RK 50: Stephen Duffy

8-15-08 RK 50: Stephen Duffy

12" KISS ME (DUB VERSION) WEA UK TIN 1T

12" HOLD IT WEA UK X9763T

12" SHE MAKES ME QUIVER TEN UK TEN 28-12

CD UPS AND DOWNS, THE TEN UK DIXCD 5

LP UPS AND DOWNS, THE TEN UK DIX 5

7" ICING ON THE CAKE / BROKEN HOME TEN DE 107.409

12" KISS ME (MIXE PLURAL) TEN UK TIN 2-12

12" ICING ON THE CAKE TEN UK TIN 3-12

12" UN KISS THAT KISS TEN UK TIN 4-12

CD BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU VIVID SOUND JPN VSCD-536

LP BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU TEN UK DIX 29

LP DESIGNER BEATNIK (as Dr. Calculus) TEN UK DIX 45

7" SOMETHING SPECIAL (with Sandii) / DISENCHANTED VIRGIN JPN 07VA-1036

12" SOMETHING SPECIAL (with Sandii) TEN UK TEN T105

12" I LOVE YOU TEN UK TIN 5-12

CD MUSIC IN COLORS PARLOPHONE UK CDPCS 7361

7" NATALIE / A MAN WITHOUT A STAR PARLOPHONE UK R 6339

CD DUFFY INDOLENT UK 74321-28031.2

CD5 NEEDLE MYTHOLOGY INDOLENT UK DUFF004CD

CD5 SUGAR HIGH INDOLENT UK DUFF002CD

CD I LOVE MY FRIENDS TWA AUS TWAD 451

CD THEY CALLED HIM TIN TIN (80’s Collection) VIRGIN VIP UK CDVIP 223

I felt like continuing with the somewhat chronological lists…

I was in Europe in the fall of ’85, so I saw the video clip for “Icing On The Cake” on Music Box. That was more or less what interested me in Mr. Duffy’s work – I didn’t know he had once graced the presence of Duran Duran! And I always liked the “Something Special” single, with Sandii of Sandii & The Sunsetz.

I got back on track with his work with the “Music In Colors” album around ’93 or ’94 – I think an inexpensive CD copy was found and played often. When I got the “Duffy” CD in ’95 – I flipped – I love the single “London Girls”, and I always thought of that song while the rest of the world seemed to be going ga-ga over Blur and Oasis. Mr. Duffy seemed like REAL “Britpop”! I had to mail-order the “I Love My Friends” CD; to date, it’s been the last Duffy CD that he has branded with his own name. Seems like he’s been into being “The Lilac Time” for yonks now! (They should have their own blog, I guess – I just got “Runout Groove”!). So, his 80’s stuff is slick and pleasing – but do not ignore Mr. Duffy’s 90’s works.

RK 50: Arthur Brown

8-13-08 RK 50: Arthur Brown

Mr. Arthur Wilton Brown!

7" DEVIL'S GRIP / GIVE HIM A FLOWER TRACK UK 604 008

LP CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN, THE TRACK UK 613 005

CD CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN, THE kami sleeve UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-93182

7" FIRE / REST CURE TRACK UK 604 022

7" NIGHTMARE / MUSIC MAN TRACK UK 604 026

7" NIGHTMARE / WHAT'S HAPPENING POLYDOR SV 59247

7" I PUT A SPELL ON YOU / NIGHTMARE TRACK US 2582

7" FIRE / I PUT A SPELL ON YOU promo POLYDOR NZ 59223

LP GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER (Kingdom Come) POLYDOR UK 2310 130

CD GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER (Kingdom Come) kami sleeve STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1070

7" ETERNAL MESSENGER (Kingdom Come) POLYDOR UK 2001 234

CD KINGDOM COME kami STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1071 (pictured)

LP KINGDOM COME POLYDOR UK 2310 178

CD JOURNEY (Kingdom Come) kami sleeve STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1072

LP JOURNEY (Kingdom Come) POLYDOR UK 2310 254

7" SPIRIT OF JOY / COME ALIVE (Kingdom Come) POLYDOR UK 2001 416

7" GYPSIES / DANCE GULL UK GULS 4

LP DANCE GULL UK GULP 1008

7" OUT OF TIME GULL NZ GULS 01

7" WE GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS PLACE GULL UK GULS 13

LPx2 LOST EARS, THE (Kingdom Come collection) GULL UK GUD 2003/4

7" MONKEY WALK picture disc GULL UK SIXPACK 4

LP CHISHOLM IN MY BOSOM GULL UK GULP 1023

LP FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT (with Vincent Crane) I.C. DE IC 58088

LP SPEAKNOTECH FIG USA FIG 001

CD REQUIEM VOICEPRINT UK VP 125CD

LP REQUIEM REMOTE UK REM 101

LP COMPLETE TAPES OF ATOYA, THE (with Craig Leon) PLEXUS NL KMH 709223

LP BROWN, BLACK AND BLUE (with Jimmy Carl Black) BLUE WAVE 109

CD BROWN, BLACK AND BLUE (with Jimmy Carl Black) BLUE WAVE CD 1019

LP STRANGELANDS RECKLESS RECK 2

CD5 FIRE (Die Krupps) OUR CHOICE RTD 3401.3

CDx2 STORY OF ARTHUR BROWN, THE (Collection) SANCTUARY UK CMEDD 674

Unlike my usual lists, this one is somewhat chronological (as opposed to alphabetical)!

I’ve been a fan of Arthur Brown for 40 years (of my 50 years). I enjoyed “Fire” when it was a world-wide smash hit – and after discovering “Galactic Zoo Dossier” (officially by Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come) – it has been one of my all-time favorite LP’s for 35+ years. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Brown around the time that “Requiem” was being released, so lots of my Arthur Brown vinyl collection is autographed. Believe it or not, I also has him make me answering machine messages, such as “I am the God of Hell, Fire – and Ron isn’t home right now!” etc.

He’s made many notable guest appearances, too – my favorite is perhaps his work on “The Tell Tale Heart” on the debut LP by the Alan Parsons Project.

Arthur’s autobiography was also an interesting read. I am very happy he still walks the Earth! Maybe we’ll get a new album out of him one day soon! I will usually buy anything with his name on it. Get the “Story of” 2CD set, it’s really neat and full of rarities!

New Zealand 80's!

6-20-08 New Zealand 80’s!

In the 1980’s, I went to New Zealand quite a few times. I was a big fan of their ‘local scene’ – groups like The Swingers, Toy Love, D.D. Smash, The Gordons, The Clean etc. A lot of other ‘scenes’ have come and gone – but I am still particularly fond of NZ 80’s music. Sadly, not everything from that era in New Zealand pop music is still available – many titles have never been released on CD.

So, revel with me in these world class records! Do you know them all? Would you like to?

Singles

Paul Agar & The Set – Look Into Your Eyes / Beat The Night
Androidss – Getting Jumpy / Auckland Tonight
The Bats – Block of Wood
Blam Blam Blam – Blam Blam Blam (EP)
The Chills – Rolling Moon / Bite / Flamethrower
Greg Clark & Mike Chunn – I’m So Up
The Clean – Boodle Boodle Boodle (EP)
Coup D’Etat – Doctor, I Like Your Medicine
The Crocodiles – Hello Girl / Romantic As Hell
Daggy & The Dickheads – Afternoon TV
Dance Exponents – All I Can Do
Dance Exponents – Sex & Agriculture
Dave Dobbyn – Lipstick Power
The Features – Victim (EP)
The Gordons – Future Shock (EP)
Hip Singles – Typewriter / So Strange
The Knobz – Culture?
Marching Girls – True Love / First In Line
The Mockers – Woke Up Today
Monte Video (Murray Grindlay) – Sheba (She Sha She Shoo)
Jenny Morris – Get Some Humour
The Narcs – No Turning Back (EP)
Pop Mechanix – Now
Pop Mechanix (as NZ Pop) – Holidays
Screaming Meemees – Stars In My Eyes
Sinclair Brothers (Citizen Band) – That Is The Way It Will Be
Sneaky Feelings – Better Than Before
Spelling Mistakes – Feels So Good
The Swingers – One Good Reason
The Swingers – Counting The Beat
Tall Dwarfs – Slugbuckethairybreathmonster (EP)
Tall Dwarfs – Louis Likes His Daily Dip (EP)
They Were Expendable – Big Strain (EP)
Toy Love – Bridge of Frankenstein
The Verlaines – Death And The Maiden
The Wastrels – The Jenner Affair (EP)

Albums

Blam Blam Blam – Luxury Length
Coconut Rough – s/t
The Crocodiles – Tears
The Crocodiles – Looking At Ourselves
D.D. Smash – Cool Bananas
D.D. Smash – The Optimist
Dance Exponents – Prayers Be Answered
Dance Exponents – Expectations
Dave Dobbyn – Loyal
Headless Chickens – s/t
I Am Joe’s Music – s/t
Phil Judd – Private Lives
Mi-Sex – Where Do They Go?
Alastair Riddell – Positive Action
Schnell Fenster – The Sound of Trees
Screaming Meemees – If This Is Paradise, I’ll Take The Bag
Split Enz – Coroboree (aka Waiata)
The Swingers – Practical Jokers
Tall Dwarfs – That’s The Short & Long Of It
Toy Love – s/t
Various Artists – AK 79
Various Artists – It’s Bigger Than Both Of Us (2LP)
Various Artists – Hits & Myths
Various Artists – More Hits & Myths
Various Artists – Hits & Myths ‘83
Zoo – Cowboys & Engines

This list was paired down from nearly 1,000 titles – literally 2/3 of my own NZ collection! I’ve listened to tons of music by New Zealand artists, and the above list is what I consider to be indispensable. Yes, I like NZ 60’s & 70’s – and even some 90’s music – but this list is 80’s-specific.

The other best albums by Split Enz and Mi-Sex are all 70’s LP’s. I continue to follow Dave Dobbyn and Phil Judd. I wish Fane Flaws would make some new music. I was always disappointed that there weren’t proper Pop Mechanix, Daggy & The Dickheads, Hip Singles or Wastrels LP’s.

pictured: "I Am Joe's Music" LP

I hope you are enjoying the solstice! If today isn't the longest day, tomorrow is!
The moon has been tremendous lately!

Faust

6-13-08 Faust

Let’s hear it for the finest German experimental band!

CD 71 MINUTES OF - THE LAST ALBUM RECOMMENDED ReRF1CD

1988? 13 TRKS 70's recordings

CD BBC SESSIONS + ReR US ReRF 5

2000? 8 TRKS 70's recordings

CD FAUST (#1) UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-9259

1971 3 TRKS Clear cover ('03 issue) kami sleeve

LP FAUST (#1) POLYDOR DE 2310 142

1972 3 TRKS CLEAR VINYL, DE COVER

LP FAUST (#1) 80’s re-issue RECOMMENDED RR ONE

1972 3 TRKS CLEAR VINYL, UK cvr, re-issue

LP FAUST IV VIRGIN DE 87739 IT

1973 8 TRKS DE original issue

CDx2 FAUST IV (Deluxe edition) VIRGIN UK CDVR 2004

1973 16 TRKS (9 x bonus tracks) ('06 issue)

LP FAUST TAPES (#3) VIRGIN UK VC 501

1973 2 TRKS UK original issue

LP FAUST TAPES (#3) RECOMMENDED RR SIX

1973 2 TRKS '80 re-issue

CD OUTSIDE THE DREAM SYNDICATE (with Tony Conrad) TABLE OF T 5283

1973 3 TRKS ('93 issue) (1 x bonus track)

LP OUTSIDE THE DREAM SYNDICATE (with Tony Conrad) CAROLINE UK C 1501

1973 2 TRKS UK original issue

LP RETURN OF A LEGEND white RECOMMENDED RR 25

1986 6 TRKS white vinyl

LP SO FAR (#2) POLYDOR DE 2310 196

1972 9 TRKS booklet (inserts)

CD SO FAR (#2) UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-9260

1972 9 TRKS ('03 issue) kami sleeve

LP SO FAR (#2) re-issue RECOMMENDED RR TWO

1972 9 TRKS 80’s re-issue

This is only the core of my collection – I have many variant issues (and singles) of the first four Faust albums. I got into them for a simple economic reason: In 1973, it was possible to find a copy of “The Faust Tapes” for under $1. That’s right.

It’s very wonderful, brash and unpredictable music – it sounded perfect to my 15-year-old ears. Almost nobody else has ever heard of this band? Even better.

I asked my brother (who lived in Germany at the time) to go out into the town and see if he could find me a clear vinyl copy of their debut album – no problem. In 1975, it was easily my most prized possession. I love the first four Faust albums to death.

Because of Faust, I also got into Slapp Happy, Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad, as Faust members appeared on all of those folks’ albums.

But they never came to America at that time, they broke up after “Faust IV” etc. - My youthful dreams had yet again been crushed. They reformed many years later – but the zeitgeist had already left the building. I am amazed at how many Faust CD’s there would seem to be in 2008!

Hajime Tachibana

6-10-08 Hajime Tachibana

CD BAMBI EASTWORLD JPN TOCT-6269

1991 12 TRKS with Towa Tei, CD-only release?

CD BEAUTY & HAPPY MIDI/SCHOOL JPN 35MD-1027

1987 13 TRKS

CD H ALFA JPN ALCA-5074

1982 11 TRKS / in YEN BOX 1, kami sleeve

CD HM ALFA JPN ALCA-5084

1983 10 TRKS / in YEN BOX 1, kami sleeve

CD5 IN THE 90's ALFA JPN ALCA-319

1992 4 TRK CD Single CD5, remixes

CD LOW POWER FOR LIFE JPN FLCF-3675

1997 9 TRKS Special 10" package, CD-only release?

CD LOW POWERS FOR LIFE JPN FLCF-3701

1997 14 TRKS

CD MR. TECHIE & MISS KIPPLE ALFA JPN ALCA-5135

1984 10 TRKS / in YEN BOX 2, kami sleeve

CD MUSIC SAVE ME (MIDI BEST ALBUM) MIDI/SCHOOL JPN MDC8-1116

1990 19 TRK Collection

LP NICE TO MEET YOU, SORRY TO PART… (Collection) YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-28025

1985 12 TRK Collection, insert

CD TAIYO-SUN MIDI/SCHOOL JPN 35MD-1006

1985 9 TRKS (LP was a picture disc!)

CD THE END BOUNCE JPN BOUNCE-0041

2002 32 TRKS CD-only release?

I was sent a promo LP of “H” by a record exporting company in Japan. It changed my life! And I’ve met at least one other person who said that “H” changed his life.

Tachibana was a member of The Plastics, the seminal Japanese new wave technopop band. But his early solo albums do not really have the pop sensibility of The Plastics. Tachibana was the guitarist of The Plastics.

“Mr. Techie & Miss Kipple” (1984) was one of the first albums to extensively utilize the ‘sampler’. My guess would be that Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo gave Tachibana his ‘James Brown sample’ that was used in his “Replicant J.B.” masterpiece. But my favorite tracks on that album are the two versions of “Dapanpis” – it suited my interest in ‘lounge music’ in ’84.

I met and interviewed Tachibana in Tokyo in ’97. He spoke near-perfect English. He couldn’t believe that a western journalist (i.e. me) was ‘familiar’ with his work, so I whistled the “Lunchtime Dapanpis” to him.

I lost track of him from roughly ’87 – ’92; I saw either a review or advertisement for “Bambi” in a Japanese magazine (Music Life?) about 1993 or so – about the time I was getting so into Pizzicato Five. I started going to Japan in ’94.

The last full-length by Tachibana “The End” came out in ’02, after being advertised in “Dictionary” (Japanese magazine) much earlier. It’s an album composed on cell-phone ringtones / notes. Very minimalist. It’s nice that he can keep even his ardent fans guessing, in the new century.

Procol Harum

5-12-08 Procol Harum – “In The Wee Small Hours of Sixpence”

This single was nominated by my old friend Brian Ware.

The version of it that I have is from Italy, RCA / IL Records, NIL 9013, 1968; with a picture sleeve. A great non-LP single at the time – more upbeat than either “A Whiter Shade of Pale” or “Homburg”. This single is backed with “Quite Rightly So”, which is from their 2^nd album “Shine On Brightly” (the liner notes tell us that this was the first P.H. song ever heard in stereo – which I do not think is entirely true; I have stereo mixes of first album stuff!) “In The Wee Small Hours…” found a proper home on the U.S. “Greatest Hits / Best Of” LP/CD on A&M Records.

Where to start with my fandom of Procol Harum? I dearly love their first 5 albums (and am rather fond of the next 5 albums, as well), and this is a fantastic single. It’s always interesting for me to read about how influenced P.H. were by Bob Dylan – and they, in turn, influenced The Band. Interesting!

Are you with me in wondering why there was never a lyricist Keith Reid solo album? I mean, King Crimson’s Pete Sinfield got a solo album! I suppose we should be thankful that there are numerous Gary Brooker solo albums (and Matthew Fischer solo albums, for that matter). Was Keith Reid the first person to ever be named as specifically a lyricist for a rock band, receiving credit on the LP cover, treated as an actual member of the band? Did you know that Procol Harum was named after a small tabby cat?

Quite frankly, I cannot fault any of the singles released by Procol Harum – all of them are great – “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” has certainly raked in the accolades over the years – but “Homburg”, “In The Wee Small Hours…” and many others are deserving of esteemed ‘critical credit’. They (the singles) deserved better.

It is curious that P.H. were formerly known as The Paramounts – essentially the sanem group as found on the first several P.H. albums – signed to Parlophone Records – making ‘white boy R&B’ records not a million miles from The Beatles & The Rolling Stones – this is the company that I find Procol Harum with. Top drawer British rock music.

One listen to “In The Wee Small Hours…” confirms that they were capable of very fine psychedelic British pop music – along the lines of, say, Donovan or Traffic. This really should’ve been a big hit. At what point does pop music become rock music? The Japanese have a term for this kind of single – “Pre-70’s”. In a few short years, this kind of single would be a little more common – but in 1968? A rare bird indeed. (And they probably also influenced Rare Bird, too!)

So, thank you, Procol Harum! Fantastic single, fantastic albums. The very fabric of British pop culture, worthy of all.

Black Randy & His Elite Metrosquad

5-8-08 Black Randy – “Trouble At The Cup”

I SLEPT IN AN ARCADE DANGERHOUSE KY-724 1979 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

IDI AMIN DANGERHOUSE IDI-722 1978 4 TRKS with pic sleeve

TROUBLE AT THE CUP DANGERHOUSE MO-721 1977 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

There are but 3 glorious 45rpm single by Black Randy & His Elite Metrosquad. I will pick “Trouble at the Cup” as one of the L.A. new wave / punk turning points – punk music with a sense of humor! I definitely had this superlative 45 before I got the esteemed honor of seeing Black Randy play live at The Whisky A-Go-Go in Hollywood.

“No gift is too great for my people!” was one of the many silly platitudes that spewed forth from Black Randy. March ’78 – a Whisky full of punks pogoing to “I’m Black and I’m Proud” – as being played by a stage of pumped-full-of-drugs white guys!

To fully appreciate the miracle of Black Randy, one needs go no further than his masterful sole (soul?) LP, “Pass The Dust, I Think I’m Bowie” (also on Dangerhouse) – thankfully still available on CD (courtesy SFTRI Records).

But “Trouble At The Cup” is the messy little 45 that started it all! Dang – Jordan & I followed Randy around for a while there – even going to San Francisco (Mabuhay Gardens!) to see Black Randy…or was it The Screamers? I distinctly remember driving 85 miles an hour up Highway 5, with Hawkwind “Quark, Strangeness and Charm” blasting (a cassette) on the little blue Fiat’s then-mighty sound system. We stayed at the Howard Johnsons hotel, motel…in Marin County – far from the spitting punks.

Jordan once (at The Whisky) gave Randy a handful of watermelon flavored Jolly Ranchers as he walked in the front door, saying “I know you people like watermelon!” – R.I.P., Jordan. You were one amusing guy! (Randy took ‘em, saying “No gift is too great for my people!”)

I worked at a record distributor with David Wiley, Don Bolles etc. David died young but Don is still my friend. To horrified onlookers, Don & I sometimes discuss stuff at the swap meet – “Y’know…like Black Randy!” – Cultural Icon? I think Black Randy & His Elite Metrosquad actually appeared in the film “Ladies & Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains!” – but only in the background!

It’s 30 years later and my morning is spiced up with the very thought of Black Randy & His Elite Metrosquad. I always loved the tale that Randy played at a black restaurant here in Long Beach, “The Green Frog” (corner of Atlantic & P.C.H.) – wow, that must’ve been a special night!

Poor old Randy croaked – that old combo of epileptic illness and massive illicit drug consumption (Wikipedia says it was AIDS). He once walked amongst us – and he gave us “Trouble At The Cup”, “San Francisco” and so many other cherished memories. Thank you, Randy!

“Can’t stump a rump pump!” (as seen on the sleeve of “Trouble at the Cup”!)

Tea & Symphony

4-21-08 Tea & Symphony

An old favorite…

CD ASYLUM FOR THE MUSICALLY INSANE, AN TOSHIBA JPN TOCP-7753

LP ASYLUM FOR THE MUSICALLY INSANE, AN HARVEST UK SHVL 761

LPx2 ASYLUM FOR THE MUSICALLY INSANE, AN promo HARVEST UK SHVL 761

7" BOREDOM / ARMCHAIR THEATRE HARVEST UK HAR 5005

LP JO SAGO HARVEST UK SHVL 785

Once I started on my path to wanting to hear every record on the Harvest label (after getting Kevin Ayers “The Joy Of A Toy” and Syd Barrett “The Madcap Laughs”), it became apparent that I really needed SHVL 761, “An Asylum For The Musically Insane” by Birmingham band Tea & Symphony – I could see it on the inner-sleeve!!!

About 1972, I was listening to lots of late night FM radio – this is how I met Greg Stewart, the late night KPFK DJ who eventually played a cut by Tea & Symphony (“Armchair Theatre”) – I freaked – it was even better than I’d imagined it would be! Yet when I went in search of this elusive LP at Moby Disc in Van Nuys, CA – I didn’t find “Asylum…”, but their (even harder to find) 2^nd album, “Jo Sago” – I paid a whopping $6 for it, out of the ‘rarities’ bin – behind the counter records with jacked up prices, a common practice for 70’s record stores in L.A.

Mr. Stewart made me a reel-to-reel of “Asylum” and I let him borrow my “Jo Sago”, so he could make his own reel-to-reel of that fine album. We became friends, despite our vast age difference (I was a teenager, and he was already – in his 30’s!) – we fell out of touch for a number of years, but I eventually found him again – after spying a “Special Order” slip in the back room of Poo Bah Record Shop in Pasadena, CA. “Wanted: Bob Dylan Bootleg Series LP boxed set, Stewart” and a phone number. I called the number, and he was one in the same, as ever.

Well, back to Tea & Symphony. In a pre-internet world, no way to find out anything easily, when it comes to material of this nature. I knew about the two albums on Harvest – but I was so naïve that I wondered if they were a band from somewhere in the British commonwealth – such as New Zealand or Australia? Those Birmingham accents sounded so foreign to me! When I started going to Europe in the fall of ’79, I lucked out in finding both a Tea & Symphony 45 (“Boredom”, the Procol Harum song – which the people who have issued their first album on CD two separate times have both missed) and a test pressing of “Asylum…” – an EMI UK double LP actual white label test pressing!

Of note is the cover art for both T&S albums – “Asylum…” is one of the more beautiful ’69 UK LP covers, and the ‘black man in a white world’ LP cover of “Jo Sago” is astonishing. I told all my teenaged friends about this obscure British band – but when you can’t find any of their records for sale – few were interested. Where’s the legit CD of “Jo Sago”? I bet somebody could sell a few dozen of them! Afrika paprika!

Wally Badarou

4-18-08 Wally Badarou

12" CHIEF INSPECTOR ISLAND US 90516.1

7" CHIEF INSPECTOR ISLAND US 7-99557

12" CHIEF INSPECTOR (VINE STREET) / (HILL STREET) ISLAND/4TH UK 12BRW 37

CD ECHOES ISLAND UK CID 104

LP ECHOES ISLAND US 90495.1

12" HI-LIFE ISLAND DE 608.622

CD5 HI-LIFE (CDV) ISLAND/4TH UK BRW 53

LP ISLAND VISUAL ARTS INTRODUCES WALLY BADAROU ISLAND UK WAL 1

7" LA MARCHE DES MILLE / PRELUDE A LA MARSEILLAISE ISLAND FR 112.633

12" SPIDER WOMAN (NOVELA DAS NOVE) / (Edited Remix) ISLAND US DMD 944

12" SPIDER WOMAN (NOVELA DAS NOVE) / CHIEF INSPECTOR ISLAND/4TH UK 12BRW 44

CD WORDS OF A MOUNTAIN ISLAND UK CID 9897

CD3 WORDS OF A MOUNTAIN ISLAND UK CIDX 429

LP WORDS OF A MOUNTAIN ISLAND US 91260.1

Soundtracks:

LP KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (O.S.T.) ISLAND US 90475.1

CD LUNATIC (O.S.T.) MANGO US 539905.2

LP THEY CALL THAT AN ACCIDENT (O.S.T.) ISLAND ITA ISTA 2

I do not recall if I first saw the video for “Chief Inspector” or if I actually was curious about Mr. Badarou because of his work on records by Marianne Faithfull and Grace Jones. At the time, I did not know him as a solo artist, only as a sideman (oblivious to his debut solo album “Back To Scales To-Night” (1980) (which I still don’t have in any form). I’ve also never been able to find his last CD, “Colours Of Silence” (Universal France, 2001).

“Echoes” drove me nuts – I just loved it – and it is still one of my all-time favorite 80’s albums – a trophy album, in fact. Wonderful keyboard instrumentals. If only I’d known that he was working with Level 42 – something I didn’t fully realize until MUCH LATER.

Signed to “Island Visual Arts”, I found a promo-only LP, “IVA Introduced Wally Badarou” and loads of 12” singles. All great stuff. His soundtrack albums are also really good, with select cuts sounding like they were right out of the same modes he was using on “Echoes” – I love that sound!

I wrote to Mr. Badarou, and he wrote back, telling me that everything was going to be re-issued, and that he would let me know when it was going to happen – but it hasn’t happened yet. He still probably has no idea how much I loved his 80’s work – all that great keyboard playing on Grace Jones “Nightclubbing” and on Marianne Faithfull “A Child’s Adventure”…”Echoes” is just so damned good! It’s one of the LP’s that I always buy, when I see it. I just know some of my friends need to hear this album.

I wish I knew about more stuff that he worked on, a la Level 42. He has such a distinctive keyboard sound – I forget, is he on those two good (Island / Mango label) album by Manu Dibango? If he isn’t, he should have been!

Merci, Monsieur Badarou, j’aime votre musique. Je voudrais achete les disques re-edition. Dites-moi de les temps c’est possible. Merci!