Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 111 (1980s special)

 

This Spaghetti Tree volume is a little different, consisting entirely of songs released in the 1980s, a decade which my old pal moonglum insists is the worst ever for music. Yes, there were plenty of awful artists/songs in the 1980s, just like any other decade, so I compiled this "80s special" as my argument against his claim. I think he was just listening to the wrong music...!
The cover art was inspired by the lovely Sarah, joing up 2 photos taken by her, which I've manipulated somewhat. Hope you all enjoy this latest volume!!


Disc 1:
  1. Opal - Supernova (4:17)
  2. Bird Nest Roys - Ain't Mutatin' (2:42)
  3. Zag and The Coloured Beads - Truckhouse (2:33)
  4. Modern Art - Light Comes Down (3:17)
  5. Daevid Allen - Afraid (2:00)
  6. Bobb Trimble - When the Raven Calls (6:35)
  7. Moral - Juice (3:18)
  8. Au Pairs - Love Song (2:48)
  9. Big Black - Kerosene (6:01)
10. Sardine v - Minutes (5:06)
11. Mekons - Dora (4:38)
12. Plasticland - No Shine for the Shoes (2:27)
13. The Mommyheads - Cactus Farm (3:28)
14. The Chills - The Great Escape (2:28)
15. Viv Stanshall - Terry Keeps His Clips On (3:37)
16. Violeta de Outono - Declínio de Maio (4:59)
17. Dark Day - The Metal Benders (2:46)
18. The Ex - Kachun-K Pschûh (3:40)
19. Guided by Voices - The Qualifying Remainder (2:55)
20. Mick Wills - She Looked Down (9:40)

Disc 2:
  1. Marden Hill - Masque (2:51)
  2. Crispy Ambulance - We Move Through the Plateau Phase (5:41)
  3. Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Sue Egypt (2:53)
  4. The Green Pajamas - I Feel That Way All the Time (4:11)
  5. Throwing Muses - Hate My Way (4:03)
  6. Bill Laswell - Lowlands (4:18)
  7. Colin Newman - Alone (3:57)
  8. The Kiwi Animal - Blue Morning (2:16)
  9. Solid Space - Tenth Planet (2:52)
10. Camberwell Now - Working Nights (7:41)
11. A.R. Kane - Suicide Kiss (3:35)
12. Spacebox - Session Groove (3:49)
13. This Kind of Punishment - After the Fact (4:44)
14. The Durutti Column - People's Pleasure Park (4:55)
15. Edu Passeto & Gui Tavares - Menino de Pindorama (3:55)
16. Family Fodder - Cold Wars (3:36)
17. The Bats - North by North (4:04)
18. Pauk - Pozlilo od Strasti (2:51)
19. Tangle Edge - The Approaching Triptykhon Sunset (3:42)
20. Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians - Goodnight I Say (3:10)

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Pell Mell - Endless Open Motion

 

Bio:
Pell Mell were an American instrumental group whose music could be seen on some levels as a forerunner of post-rock, sharing its eclecticism and fusion of acoustics and electronics, but shying away from its more self-conscious avant-gardisms and free-form qualities. Formed in the early 1980s in Portland, Oregon, they developed a distinctive sound built around interlocking guitars, steady rhythms, and an absence of vocals that allowed their compositions to unfold like scenes from an unwritten film. Their work often carried a sense of motion and landscape, suggesting open roads, shifting light, and the passage of time. Not wanting to be pigeonholed as mere revivalists, they switched up their attack with touches of funk, punk, Krautrock, dub, and vintage ambient, among other sources, which resulted in an atmospheric, effects-laden sound that was certainly aided by its creators' production prowess. Across releases culminating in albums like "Interstate", Pell Mell refined a style that was both understated and emotionally resonant, helping to lay groundwork for later instrumental and post-rock acts. Though never widely commercial, they earned a devoted following for their ability to convey atmosphere without words, creating music that feels at once intimate and expansive, perfectly suited to long journeys, both literal and imagined.


I first had the idea of compiling a Pell Mell anthology several years back, finally getting the kick up the backside to go for it thanks to a compilation of instrumentals, "Syncopated Musings From The Nineties", posted on the wonderful  jonderblog blog a few weeks ago featuring 3 tracks by the band. You can find a link to them in my blog list. Much more prolific than me, you'll find loads of highly original and diverse compilations to enjoy. https://jonderblog.blogspot.com/

This isn't an all all-encompassing anthology, there's a few compilation tracks/b-sides which I don't possess, but this does include tracks from all their studio albums and their debut EP from 1981. The majority of tracks included here come from their final 3 album releases, which I think feature their strongest work. As for my favourite Pell Mell album, I'd probably go for their one major label release, "Interstate" from 1995. As usual, origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and noted in the download folder. I hope you all enjoy this latest anthology. Cheers!

 

  1. Spy vs Spy (2:51)
  2. Estacada (5:01)
  3. Ether (4:33)
  4. Flood (6:57)
  5. On Approach (2:56)
  6. Blacktop (3:20)
  7. Conversation (4:15)
  8. All This and More (3:05)
  9. Sky Lobby (3:50)
10. Swoon (1:54)
11. Par Avion (4:10)
12. The Devil Bush (2:15)
13. Vegetable Kingdom (6:26)
14. Upstairs (3:25)
15. Field of Poppies (2:35)
16. Nothing Lies Still Long (4:06)
17. American Eagle (2:20)
18. Red Rhythm (6:02)
19. Cinecitta (5:22)
20. Smoke (4:04)

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Slovenly - The Shape of Unease

 

Short bio:
Emerging from the vibrant Los Angeles underground scene of the early 1980s, Slovenly quickly aligned themselves with SST Records, joining the ranks of genre-defying acts like Minutemen and Saccharine Trust. While rooted in post-punk, Slovenly’s sound was distinct—jagged guitar lines, off-kilter rhythms, and abstract lyrical explorations defined their music, eschewing hardcore’s aggression in favour of cerebral tension and melodic dissonance. Their lineup, solidified around Tom Watson (guitar), Steve Anderson (vocals), and Rob Holzman (drums), evolved through six albums between 1984 and 1992, carving a subtle but enduring place in the SST catalogue.

Slovenly never courted wide attention, and that was part of their appeal—their music felt like a quiet rebellion against both punk orthodoxy and mainstream accessibility. Over time, their work has earned a cult appreciation for its restless invention, poetic lyricism, and emotional restraint. Their final album, Highway to Hanno's, remains a fitting capstone: mature, moody, and uncompromisingly them.


As I mentioned in the "Slivers From the Spine" SST compilation, here's the Slovenly anthology I'd been thinking about. I also stated that they're rather an acquired taste. If you’re after straightforward verse/chorus/verse structures, this band probably isn’t for you! Steve Anderson's vocals can be a stumbling block for some too; he's often compared to Ian Curtis, another singer who tends to divide opinion. Sure there's similarities but I think Anderson shows more variety, even in his off-key moments!

Compiling these tracks, it was tough deciding what to include, and what to leave out. I'm sure there'll be some comments regarding about what's missing, I can only apologise but after a lot of deliberation this is how it panned out. My favourite Slovenly album, "Riposte", features most heavily here, 6 tracks in total, but I have included tracks from all of their album/single/EP releases. 

The majority of these tracks are ripped from vinyl, some by me (tracks from the albums "Thinking of Empire" & "Riposte"),  the other excellent vinyl rips I found from various sources. Big thanks to those who took the time to rip these hard to find records. Tracks from the last 2 album releases are ripped from CD. As ever, origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and noted in the download folder. Hope you enjoy this one. Cheers!


  1. Dialogue (5:04)
  2. Movement (3:01)
  3. Temp. Struct. (2:34)
  4. Old/New (3:20)
  5. What's It Called (3:02)
  6. Instability (3:33)
  7. Seeking Equilibrium (3:58)
  8. Now (2:23)
  9. Emma (2:09)
10. Enormous Critics (2:32)
11. Today or Ck (2:59)
12. On the Beach (3:41)
13. Running for Public Office (3:56)
14. The Way Untruths Are (4:13)
15. Plug (2:41)
16. Where Are My Friends (4:55)
17. To Tito With Love (2:49)
18. Distended (2:56)
19. On the Surface (3:00)
20. A Year With No Head (2:59)
21. Even So (3:35)
22. No Shore (3:02)
23. Cartwheels of Glory (2:57)
24. Prejudice (2:21)
25. Sleep From the Eye (2:10)

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Slivers From the Spine (SST Records)

 

Hello again! This latest compilation is in celebration of SST Records, one of my favourite record labels from the 1980s. It's by no means a definitive overview; rather, it features tracks from SST releases I personally bought back in the day. I thought about including something from Opal’s "Happy Nightmare Baby", but the version I picked up was released on Rough Trade in the UK, so it didn’t feel quite right for this comp. Also no Henry Rollins era Black Flag are here, the only release I bought of them was "The First Four Years", which covers their early stuff before Rollins joined.

Some albums I still cherish, notably the albums released on SST by Minutemen, Hüsker Dü, Volcano Suns, Screaming Trees and Slovenly. I really should do a Slovenly anthology one day, they're a bit of an acquired taste but I've loved every album they released. Maybe a Volcano Suns collection too, that'd be quite a noisy affair! Another possibility is Pell Mell, in fact the final SST album I bought was their 1991 release "Flow". Like most of my comps, this one’s a mix of some better-known bands and a few more obscure ones that you might not have heard of before.

Jusf for the fun of it, I posted this mix to ChatGPT and asked them to write up a description of the contents. Here is the result!
"From the vaults of America's most relentlessly uncompromising independent label comes a collection so raw, so real, and so recklessly non-commercial… we’re amazed it exists at all.

Presenting a once-in-a-lifetime sonic journey through the hallowed halls of SST Records, where melody feared to tread and song structure was merely a suggestion. This essential anthology assembles the all-stars of underground iconoclasm: the blinding fury of Black Flag, the melodic mayhem of Hüsker Dü, the sunbaked surrealism of Meat Puppets, the econo-genius of Minutemen, and the art-damaged charm of Slovenly—bands so ahead of their time, they’re still broke.

This collection crackles with the unfiltered electricity of an era when indie meant indigent, and “tour support” was just sleeping on a stranger’s floor.

Are you ready for 80 minutes of music that changed everything, and sold almost nothing?
Then step into the van, crank the volume, and embrace the noise.

SST: Sounds So Tremendous. Or Something."

Not bad, I must say! As usual origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and noted in the download folder. Hope you enjoy!


  1. Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown (2:05)
  2. Hüsker Dü - I Apologize (3:36)
  3. Angst - Red Wing (2:43)
  4. Minutemen - The Glory of Man (2:57)
  5. Saccharine Trust - We Became Snakes (5:21)
  6. Würm - I'm Dead (3:24)
  7. Bad Brains - Sacred Love (3:36)
  8. No Man is Roger Miller - Calling the Animals (3:56)
  9. Lawndale - Interstellar Caravan (2:49)
10. Das Damen - 555 (ESP With a Fender Version - Long Mix) (6:07)
11. Screaming Trees - Transfiguration (3:55)
12. Slovenly - The Way Untruths Are (4:16)
13. Volcano Suns - Noodle on the Couch (3:56)
14. Dicks - Rich Daddy (2:27)
15. Sonic Youth - Shadow of a Doubt (3:32)
16. Trotsky Icepick - Big Dreams (4:03)
17. Pell Mell - Aero (3:54)
18. fIREHOSE - The Candle and the Flame (3:11)
19. Descendents - Impressions (3:06)
20. Meat Puppets - Away (3:25)
21. Dinosaur Jr. - Lose (3:07)
22. Grant Hart - Twenty-Five Forty-One (4:40)

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In Love With Those Times (Flying Nun Records 1981–1988)

 

This compilation was inspired by the excellent Matthew Goody book, "Needles and Plastic: Flying Nun Records, 1981–1988", which goes into great detail about every Flying Nun release from the years 1981 to mid 1988. All artists on this compilation are featured in the book. Finding some of the more obscure releases did prove quite difficult. I managed to find online some vinyl rips of singles/EPs which have never been reissued by the label. Big thanks go out to 'thehappyone' for some of those rips, especially the releases by Ritchie Venus & The Blue Beetles and Marie and the Atom. A handful of the vinyl rips I'm also responsible for. A few of these more obscure releases have been reissued on other labels, or self-released, such as the EPs from Vibraslaps and Phantom Forth. Other artists such as Mainly Spaniards & Scorched Earth Policy have released anthologies from which the respective tracks have come from, though some of these have been brickwalled to hell! Scorched Earth Policy probably the worst offenders here...

Among the better-known artists who have appeared on several Flying Nun compilations, I have selected a few personal favourite songs that have not been featured before on those comps. Hard to believe that one of The Clean's finest songs, "Anything Could Happen", has never appeared on any of these comps, apart from the couple of band anthologies released so far. This compilation has been a real labour of love, spending several weeks trying to find these very rare releases. Some I really would love to find some day, for example: The Jumblies – "Stuff Of Dreams", Spines – "Idiot Sun",  Not Really Anything – "Watched a World" and The Moas – "Spaz Out!"

There are some releases I did track down which I haven't included on this compilation, due to my personal dislike of them. I had the sole album by The Fold many years ago, really could not get into it, selling it soon after purchase. Listening to them just recently my opinion of the band hasn't changed at all. You also won't find here Netherworld Dancing Toys, Stiff Herbert and a few others which can be found in the book. One small surprise (for me anyway) was including a track from the much derided 2nd Gordons album. Notoriously difficult to find a copy, with good reason. It really isn't very good! Listening to it just recently though, it isn't almost as awful as I remember it, and included here is one of the better tracks.
Note: Axemen - "Womin of Love" isn't a bad rip, that's exactly how it sounds on the album! This is also one of the more listenable tracks on that album so you got off lightly...

I hope you enjoy my latest Flying Nun compilation, as ever origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. Cheers!

Disc 1:
  1. Crystal Zoom - Dunedin Sound on 45 (3:26)
  2. The Pin Group - Columbia (3:52)
  3. Die Bilder - Girl at Night (3:12)
  4. Vibraslaps - Crooked Lines (2:56)
  5. The Clean - Anything Could Happen (2:35)
  6. Ritchie Venus & The Blue Beetles - Bleeding Heart (3:29)
  7. Fetus Productions - Fetus Productions (4:43)
  8. The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - Fish in the Sea (3:28)
  9. The Exploding Budgies - See You Around the Stones (3:12)
10. The Verlaines - Phil Too? (4:36)
11. Alpaca Brothers - It's No Joke (4:07)
12. Peter Jefferies & Jono Lonie - Thief With the Silver (2:04)
13. Marie and the Atom - Orange Towel Song (3:18)
14. Mainly Spaniards - Secretaries' Lunch Break (3:29)
15. Scorched Earth Policy - Sunset on the Loading Zone (3:23)
16. All Fall Down - Actifed Blues (4:27)
17. The Stones - Funky Conversations (3:36)
18. Ballon d'Essai - Testimony to Paradise Street (4:01)
19. Expendables - Say Cheese (3:03)
20. Gordons - Joker (2:36)
21. The Orange - No Reason to Hide (3:01)
22. The Rip - River / Chasm (3:45)
23. Bird Nest Roys - Joringel (3:18)

Disc 2:
  1. The Chills - I Think I'd Thought I'd Nothing Else to Think About (2:06)
  2. Bailter Space - El Whizzo (And Then) (4:58)
  3. This Kind of Punishment - The Men by the Pool (3:24)
  4. The Great Unwashed - Born in the Wrong Time (2:16)
  5. The Max Block - Came in a Can (2:55)
  6. Jay Clarkson - Penelope (4:28)
  7. Look Blue Go Purple - 100 Times (2:36)
  8. This Sporting Life - Difference (2:52)
  9. Tall Dwarfs - Carpetgrabber (2:03)
10. Able Tasmans - I See Now Where (1:59)
11. Axemen - Womin of Love (2:29)
12. DoubleHappys - Moss Monster (3:16)
13. Phantom Forth - March (3:54)
14. The Terminals - Turning Every Word Around (3:18)
15. Sneaky Feelings - Everything I Want (3:43)
16. Eight Living Legs - Don't Do That Near Me (4:27)
17. Goblin Mix - Coleridge (2:58)
18. Dead Famous People - Take Your Leather Jacket Off (3:05)
19. Naked Spots Dance - Governed by You (2:35)
20. Children's Hour - Slaughter House (4:11)
21. Straitjacket Fits - All That That Brings (4:12)
22. Graeme Jefferies - Prisoner of a Single Passion (4:42)
23. Headless Chickens - Run, Sheep, Run (4:04)
24. The Bats - Round and Down (2:17)

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Bogshed - Four Twisted Misanthropes

 

Bio: Bogshed formed in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England in 1984, initially as The Amazing Roy North Penis Band, and comprised Phil Hartley (vocals), Mike Bryson (bass), Mark McQuaid (guitar) and Tristan King (drums). They released two albums, two EPs and two singles before splitting up in 1987. Bogshed were noted for their caustic lyrics that reflected an "everyday lunacy" and their primitive Captain Beefheart influenced music, described in 2022 as "the musical equivalent of poisoning the water hole".

Not really sounding like anyone before or since, they had much in common with some of the bands on the Ron Johnson label. Bryson explained their approach to songwriting: "We start out being totally out of order and out of key and we turn things like that into a pop song. Most people try to do it the other way round."

Championed by John Peel, they recorded 5 sessions for his radio show between 1985 and 1987, and gained regular airplay. The uncompromising mix of angular guitar-led tunes and Hartley's energetic vocals (his stated aim was to sing like Doris Day!) meant that Peel's listeners either loved Bogshed or found them unpalatable.

Post Bogshed, Phil Hartley recorded a solo Peel Session in 1988. He died on 11 October 2006. Tris King went on to play with Jackdaw With Crowbar and later A Witness. He died of brain cancer on 21 December 2008. Mike Bryson recorded under the name of Forkeyes. A split mini-album 'Vier Mit Vier', with tracks by electronic musician Marcus H (Soiled) and Forkeyes was released in 2012 on Elm Lodge Records. He died in November 2022.

A boxset - Bog-Set - consisting of all their commercially released tracks plus Peel Sessions and various out-takes from Melodic Records was released in December 2022.

Click here for detailed history of the band.


Bogshed, Bog Shed or Bog-Shed? I guess it's all a matter of preference. For this anthology I've gone with Bogshed, feel free to change to whatever you prefer after downloading...
Bogshed were a rather odd band, and to be honest a band that didn't really excite me much the brief period they were in existence. I bought their debut EP "Let Them Eat Bogshed" (released in 1985) and their 2nd and final studio album "Brutal, released in 1987. I quickly forgot about them after embracing all the exciting music coming out on the (to name a few) Amphetamine Reptile, Shimmy Disc and Flying Nun labels. During my big vinyl purge of the early 90s I had no qualms about selling the 2 Bogshed releases I'd bought.

It wasn't until the late 2000's I realised my error about this band. More or less forgotten by me up until then, I came across a vinyl rip of their debut EP and downloaded to give it another listen. Woah! This was bloody awesome! WTF was I thinking getting rid of this EP? After this revelation I spent several years trying to find all their other releases. I did come across a couple of other vinyl rips, of "Brutal" and the Peel Sessions EP "Tried and Tested Public Speaker", unfortunately the vinyl was in poor condition and even worse they'd ripped them in mono! I still listened to them now and again, and despite the poor quality there were so many great songs bursting out at me.

I kept hoping one day that all their releases would be reissued, then read somewhere that Phil Hartley didn't want this to happen. As he'd unfortunately died in 2006 it appeared his wish would be kept and that would be that. You could find the odd bootleg online, or a release of early demos on bandcamp, but that was your lot! It seemed I'd be forever frustrated on ever hearing in decent quality their 2 albums and several EPs/singles...

Then came the news, late 2022, where I read this:
"Manchester based Melodic Records will be releasing in December the entire Bog Shed output. Titled, The Official Bog Set, the collection will include their debut EP, 2 albums, full John Peel Sessions and a live and rarities collection which will only be available with the physical product. The entire set has been audio remastered for the first time, with restored original artwork. The band’s genius wonk songs of angular, groove-filled post punk dusted with energetic and often hilarious lyrics were perfect dislocated pop and their dark humour imagery was like The League of Gentlemen twenty years ahead of its time."
I excitedly searched for where I could buy this box set, and pre-ordered a copy here: https://bog-shed.bandcamp.com/album/the-official-bog-set

For this anthology I put together a few of my favourite songs from the box set. While the 5th CD in the box set is interesting, I've only taken one track from it, "Runner on a Blunder", which was previously released on a compilation album in 1986. 2 tracks included here aren't on the box set: their version of Benny Hill's "Gather in the Mushrooms" (from one of the Peel sessions) was for some reason omitted, plus the final track "The Amazing Roy North's Penis Band" is from a half-decent quality bootleg recorded live in early 1985.

Enough rambling from me... As usual origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy, cheers!

  1. Fat Lad Exam Failure (3:07)
  2. Hell Bent on Death (2:53)
  3. I'm the Instrument (4:08)
  4. C'mon Everybody (3:07)
  5. Duck Fight / US Bands / Wally Wallah (5:17)
  6. Summer in My Lunchtime (2:43)
  7. Excellent Girl! (3:19)
  8. Story of Bog-Shed (2:46)
  9. Raise the Girl (4:10)
10. Runner on a Blunder (3:09)
11. Panties Please (3:26)
12. Loaf (2:13)
13. Gather in the Mushrooms (2:26)
14. Morning Sir (2:40)
15. Hand Me Down Father (4:09)
16. Tried and Tested Public Speaker (2:17)
17. Six to One and Likely (3:52)
18. Can't Be Beat (3:11)
19. Uncle Death Grip (3:43)
20. Spencer Travis (1:54)
21. Opportunatist Knocks (2:43)
22. Your Science My Sound (6:00)
23. The Amazing Roy North's Penis Band (live) (4:45)

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