R.E.M. — (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Probably when she worked at Tower Records in D.C.
• Keeper: Yes

Just a 12″ of “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville.” It’s a great song that I can now manage to enjoy. The flipside includes a couple live songs from a show in Paris. Nothing special about this unless you’re a hardcore collecting R.E.M. fan. I gave it a high rating just for “Rockville.”

Sade – Hang On To Your Love

• Artist: Sade
• Title: Hang On To Your Love
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: I have no idea.
• Keeper: Yes

I have to admit that a lot of Sade’s music sounds the same to me, but I love “Hang On To Your Love.” The flipside, “Cherry Pie” is solid, but not as interesting. This woman sings like she looks. Perfect background music to play at your day spa, restaurant or other frou frou retail establishment.

The Danse Society — 2000 Light Years From Home

• Artist: The Danse Society
• Title: 2000 Light Years From Home
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Tower Records in DC.
• Keeper: No

This is the most dreary version of The Rolling Stones’ “2000 Light Years From Home” I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a few. The package is a gatefold holding twin 7 inches with a total of four songs. The three originals are better. This record belongs to Mary, but I have my share of music from The Danse Society. So, when I say that I found it boring, believe me, I tried to like it.

Captain Sensible — There Are More Snakes Than Ladders

• Artist: Captain Sensible
• Title: There Are More Snakes Than Ladders
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

“There Are More Snakes Than Ladders” is a surprisingly tasty pop number from a solo Captain Sensible, better known for his work as guitarist for The Damned. The flip, “The 4 Marys Go Go Dance All Night at the Groovy Cellar”, like most B-sides is a silly throw away number. Should I file it under C or S?

R.E.M. — Reckoning

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Reckoning
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – Both had copies.
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Last time I played R.E.M. I made the mistake of playing Judas Priest right before. This time I made sure to play Priest after spinning “Reckoning.” And goodness knows I needed it. I hate to sound like I’m bashing R.E.M. over and over. I almost feel guilty for not liking it more, but I just can’t get into it. This was the last R.E.M. record I ever bought and it was only 1984! I played it three times today and I have to admit that it’s quality music. I’m sure at the time it was refreshing to hear a guitar band that was making essentially “naked” music with intelligent lyrics.

Will I ever play it again? I seriously doubt it, but I will keep it. Mary likes them and we have all their records.

(Tidbit: On the spine of the cover it says “File Under Water.”)

Joe Jackson — Body and Soul

• Artist: Joe Jackson
• Title: Body and Soul
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Uh… When I first played this yesterday I told Mary it sounded more like Billy Joe(l) Jackson than I expected. I got the stink eye put on me for that comment. Just sayin’…

That said, “Body and Soul” has one of my all-time favorite songs on it: “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want).” Once that gets stuck in my head it’s there for a long time. “Cha Cha Loco” is another winner; I had forgotten about that one. Some of the other songs are just a little too “grand” or something. too fancy, too Lawrence Welk. I rated it high with an “8” because the great songs are just so great. This is not rock and roll, it’s a collection of sophisticated songs and arrangements. Am I just too unsophisticated to get it?

Fad Gadget — Collapsing New People

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: Collapsing New People
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Olsson’s in Dupont Circle, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a proper 12″ single with two mixes of Collapsing New People and one B side that is ultra-goth. One cool tidbit is that the “guest musicians” are Einstürzende Neubauten. Frank Tovey, the man behind Fad Gadget, has been all over the music map. I would describe this single as an artier, more interesting version of early Depeche Mode. I’m sure EN contributed a lot. The photo attached is the backside. It’s fun to see the crowd from 1983.

Anyhow, this song screams for a heavy metal cover version. I’m ready to get the band back together! Who’s with me?!?

Naz Nomad & The Nightmares — Give Daddy the Knife Cindy

• Artist: Naz Nomad & The Nightmares
• Title: Give Daddy the Knife Cindy
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy Sigler
• Acquired: 1984 – I have no idea where I got this. Mail order?
• Keeper: Yes

This is a phony band, with a phony soundtrack, to a phony movie. The truth is this band is acutally The Damned. The singer Dave Vanian’s voice is immediately recognizable. This record is mostly an eclectic collection of covers of hits from the 1960s. “Nobody But Me”, “Cold Turkey”, etc. My favorite track is an original (I think) at the end of side two, “Just Call Me Sky.” It’s supposed to sound like a “live” show. Unfortunately, it fades away just as it gets going…