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There was a great resurgence in the early 80’ in and around Liverpool. Here are some of the bands that were popular at the time.

 

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN

 

Formed in 1978 named after the group’s drum machine. Will Sergeant and Ian McCulloch were the main songwriters. Songs included “The cutter, The killing moon and Bring on the dancing horses.

 

TEARDROP EXPLODES

 

Formed in 1978 by Julian Cope a friend of Ian Mcculloch and Pete Wylie(see Wah), main songs were Reward and Treason.

 

CHINA CRISIS

 

Formed in 1979 and had a big following around Liverpool, main songs were Wishful thinking, King in a catholic style and Black man ray.

 

PETE WYLIE and WAH

 

Formed in 1979 Pete Wylie was the main artist in this short lived band, Main song Story of the blues and Come back.

 

THE ICICLE WORKS

 

Formed in 1980 by Ian McNabb their big hit was Love is a wonderful colour.

 

THE CHRISTIANS

 

Formed early 1980’s their big early hit was Forgotten town, Ideal world and Hooverville.

 

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

 

Formed in 1979 by brothers Mike and Ali Score their hits included Wishing (I had a photograph of you), Space age love song and The more you live the more you love.

 

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

 

Formed in 1978 by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphries had hits with Enoly gay, Messages, Souvenir, Joan of Arc and Tesla Girls.

 

Any other bands from this time?

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Nightmares In Wax who went on to become Dead or Alive.....

 

 

Pop over my Top 50 Indie/Alt faves thread on the Indie Forum, number 6 - Echo and the Bunnymen, I've embedded part of a documentary on them from YouTube....

some good acts there and were original 'indie', listening to these acts and you can see where todays 'indie' crowd get their sound from...

 

 

echo and the bunnymen..... 'killing moon' was imho their best track, nice to see it so high in scotts run down.

 

teardrop explodes..... my fav, loved 'when i dream' , 'reward', saw them twice, excellant.

 

china chrisis......... like bri, 'king in a catholic style' and 'wishful thinking'my favs

 

wah/wylie........ thought 'story of the blues' was the most overrated contrived pile of c**p to come out of the 80's! lol.. check out wah heat 'better scream'.... THAT was utterly superb

 

icicle works.............. 'love is a wonderful colour' there only one of note

 

christians.................. didnt like them

 

a flock of seagulls.... remembered for THAT haircut, 'wishing( if i had a photograph of you)' was very good

 

omd.............. started out pretty good, although not my fav group. went bland, 'enola gay' their best.

 

 

 

 

Frankie Goes To Hollywood were great for about a year and 4 singles, before they imploded recording their second album "Liverpool".

Any other bands from this time?

 

you want to get:

 

North By North West: Liverpool & Manchester from Punk to Post-Punk & Beyond 1976-1983 - Compiled By Paul Morley

 

Review by Jack Foley

IndieLondon Rating: 3 out of 5

 

BETWEEN 1976 and 1984, both Manchester and Liverpool were home to a host of exciting new bands on independent labels. The 2CD North By North West has been compiled by Paul Morley to encapsulate this period in music history, with a bonus CD featuring rarities and previously unreleased material.

 

Released on the resurrected Korova label (original home of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Residents, among others), the album shows the marked difference in each cities musical evolution – where Manchester was widely considered to be introverted, angry and political, Liverpool was flamboyant, brash and showy.

 

No matter what your opinion on either, there’s no doubting some pretty influential bands emerged from that period – many of whom have continued to inspire the nu-wave, post-punk revolution that’s currently sweeping the charts today.

 

Some names will jump out and need no introduction – the Buzzcocks, for instance, kick off the Manchester CD with Boredom, while Disc 1 further includes offerings from Joy Division (Transmission) and The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now, as well as the early New Order track Ceremony.

 

While CD2, from Liverpool, contains gems from Frankie Goes To Hollywood (Relax) and Echo & The Bunnymen (Pictures On My Wall and Rescue).

 

In between, there’s offerings from bands and musicians such as John Cooper Clarke, Blue Orchids, Spitfire Boys and Teardrop Explodes. Some tracks are worth uncovering, others are best left in the era from which they came.

 

John Cooper Clarke’s I Don’t Want To Be Nice, for instance, is an ageing warhorse that is full of biting social comment and in yer face petulance. It’s a proper punk record – but it’s also instantly forgettable.

 

Punk connoisseurs are sure to derive the most pleasure from the three CDs, while fans of the current revival should take the time to check out where some of the ‘new’ sounds originated from – but anyone tiring of the whole punk, new wave and post-punk music scene ought to steer well clear

 

 

Track listing:

Disc 1:

1. Boredom – Buzzcocks

2. Repetition – Fall (1)

3. I Don’t Want To Be Nice – Clarke, John Cooper

4. Shot By Both Sides – Magazine

5. What Do I Get – Buzzcocks

6. Sketch For Summer – Durutti Column

7. Transmission – Joy Division

8. Fear – Passage (1)

9. Work – Blue Orchids

10. Time Goes By So Slow – Distractions (1)

11. Shack Up – A Certain Ratio

12. My Cherry Is In Sherry – Ludus

13. Ceremony – New Order (1)

14. How Soon Is Now – Smiths

 

Disc 2:

1. British Refugee – Spitfire Boys

2. Suffice To Say – Yachts

3. Fuzztronic – Sergeant, Will

4. Electricity – OMD

5. Pictures On My Wall – Echo & The Bunnymen

6. Better Scream – Wah Heat

7. Touch – Lori & The Chameleons

8. Reward – Teardrop Explodes

9. Rescue – Echo & The Bunnymen

10. Flaming Sword – Care (1)

11. There’s Always Something On My Mind – Pale Fountains

12. Holiday In Disneyland – Dalek I Love You

13. First Picture Of You – Lotus Eaters (1)

14. Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

 

Disc 3:

1. No Love Lost – Warsaw

2. Cranked Up Really High – Slaughter & The Dogs

3. My Boyfriend’s Back – Bright, Bette & The Illuminations

4. Iggy Pop’s Jacket – Those Naughty Lumps

5. Big In Japan – Big In Japan (1)

6. Happy Ever After – Stockholm Monsters

7. Folklore – James

8. African And White – China Crisis

9. Sweet Tooth – Spherical Objects

10. Don’t Let Go – Pink Industry

11. Deaf – Crispy Ambulance

12. Knew Noise – Section 25

13. Call Me Honey – Swamp Children

14. Valley Of The Lost Women – Clarke, John Cooper

15. Dream – Royal Family & The Poor

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Lotus_Eaters_Cover.jpg

 

First Picture Of You by Lotus Eaters previously mentioned in the word association game :up: :down: while Pale Fountains are actually most of shack. shack = big critic fave for Corner of Miles & Gil

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/Proton-saga2.jpg

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

 

Formed in 1978 by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphries had hits with Enoly gay, Messages, Souvenir, Joan of Arc and Tesla Girls.

 

 

if you're a fan of this band i read the other day on teletext that Paul Humphries has made an album with Claudia Brücken of propaganda and will be released v soon (think it will be feb nxt yr)

 

 

and btw Mr McClusky, we hold you responsible wholey for those $h!tty Iceland ads with Kerry Katona. why oh why did you have to discover her???

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cd/Kerry_Katona_Too_Much_Too_Young.jpg

 

Abigail Clancy on the other hand might never sink that low :lol:

 

 

you want to get:

 

North By North West: Liverpool & Manchester from Punk to Post-Punk & Beyond 1976-1983 - Compiled By Paul Morley

 

Review by Jack Foley

IndieLondon Rating: 3 out of 5

 

BETWEEN 1976 and 1984, both Manchester and Liverpool were home to a host of exciting new bands on independent labels. The 2CD North By North West has been compiled by Paul Morley to encapsulate this period in music history, with a bonus CD featuring rarities and previously unreleased material.

 

Released on the resurrected Korova label (original home of Echo & The Bunnymen and The Residents, among others), the album shows the marked difference in each cities musical evolution – where Manchester was widely considered to be introverted, angry and political, Liverpool was flamboyant, brash and showy.

 

No matter what your opinion on either, there’s no doubting some pretty influential bands emerged from that period – many of whom have continued to inspire the nu-wave, post-punk revolution that’s currently sweeping the charts today.

 

Some names will jump out and need no introduction – the Buzzcocks, for instance, kick off the Manchester CD with Boredom, while Disc 1 further includes offerings from Joy Division (Transmission) and The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now, as well as the early New Order track Ceremony.

 

While CD2, from Liverpool, contains gems from Frankie Goes To Hollywood (Relax) and Echo & The Bunnymen (Pictures On My Wall and Rescue).

 

In between, there’s offerings from bands and musicians such as John Cooper Clarke, Blue Orchids, Spitfire Boys and Teardrop Explodes. Some tracks are worth uncovering, others are best left in the era from which they came.

 

John Cooper Clarke’s I Don’t Want To Be Nice, for instance, is an ageing warhorse that is full of biting social comment and in yer face petulance. It’s a proper punk record – but it’s also instantly forgettable.

 

Punk connoisseurs are sure to derive the most pleasure from the three CDs, while fans of the current revival should take the time to check out where some of the ‘new’ sounds originated from – but anyone tiring of the whole punk, new wave and post-punk music scene ought to steer well clear

Track listing:

Disc 1:

1. Boredom – Buzzcocks

2. Repetition – Fall (1)

3. I Don’t Want To Be Nice – Clarke, John Cooper

4. Shot By Both Sides – Magazine

5. What Do I Get – Buzzcocks

6. Sketch For Summer – Durutti Column

7. Transmission – Joy Division

8. Fear – Passage (1)

9. Work – Blue Orchids

10. Time Goes By So Slow – Distractions (1)

11. Shack Up – A Certain Ratio

12. My Cherry Is In Sherry – Ludus

13. Ceremony – New Order (1)

14. How Soon Is Now – Smiths

 

Disc 2:

1. British Refugee – Spitfire Boys

2. Suffice To Say – Yachts

3. Fuzztronic – Sergeant, Will

4. Electricity – OMD

5. Pictures On My Wall – Echo & The Bunnymen

6. Better Scream – Wah Heat

7. Touch – Lori & The Chameleons

8. Reward – Teardrop Explodes

9. Rescue – Echo & The Bunnymen

10. Flaming Sword – Care (1)

11. There’s Always Something On My Mind – Pale Fountains

12. Holiday In Disneyland – Dalek I Love You

13. First Picture Of You – Lotus Eaters (1)

14. Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

 

Disc 3:

1. No Love Lost – Warsaw

2. Cranked Up Really High – Slaughter & The Dogs

3. My Boyfriend’s Back – Bright, Bette & The Illuminations

4. Iggy Pop’s Jacket – Those Naughty Lumps

5. Big In Japan – Big In Japan (1)

6. Happy Ever After – Stockholm Monsters

7. Folklore – James

8. African And White – China Crisis

9. Sweet Tooth – Spherical Objects

10. Don’t Let Go – Pink Industry

11. Deaf – Crispy Ambulance

12. Knew Noise – Section 25

13. Call Me Honey – Swamp Children

14. Valley Of The Lost Women – Clarke, John Cooper

15. Dream – Royal Family & The Poor

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Lotus_Eaters_Cover.jpg

 

First Picture Of You by Lotus Eaters previously mentioned in the word association game :up: :down: while Pale Fountains are actually most of shack. shack = big critic fave for Corner of Miles & Gil

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/Proton-saga2.jpg

 

 

get this for that track alone... its brilliant.

get this for that track alone... its brilliant.

 

however Better Scream – Wah Heat fails the youtube test. bollox!!!

 

i'll have to find the track elsewhere!!!

 

on the other hand it does have this. i think they might be from liverpool (if not manchester).

 

 

It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home

 

i was thinking about the new Saturn Astra today (that is to be launched soon in the USA) and that reminded me of the Vauxhall Astra which is from Ellesmere Port which reminded me of this. so i think they are from Liverpool???

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/MHV_Vauxhall_Astra_D_Estate_01.jpg

 

i dont know what year it is as i was just looking for records with a driving theme at the time, think its about the same time as the other records mentioned at the beginning.

 

this is another song of there's from them

 

and btw Mr McClusky, we hold you responsible wholey for those $h!tty Iceland ads with Kerry Katona. why oh why did you have to discover her???

 

I didn't know that. What a grade A c**t you are McClusky - Kerry Kantona is the most hideous thing in the world.

 

Anyway, back to the music.

 

Big In Japan - featured future Jamms / KLF man Bill Drummond, future Slits / Siouxsie / Creatures drummer Budgie, future Teardrop keyboardist and founder of Blur's record lable Dave Balfe, future frontman of Frankie Goes to Hollywood Holly Johnson and future Lightning seed and producer Ian Broudie.

 

Don't forget that Copey, Mac and Wylie were in the Crucial Three for about 2 weeks too.

 

If you're interested in the early Liverpool scene then you really need to read "Head On" by Julian Cope. Excellent book. Also, Bill Drummond's '45' has a reasonable insight into managing Echo and the Bunnymen...even if he does indulge in his usual flights of fantasy.

Edited by richie

2 of my favourite tracks from the 80s mentioned in one thread!

 

Lotus Eaters' 'First Picture of You' is one of the breeziest, happiest, most gorgeous pop songs ever written - how it wasn't number one for the whole of 1983 is beyond me....

 

And the almost-forgotten It's Immaterial... 'Driving Away From Home' is stunning stuff - understated, melancholic and beautifully written. Their other semi-hit 'Ed's Diner' was another forgotten classic.

 

Whatever became of both these bands, eh?

2 of my favourite tracks from the 80s mentioned in one thread!

 

Lotus Eaters' 'First Picture of You' is one of the breeziest, happiest, most gorgeous pop songs ever written - how it wasn't number one for the whole of 1983 is beyond me....

 

And the almost-forgotten It's Immaterial... 'Driving Away From Home' is stunning stuff - understated, melancholic and beautifully written. Their other semi-hit 'Ed's Diner' was another forgotten classic.

 

Whatever became of both these bands, eh?

 

 

spot on russ :)

THE FARM

 

Had a massive hit with GROOVY TRAIN which was a small hit in the US.

 

There was also the CHRISTIANS - I wasn't a fan of theirs though.

 

 

 

 

The Farm weren't really around in the early 80s. They formed around 85 or so I think doing jazz funk and northern soul kinda stuff (?). They were so unpopular they had to create their own label to put out their records. Then they had a minor hit with their cover of 'Steppin' Stone' followed by top tenners in the groovy 'Groovy Train' and the Pachelbel-theft of 'All Together Now'.

 

But they were pretty awful really.

Edited by richie

The Farm weren't really around in the early 80s. They formed around 85 or so I think doing jazz funk and northern soul kinda stuff (?). They were so unpopular they had to create their own label to put out their records. Then they had a minor hit with their cover of 'Steppin' Stone' followed by top tenners in the groovy 'Groovy Train' and the Pachelbel-theft of 'All Together Now'.

 

But they were pretty awful really.

 

The Farm??? Absolutely fukkin' AWFUL band.... The only bad thing about the success of Happy Mondays and Stone Roses and the whole 'Madchester' explosion was that it allowed these fukkin' w/ankers to wedge their foot in the door before anyone could close it in time....

 

But you had to love Northside though, eh? ;)

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