red, Joe Foster, Carol Morley and Cairo Cannon, Times vocalist Jan Parker, Nick Heyward, Jim Phelan, Andy Bell, Ioanna, Dimitris Voglis, Aris and Maria Zafeiris, Kevin Shields, Stephen Lawrie of the Telescopes, Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, Idha Övelius, Mike Alway, Danny Rampling, Stewart Mason, Carsten Friedrichs, Gregor Kessler, DROEM for “Ed Ball is God”, Mark Taylor, Ian Shaw, Rob Vasey, Robert Cooksey and Bridget Duffy of the Sea Urchins, Andy Saunders and Johnny Hopkins, Norman Blake, William Blake, Jerry Thackray, William Makepeace Thackeray, Simon Fisher-Turner, J.M.W. Turner, Mark Flunder, Brendan Donoghue, Jasmine Monk (The Smashing Times), Kle, Dylan White, Duglas T Stewart, Bernard Fox, James Fox, Paul Ambrose Wright. 

Always remembered and missed; Ray Kent, Andrew Goodwin (Dry Rib), Graeme Wilson (The Projects), Pat Fish, Christine Wanless, Paul Cannell, Rachel Davies (Transmission music show), Andrew Weatherall, Denise Johnson, Belinda McConnell White, James Kyllo, Poly Styrene, Phil Vane.

Love is all the way,
Kally&EdwardBall.

Jun 01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball

It’s Time For The Times And Edward Ball!

This is the most ambitious (over 40 bands involved), most time consuming (many years in the works), most delayed (first submission was almost 15 years ago), most expensive (you can just imagine what it costs to mail 40 bands copies) release that we have ever worked on. And IT IS THE MOST DESERVED!

Edward Ball in our books is a musical genius that is yet to be fully discovered and understood. Starting out in the late 70’s he formed the band Television Personalities with Dan Treacy and the band “O Level” who both released singles in 1978. Then in the next 30 + years, he formed and played in so many bands, that it was hard to keep up with everything he was involved with. His main project was 60’s influenced (at least initially) band called The Times but would also use the name Teenage Filmstars and also release music as Edward Ball. BUT that was just a tip of the iceberg of the musical adventures of Edward Ball.

In addition he was a musical chameleon that never stood still, but released records in many genres, mod, beat, psych pop and power pop with his bands The Times, O’ Level and early Teenage Filmstars and later he delved into shoegaze (MBV territory) with several of the later Teenage Filmstars albums. Edward Ball was regarded by Kevin Shields as “A sensitive soul from another planet. A modernist musical alchemist”.

He also embraced electronic dance and acid house with his Love Corporation albums and he even dabbled in electronic, ambient, post rock instrumentals in the band Sand with Richard Green and a Drum & Base outfit called The Chemical Pilot with Alan McGee. He played and toured with the Boo Radleys and also with Biff Bang Pow!. And if all that wasn’t enough, throughout this period, he ran several record labels like the King’s Road label, the Whaam! Records label with Dan Treacy, the Art Pop! Records label, Ball Product and he was one of the main guys at Creation Records.

Alan McGee claimed that “Ed Ball was a superstar; sometimes I think that guy was a bigger star than any of them. He had played in Television Personalities and his own band The Times, and was such a unique person, but he was never famous, though he was an amazing, larger-than-life character.” (Quote from “How To Run A Label”)

With all that he accomplished Edward still remains an undiscovered gem for many, so we hope that this tribute will shine a light on at least a few of his songs and possibly introduce him to a few new fans. If you are a fan of Ed, we know you are going to love these covers as performed by many of our favourite bands. And if you are not yet a fan, we know you are still going to enjoy these covers as the music speaks for itself – These are absolutely brilliant songs that could easily have been big hits in an alternate universe.

As inspired by the TV Show the Prisoner, the tribute is presented in 2 Episodes:

I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball

Episode 1 – Track List:

1.  True Stories – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape
2.  Rotifer – Red With Purple Flashes
3.  The Che Men – Mill Hill Self Hate Club
4.  The Yellow Melodies – Manchester
5.  Moore – Liam Gallagher Our Leader
6.  Summerhouse – Tears On A Rainy Sunday
7.  The Leading End – Love is Blue
8.  April Events – Miss London
9.  Colin Swan – Last Tango For One
10. James Clarke Five – Extase
11. Mike Gale – Controversial Girlfriend
12. Lovejoy – When You Lose Your Lover Learn To Lose
13. Armstrong – It’s Kinda Lonely Where I Am
14  Pretty Eyes For Captain America – I Hate Ibiza
15. Alistair Jackson – Theres A Cloud Over Gillingham
16. The Broken Heed – Mill Hill Self Hate Club
17. Terryball – Boys About Town
18. Si Farrier –  Heaven Sent Me An Angel
19. Tender Engines – Love Is Blue
20. SUPER 8 – Liam Gallagher Our Leader
21. The Answers – If Now Is The Question
22. Post Plastic World – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

Episode 2 – Track List:

1.  The Woermwood Scrubs – Britannia Sleeps Tonight
2.  The Eddies – Red With Purple Flashes
3.  The Painted Word – Confiance
4.  Crabber – Controversial Girlfriend
5.  The Selfish Cales – Thamesbeat
6.  Bartholomew Mellowglass – Picture Gallery
7.  Cerdito – Its Time
8.  Dupont Circles – Jokes on Zandra
9.  The NoMen – Kiss Me (Teenage Filmstars)
10. The Great Auk Fanciers Society – Pinstripes
11. Cherry Fez – If Only
12. Lloyd Meadows – Theme From Dangerman
13. Dodgy Accent – Big Painting
14. ¡Los Padrinos! – Looking at the World Through Dark Shades
15. Woog Riots – My Andy Warhol Poster
16. Self Love – Blue Fire
17. The Che Men – Mill Hill Self Hate Club (Instrumental)
18. Spring Rain – Liam Gallagher Our Leader
19. Terryball – Boys About Town (2025 Mix)
20. Tetley – Big Painting
21. The Tables – Looking at the World Through Dark Shades (Live)
22. The Times – Britannia Sleeps Tonight (Live London 1986)

The Beautiful Music

“I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball” (CD Version)
Various Artists
Beauty 030
$20.00 CDN OUT NOW!

The Beautiful Music

We prefer to receive payment via PayPal  (they handle all our secure credit transactions) once you click the “Add to Cart” button by the desired album, you will see your cart show on the left side of the screen. Click on the “Check Out with Paypal” button when you are done shopping, but if you would like to send cash or money order please contact admin@thebeautifulmusic.com with your order.

Jul 28

For Immediate Release: Roy Moller – Hindsight

In 2023 Roy Moller (Wow Kafe, Store Keys, Jesus, Baby! and regular collaborator with Belle & Sebastian guitarist Stevie Jackson) released Songs from Be My Baby (Beauty 059) on Ottawa label The Beautiful Music, a musical evocation of themes from his poem cycle Be My Baby (Dionysia Press, 2019).
Now Roy and The Beautiful Music are releasing Hindsight (Beauty 064), a follow-up to these very personal explorations about adoption, neurodiversity and identity. Hindsight’s 12 songs blend childhood memory and present-day reflection with a mature perspective of the challenges faced and the love given by the parents he never knew who put him up for adoption and the Edinburgh couple who took him in, 3,000 miles from his conception in 1960s Toronto.

As with Songs from Be My Baby, Hindsight teams Moller with Swiss-based collaborator Stevie Walker, producing a song cycle that combines unflinching lyrical honesty with a pop sensibility that led BBC Radio 6 Music’s Marc Riley to declare Roy “Scotland’s best-kept secret”.

PRAISE FOR SONGS FROM BE MY BABY:

Every once in a while a release shows up that stands out above the rest. This is one of them. -Dick Altavista, CKCU, Ottawa

A fascinating soap opera of a song cycle, with lovely sounds reminiscent of the timeframe, but not dragged down by retro sonic cos-play, and anchored by his intimate, emotion-laden vocals. Kudos for this treasure. -Corin Ashley, The Big Takeover

A lovely record that refuses to get bogged down. It’s Moller’s life story, too, and the vocals are always upfront and intimate. -Kevin Alexander, On Repeat

A fascinating record with instantly classic songs and a real sense of humanness…and it all comes pouring out on one heck of a lovely 37 minutes. Do not miss.
-Tim Hinely, Dagger Zine

What makes this collection of songs…stand out is the quality of the lyrics and the superb production values on display…handled by both Roy Moller and Stevie Walker, with much aplomb. -Steve Kinrade, Pennyblackmusic

Moller’s singing has never sounded better…his typically well-crafted lyrics – by turns poignant, witty and affecting – always land with maximum impact. A gorgeous, involving and very moving work of exquisite and heartfelt songcraft, with a surprising universality to themes that are so personal to its creator. 5/5
-Gus Ironside, Louder Than War

We are very pleased to release “Hindsight” on our label and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

The Beautiful Music

“Hindsight” (CD Version)
Roy Moller
Beauty 064
$15.00 CDN OUT NOW!

The Beautiful Music

Roy Moller: https://roymoller.bandcamp.com/

Nov 08

For Immediate Release: There Must Be A Hole In Your Memory – A Tribute To The Sound & Adrian Borland – Volume 2

We are very happy to be able to announce our latest release, an album 10 years in the making, the sequel to our tribute to The Sound / Adrian Borland, an incredible band and musician that deserves way more attention. The sequel is long overdue and comes with some mixed emotions as Adrian Borland is no longer around to see that there is still much interest in his music. So the time for this is now!

“There Must Be A Hole In Your Memory – A Tribute To The Sound & Adrian Borland – Volume 2” : Listening to the song “Deep Deep Blue” it sends shivers through you when Adrian says “I thought we had time on our side, it hurts to know we’ve run out of road tonight” and you realize just how fitting the title of that song has become when we ponder the tragic loss of Adrian Borland at the young age of 41. We can only imagine what he was going through on the roller coaster of life, but we certainly appreciate and are very grateful for the many treasures he left us, in his beautiful songs. This tribute is our small way to say thanks and maybe expose a few more people to his incredible body of work, as they go back and discover the originals. It also saddens me to know that the singer of the cover version on this CD, Michael Harding (The Only Michael, 1000 Mexicans) has also passed away (passed away in 2021.) or ‘run out of road’ and so we dedicate this album to Adrian Borland and Michael Harding. The words in “Total Recall” when Adrian sings “it’s all such a blur when time goes so quickly” really struck and I realize it has been way too long since our last Adrian Borland/ The Sound tribute, which came out in 2014, and so we really focused on completing this sequel and we hope that it brings some enjoyment to the listeners and the fans.   

It has liner notes by several of Adrian’s friends like Jack Rabid (The Big Takeover magazine), David Long from the band Into Paradise, Phil King (who has probably played in more bands than you can count) and Owen Jones from The Jazz Butcher. There are 18 amazing covers, including a few by musicians that Adrian had worked with in the past and many others who were inspired by him.

Here is a link to the album where you can download the album free in WAV or MP3 format.  – https://dropbox.com/scl/fo/c8a207f5akqlom3orlkkz/AHfjnpDEBL70IS4pLJf707A?rlkey=lfc7fcjmmbk706sbp0wspt5wv&st=jvx8d8mr&dl=0

If you would like a physical copy of the CD, we are giving them away free and only ask if people can cover the postage. Please email us at admin@thebeautifulmusic.com and we will sort you out, or if you order anything from our website and would like a copy included free, just let us know by email.

Also if you would like to listen to the album on Soundcloud – Here is a link:
https://on.soundcloud.com/qtVxmCLgCWm2V6146

We want to thank everyone who helped out with this project and everyone who listens to this and the previous edition. BIG Thanks to: All the bands and musicians who helped out with submissions – we would not be here without you! Also a special thanks to the following: Thomas Keitsch, Adrian Janes, Jean Paul Mierlo, Jamie Nordstrand, Jack Rabid, Phil King, Owen Jones, Phil Bova, John Clarkson, DJ tic, Steve Kirkland, Glenn Griffiths, Bart Mendoza, Pete Salem, Michael Harding, Chris Saracino, and most of all to Adrian Borland, Colvin Mayers, Graham Bailey, Michael Dudley, Benita Biltoo, and all the other musicians who played with Adrian before and after The Sound in various groups. The Music of the Adrian and The Sound continues to live on and inspire others and we hope it does for years to come.

Hope you enjoy it and Thank you for listening!

Wally, Jamie & Thomas

PS – We would also like to thank  Fabrizio at the WhiteLight/WhiteHeat blog who did a feature on the release of a video of the first song from the album by DAVID LONG & SHANE O’NEILL – read about it and watch the video here – 

WL//WH Video Premiere: DAVID LONG & SHANE O’NEILL Hold on Dearly to The Sound’s “Hand Of Love”

Video also on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tsxn8g9LHQ

Mar 21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lost In An Imaginary World of Beauty – TBM Sampler V.A.

V.A. Lost In An Imaginary World (Beauty 053)

Welcome to another crop of beautiful songs from our imaginary world. Imaginary, you say, why Yes as we practically don’t even exist and work with many bands that way too few people have heard of, that may as well be a figment of your imagination. It’s a world that you will want to stay lost in for a very long time – Enjoy! Huge thanks to all the bands and musicians that gave us permission to use these songs.
 
You can download a free copy here:
 
 

 & we will include a free physical copy with anything purchased while supplies last.  

1. Dot Dash – Airwaves  (Beauty 054)
What more can we say about Dot Dash that we haven’t already said before. They are a solid 3 piece band (like The Jam) who continue to get better with every release and they are now at their 7th album so you can just imagine how impressive they are. Blending Power Pop with Mod and Post Punk with a healthy dose of Jangle making for a perfect listening experience. I chose this song from their latest album “Madman In The Rain” as it has hints of New Order, a band I’m quite fond of. Also keep an eye out for their very first release on vinyl “Sixteen Again” thanks to Ray and Chuck at the fabulous Country Mile Records ( https://www.countrymile.org/ ) who have been hitting them out of the park these days with so many fantastic releases. This is a collection of 16 favourite tracks as chosen by Ray and Chuck and it will be absolutely brilliant.
( https://dotdashdc.bandcamp.com/music )

2. Theatre Royal – Down South With The Chameleons *
This is an incredible band from the Medway that I discovered a few years ago and a band that I would be very proud to have released any of their music but sadly till now, this has never happened, so I’m extremely pleased to include one of their songs on this compilation. And to think this was just a b-side or a track that didn’t make one of their albums, just boggles the mind, so thankfully it was included on a compilation “B-Sides & Other Cuts ” which the Kool Kat Muzik label released and again here for more people to hear. They are one of the finest guitar Pop bands around these days and sadly too few have heard of them. They have a treasure trove of music available on their Bandcamp page (https://theatreroyal.bandcamp.com/merch ) for you to discover – you are in for a treat, and may I suggest you purchase everything they have released, you won’t regret it – enjoy!

3. The Yellow Melodies – Follow The Sun  (Beauty 061)
Another band that are familiar to fans of the beautiful music label is Spain’s The Yellow Melodies, a band that has been around for many years with numerous releases to their credit and a band that are not only musicians but also superfans and record collectors as well. Rafa Skam also runs his own label, a blog and a radio show and plays in other bands as well. They are a band who have great taste in music, as their numerous covers and tributes attest to, recently releasing an album of Ramones covers. Previously they also released 3 full length albums of exclusively covers and also for our label, an EP of Television Personalities covers and another EP of BMX Bandits covers, not to mention a gorgeous cover of a song by Monograph (a band that recorded for the legendary Shinkansen label) for another one of our free samplers. The song “Follow The Sun” is a summer Pop gem taken from the aptly titled album “Sunshine Pop” which will no doubt bring a ray of sunshine into any day and has certainly brightened our imaginary world. Traveller’s Tunes description of “The pop sensibilities of The Lightning Seeds and the jangle of Sarah’s Records collide with a triumphant melancholy a la Teenage Fanclub” really does suit the music– how can you go wrong with that.
( https://theyellowmelodies.bandcamp.com/music )

4. The Milestone Band – Starting Over Again *
The legend of Sarah Records continues to grow with books, tributes and documentaries  made about the label and the many wonderful artists that recorded for the label. The records continue to grow in value and new fans continue to discover the exceptional and timeless music that was released on that label. In 2023 the book ‘These Things Happen” was released along with some corresponding live concerts featuring bands associated with the Sarah label and in 2024 the fine folks behind the Skep Wax label (who were in several Sarah bands) are releasing a sequel to the “Under The Bridge” compilation album featuring many of the acts or musicians who recorded for the Sarah Records label
 ( https://www.skepwax.com/ndrthebridge  ). Quite a few of the bands continue releasing excellent music to this day and are worth searching out. So why all this talk about Sarah Records? Well as you can figure, I am also a big fan of the label and one of my favorites, The Sweetest Ache were a band that seemed to disappear till one day I discovered The Milestone Band and then the band Moore, and then Mumbles, then Summerhouse, all bands that have managed to stay way under the radar but had connections going back to The Sweetest Ache with the talents of Peter Stone & Neil Edmunds. Suffice to say I have wanted to release some of their music for years to let everyone know they were still releasing great music and deserve to be heard. We finally were able to release something by The Milestone Band on the 4th volume of our Television Personalities tribute and 2 more songs by Summerhouse on the previous free sampler and now finally on this sampler another song by The Milestone Band – you are in for a treat. enjoy! And breaking news Summerhouse now have a Bandcamp page – check it out:
( https://summerhouse2.bandcamp.com/music )

5. Hiro, Rie & Yoshito – Kismet  (Michael Head Cover) *
Hiro or Hirotsugu Hosono ( @hiro_monstera on twitter) is probably the biggest Michael Head fan you will ever meet. I’m also a big fan but nowhere close to the level that Hiro is at. He has the largest collection of music, t-shirts, posters and related music merchandise from all the phases of Michael Head’s career from the Pale Fountains and Shack to Michael Head & The Strands to Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band. He doesn’t stop there but also with his band in Japan, Papa San & friends he often records covers of Michael Head songs. That is how I discovered Hiro when I heard about a CD he recorded and released in 2016 – … From Across The Pacific Ocean (Tokyo To Liverpool… The Songs Of “Micheal Head”) where they performed some wonderful Michael Head covers, including some of my favourites like “Comedy”, “Jean’s Not Happening” & “Newby Street”, I wanted a copy in my collection so I reached out to him and purchased a copy. Several years later in 2022, when Michael Head & The Red Elastic band released the amazing “Dear Scott” album, Hiro was at it again and recorded a few more covers of songs from that album – I heard his version of Kismet and loved it and asked Hiro if we could release it, as I wanted more people to hear it, as it didn’t have an officially release. So I’m very proud to be able to include this cover on the compilation and just as Michael Head is preparing to release a brand new album “Loophole”.

6. SUPER 8 – Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb Cover) *
There is no stopping Paul Ryan AKA Trip as he operates under the name SUPER 8, as he continues to release some incredible music in the past few years. He has released at least 9 albums since 2018 on labels like Futureman Records and the Subjangle label and a few self released on Bandcamp. We are quite honoured to have been involved with several of these releases, including his release with Lisa Mychols (beauty 052) and 2023 release “Hoopla” (beauty 058). This Jimmy Webb cover sadly was not on one of our releases, but rather on a free download album on Bandcamp “Raindrops On Roses” and since this Jimmy Webb composition (made popular by Glen Campbell) is one of my all-time favourite songs, we just had to include it on our compilation. It’s an absolutely gorgeous cover and is up there with The Pearlfishers cover of the same song. I highly recommend that you check out the SUPER 8 Bandcamp page and download some of Trip’s magnificent albums – “Universal Journey” from 2022 is a favourite of mine that many folks have probably not heard yet and his tribute to one of his earlier bands “LEGENDS – A Tribute to Astrud” is also highly recommended.
( https://trip8.bandcamp.com/music )

7. Tender Engines – Love Is Blue  (Edward Ball cover – Beauty 030) **
Anyone who knows us will know how much we were fans of the Summershine label, that was founded in 1989 by Jason Reynolds and later associated with the Sub Pop label. Summershine released so many timeless Pop classics from Velvet Crush, The Earthmen, East Village, The Sugargliders, The Springfields, Luna, Autohaze, The Clean, Birdie and even Stephen Duffy and The Pernice Brothers, so you know this label has a cool factor that is off the charts. The label was so highly regarded that the Slumberland label even released a compilation of Summershine singles in 1995 titled – Various – Just A Taste (A Summershine Records Compilation) which is partly how I discovered the label. The Tender Engines were one of the fabulous bands that recorded and released music on the Summershine label and they had 3 songs on the Slumberland release, and great songs at that. They were a favourite of mine even though they never had a chance to release an album, they did leave us with 4 great singles which I managed to track down. Members of The Tender Engines were also associated with other great bands like The Dunaways and The Fish John West Reject (check out our last free sampler for a FJWR track), The Odolites, and Noddy’s Revenge. Thanks to having connected with Harvey Saward while doing the last sampler we inquired whether The Tender Engines might be interested in recording a cover for a future tribute now that they were back together and recording new songs and that’s how this wonderful cover of an Edward Ball song was born. The long awaited Times / Edward Ball tribute is in the works and it is hoped that we can complete it before the year is up. In the meantime, check out the new music by The Tender Engines and keep an eye out for The Tender Engines play Noddy’s Revenge album where they pay tribute to an earlier band that some of the members were involved in and they do a very cool cover of an early Mike Scott song when he was in Another Pretty Face.
( https://tenderengines.bandcamp.com/ )

8. Marc Elston – The Worst Year Of My Life  (Wild Swans Cover) *
You have probably figured out by now that we love a good cover song (by all the tributes we have released and the many covers we have included on free compilations) and Marc Elston has recorded a few brilliant covers through the years that I discovered on his Soundcloud page and various other places. You may even spot another one of his covers on a future tribute. Anyone who covers The Wild Swans is someone who has great taste so we asked Marc if we could include this cover and he was happy to go along with the idea. I’m hoping that Paul Simpson gets a chance to hear this and realize how much his music has meant to so many other people. The Wild Swans really deserve way more attention and with Paul’s new book just released and Grant McPhee’s film documenting the Liverpool scene soon to be released, a few more people may finally discover the absolutely gorgeous music of The Wild Swans. This is our small contribution to spreading this music around but please go out and buy any Wild Swans records you can find. As for Marc Elston, he is an amazing talent in his own right and has played in several bands that I’m quite fond of, like Bulldozer Crash and The Liberty Ship with releases on labels like Matinee, Sunday Records and the Jigsaw label. He has several solo releases as well and creates beautiful music that is well worth searching out but it may not be easy to find.

9. The Names – Kissing In The Dark  (The Sound cover – Beauty 049)
The Names were a Brussels new wave band originally active between 1979 and 1982, and were associated with legendary labels Factory Records and Les Disques du Crepuscule and worked with legendary producer Martin Hannett. I remember purchasing their first single “ Spectators Of Life” around 1980 and I was hooked. Their next single which came out on Factory Records “Nightshift” was also brilliant and they followed that up with an album entitled “Swimming” which are all highly recommended. There were a few more releases and then they went quiet and pursued other interests but reformed in 2007 and have been quite active with more releases and several reissues as well. I can’t tell you how pleased we were and very honoured that they were willing to record an Adrian Borland cover for our tribute and it is a beautiful cover in true Names fashion. Since it is taking us a bit longer (maybe a lot longer) than we had anticipated, we thought we would slip in a preview on this compilation. We are hoping to complete the 2nd volume of the Adrian Borland / Sound tribute later this year when you will be treated to this cover once again along with many other wonderful covers. Please check out The Names online on their Facebook page or on the LTM label that has released quite a number of their recordings.
( https://www.facebook.com/thenamesmusic ) or ( https://www.ltmrecordings.com/the_names.html )

10.  Lisa Mychols & SUPER 8 – Flying Close To The Sun  (Beauty 052)
Well what do you get when you combine two musical geniuses together? Well an album by Lisa Mychols & SUPER 8 obviously and this one was a bit of a dream partnership, as I was already a huge fan of both these fine musicians and together they created a truly beautiful album of twists and turns, showing off a multitude of influences and their exceptional talents. We featured a song from this album on our last compilation but there are so many great songs so here is another one of my favorites and really highlights the dreamy and joyful sound that can transport you into a different time and place, a happy place. This is the power of a great song and shows off the varied talents of Lisa & Ryan (aka Trip). Although they have moved on to other projects, both these incredible talents continue to release some truly beautiful music and as mentioned earlier, a new album by SUPER 8 came out in 2023 on the beautiful music label.
( https://lisamychols.bandcamp.com/ ) or ( https://trip8.bandcamp.com/ )

11.  Emma Sounds – Part Time Punks  (TVP cover – Beauty 035)
Another new band to enter the imaginary world of the beautiful music is Emma Sounds all the way from Mexico and provides us with a cover of one of Television Personalities classic songs “Part Time Punks”. We know very little about this mysterious band, other than Millo Salgado is the genius behind the project but we do know they have created some absolutely gorgeous instrumental music that you can probably find on their Soundcloud page and they also sent us a few TVP covers so you will most likely be hearing from them again on our long overdue instrumental compilation and definitely on the next installment of our incredibly insane Television Personalities tribute series. Welcome to the world of Emma Sounds.
( https://soundcloud.com/millo-salgado )

12.  Robert Rotifer – Red With Purple Flashes  (The Times Cover – Beauty 030)
Robert Rotifer has been releasing music since 1996 but it wasn’t till 2011 and thanks to Edwyn Collins AED label, that I discovered his wonderful music when he released “The Hosting Couple” album. He has worked with Wreckless Eric, Pete Astor and collaborated with Darren Hayman (Hefner) and Ian Button (who runs the amazing Gare du Nord label and has worked with Dot Allison , Death in Vegas, Papernut Cambridge, Swansea Sound, The Catenary Wires, The Night Mail, Thrashing Doves). A few years after that release, Mike Stone, who played with Television Personalities on their later releases tells me he is playing with Robert now and they may be interested in doing a cover for one of our tributes and having started work on our Times / Edward Ball tribute it was a perfect fit to include several musicians that I was quite fond of, doing a cover of an absolute classic by The Times. The recording was completed in 2013/2014 and sadly it has been sitting gathering dust in the vaults, as the tribute kept getting delayed. With the work started on this compilation, I couldn’t bear keeping this song to myself any longer so permission was granted to include it on this release, as the wait continued for the official release of the tribute (It is our hope to complete it later this year). Robert has also worked as a presenter on several radio shows and also as a music journalist and as a curator for the Popfest on Karlsplatz in Vienna. I’ve also heard that Robert played in a mod band The Electric Eels many years ago and would love to hear any recordings they did. Enjoy this excellent cover and if you like Robert’s music please check out his many other releases.
( https://robertrotifer.bandcamp.com/music ) or ( https://robertrotifer.co.uk/ )

13.  Roy Moller – Byers Road Saturday  (Beauty 017)
We have released a few wonderful albums with Roy Moller already and Roy has done radio sessions with Marc Riley at the BBC and has worked with a  member of Belle & Sebastian in The Store Keys and has been involved with several other bands and musicians and is a true undiscovered talent. He has had releases on several cool labels like Slumberland, Felicite, Edition 59, Pickled Egg, Heliotone including many on the Stereogram Recordings label which you can find on Roy’s Bandcamp page. We also just released the “Songs From Be My Baby” album which accompanies his book “Be My Baby” that documents his search for his biological parents and his discovery of his Scottish/Canadian roots. This song however was taken from his very first album on the beautiful music ” Playing Songs No One’s Listening To”.
( https://roymoller.bandcamp.com/ )

14.  Armstrong – Cosmos World *
Julian Pitt (aka Armstrong) has been described as “one of the finest songwriters in the United kingdom at the moment”, “one of music’s best kept secrets’, a “neglected pop genius” and “the unheralded prince of pastoral-pop” so who are we to argue. We have been so smitten with the genuinely beautiful songs of Armstrong, that we have already released 4 albums of his songs and there are likely to be more in the future, His last album “Happy Graffiti” (Beauty 034) was a joint release with the Country Mile label in the UK and contained many shimmering timeless melodies. This song however has not had a physical release yet but was included on a wonderful self-released digital EP that can be found on his Bandcamp page. We loved this song and thought a few more people would enjoy hearing it, so it is our immense pleasure to include it on this label sampler. If you are interested in learning a bit more about Armstrong, check out the interview with Kevin McGrath https://redsoapbox.tumblr.com/post/676839147099553792/as-happy-graffiti-wows-the-critics-julian-pitt and the lovely radio interview with Adrian Goldberg. If you are a fan of Roddy Frame, The Pearlfishers, Prefab Sprout, Lloyd Cole and sounds like these, you may find the music of Armstrong extremely enjoyable.
( https://armstrong2.bandcamp.com/ )

15.  The Black Watch featuring Julie Schulte – Julie *
We still can’t believe that The Black Watch are not loved by every music lover out there. Their music catalogue is more than impressive with at least 23 albums as of today’s date along with some compilations and many singles and I know a few more albums are likely to be released very soon. Trouser Press says it better than I could “ It’s astonishing that a group as dedicated to quality and craft as California’s Black Watch could go for two decades with a cult following the size of a kitchen sponge. Literature professor/bandleader John Andrew Frederick and his cohorts have become experts at straining influences — mostly ’80s British guitar pop, with a sprinkling of Dylan and Velvets — through a distinctive sieve, making warm, melodic music that tweaks the mind as much as the heart. The band’s body of work is remarkably consistent, worth searching out by more than just epicures of obscurity.” If you don’t already have it, a great place to start is “31 Years Of Obscurity: The Best Of The Black Watch: 1988-2019” released on Atom Records. This beautiful song was taken from the “Brilliant Failures” album released on the fantastic A Turntable Friend label in Germany and is a bit of a departure from the usual, having a guest vocalist, Julie Schulte do the singing but it’s absolutely gorgeous. So do yourself a favour and check out more of the brilliant sounds of The Black Watch.
( https://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com/ )

16.  Royal Ottawa – Carcosa *
This compilation has many rare gems but this one from local Ottawa band Royal Ottawa also comes with some extensive personal history but first I will share this quote by Tim Hinely “I have no idea where this band has been or where they are going, but Carcosa is the gleaming jewel hiding in the basement that needs to be seen/heard. – Daggerzine. Here is the story that shines some light on my musical tastes as a young lad in Ottawa. Most of the band members of Royal Ottawa were previously in the band Bugs Harvey Oswald a band my brother and I probably saw around a dozen times in the 80’s, making them one of the bands that we saw more than any other band (excluding Jonathan Richman who we probably saw a few more times) and for good reason as they were a great live band. They appeared on the Ottawa scene as if from nowhere, fully formed and sounding exceptionally brilliant, blending punk and post punk energy with the sophistication of bands like Roxy Music and Bowie, so it’s easy to see why we were hooked. The history is a bit hazy but we found out later that there was links to Ireland where the band’s origins seem to have germinated. They seemed to be everywhere and played opening sets for many bands that visited Ottawa like Mission Of Burma and even The Fall and their music was being played on all the cool radio stations like CKCU and  CBC when they  released a 7″ single “Bye Bye” (1982). Then it all ended and that album that we eagerly wished for never materialized. Not sure what happened but most likely real life got in the way. Many years later I heard rumors that some of the band members were involved in a band called Royal Ottawa and they released a mini album on CD in 1996 which wasn’t easy to locate, something that became a recurring theme. Shortly after that they seemed to vanish again.  Many years later in later in 2015 Royal Ottawa reappeared (and I know I’m skipping a lot of detail to try and keep this brief and not mentioning their side project The Lake Effect Sound, another rare release) with an album “The World We Know”, released only on vinyl and again extremely hard to find. Now skip to 2023 and I’m listening to dj tic on CKCU and there is an interview with the band Royal Ottawa and my ears perk up when I hear there us a brand new double album called Carcosa in the works and I didn’t have to wait another 20 years for a new release. I can no longer contain myself, I need to get in touch with the band and help them out so a few more people get to hear this magnificent album,  so I’m including a song from the album here.
( https://royalottawa.bandcamp.com/album/carcosa ) or ( https://www.royalottawa.ca/ )

17.  Lovejoy – Someone To Share My Life With  (TVP Cover – Beauty 005)
We have released a few Television Personalities tributes, four actually to be exact (well 8 if you count all the bonus discs) and this song goes back to the very first volume (Beauty 005) and this beautiful cover really deserves more listens which is why we included it here. Lovejoy has connections to the Sarah band Blueboy with Keith Girdler and Paul Stewart having worked with Richard Preece, the main person behind Lovejoy on several releases. They have released three highly recommended albums and numerous singles on the wonderful Matinee record label including a wonderful 7” tribute to Biff Bang Pow! Under the name Lovejoy! and covered Tears For Fears “Mad World” with the band The Snowdrops – all worth searching for. They are currently working on a brand new album after a few years of inactivity when it comes to releases. Lovejoy will also be included on several of our upcoming tributes. And I recently discovered that the Daydream records label will be reissuing the first Lovejoy album on vinyl. How cool is that!
( https://shop.matineerecordings.com/collections/lovejoy )

18.  Honeybourne – Beautiful Progress (Beauty 056)
We would like to welcome another new artist to our imaginary world. Honeybourne is the musical creation of Rob Morgan, a man of great taste and distinction and author of several blogs including the wonderful “A Goldfish Called Regret” and “Mangled Tapes” and recently another blog about The Teardrop Explodes, “Exploding The Teardrops” ( https://explodingteardrops.blogspot.com/ ). He has many releases on Bandcamp and has worked with folks from The Irony Board and Si Farrier in Milk Bottle Sympathy and on covers of songs by New Order and The Wake with Si just to mention a few things. We are looking forward to releasing a full album by Honeybourne in the near future but while you wait here is a teaser we couldn’t resist including as it includes the word beautiful in the title and because it is such a gorgeous song. Check out Honeybourne’s Bandcamp page where you will find plenty of music to enjoy.
( https://honeybourne.bandcamp.com/music )

19.  S K Y T O N E – All Night *
The band S K Y T O N E are not only a staple at the beautiful music, but the two brothers Rod and Darius, who make up the band, are one of the main reasons we started the beautiful music label, to share their songs while they were in the band Tremolo. Since then we have released 3 full length albums by them and several singles and joint projects and even a remix EP. Recently they self-released a 4th album “Adrift” which caught the attention of the cool Japanese label Galaxy Train who released a version on collectible cassette. The song “All Night” is taken from an even more recent digital single which has yet to be on a physical release of any kind but is very worthy of inclusion here. If you haven’t discovered S K Y T O N E yet, you are in for a treat as there is quite a wealth of wonderful music to discover and no doubt more coming soon.
( https://skytone1.bandcamp.com/music )

20.  Rachel Love – Far Away *
We have kept the best gem for the closing track, and what a beautiful gem of a song it is by Rachel Love and the perfect closing track. It’s possible that some of you reading this have heard this song before, as it was included on her self-released “Picture In Mind” album on Bandcamp, but I’m sure for many it will be the first time you are hearing this song, so you are in for a real treat. Rachel Love really should be a household name, and it’s quite likely you have even heard her beautiful voice before as she once was one of the backing singers for Captain Sensible on some huge worldwide hits he had. Rachel was also one third of the band Dolly Mixture, who recently have been having a bit of renewed interest with several reissues and compilations of their wonderful music.  Her Bandcamp bio says it well: “Rachel was guitarist and singer in the seminal 70/80’s band Dolly Mixture who were signed to Paul Wellers’ ‘Respond’ label and championed by The Undertones & John Peel. She was the singer in the band ‘Spelt’ and has released her first solo album ‘Picture in Mind’ in 2021. Also half of the Light Music Company.’ She has recently also worked with Martin Newell of The Cleaners From Venus fame and we are certainly hoping that there will be more music by Rachel in the near future.
( https://rachellove.bandcamp.com/music )

Nov 17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Yellow Melodies – “Sunshine Pop” CD/LP/Digital

We are very excited to release “Sunshine Pop” by The Yellow Melodies.

During the pandemic, THE YELLOW MELODIES released three CD-EP’s through Discos Imprescindibles. Each EP includes four own songs and a cover of an artist or band they admire. Now ’Sunshine Pop’, the album, has just arrived, compiling all the own songs from those EPs.

‘Sunshine Pop’ brings us a remarkable collection of vital songs, some sung in Spanish and some in English, which stand out for their bright arrangements (strings, brass, synths, organ, glockenspiels…) and for their harmonies of heavenly amplitude very close to perfection.

THE YELLOW MELODIES are Rafa Skam on vocals and guitar, Antonio Clares on bass and backing vocals, Carlos Abrisqueta on keyboards and guitars and José Ángel Hernández on drums. The songs have been recorded at into Pepe Moreno’s PM Studio. Norma Hamilton has added powerful backing vocals in these shiny songs full of sunlight, love and youth that will recharge you with positive energies.

The songs of ‘Sunshine Pop’ have achieved such great reviews on the music press:

“They simply concentrate on what they are best at, i.e. playful pop in it’s most luscious and undiluted form.” (Junglepophub)

“The band routinely crafts memorable indie pop tunes that tickle our ears and warm our hearts” (When You Motor Away)

“We always need music as joyous as this as an antidote to all that is grey and dreary out there” (FadeAwayRadiate)

Here at the Beautiful Music we have released the CD version of this album in association with Hurrah! Música, Old Bad Habits and Discos Imprescindibles.

The Beautiful Music

“Sunshine Pop” (CD Version)
The Yellow Melodies
Beauty 061
$15.00 CDN

The Beautiful Music

Digital version available their Bandcamp: theyellowmelodies.bandcamp.com/album/sunshine-pop

Jun 27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Songs from Be My Baby – Roy Moller

Behind every great storyteller is a great story, and Roy Moller’s latest release is just that. Truly captivating and enjoyable. He has a unique way of drawing listeners in, using vivid imagery and charming wit to create a fully immersive experience and this album is no exception.

Roy writes in his liner notes: 

“In May 2015, I went to Register House in Edinburgh to have my adoption papers opened. I already knew my birth mother’s name, that she had a Canadian connection and her and my father’s occupations but few other details.

This is the story of what I discovered – an extra-marital affair, an escape from starchy Ontario morals to a UK coming through the coldest winter on record, about to be rocked by scandal and Beatles as she’ll make a swift return to Toronto without a baby to keep but with plenty of secrets.

And this is the story of growing up adopted with a hidden family and hidden disability. Expanding on Be My Baby, a sequence of poems published by Dionysia Press in 2019, this is my story in song.”

Songs from Be My Baby is available as a CD (Beauty 059) below.

Check out more from Roy here:

https://www.facebook.com/RoyMoller1963/

https://roymoller.bandcamp.com/

The Beautiful Music
Songs from Be My Baby (CD Version)
Roy Moller
Beauty 059
$15.00 CDN

The Beautiful Music

Digital version available from Roy’s Bandcamp. roymoller.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-be-my-baby

 

May 05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: HOOPLA by SUPER 8

We are very proud to be able to work with British-based musician, Paul ‘Trip’ Ryan who puts out music under the name SUPER 8 to release the brand new album entitled HOOPLA (beauty 058). Having worked with Trip before on the gorgeous Lisa Mychols & SUPER 8 album (beauty 052) we knew that he is an extremely talented and prolific musician with a vast collection of quality influences. SUPER 8 creates timeless music, rooted in the past, influenced by the present and poised for the future. In an interview with Lisa Mychols, when asked – Who/what is SUPER 8? Paul replied with probably as good a description that one can come up with: “SUPER 8 is predominantly me, myself & I these days – a home studio-based ‘one man band’ would be one way to put it. I write, perform & produce all the music and my talented wife helps bring the songs to life with her wonderful artwork & animated videos.”

In the past Trip has cited some of the following as influences: The Beach Boys; The Beatles; The Monkees; T-Rex; Stones; Burt Bacharach; Astrud Gilberto; Simon & Garfunkel; Neil Young; Neil Diamond … The Smiths; The La’s; The Stone Roses; The Charlatans; Shack; Teenage Fanclub; The Beta Band; Elliott Smith; BMX Bandits; The Pearlfishers and others, so it’s easy to see the great influences on his music.

Trip has quite a history, almost discovered by Giles Martin, working with David Scott (The Pearlfishers, and praised by Duglas of the BMX Bandits, and featured on many fine radio shows including NWR and the Mickey Bradley show on the BBC.

BANDCAMP: https://trip8.bandcamp.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SUPER8UK
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SUPER_8_music

The Beautiful Music

HOOPLA (CD Version)
SUPER 8
Beauty 058
$15.00 CDN


The Beautiful Music

Feb 27

New Release: Adrift by Skytone

Skytone is a duo consisting of siblings Rodney and Darius Doddridge.

When we first encountered their music they were best described as a jangle pop band.
However, for new album Adrift the brothers have created a very appealing tapestry of crystalline synth pop.
So the sound is more Stockholm/Malmo than Dunedin/Glasgow.
But the hooks are good, the choruses soar, and the arrangements paint in warm, bright colors.
This album is so good that you will want to play it right now and think of warmer times.
But don’t forget to break it out again next summer for a worthy encore.

A highly recommended album – feelgood, Summery jangle pop at its best.

From Galaxy train, translated from Japanese:
“The exquisite melody that melts, the synth pop that spreads in the bedroom, and the smell of neo-acoustic everywhere!”-The latest album by Skytone, a unit of brothers Rodney and Darius based in Ottawa, Canada.

Now available as a cassette only release:
-limited edition only 20 available
-digital download
-Galaxy Train and Skytone stickers
-lyrics sheet
https://galaxytrain.bandcamp.com/album/adrift

Skytone Official
http://thebeautifulmusic.com/skytone/

Check them out on Bandcamp
https://skytone1.bandcamp.com

 

 

 

Nov 01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Dot Dash album “Madman in the Rain”

Madman in the Rain, the new album from Washington DC-based Dot Dash is out now!

Recorded at New York City’s Renegade Studios and produced by Grammy-winning Geoff Sanoff, Madman in the Rain features 12 new Dot Dash songs available on CD from is here at TBM.  

Among them, lead-off track “Forever Far Out” might have come from an imaginary mixtape, made circa Fall 1985 (also appearing: Wire Train, Miracle Legion, Dumptruck.) “Space Junk, Satellites” is a samba-ish reverie that likens stars to hollow jewels and contemplates the moon reflected in shallow pools. “Tense & Nervous” is a two-minute banger. Spectral incantation “Animal Stone” considers criminals & saints (and animals & stones.)  Title track “Madman in the Rain” is part glammy torch song, part indie-rock chugger. “Wokeupdreaming” was written while sleeping.

WASHINGTON POST: “Everything we’ve ever read about Dot Dash plays up the group’s collective resume: Singer/guitarist Terry Banks was in St. Christopher and the Saturday People before teaming up with bassist Hunter Bennett in acclaimed indie-rock band Julie Ocean and drummer Danny Ingram co-founded harDCore band Youth Brigade. Very impressive. But we’re more interested in the music, a retro cocktail that recalls the yearning indie-pop of Sarah Records; the ’80s neo-Byrds jangle of R.E.M., Orange Juice and other seminal college radio artists, and tight, throbbing basslines and slashing guitars that evoke the Jam and the Clash.” 

Along the way, Dot Dash has played shows with The Undertones, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The B-52s, Richard Lloyd (ex-Television), The Monochrome Set, The Minus 5 (ex-Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.), The Psychedelic Furs, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, 999, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Chameleons, The Dickies, Ash, Hugh Cornwell (ex-Stranglers), Stiff Little Fingers, The Vibrators, The Fleshtones, Glen Matlock (ex-Sex Pistols), Urge Overkill, The Drums, Ian Hunter (ex-Mott The Hoople), The Bats, Ultimate Painting, The Trashcan Sinatras, The Clientele, Sylvain Sylvain (ex-New York Dolls), Drivin’n’Cryin, The Godfathers, The Nude Party, Country Westerns, Frankie Rose, The Empty Hearts (ex-Blondie/The Cars/Romantics/Chesterfield Kings), D.O.A., Field Day (ex-Dag Nasty), Wussy, The Essex Green, Matt Pond PA, Moon Duo, Terry Malts, Soulside, Jack Grisham (TSOL), Apollo 66, Wax Idols, Office of Future Plans, Allo Darlin’, Tommy Keene, Adam Franklin (Swervedriver), The Explorers Club, Chris Stamey (ex-dB’s), Miss Lonelyheart, Elf Power, X__X (ex-Rocket From The Tombs, Electric Eels), Ladybug Transistor, The Supersuckers, Lee Bains & The Glory Fires, Bim Skala Bim, Stevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian), Eternal Summers & lots of other rocking combos.

Madman in the Rain is available as a digipak CD directly below or on the store page.

The album will also be available as a digital download from Bandcamp at dotdashdc.bandcamp.com – and is streaming on Spotify.

The Beautiful Music

Madman in the Rain
Dot Dash
Beauty 054
$15.00 CDN


The Beautiful Music