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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Swell - All That You Got (1990-2008)

 

Bio:
Swell formed in San Francisco in 1989 when David Freel (vocals/guitar) and Sean Kirkpatrick (drums) decided to record a self-titled album, released on Freel's own pSychosPecificMusic label in 1990. Swell's influences range from 80's post-punk bands, Pink Floyd to folk, noise pop and Ennio Morricone film scores.
In 1991, now with Monte Vallier on bass and John Dettman on guitar, they recorded a second album, "...Well?", which was released in February 1992, also on pSychoSpecificMusic. Though Dettman left the band soon after, Freel, Kirkpatrick, and Vallier carried on, receiving an offer from Def American to give "...Well?" a wider release one year after its first release.

Adding guitarist Tom Hays, they began recording their third album, "41", in 1992. It was released by American in late 1993. In 1993 Niko Wenner (Oxbow, Jellyfish) replaced Hays, and toured with the band on guitar, backing vocals, and keyboards. Subsequent albums include 1997's "Too Many Days Without Thinking" and 1998's "For All the Beautiful People". The latter album included Wenner on guitar and backing vocals, and Rob Ellis on drums.

"Everybody Wants to Know", more a Freel solo album than anything else, appeared in spring 2001. "Whenever You're Ready" - recorded with Sean Kirkpatrick - and the compilation "Bastards and Rarities" both appeared in 2003. Early 2004 Swell toured the States for the first time in six years. They also toured Europe again in 2004, the band consisting of Mat Mathews on drums, Greg Baldzikowski (keyboards and guitars), Doran Bastin (bass) and David Freel (vox, acoustic guitar).

After three years of silence Freel started recording new songs in spring 2007, assisted by Nick Lucero (ex-Qotsa) on drums. The final Swell album, "South of the Rain and the Snow", was released late 2007 on pSychosPecificMusic, together with "The Lost Album", a 9-track compilation of rarities from the 1995–1997 era. Swell toured Europe in October/November 2008, Freel's sidekicks on this tour were Ron Burns (drums) and Brian Mumford (guitar & fx).

Freel died in Oregon City on April 12, 2022, aged 64. The news of his death was shared on Facebook, however, the actual cause of death was not made public.


On hearing about David Freel's untimely death last month, which deeply saddened me (too many musicians I've liked/loved have died quite recently), I dug out my favourite Swell album, "...Well?", which I hadn't listened to for several years. I'd almost forgotten what a fine band Swell were all those years ago. After deciding to make the opening track on my next Spaghetti Tree compilation one of my favourite Swell songs, "At Long Last", I felt Freel deserved a more substantial tribute. Compiling this collection of some of my favourite Swell songs, featuring at least 1 track from all their studio releases, plus the odd EP/single track, proved to be a very tough task indeed. I could have easily made this collection double CD in length, even then there'd be several tracks deserving of a place. Tracks from "...Well?" feature the most heavily, 3 in total.

As per usual, info containing track origin & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy this latest collection!

  1. In the Door, Up the Stairs / Is That Important? (5:04)
  2. It's Okay (3:52)
  3. Bongstarr (3:56)
  4. 20,000 Years (3:28)
  5. Bridgette, You Love Me (3:12)
  6. ...A Velvet Sun (5:27)
  7. Say Goodbye (3:40)
  8. Sick Half of a Church (3:35)
  9. Today (3:31)
10. Golden Years (3:42)
11. Wash Your Brain (4:06)
12. Good Good Good (2:41)
13. O My C (4:05)
14. I've Got the World on a String (2:47)
15. Here It Is (4:02)
16. (I Know) The Trip (4:31)
17. At Long Last (3:39)
18. Someday Always Comes (4:14)
19. Next to Nothing (4:56)
20. Trouble Loves You (5:22)

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Smog - Crawl Into My Shell (1993-2006)

 

Short bio:
Bill Callahan (born June 3, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who for several years recorded and performed under the band name Smog. Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, using substandard instruments and recording equipment. His early songs lacked melodic structure and were clumsily played on poorly tuned guitars, resulting in the dissonant sounds on his self-released cassettes. Once he signed a contract with Drag City, he started to use recording studios and a greater variety of instruments for his records.

From 1993 to 2000, Callahan's recordings grew more and more "professional" sounding, with more instruments, and a higher sound quality. He recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O'Rourke and Tortoise's John McEntire, and collaborated with Neil Hagerty. After 2000's "Dongs of Sevotion", Callahan began moving back to a slightly simpler instrumentation and recording style, while retaining the more consistent songwriting style he had developed over the years. This shift is apparent in albums such as "Rain on Lens", "Supper", and "A River Ain't Too Much to Love".

Smog's songs are often based on simple, repetitive structures, consisting of a simple chord progression repeated for the duration of the entire song. His singing is characterized by his baritone voice. Melodically and lyrically he tends to eschew the verse-chorus approach favoured by many contemporary songwriters, preferring instead a more free-form approach relying less on melodic and lyrical repetition. Themes in Callahan's lyrics include relationships, animals, relocation, nature, and more recently, politics.

In 2007, Callahan stopped using the name Smog, going under his real name for future releases.


This anthology focuses on Bill Callahan's work released under the name of Smog. I've avoided his earliest recordings, some of which are almost impossible to find, instead concentrating on his releases from 1993's "Julius Caesar" up until his final release using the name Smog, the 2006 EP "Rock Bottom Riser". This collection features at least 1 track from these albums, plus the odd single/EP track. My introduction to Smog was the album he released in 1995, "Wild Love", following his career closely ever since. Perhaps in the future I'll compile some of my favourite tracks released under his own name. My favourite Smog albums? I'd say "Knock Knock" from 1999 and "Rain on Lens" released in 2001. This collection features 2 tracks from both of those albums. As usual origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy this latest collection. Cheers!

  1. Chosen One (3:10)
  2. Look Now (3:17)
  3. Not Lonely Anymore (1:59)
  4. Ambition (4:23)
  5. Cold Discovery (5:51)
  6. Spread Your Bloody Wings (3:21)
  7. Dirty Pants (4:30)
  8. Bathysphere (4:46)
  9. Bowery (3:19)
10. I Break Horses (6:05)
11. Just Like Napoleon (2:54)
12. The Well (6:55)
13. Let's Move to the Country (2:56)
14. Real Live Dress (5:20)
15. My Shell (Electric Version) (5:43)
16. Inspirational (6:20)
17. Keep Some Steady Friends Around (4:26)
18. Held (3:59)

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My Dad Is Dead - No Turning Back (1985-1991)

 

Short bio:
Formed by drummer Mark Edwards in August 1984 after the breakup of the Cleveland band Riot Architecture, My Dad Is Dead  has remained his solo project, with occasional help from a revolving-door cast. His name for this project was a nod to both of his parents having died by the time he was 21 years old. Edwards learned to play guitar during late 1984, and played his first show the following year with a backing band consisting of a drum machine. He recorded his first LP, "...and He's Not Gonna Take It Anymore", at a friend's home studio, and released it in May 1986 on St. Valentine Records.

After a lengthy tour supporting Modern English and then the Butthole Surfers, he released "Peace, Love and Murder" in May 1987. Edwards signed a contract with Homestead Records early the following year, and released "Let's Skip the Details" in May 1988. Soon after, he added the first bandmembers to My Dad Is Dead: bassist Jeff Curtis and drummer John McEntire (later to gain fame in Tortoise). "The Best Defense", an album of material from the previous album's sessions, was released on Homestead in December 1988.

With McEntire gone on to Bastro and Curtis unwilling to tour, Edwards recruited the Prisonshake rhythm section -- Chris Burgess on bass and Scott Pickering on drums -- for a 1989 tour of Europe. The group's fifth album, a 1989 double LP titled "The Taller You Are, the Shorter You Get", was its last for Homestead. With yet another lineup (this time guitarists Tim Gilbride and Doug Gillard plus Burgess on bass), My Dad Is Dead moved to Scat Records in April 1990 for the "Shine" EP. The band's first album for Scat, "Chopping Down the Family Tree", was released in October 1991...

Click here for full bio/discography.

With almost every anthology I've compiled I can remember when/how I first heard the artist featured. With My Dad Is Dead I really have no recollection, which is peculiar. Did Manerg recommend them to me? We used to make many compilation tapes for each other in the mid/late 80s so maybe from one of those... Or did I first hear them on the excellent "Human Music" compilation released by Homestead Records in 1988? Maybe it was an impulse buy, as I believe my first purchase was 1988's "Let's Skip the Details" which was released by Homestead, one of my favourite record labels at the time..

Anyway, they were one of my most listened to bands of the late 80s, despite the rather lo-fi quality of those early releases. This collection starts with my 2nd favourite MDID song, "Baby's Got a Problem", which comes from what I consider their finest album, the aforementioned "Let's Skip the Details". My favourite song though, is "Nothing Special", which originally came out on the double album "The Taller You Are, the Shorter You Get". This song has been recorded a few times, for me the best version is the re-recording which came out on the double 7" "Shine" EP in 1990. That version is featured here. There's also an excellent version by Bastro which came out on a split 7" with MDID, in return MDID did a cover of Bastro's "Flesh-Colored House".

I kind of lost track of future MDID releases after the 1991 release "Chopping Down the Family Tree", which is why this collection only goes up to that year. I have recently managed to track down all releases by the band since then, and plan on doing a future anthology of the later years. I hope those unfamiliar with the band enjoy this collection, enough to check out their bandcamp page where you can buy most of their releases.

  1. Baby's Got a Problem (5:30)
  2. Planes Crashing (4:26)
  3. Open Wide (3:44)
  4. The Quiet Man (2:41)
  5. Gone Gonna Rise (2:45)
  6. The Last Time (2:47)
  7. Lay Down the Law (4:20)
  8. 20 Yards Deep (5:49)
  9. Hill o' Beans (4:25)
10. The Only One (4:52)
11. Time Has Come Today (7:29)
12. Waste (2:09)
13. Nothing Special (4:46)
14. Cool Rain (6:49)
15. On Holy Ground (3:12)
16. Whirlpool (4:25)
17. Babe in the Woods (3:00)
18. All My Strength (2:40)
19. Say Goodbye (3:36)

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