The Fabulous Stains

A punk curio for Tuesday- Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains! was a film released in 1982, shot in British Colombia. The plot centres around The Stains, an all girl punk band created after Corinne Burns (played by Diane Lane, in the middle above) loses her job. There's a full synopsis here and the original 1982 trailer...



The film got a dvd release in 2008 and you might find a copy on any of the popular internet shopping websites. It's pretty dated but Lane gives a good performance and it's good fun. The film also features the UK punk band The Professionals (who appear in the film as The Looters)- Paul Cook and Steve Jones (both at a loose end following the demise of the Sex Pistols), plus Paul Simonon (who flew off to make the film while the rest of the Clash holed up in New York starting work on Sandinista and so missed playing the bass on The Magnificent Seven) and Ray Winstone (who is now most often found encouraging people to bet responsibly NOW! before the next throw-in). The band play their song Join The Professionals in the film, proving to be a punk epiphany for Corinne Burns and later on Ray tries to get off with her in a hotel room while also telling her how frustrated he is as an artist...



The Professionals were an actual band for Jones and Cook and the song is perfectly adequate, functional, second division punk, showing mainly that John Lydon's contribution to Sex Pistols songs was invaluable and unique. And maybe Glen Matlock's songwriting was quite important too.

Definite Door To Another Dimension

A friend made me a compilation tape once following a long, rambling alcohol fueled conversation about punk. No purist, he claimed punk was where you find it. The song that grabbed me on that tape that I didn't know was this one by The Posies. It's what journalists call power pop, a genre that they invented to describe guitar music that was punk-ish but also poppy. Power pop is easier to identify than it is to describe. The Knack's My Sharona is an example. This song by The Posies is vastly better than My Sharona (which is a bit annoying). Loopy, hippy lyrics, massive crunchy power chords, quiet/loud dynamics and some ace melodies that transcend 1993's grunginess.

Definite Door

Since I Left You

The Avalanches 2000 album Since I Left You was a one-off work of near genius by a six piece from Australia, made up of over 3500 vinyl samples, and a total joy to listen to. The song that made the biggest impact over here was Frontier Psychiatrist but the rest of the double vinyl album was just as good.

Laid back vibes-check. Jazzy flute sample- check. Ghostly backing vocals- check. 60s style lead vocal sample- check. Sumptuous strings- check.

Since I left You

Music's Not For Everyone Part Four

The fourth and final transmission from Andrew Weatherall's series for NTS Radio is available below. And in case you missed it, my internet friend Ctel posted an excellent new Asphodells remix at his Acid Ted blog this morning. A stuttering, icy remix of She Lies that really hits the spot.

Andrew Weatherall - 22nd July 2014 by Nts Radio on Mixcloud

No Rabbit In A Hat Trick

Or maybe you prefer your hip hop more laid back in the summer, with bouncy rhythms and a 70s feel and a cooler flow. In which case, here's Jurassic 5. For some reason I always associate Jurassic 5 with The Avalanches. Maybe I listened to their records at a similar time although I don't think they were released in the same year. Nope, just checked, Jurassic 5 was 1998, The Avalanches 2000.

Concrete Schoolyard

The Return Of Friday Night Is Rockabilly Night 151

More Friday night rockabilly at last- Jerry Arnold and The Rhythm Captains from 1958 and a song about a girl who has expensive tastes and is out of his league. We've all been there. The handclaps on the chorus really make this one, along with the rough and ready production.

High Classed Baby

End To End Burners

Hot summer heat like we're having now means hip hop doesn't it, possibly a connection made in our minds due to Spike Lee's sweltering Do The Right Thing film. Company Flow put out several underground records in the 90s and this one, End To End Burners, is the sound of New York in the summer- sweaty, dirty, threatening, with a low slung beat and a fantastic breakdown where the chant surfaces... 'dance to the rhythm and rhyme of Co Flow'.

Legal note: Bagging Area does not endorse the illegal painting of train carriages end to end. It only leads to trouble.

End To End Burners

Right On Time

1989 was a good year. I don't know if we knew this at the time or just at the age of nineteen (I was anyway) we expected that all years would be like that. This single by Italo House outfit Black Box was number one for six weeks in the UK. It caused some controversy at the time because Loleatta Holloway's original vocal (swiped from Love Sensation) was mimed to by French model Katrin Quinol (pictured lounging about above). Loleatta's lawyers got involved even though sample clearance had been agreed. Loleatta got paid, the single withdrawn and the vocals were re-recorded by Heather Small. I'm not sure the record buying punter really cared- they just found it irresistible for dancing too (and still do).

Originally the line was 'because you're right on time' but somewhere in Italy it got misheard or mispronounced and changed to 'ride on time' which is good because it sounds better. Much like when Gerald ran out of character space on the title display when naming Voodoo Rage and instead went for Voodoo Ray. Happy accidents.

If I've got this right, and there's a chance I haven't, this is the first version with Loleatta's withdrawn vocal...

Ride On Time (Loleatta Holloway vocal)

And this is the remixed version with Heather Small

Ride On Time (Heather Small vocal)

Lit Up

Tim Burgess remixed by Peaking Lights. This is hot off the press and sounding very nice indeed, gorgeous summer pianos, a stomping electronic beat and Tim's vocals. It won't cool you down but will put a smile on your face as you cross wearily back to the fridge for something cold. Eight minutes and fifty three seconds of lovely stuff and you can listen to it here.

Remedy

On the whole I think I shouldn't be a fan of hairy, lairy, 70s influenced regressive U.S. rock, but The Black Crowes song Remedy has a satisfyingly crunchy riff, some nice gospel backing vocals and, if it wasn't for the accent of singer Chris Robinson, it could easily be Primal Scream- who we have established previously, I am a fan of. Although their hairy, lairy, 70s influenced regressive rock is just as easy to be sniffy about. I don't buy into the whole guilty pleasures thing and maybe with this song I should drop my dubious principles and just say- good song. Maaan.

Remedy