The Spies

The Spies
"Thinking About The Sun" (Faetain, 1980)

It's been brought to my attention that some powerpoppers hither and yon might've been zzzz'ing and have missed this one. No real excuse, cos although it's pretty obscure it's a well-known kinda obscure. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is 'pretty obscure' and 10 is 'well-known kinda obscure' this one's a 7, basically cos several copies were dredged from the Dublin murk all at once about five years ago and it's never been a top-dollar item to the extent that folk've had no chance to cop an ear. So anyway, here it is.

The act were Irish, and it was their only single. I've heard rumblings of a second - you too right? - but that's the same kinda rumblings that have the "Yodelling" Exits not having been a formed-in-Midlands-college band... the kind of dis-information that makes my blood boil, even on a not-so-slow day. Next thing is people'll be telling me that The Features ("Drab City") have got nothing to do with mid-table video-friendly mid-80s nearly-popstars on a major label. (NB: don't ask, as refusal often offends.)

At least one of the Spies has latterly been plying his axe trade with Suzanne Vega and Bowie, amongst others. (Note to self: book ticket for Vega at Paradiso and yell for Spies B-side "Hippy Hangover" at the moment of most-hightened sensitivity...).

P.S., people: I see no sign of anyone coming up with that other Dublin 'want', The East Coast Angels, for me. I'm beginning to get depressed.

The Electrix

The Electrix
"Holland" (Electrix, 1979)

Scotland. Don't know a lot about it. Apparently one of them's a porn star (but then, considering the number of people on Friends Reunited who claim to be porn stars, this might not be strictly true...); certainly one of them's now a multi-book writing author wot specialises in Scottish kilts 'n' swords type Braveheartery. I'll tell you about the other two another time. Anyway, looks like this was the one-and-only record any of them managed - it was definitely the only Electrix record. All four tracks on this EP are pretty good in a DIY-punky kinda way, but this one's our favourite. 1000 copies were pressed but very very few of them had the hand-cut'n'glued picture sleeve, and most copies were junked vaguely recently in a fit of spring-cleaning and cupboard -clearing.