"All I want is to just have fun, live my life like it's just begun..."

Fuck Michael Jackson - popular music lost a real legend yesterday with the passing of Sky "Sunlight" Saxon of The Seeds. One of the most righteous performers ever and who (as far as I can tell) never did anything 'odd' with children.

This week's compilation is Volume One of the seminal Nuggets series, (just in case anyone does not have it). If you want more all are posted on the fantastic The Devil's Discotheque and each one is a must.

Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era


1. I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night - The Electric Prunes
2. Dirty Water - The Standells
3. Night Time - The Strangeloves
4. Lies - The Knickerbockers
5. Respect - The Vagrants
6. A Public Execution - Mouse & The Traps
7. No Time Like The Right Time - The Blues Project
8. Oh Yeah - The Shadows Of Knight
9. Pushin' Too Hard - The Seeds
10. Moulty - The Barbarians
11. Don't Look Back - The Remains
12. An Invitation To Cry - The Magicians
13. Liar, Liar - The Castaways
14. You're Gonna Miss Me - The 13th Floor Elevators
15. Psychotic Reaction - The Count Five
16. Hey Joe - The Leaves
17. Romeo & Juliet - Michael & The Messengers
18. Sugar And Spice - The Cryan Shames
19. Baby Please Don't Go - The Amboy Dukes
20. Tobacco Road - The Blues Magoos
21. Let's Talk About Girls - The Chocolate Watchband
22. Sit Down, I Think I Love You - The Mojo Men
23. Run, Run, Run - The Third Rail
24. My World Fell Down - Sagittarius
25. Open My Eyes - The Nazz
26. Farmer John - The Premiers
27. It's-A-Happening - The Magic Mushrooms

Part One
Part Two

(Dig the floaty Jesus picture.)

“What the hell went wrong in the Garden of Eden…?”

Probably my favourite record label of all time, el records is dreadfully hard to describe. A clichéd attempt is that it is ‘what should have been in the top 20 when Patrick McGoohan was doing his damnedest to escape from Portmerion in The Prisoner TV show’. Bear in mind that this came out in the late 80s and early 90s and you will understand how wonderfully out of time it sounded in those years prior to the reevaluation of ‘lounge’ and ‘easy listening’.

Defiantly ‘indie’ but perfectly pop, yearning for hits but left-field and ‘arty’, obviously intelligent but never too serious. (Just look at the band names. They had me hooked before I heard a note.) It was massive in Japan, acclaimed in certain parts of the UK press but was totally ignored by most of the record buying public who seemed to think it was being ‘too clever’ or ‘ironic’. Also it was my first introduction to the fabulous Momus

And the artwork, Oh the artwork was fantastic which is always a clincher for me. In particular the pictures of Julia Gilbert (Anthony Adverse) in fencing gear but that was pure lust rather than artistic merit.

Mike Alway – the founder and the labels very heart and soul can pop round my house for a glass or two any day. Check out the el story on the Cherry Red website where much of their work is reissued and available to buy.

el records



ANTHONY ADVERSE – OVERTURE
BAD DREAM FANCY DRESS – CURRY CRAZY
THE UNDERNEATH – HAVE I THE RIGHT
BID – LOVE
KING OF LUXEMBOURG – PENNY WAS A TOMBOY
GOL GAPPAS – ALBERT PARKER
MOMUS – PAPER WRAPS ROCK
BAD DREAM FANCY DRESS – DISCOTHEQUE
RAJ QUARTET – WHOOPS! WHAT A PALALVER
ALWAYS - THAMES VALLEY LEATHER CLUB
FLORENTINES – LOSE THAT LONG FACE
GREAT CHEFS OF EUROPE –JUDE X
ROSEMARY’S CHILDREN – (AT THE END) OF THE CORRIDOR
SIMON FISHER-TURNER – HOW BLUE WAS THE SKY
WOULD BE GOODS – HANGING GARDENS OF REIGATE
MOMUS – THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
KLAXON 5 – NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IGNORANCE OF THE RICH
SIMON FISHER TURNER – TIMEOUT AND MIND
ALWAYS - LOVE AND DEATH IN METROLAND
MAYFAIR CHARM SCHOOL – MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE)
ANTHONY ADVERSE – GOODBYE AGAIN


Finally learnt how to link!

Link is here

“Yesterday away from you it froze me deep inside....”

Another mixed bag for you all; happy and upbeat for the hot days ahead, plenty of beats to keep your feet a-tappin’ and trippy enough to wig out the neighbours. Ranging from Philly Soul to Blue Note psychedelia, Italian soundtracks to 'the funk', fake Indian versions of Beatle songs to a taste of the ever delightful el records (Much, much more el is on the horizon kids, so be prepared.)

(Oh - and the ending credits from Stingray for my beloved offspring who have become obsessed with the song Marina.)

IDRIS MUHAMMAD - COULD HEAVEN EVER BE LIKE THIS
JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON - MISS FRISCO
GEORGES GARVARENTZ – HASHISCH PARTY
PIERRO UMILLIANI – FOTOMODELLE
ANTHONY ADVERSE – THE RULING CLASS
SHOESTRINGS – SUMMER DAYS
PROPELLERHEADS/DAVID ARNOLD – OHMSS (ORCHAPELLA VERSION)
BARIGOZZI GROUP – VIOLET’S LIPS
YOUNG DISCIPLES GO – GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS
HORACE SILVER – ACID POT OR PILLS
OS MUTANTES – AVE GENGHIS KHAN
DIVINE COMEDY – THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT
RUFUS AND CHAKA KHAN – ANY LOVE
GET CAPE WEAR CAPE FLY – INBETWEEN DAYS
LORD SITAR – BLUE JAY WAY
PHILLY INT’L ALLSTARS – LET’S CLEAN UP THE GHETTO
BARRY GREY – MARINA
BLACK BOX RECORDER – FACTS OF LIFE (REMIX)


Download here