442. Perfect Skin by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions 1984

1984. A time of white Hanes T-shirts and 501 jeans. Endless pap on the radio. But the Eighties also had plenty of great bands too.
When we first heard about Lloyd Cole and The Commotions the hype kind of hit first. From the very cool Andy Warhol type cover with all the songs on the front to the almost Factory look of their promo shots. And they were from Scotland which was very cool at the time. However when we started hearing the songs they lived up to the hype completely.
I was still playing in a band but I was also DJing regularly and I had moved into a flat in South Yarra three flights up and just off Toorak Road. My balcony was big enough for one chair but I would sit out there on warm nights and could see the city lights. At night I would tape video clips and old movies while I slept then get up and skip through the VHS tapes looking for interesting bits. At the time it seemed like all the good stuff was on while we slept.
I didn't know my neighbours. I was on top of the world. Photos of the place now look like it was endless summer. I got myself a Fiat 128 which broke down everytime it the weather got too hot. Because I was 3 floors up I eventually had to sell my Fender Twin Reverb Amp because I couldn't get it up the stairs without half killing myself it was so heavy.
But it was great time. Soundtracked by Indie pop.

441. If You Wanna by The Vaccines 2011

I think I first heard this song on a TV special on Channel 2 when they were presenting bands from Glastonbury. The reason I think that rather than know it was that I was sure I heard the track the previous summer in the UK. Driving the car from Blackpool to London. But that was 2010 and it wasn't released until 2011.
Anyway my wife Liz told me about it so I didn't even get there first in my own family. Check out this band on the TV. They're great. And they were. Short sharp songs. Energy to burn. I think the album clicked in at a little over 30 minutes if that.
It's always good when you find a song that you both feel is terrific. That the kids sang along to this too while we drove to places was another bonus.
They played in Melbourne the other week. I didn't go though I would have liked to. They were the support act to Two Door Cinema club who I wasn't really interested in seeing. It cost over 100 bucks and it was at Festival Hall. Not the best place to see any band despite it's history.

440. the Night by The Four Seasons 1975

A few blogs ago I was talking about Red Light by Billy Ocean. A song I wouldn't immediately associate with Northern Soul but in 75 got some major plays at the nightclubs. Same thing with this one. Heard about it first through one of those Northern Soul 100 lists you can find scattered around the Internet but used to be in magazines. seeing the name Four Seasons didn't inspire me but when I heard that bass line that begins the song I was hooked. And I remember having a secret liking of another hit of theirs from around the same time called Who Loves You. Like the Bee Gees,  the Four Seasons hit big once again in the land of disco.
Back in the UK in July after Michael played me "Red Light" I tried to tell him about a song which had the same feel.  The Night I said. He found a copy but it sounded very different. The Night was a big song up North in the UK. Bigger than I thought because they were playing a remix. Too fast of course because had to be brought into the future where everyone dances a lot faster. Yes there is more punch to the drums but I don't want it. It's that bass and tambourine in the song that I fell for.
Back in the 90s we sold our album to a Philippine record Label. They thought "After The Fire" was a great song. It would be a hit single. So could we remix it. Out there somewhere is a Dance remix of a Little murders song. you have been warned.

439. I'll Keep On Holding On by The Action 1966

It may have come out first in 1966 but I didn't hear this gem until it was released in a picture sleeve during the peak of the Mod revival. First heard it played at Locomotion the little Mod Club at the Prince Alfred on Church Street in Richmond. I've already talked a lot about that place so I won't go into any more details. Though did I mention it was every Wednesday night. Which meant sometimes we'd play a gig like the Exford and our core audience was down the Mod Club. Luckily Little Murders managed to retain a sizable audience that just liked our poppy version of rock and roll.
Unlike the punk movement when it began the Mods had a ton of great music on hand. Sixties, soul, ska and The Jam. Plus a few excellent new singles by current bands. The little clubs that popped up were always brimming with great dance music. The clothes were sharp. And it was fun. We developed our own subculture here in Melbourne. We had fanzines and clubs and organised scooter runs. It was a great time.

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.