RK 50: A Certain Ratio

8-12-08 RK 50: A Certain Ratio

7" ALL NIGHT PARTY / THIN BOYS, THE FACTORY UK FAC 5

12" BACKS TO THE WALL A&M UK ACRY 517

CD3 BACKS TO THE WALL A&M UK ACRCD 517

12" BIG E, THE A&M UK ACRY 514

CD3 BIG E, THE A&M UK ACRCD 514

12" BLOWN AWAY / FLIGHT FACTORY UK FAC 22

12" BOOTSY (Remix) FACTORY AUS FAC 166-12

12" BRAZILIA / (Extended mix) FACTORY BN FBN 32

CD CHANGE THE STATION ROB'S UK CDROB 50

12" DOUBLE 12", THE (12" x 2) FACTORY IT FACT 42

CDx2 EARLY (Collection) SOUL JAZZ UK SJR CD 60

CD5 FILA BRAZILLIA vs. A CERTAIN RATIO 23 UK TCDS 109

CD FORCE FACTORY FR FACD 166

LP FORCE FACTORY UK FACT 166

12" FOUR FOR THE FLOOR A&M UK ACRY 550

CD5 FOUR FOR THE FLOOR A&M UK ACRCD 550

LP FROM ITALY (bootleg) PIRATE CR 0016

CD GOOD TOGETHER A&M UK CDA 9008

LP GOOD TOGETHER A&M UK AMA 9008

CD GRAVEYARD & THE BALLROOM, THE CREATION UK CREV022CD

LP GRAVEYARD & THE BALLROOM, THE SOUL JAZZ UK USLP 20

12" GREETINGS FOUR MATERIAL IT MASO 70004

12" GUESS WHO? FACTORY BN FBN 17

12" I NEED SOMEONE TONITE FACTORY UK FACT 72

LP I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU AGAIN FACTORY UK FACT 65

CD I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU AGAIN re LTM EU LTMCD 2438

12" KNIFE SLITS WATER / KETHER HOT KNIVES FACTORY UK FACT 62

7" KNIFE SLITS WATER / TUMBA RHUMBA FACTORY UK FAC 62

12" LIFE'S A SCREAM / THERE'S ONLY THIS FACTORY UK FAC 112

CD LIVE AMERICA 1985 MELODIC UK MELO 029CD

CD LIVE IN AMERICA DOJO UK DOJOCD 47

LP LIVE IN AMERICA DOJO UK DOJOLP 47

CD LIVE IN GRONINGEN 26.10.80 LTM UK LTMCD 2443

CD LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN RATIO CREATION UK CRECD 159

LP LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN RATIO CREATION UK CRELP 159

LP LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN RATIO (12" x 2) CREATION UK CRELP 159b

12" LOOSEN UP YOUR MIND ROB'S UK 12ROB 2

CD5 LOOSEN UP YOUR MIND ROB'S UK CDROB 2

CD M.C.R. A&M UK 397057.2

LP M.C.R. A&M UK 397057.1

12" MELLO ROB'S UK 12ROB 6R

CD5 MELLO ROB'S UK CDROB 6

12" MICKEY WAY (THE CANDY BAR) FACTORY UK FAC 168

CD OLD & THE NEW, THE (Collection) FACTORY JPN CY-3105

LP OLD & THE NEW, THE (Collection) FACTORY UK FACT 135

LP SEXTET FACTORY UK FACT 55

CD SEXTET re SOUL JAZZ UK USCD 22

12" SHACK UP CREATION UK CRE 151T

CD5 SHACK UP CREATION UK CRESCD 151

7" SHACK UP / THEN AGAIN FACTORY BEL FACBN 1-004

12" SHACK UP promo A&M UK ACRYDJ 590

CD5 SOUNDSTATION Vol. 1 ROB'S UK CDROB 48

12" STARLIGHT 23 UK T 109

12" TEKNO ROB'S UK 12ROB 18

LP TO EACH FACTORY UK FACT 35

CD TO EACH re UNIVERSAL SO UK US CD21

12" TURN ME ON ROB'S UK 12ROB 11

CD5 TURN ME ON ROB'S UK CDROB 11

12" TWENTY SEVEN FOREVER ROB'S UK 12ROB 5

CD5 TWENTY SEVEN FOREVER ROB'S UK CDROB 5

CD UP IN DOWNSVILLE ROB'S UK CDROB 20

LP UP IN DOWNSVILLE ROB'S UK LPROB 20

12" WATERLINE / FUNAEZEKEA FACTORY UK FAC 52

12" WILD PARTY / SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING DIRTY FACTORY UK FAC 128

12" WON'T STOP LOVING YOU A&M UK ACRY 540

CD5 WON'T STOP LOVING YOU A&M UK ACRCD 540

12" YOUR BLUE EYES A&M UK ACRY 534

CD3 YOUR BLUE EYES A&M UK ACRCD 534

Simply put, Manchester’s A Certain Ratio is one of my favorite bands. I’ve followed them from about ’79 onwards – although they’ve make it difficult for their modern-day fans in the US. It was really difficult to find their last release, “Starlight” (aka “Fila Brazillia vs. A Certain Ratio”). And it doesn’t look like their last full-length title, “Change The Station” ever came out as an LP (I even asked the band, via their website, they said “No”). Their song “Brazilia” still isn’t on CD, is it? And is there a “Soundstation Vol. 2”? Did “Tekno” ever come out on CD?

I’ve even got some ACR 7” singles, but I am also missing quite a few – I’ve never even seen any of the Rob’s Records label 7” ACR singles! But I am lucky enough to have seen ACR live in L.A. – Club Lingerie! They never cracked a smile, the entire evening. Between songs, they played ‘radio chatter’ really loud, I suppose to discourage having to speak between songs (?) I once bought a French pirate VHS (SECAM) video of “ACR Live in Paris” – in London.

I was never particularly fascinated with Factory Records; I really love ACR’s A&M product! “Good Together” and it’s remix album “M.C.R.” are just fantastic!

I wonder when / if they’ll make another new full-length album? It was nice that Soul Jazz Records made some compilations, eh? I thought it was particularly cool that they made an LP for “The Graveyard & The Ballroom” – Creation Records had made a CD of it a few years earlier. Trivia note: I was actually in England for the first time during the days that “Graveyard/Ballroom” was recorded (Sept. ’79).

“Sextet” is the album that I need to listen to more. That, and “To Each”. Rest assured that I played “I’d Like To See You Again” and “Force” to death! Both of those were real ‘car albums’ for me – on cassette!