438. She's So Fine by the Easybeats 1965

Last week I was off to see Morrissey at Festival Hall in Dudley Street in West Melbourne. What always comes to mind is that this was the place the Beatles played. It was also the first indoor gig I ever went to when I saw Roxy Music there back in the seventies. It is also just around the corner from the Carron tavern which was the home for a very long time of Rubber soul and the Beehive. So when my friend Paul and his partner Tanja told us to meet at the pub around the corner I was surprised that it was the carron and it was totally packed.  3 drinks for 25 dollars was a bit stiff considering it would have cost about $4 back then.
yes the place had changed as places do but you could still see the basic structure with it's pillars that mapped out the dancefloor. The kitchen behind the DJ booth, well pool table, where we count out the money. The side doorway where people would line up. The garage across the road is now just a wasteland.
"Shes So Fine" always went down a storm at Rubber Soul. Manic upbeat rock and roll. The Easybeats had brilliant songs. Never could understand why they weren't massive all over the world. Their greatest hits album is magic. The sound just leaps off the record.

437. Red Light Spells Danger by Billy Ocean 1977

I was busy sorting through my singles the other day when I came across the single "Love Really Hurts Without You", a big hit for Billy ocean in 1976. It was one of those Old Gold releases so I flipped it over to see what was on the other side. And it was his 1977 hit "Red Light". Brilliant. Not that I've known this song for all that long.
I was in the UK a few months back and I was up in Lytham staying with my brother Dave. On the third night there we went around to his daughter Sharon's place for a BBQ.  We've been there before for dinner so the family and I knew we were going to to enjoy ourselves. As we did. Micheal, Sharon's husband insisted that after dinner we needed to dance. We need more people in the world like this! There were only a few of us but we danced. Possibly helped by the consumption of wine and spirits. And it was "Red light Spells Danger". And I'd never heard it before but it seemed so familiar. Maybe some time back I'd heard it but really it was like finding a lost treasure. It had that real Northern soul feel. How could you not dance?
The kids peeped around the door to see us moving and shaking their heads quickly retreated to other rooms. Despite our urging to come and join us.
So now 3 months later I'm in the garage with it on vinyl and it just jumps off the record. Sweet. Now I just need somebody to dance with.

436. You're Gonna Lose Us by The Cribs 2005

Found this song on a NME compilation CD back in the mid noughties. Thanks to every magazine seeming to be giving away free CDs each month I had a ton of new music to listen to. Mainly because I was an avid magazine buyer too. Mojo, Word, Uncut.  Actually I've got boxes and boxes of compilation CDs from magazines stretching back 15 years. Q, Select etc. Still not sure what I'm gonna do with them.
I remember reading about the Cribs before hearing any of their music. Three brothers who seemed to be bringing a mix of classic punk and the libertines together. Their were tales of vomiting on stage and being completely gross. In fact looking at their videos I can quite imagine all that kind of stuff going on. But hearing them reminded me of The Wedding Present. It's going this train like punk sound going but then it's got these great melodies. And great lyrics too. I was soon singing along especially to this song which is the second song I picked up of theirs. The first being Hey Scenesters. Didn't do much for me that one. Well not at the time. Now I've got the Cribs on constant rotation.
Then big surprise Johnny Marr joins the band and they tour Australia. And for some reason which I don't remember I miss the gig. It still kills me.  And he's already left. Then again they do alright on their own anyway.