This version of The Fall’s “There’s a Ghost in My House” (1987) has a hologram on the cover. It wasn’t easy to get a pic that clearly showed the hologram, but you’re worth it. It’s kept in a paper bag because holograms, like old color photographs, fade when they are exposed to light. “Ghost” is a typical alt-rock Fall song and I like it fine. “Haf Found Bormann” on the flip is a little too “art” to be on your summer mix tape.
On the back cover:
HOLOVISION
Making holograms part of todays (sic) world
According to Wikipedia Shovel (1986) was feedtime’s most critically acclaimed record, which makes me think I need to go spin it again. I enjoy a little primitive noise rock once in a while, even now that I’m elderly. But this just didn’t do it for me today. There were a couple riffs that held my attention, a few great songs, and some occasional moments where they reminded me of Head of David. Still, I don’t think this one will stay in the collection.
For the concerned grammarians in the house I want to point out that the proper spelling of feedtime is with a lowercase f.
feedtime at Wikipedia
- Artist: Fastway
- Title: Fastway
- Year: 1983
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 7
- Owner: Tracy and Bob
- Acquired: 2005 - Another one I got from Bob Bobala
- Keeper: Yes
Fastway was a hard rock/metal super group with members from Motörhead, Humble Pie, and UFO. Believe it or not, the then-unknown singer Dave King went on to found Flogging Molly. Believe it.
I have always loved the song “Say What You Will” but I never got around to getting the album. Bob Bob’s record collection to the rescue again. (I guess it’s just the luck of the draw but it seems like his old records are popping up more than my own lately.) Some of the songs are highly mediocre, but when they’re good they’re great. Another favorite is “Another Day.” Included with Bob’s copy of Fastway is a one-sided 7 inch with a Zeppelin-style dirge titled “Far Far From Home.” I don’t know what the story is with that song, but I dig it.
You can listen to “Say What You Will” at YouTube.
The Fastway story at Wikipedia.
- Artist: The Fall
- Title: I Am Kurious Oranj
- Year: 1988
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1988 - At our store RIP Records
- Keeper: Yes
I’m in a rush because I’m about to go “off the grid” for 24 hours for a little martial arts project. Don’t tell anyone. Anyhow, I Am Kurious Oranj by The Fall deserves a more thoughtful write-up than it’s going to get right now. I really like this record. And just like the last record by The Fall, this one is following an album by 86. Which, again, makes it even more obvious that even if you’re an arty band, or maybe especially if you are, it’s a good idea to have some hooks in your songs. Tons of hooks here.
People, you need to watch this. Flight of the Conchords is the name of a new show on HBO, and it’s also the name of the “digi-folk” duo that essentially portray themselves on this brilliant musical sitcom. The duo is for real, by that I mean they existed before the show and have had genuine success in other parts of the world. You fans of Jonathan Coulton are sure to love it. Even if you don’t have HBO as part of your cable TV package you can watch the videos at their site.
The “Robots Video” below is from the debut episode. In the show their manager uses a cell phone to capture this no-budget video. Click the play button now. Thank me later.
- Artist: The Fall
- Title: Bend Sinister
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 7
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: ?
- Keeper: Yes
We’re almost done with our trip. And it’ll be good to get back to the mountains because it just got wicked hot and humid in the DC area. Now we’re staying with our friends the Hartzells. Last night we had a great party, with great food, great friends, and a chocolate fountain! For the kids, of course.
The Fall’s Bend Sinister is another arty record from a consistently arty band but there is a big difference from the last record posted. This one has hooks aplenty, it’s much more enjoyable because of it, and you’re likely to start humming along the first time you hear it. To be honest, I only got to play it once before we left and I can’t remember much more about it right now.
- Artist: Fad Gadget
- Title: Under the Flag
- Year: 1982
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 5
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: 1983 - Olsson’s in DC
- Keeper: Yes
Tracy says it’s all about emotional attachments, and I have ‘em to this LP. My logical grown-up self says, “This record screams early ’80s pretentious goth rock”, but my inner teenager says “I remember when I was in art school, the 9:30 Club played ‘Collapsing New People’ between band sets (a Fad Gadget song not on this LP), and I went to poetry readings.” Poetry readings? I must of had a lot of free time.
The music consists of keyboards, some neat sound effects, a drum machine, and topped with arty lyrics in a Bauhaus vocal style. Like the kids say (said) on American Bandstand, “it’s got a good beat and it’s easy to dance to”, or at least to brood to.
I bought this in Washington in early 1984 or late 1983 in that store on Dupont Circle, Olsson’s? I want to keep it. And why is it in the middle of The Fall records, and shouldn’t it be before Faith even? F-A-D. Oh Well. I also didn’t see the 12″ of Collapsing… If I had to choose between the two, I’d keep the 12″ over this. Oh, I’ll rate it a 5.
- Artist: Peter Zaremba’s Love Delegation
- Title: Spread the Word
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1986 - Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
- Keeper: Yes
I’m all out of official Fleshtones records, but Peter Zaremba’s Love Delegation is pretty similar in sound, and personnel. I’m not sure if I should file this under Z for Zaremba or L for Love Delegation. In the real world I just file right after the other records by The Fleshtones. Fleshtones guitarist Keith Streng is a part of the core band, and drummer Bill Milhizer also contributed some. There are a lot other folks too, but the most well-known would be Dave Faulkner, front man of the Hoodoo Gurus.
I got to see the Hoodoo Gurus a few times and they put a on great show with a heavy crunch rock sound that doesn’t come across on their albums. Once I saw Mr. Faulkner at a Fleshtones show. They were playing at a small bar in Norfolk, VA called the King’s Head Inn. Faulkner was carrying their gear onto the stage! Apparently he was just hanging out with them for a while. This was when the Hoodoo Gurus were at their most popular in the States, and in Australia they were playing arenas. I even got to talk to him a bit. Later in the Fleshtones set Dave came on stage to play guitar with the band. Peter Zaremba announced they were “combining the rock and roll forces of two continents!”
Back to Spread the Word. This is a great record. About half of the songs are covers. It’s similar to The Fleshtones sound but overall it’s more pop and soul.
- Artist: The Fleshtones
- Title: Fleshtones Vs. Reality
- Year: 1987
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1987 - Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records and Tapes in Hampton, VA
- Keeper: Yes
My memories of Fleshtones Vs. Reality are fuzzier than those of the records The Fleshtones made before it. I remember the songs, just not note-for-note. Must’ve been busy that year. I did get to see the boys that same year at the great ol’ 930 Club in D.C, at its original location on F Street. Check out the ticket stub below, only $8! In 1987! That was half a lifetime ago for me, oof.
Anyhow, this record seems a little more mature, in a good way, but the good time music is still what it’s all about. Also, the horns seem bigger and badder than before. As I have said a few times before you can’t achieve maximum rock and roll, or Fleshtones’ “Super Rock”, without horns. I like all the songs, and my favorite is probably “Way Up Here” with that sweet sounding recorder riff. Side two has another Fleshtones-style club banger in “The End of The Track”, complete with wailing alarms and sirens. And this concludes the posts of official Fleshtones records… or does it?
- Artist: The Fleshtones
- Title: Speed Connection II
- Year: 1985
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 6
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1985 - When I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
- Keeper: Yes
In general, live recordings are “for-fans-only”, and Speed Connection II from The Fleshtones is no exception. Moreover, I think this record killed their chance to break out to a wider audience in the late 1980s and beyond. I’m no Fleshtones historian but I say all that based on my real world experience from working at a chain record store when this was released. I had been a fan for a while and my perception was that their label IRS really decided to promote this one. Which is too bad because for a lot of people this was the first thing they heard by The Fleshtones. And they did not dig it, they told me. This isn’t the greatest recording ever. The performances are great, but the sound is inconsistent. Also, many of the songs are covers or medleys or watered-down versions of studio tracks. For fans only.
