U2 — The Unforgettable Fire

U2 -- The Unforgettable Fire

• Artist: U2
• Title: The Unforgettable Fire
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: When? Used at Plan 9 in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Do the hits getting any bigger? I don’t think so. Maybe that’s why I was already getting tired of these guys by their fourth LP. U2 was constantly on the radio at this point, especially “Pride (In the name of love).” Of course, there are some other hits from The Unforgettable Fire. My favorite is “Wire.” At this point their earnestness and Bono’s breathy vocals were wearing on me. I did go see them on this tour, even though I never bought the album, probably because all my friends were going. This time they were at an arena and I had to pay a whopping $12.50. I think Lone Justice opened up.

Pics: Front cover, dust sleeve, ticket stub

The Fleshtones — American Beat ’84’

• Artist: The Fleshtones
• Title: American Beat ’84’
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1984 – No clue where
• Keeper: Yes

Yeah, I don’t get the extra apostrophe after the 84 either, but I’m going with it since it’s that way all over the record. Some might call a four song record an EP; IRS calls it a “Maxi Single.” The Fleshtones’ “American Beat ’84′” is a solid song, well-constructed and perfectly played like all their work, but it has a slight sheen of cheese. I think it was featured in the soundtrack to the Tom Hanks’ movie Bachelor Party. I never saw it. Someone check that for me, please, thanks. “Super Hexbreaker” is what it sounds like, a remix, but it’s slightly less super than the original. “Mean Old Lonesome Train” is interesting because it’s more bluesy than usual for The Fleshtones and guitarist Keith Streng sings. What Keith may lack in natural vocal ability he more than makes up for with intensity and enthusiasm, a trade I’ll take every time. The standout for me is “Hall of Fame.” There are more hooks in this one song than most full length records. It’s a Fleshtones version of a “club banger” circa 1984, not that anyone would’ve called it that back then.

Sade – Your Love Is King

• Artist: Sade
• Title: Your Love Is King
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

I played this before we hit the road for Christmas. I remember liking “Your Love Is King”, but I have to admit that right now I can’t remember anything else about it. On the back is “Love Affair with Life” and I don’t even remember if I like that one. It’s Sade; it probably sounds like all the rest of her songs, which isn’t a bad thing.

And for something totally different check out Fuel.TV. They call themselves “action sports television” but believe me, Fuel is the best music network on the air. Last night they were running a marathon of the excellent show Check 1,2 and I stayed up way too late soaking it in.

Spinal Tap – Christmas With the Devil

• Artist: Spinal Tap
• Title: Christmas With the Devil
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: I have no idea…
• Keeper: Yes

I slammed so hard on my new skateboard ramp tonight that I threw up. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get out the out the door to back porch in time. The last time I threw up on the back porch I was a teenager coming home drunk from a party. (That only happened once, Mom!) So, I guess I was overdue for some porch puking. Damn, dude, it hurts. Anyhow…

I was going to post this record on Christmas, but I forgot to upload the picture before we started traveling. So, here it is on new year’s day. “Christmas with the Devil” is a very funny song from the very funny Spinal Tap from the very funny movie, Rob Reiner’s spoof that kept on spoofin’ for quite a while.

I can’t find much info about this record. According to the album notes at Wikipedia it’s rare, but both sides were added as bonus tracks to the This Is Spinal Tap CD. The “band” did a brutually funny performance of this song on Saturday Night Live that included chained elves pulling Santa’s sleigh with a Christmas tree on fire. That’s from memory. There must be a video out there somewhere, but I can’t find it.

The elves are dressed in leather
And the angels are in chains
The sugar plums are rancid
And the stockings are in flames

Christmas with the Devil!

INXS — I Send a Message

• Artist: INXS
• Title: I Send a Message
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987? – Used at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA
• Keeper: No

This INXS single, “I Send a Message”, is decent. I think I remember it from the radio or MTV. The back has “Mechanical” which does in fact have a lot of mechanical sounds mixed in with some strange too-arty ska groove. I doubt many people would recognize it as INXS. I think I bought one of their albums way back, but I really know much about the band. That said, I do have a story.

My friend John Hurlock and I went to see the Go Gos at the amusement park King’s Dominion. Please don’t tell anyone I told you this. Anyhow, we were in high school and it seemed like a good idea at the time–have fun at the park all day and see the Go Gos for cheap, $5 or something. This would have been in the very early 1980s. INXS was the opening band. At the time I had heard of them but that was about it. When they came on stage all the girls in the audience started losing it. They were screaming and rushing to the front. John and I were completely baffled since we had no idea Michael Hutchence was such a teen idol. It was like those films of the Beatles at Shea Stadium. Crazy.

The Fall — Slang King

• Artist: The Fall
• Title: Slang King
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: She’s outta town…
• Keeper: Yes

OK, this was the “FREE 7 inch single” that I couldn’t find when I wrote about about the “Call For Escape Route” EP it was packaged with. (Sorry grammarians.) This single, “Slang King” by The Fall, is decent but I don’t care if I ever hear it again. The flipside has another version of “No Bulbs.” I think a rating of “6” is generous. Maybe I’m being hard on it because I’m feeling kinda sick. I had way too much to eat at Jerusalem Garden tonight with Ixa, Kellie and Grayson. Oof.

Bananarama — The Wild Life

• Artist: Bananarama
• Title: The Wild Life
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: “Used… later at Plan 9.”
• Keeper: Maybe

The pop just keeps comin’. I think I spelled their name right, so many letter ‘A’s to keep track of. I don’t remember either of these Bananarama ditties, “The Wild Life” and “The State I’m In” on the back. I think I like the latter the most. It has a 1960s-Supremes vibe to it. Both of them are sort of middlin’ as far as Bananananananarama tunes go. Sorry, lost count there for a sec. Anyhow, Mary thinks she wants to keep this record.

From looking at the record queue it appears the parade of pop records won’t stop until we get to “E.” Stay tuned.

XTC — The Big Express

XTC -- The Big Express

• Artist: XTC
• Title: The Big Express
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? Looks like she got it used…
• Keeper: Yes

Uh… I never really know what to say about XTC. Some of their stuff is exciting and some is, as the kids say, “meh.” For me, The Big Express is somewhere in between. I’ve played it a few times in the last couple days. Now, I don’t want to play it ever again despite that a couple songs are stuck in my head. I’m sure Mary wants to keep it…

Second pic is from the liner, not the back of the record cover which is sorta meh.

The Leroi Brothers — Forget About The Danger…Think Of The Fun

• Artist: The LeRoi Brothers
• Title: Forget About The Danger…Think Of The Fun
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1984 – Not sure where…

I don’t know enough about The LeRoi Brothers, because this six song EP is great! I’ve always liked it and do pull it out for an occassional spin. I can’t get over how good it sounds. It’s perfect, everything just punches right through the mix, super snapping snare. I was only 17 or 18 when this came out and you can bet there was lot of air guitar sessions with Forget About The Danger…Think Of The Fun blaring. They list it as an LP on their site, but it seems too short for that. I wish I had more of their stuff, and I’m gonna start looking for it.

This can only be called Rock and Roll.

King — Love and Pride (Body and Sould Mix)

• Artist: King
• Title: Love and Pride (Body and Sould Mix)
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984? – Tower Records in DC
• Keeper: Maybe

I’ve said this before, I think it was the last King record, guess when this was made. I like pop as much as the next guy, well not really but I’m incredibly tolerant of most forms of music, including pop. The main song, “Love and Pride (Body and Sould Mix)” is solid, listenable pop, but the flip side has two really lame filler pieces. If it were up to me this one would be a goner, fo’ sho.