I Say, What *Are* You People Listening To?

First, a little quickie. When the Pistols 'Biggest Blow' single came out (the one with Ronnie Biggs), the first few 12 copies had a 'hidden' extra - a taped interview with the lads & the train robber tacked on to the end of side one. I happen to have a copy. Here's the interview.

I also have an original 'Spiral Scratch' - but I don't have any EMI or A&M pistols singles. Never mind, eh?

Anyway, I thort you mite be intersted to kno (sorry, seem to have been infected by the spirit of Nigel Molesworth there... on the other hand, maybe the spirit was this bottle of Bells next to me...) how the download chart stands at the moment.

According to Rapidshare, here are my top ten posts:

10) We Hate You South African Bastards - Microdisney (309 downloads)
09) Come Out Fighting, Ghengis Smith - Roy Harper (314)
08) Rocking Duck - Grimms (318)
07) Everybody Is Fantastic - Microdisney (345)
06) Grimms - Grimms (349)
05) Rutland Weekend Television - Neil Innes & Eric Idle (372)
04) Twiggy - Twiggy (378)
03) The Clock Comes Down The Stairs - Microdisney (389)
02) Bright Phoebus - Lal & Mike Waterson (420)
01) Skyboat - Mac Gayden (484)

Umm - no comment. Have you?

...still looking for eire apparent...

More quick re-ups...

Daylight - Daylight (1971)

http://rapidshare.com/files/94198884/Daylight.zip

For more info see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2006/09/put-your-hands-against-my-wall.html

Lamb live (1971)

http://rapidshare.com/files/94202113/Lamb_live.zip

For more info see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/big-thanks-to-mike-gilbert.html

I'm Alive, But That's The Last Thing On My Mind

MMMMMMellanieee... oh how we loved her...

There was a lot more to her than 'Brand New Key', of course, and a good half of the songs on the live 'Candles In The Rain' album always made me cry. Gorgeous. She's still going, of course, but she must be sixty now (at least) and I don't think I could stand to see her live.

When she managed to get free from her Buddha contract she formed Neighborhood Records and began to put out her choice of music rather than what the label had dictated. This was the first release, and it's a real corker - quite possibly her best album.

I guess it's never been released on CD because it simply isn't relevant in 2008 - pity. I'd love a decent digital copy - sorry for the poor vinyl rip but it's the best I can do.

Melanie - Stoneground Words (1972)

01 - Together Alone
02 - Between The Road Signs
03 - Summer Weaving
04 - My Rainbow Race
05 - Do You Believe
06 - I Am Not A Poet
07 - Stoneground Words
08 - Song Of The South
09 - Maybe I Was (A Golf Ball)
10 - Here I Am
11 - Bitter Bad

http://rapidshare.com/files/93439585/Stoneground.zip

Couple More Re-ups

'Cos they've been requested & 'cos I'm in a good mood. But also, a request - has anyone got 'Sunrise' by Eire Apparent? If so, could you post it somewhere or send it to me? Thanks. And now, back to the uploads.

The Three O'Clock

First - the first album and E.P. by The Three O'Clock, one of the most perfect pop/rock bands *ever*. Just listen to 'Tomorrow' and try to think how it could possibly be improved?

Baroque Hoedown (ep) - http://rapidshare.com/files/91414250/hoedown.zip

Sixteen Tambourines (album) - http://rapidshare.com/files/91411268/tambourines.zip

Extra tracks - http://rapidshare.com/files/91410943/extras1.zip

For further info see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/remember-time-when-you-were-young_09.html.

Crannog

Second, the Crannog album. I didn't play on this, but I could have done and mates of mine did - see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2006/10/i-am-young-fellow-well-i-was.html.

Download the album from http://rapidshare.com/files/93161867/Crannog.zip.

Re-Ups & Reminders

Several people have emailed me recently to ask if I can re-up things that have expired. If I feel like it, and if I can be bothered, I will - but sometimes I don't want to because either I don't have the original MP3s to hand, or I don't have the bandwidth to upload, or I don't feel in a generous mood, or I *have* re-upped them but the people haven't looked hard enough through my posts - or sometimes because the requests are so rudely worded that I say no way hoe zay.

But today I'm feeling OK so here is a re-up & reminders to some others:

The General Humbert album (see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2006/10/whos-fool-now.html) is now at http://rapidshare.com/files/89032257/Humbert.zip.

For Longdancer, Area Code 615, Bandoggs, Byzantium, Flo & Eddie, Global Village Trucking Company, Laura Nyro, Lamb, Mac Gayden and Way Of The West, see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/re-ups-daisy_1824.html.

For Joanna Carlin, Aerial FX, and Miracle Legion, see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/and-few-more-re-ups.html.

For Quicksilver and Sore Throat, see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/still-more-re-ups.html.

For Bowles Brothers, Robin Dransfield and Laura Nyro's 'Nested', see http://witchseason.blogspot.com/2007/05/two-more-re-ups.html.

By the way, I'm going to a party this weekend where I'm hoping to meet up with assorted ex-members of Sore Throat and Way Of The West. Any messages I should pass on?

Being Half Awake

In the eighties, a 'new' breed of sensitive young singer/songwriters and bands appeared alongside the noisier indies - mainly centred around the British Cherry Red label.

At the time I particularly liked Ben Watt, Tracey Thorne, Eyeless In Gaza, and In Embrace (though I've hated everything EBTG have ever done, their solo albums were crackers - and so was the Marine Girls ramshackle beauty). I also liked The Passage, but they'll have to wait for a later post 'cos they ain't that sensitive ;-)

In Embrace seem to have vanished completely, which is a pity. The first record, a 5-track 12" called The Initial Caress, was fragile & pretty, and the first full album (Passion Fruit/Pastels) developed that fragile prettiness into something more substantial and tangible. The next thing I heard from them was a couple of singles that (like Eyeless 'Welcome Now') should both have catapulted straight to numero uno - pure, perfect pop - and then, nothing. Mind you, I probably had my eyes on other things by then - I never have been able to tolerate fragile prettiness for too long.

You can read more about In Embrace on the Eyeless In Gaza pages at http://www.eyelessingaza.com/inembrace/hist1.html.

In Embrace - The Initial Caress, Your Heaven Scent (Plays Hell With Me) & This Brilliant Evening (plus B-sides)

01 - Clutching
02 - The Air Inbetween
03 - Precious
04 - Breathless With Passion Explicit
05 - For Lovers

01 - This Brilliant Evening
02 - The Darkest Horse
03 - Your Heaven Scent Plays Hell With Me
04 - This Brilliant Evening (Instrumental Mix)

http://rapidshare.com/files/89032277/InitialBrillHeaven.zip

In Embrace - Passion Fruit/Pastels

01 - Half Awake (Mountains)
02 - Our Star Drawn Through Panes
03 - We Fail Each Other
04 - The Ball Rolling
05 - Tears Turn Fresh
06 - Sun Brings Smiles
07 - At East
08 - (Sigh)
09 - Tickling The Ivories
10 - To Friends (An Open Letter)
02 - 11 - Caroline Beginning

http://rapidshare.com/files/89032736/PassionPastels.zip