SECRET AFFAIR/Mod Singles Collection: Available NOW!

SECRET AFFAIR

MOD SINGLES COLLECTION

AVAILABLE NOW

     "The Mod scene in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was and exciting movement in the UK.  Spearheaded by The Jam, the scene may not have lasted as long as it should have, but it left behind some amazing music.  From Squire and The Lambrettas to The Chords and Purple Hearts, the Mods played short and sweet guitar pop laced with hook-laden melodies and plenty of attitude.  One of the most consistent bands on the scene was Secret Affair.  Although they only recorded three albums during their brief time together, that was one or two more albums than most of their contemporaries.  And 30 years on, those albums still stand up today. Their singles, all of which are collected here, are some of the best Pop singles of the era and are still as exciting as the day they were released. 

     From “Time For Action” to “Lost In The Night (Mack The Knife)”, Secret Affair’s string of singles didn’t follow The Jam’s Who/Kinks influenced formula like many of the bands of the era. Instead, songwriters Ian Page and Dave Cairns created epic pop tunes that mixed edgy guitars with soaring melodies, Motown beats and plenty of self-confidence.  Their style was wholly unique and it’s difficult to detect a single influence in their sound: Secret Affair sounded like Secret Affair and no one else.  Every A-side they released remains a classic, although worthy of owning, their B-sides were not always as gratifying. 

     The Mod Singles Collection not only features their six singles (A’s and B’s), but also U.S. mixes of three of the singles (“My World” remains their finest moment, both in the original and U.S. mix), four tracks by Page and Cairns’ pre-Secret Affair band New Hearts and two songs recorded by the reunited Secret Affair. If you are a fan of the band, then this is an excellent addition to your collection.  For casual listeners, it’s a great reminder of the band’s sheer Pop genius. And for those who are intrigued, start here but you should also buy Captain Mod’s reissues of the band’s three albums.  That’s the only way to paint a complete picture of this under-rated band."-Stephen SPAZ Schnee/All Music Guide 

Limited edition MADNESS reissues on 10" vinyl!

CAPTAIN OI presents

Digitally remastered and expanded double 10" vinyl editions of the first three 

MADNESS

albums!!!

ONE STEP BEYOND

ABSOLUTELY

and

7

"HEY YOU!  DON'T READ THAT, READ THIS.....!"

 

One of the greatest labels ever, CAPTAIN OI, are reissuing the MADNESS back catalog on vinyl, my friends!  But these are not your ordinary twelve inch vinyl LP repressings, NO!   Captain Oi are stepping out and reissuing these titles as limited edition double 10" vinyl sets containing the entire albums plus select bonus tracks!  Not only are these going to be extremely rare.... they are going to be absolutely beautiful works of art that you can listen to and display on your favorite shelf!

Click HERE to read my overview of MADNESS on my previous Discussions blog post.

One Step Beyond was the band's 1979 debut album... and what an impact it made! Along with The Specials and The (English) Beat, Madness were one of the main players in the Ska/2-Tone movement that took the UK by storm at the tail end of the '70s.  While their debut single, "The Prince", was an homage to Jamaican Ska legend Prince Buster, One Step Beyond (the album) used Ska as a starting point and took off in several different directions. While hits like "One Step Beyond" and "Night Boat To Cairo" remain Ska classics, there are moments on the album that show that the band was already out-growing the genre. "Bed And Breakfast Man" is pure '60s influenced pop with no sign of Jamaican influences within earshot. "My Girl" is gorgeous pop that just happens to have a Ska beat. "In The Middle Of The Night" (about an underwear thief!) is a glorious throwback to British music hall wrestling with classic '60s pop.  Each and every song is a triumph as this young band tackles musical styles that artists twice their age would have difficulty attempting.  Not only is the album musically diverse, it's as fun as hell!  They don't call them Madness for nothing! Oh, and production from Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley is stunning and timeless.

Sides 1-3 feature all tracks from the original album while Side 4 contains a selection of non-album tracks!

Absolutely essential for music fans in general, but certainly more-so for Madness fans!

A year after their debut, Absolutely hit the streets in 1980.  While Ska was still part of their sound, Madness were not relying on one musical trend in order to get their musical point across.  Yes, they were still extremely fun, energetic and upbeat but the songs were even better than those on One Step Beyond! That debut album remains a classic, but Absolutely is damn near brilliant.  The band not only avoided the 'sophomore slump', they defied all expectations and became bona-fide Pop stars when all of their contemporaries were falling away, unable to break out of the Ska mould.  Absolutely is filled with great pop tunes that still sound exciting and timeless, due to top-notch songwriting and Langer & Winstanley's production.  Tracks like "Embarrassment", "E.R.N.I.E.", "Baggy Trousers" and "Disappear" are some of the band's finest cuts, but the whole album is filled with wonderful surprises.  Madness had successfully broken away from the shackles of Ska and created their own unique sound.  Madness had truly arrived.

Sides 1-3 feature all tracks from the original album while Side 4 contains a selection of non-album tracks!

Yes, absolutely essential. No pun intended.

While Madness were still the most fun you could have with your clothes on, their third album, 7, showed a side of the band that we had not seen before.  On the surface, the album contained their usual jovial and fun approach to music, yet, lyrically, it pointed in a far more somber direction. The single "Grey Day" was a dub-laden and lyrically depressing come-down after the party the band had on the first two albums... and it was brilliant. "Mrs. Hutchinson" deals with the impending death of a certain hospital patient. "Cardiac Arrest" describes a heart attack brought on by stress.  "Shut Up" is sung from the point of view of a career criminal caught in an uncompromising position.  Well, OK, so it may not be the 'woe is me' crap that Emo bands have given us in recent years, but for Madness, this was serious stuff.  That is not to say that the album isn't fun, because it is. "Benny Bullfrog" is a gem of a tune, no matter how close it gets to novelty.  More musically diverse than Absolutely, 7 is a stunning and mature album that this writer feels is one of their best albums, if not their best.  Ska fans were sorely disappointed by the lack of skanking tunes, but Madness had grown up and this albums remains a fantastic platter of Pop gems. Once again, Langer & Winstanley's production is flawless.  NOTE: While "It Must Be Love" was NOT included on the album, it was released as a single shortly after this album's release and can be found on the bonus disc.  One of their all-time finest singles, "It Must Be Love" was a brilliant re-invention of the classic Labi Sifre tune, succeeding on all levels.  In fact, many folks think it's a Madness original... and they definitely turn it into a song they can nearly claim as their own.

Sides 1-3 feature all tracks from the original album while Side 4 contains a selection of non-album tracks!

All I can say is "WOW!" This is a truly essential album. But it's Madness, so what did you expect?


You're welcome,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

PURPLE HEARTS/the Mod Singles Collection reveiw

PURPLE HEARTS were one of the most popular of the Mod bands that hit the British music scene in 1979 and 1980. The excellent Captain Mod label (an offshoot of Captain Oi) has just issued a collection of all the band's singles (A and B-sides) entitled The Mod Singles Collection.  This is what I had to say about it on All Music Guide.

"The Mod scene briefly took hold of the British (and, to a lesser extent, U.S.) music scene in 1979 in the wake of The Jam’s enormous success. When Weller and Co. released their third album, All Mod Cons, in 1978, it not only sent them straight up the charts, it also freed them from the Punk shackles that had weighed them down since the release of their debut album.
Because of the success of the album and the resurgence of Mod culture, labels began snapping up ‘60s-influenced acts like The Lambrettas, The Chords, The Jolt, Secret Affair, Squire and Purple Hearts. Of these main players, Purple Hearts were the least likely to succeed but it certainly wasn’t from lack of talent or ambition. With a Punk attitude and ‘60s Garage Rock influences, the band’s songs were less chart-friendly than their contemporaries and didn’t quite connect with the fickle public.
Signing to Fiction Records, the band released a handful of singles and one album in 1980 (Beat That!) before fading into the ether. They resurfaced briefly in ’82 and again in 1986 but fame and fortune proved to be elusive.
While not a great ‘album’ band, the Hearts sounded far more exciting on their singles, all of which are collected on this compilation (A and B-sides). The singles are joined here by three excellent 1981 demo recordings lifted from The Beat Generation & The Angry Young Men compilation.
Though Who and Kinks influences abound, the real meat of their sound is snotty Garage Rock, which really comes to the fore on tracks like “Frustration”, “Just To Please You”, “Plane Crash” and “Head On Collision Time”. On the other hand, the band’s pop smarts shine brightly on “Jimmy”, “My Life’s A Jigsaw” and “Friends Again” and all three of the bonus compilation tracks (‘I’ll Make You Mine”, “Concrete Mixer” and “Hazy Darkness”).
This 17 track collection showcases all of the band’s strengths, although I must admit that their version of “Scooby Doo” is the only obvious mis-step here. Released on Captain Oi’s excellent offshoot label, Captain Mod, the booklet contains informative liner notes, release information and reproductions of the picture sleeves.
Needless to say, The Mod Singles Collection is the best place to start your Purple Hearts collection."




Head On Spaz Time,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

RECORD STORE DAY 2009: An Editorial

If you happened to visit a record store on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 in honor of the 2nd annual RECORD STORE DAY, then THANK YOU! If you are a record store who participated, then THANK YOU! If you are a label that supported RECORD STORE DAY, then THANK YOU!

Though I almost missed the opportunity to support RECORD STORE DAY since I was attending the equally cool Fangoria Convention in Los Angeles, my buddy and I stopped at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Sunset in order to partake in the festivities. I was overwhelmed by the amount of folks in the store. If you've been to any of the Amoeba Music stores (Berkeley, San Francisco and Hollywood), you know that there are many folks trolling through the bins, searching for that special gem or just checking out the latest releases. But yesterday, the aisles at the Hollywood store were filled with music fans and the line for those who were waiting to buy their treasures extended all the way to the back of this big and beautiful store. It didn't hurt that I managed to catch Wendy & Lisa spinning a sexy, funky DJ set either! Ah, it made me feel so damn good.

I certainly wish that I'd saved some dinero, since there were so many items that I would have loved to purchase. I did manage to buy one title (although it cut into my week's lunch budget): the import digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of BUZZCOCKS' third album, A Different Kind Of Tension (my fave album by them). I almost cried because there were so many other things I truly NEED to add to my collection including the other two BUZZCOCKS reissues, almost everything CHERRY RED has released in the last year, great new releases I've heard in the office, some choice CAPTAIN OI titles missing from my collection and so many others.

But the build up to this day (and the day itself) really got me thinking: why only celebrate RECORD STORE DAY once per year? I mean, I do understand the idea behind it, the co-ordination, the organization, etc., but I want to celebrate RECORD STORE DAY every single day of the week/month/year. I'd settle for celebrating it every weekend if someone wants to set up a committee to organize it: you'll definitely have my support!! :)

I've been thinking an awful lot about record stores in general over the last few years. I remember getting together with friends 25 years ago and visitng every record store we were able to hit in a given amount of time, whether it was a Friday night trip to LA or a weekend trek to different parts of OC. Two and a half decades ago, there was so much on offer here in OC in regards to record stores: Music Market, Camel Records, Music Plus, Licorice Pizza, Record Trading Center, Pepperland, The Wherehouse, Beggars Banquet, Up Another Octave, Tower Records and many others that are swimming around in my memory banks. Of all those great spots, only Pepperland remains. The others disappeared over the years (and many of them long before downloading began replacing the shopping experience).

Now, I'm not one who is against the idea of legal downloading (I've done the odd track here and there myself), but at the end of the day, after you've paid your money, what do you have? NOTHING! There are files in your computer that seemingly play the music for you, but is that really enough? Can you hold it? Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you see it? You didn't buy anything tangible: there are nothing but files on your hard drive made up of numbers, letters and codes. Where is the fun in that? What kind of memories will that leave behind?

An imperfect (and slightly offensive) analogy would be: does internet porn REPLACE an intimate physical relationship with someone? I think not. It may enhance it, but it will never replace it. Same with music: how can someone possibly be satisfied with a download of an entire album when they can actually own a physical piece of product? As I stated before, I am NOT anti-downloading; I am pro-record store! I must admit that the internet IS a great place to LISTEN to new stuff and make your purchasing decisions, though.

In terms of buying your item, the ideal situation is to go to your local indie record store and buy it. If it's not in stock, then have them special order it. It may not be instant gratification, but within a few days, you'll have what you need and you will enjoy the heck out of it. You'll be able to hold it, look at it, listen to it, read the liner notes, etc. You can then load it into your computer and enjoy listening to it that way as well, but the important thing is that you own it. It is yours. It is something you can show to your friends. It is something physical... something REAL.

When I was younger, I spent as much time in local record stores as possible. After school... after work... and, when I got my first record store job, I spent quality record store time AT work! It was more than a hobby... it was an emotional experience that is hard to describe. There are those of us who LIVE for music. It's not just something that is played in the background: it is the soundtrack to our lives!

(About a decade ago, I came up with a motto that fits me to a T: "Some of my best friends are three minutes long"! And that still rings true.)

Even today at the age of 45, I listen to music in the morning, afternoon and evening. I write about music all day long. I still get together with friends on a regular basis and discuss music, play music and hear new music that they share with me. I'm not the only one like this: there are others! Perhaps even YOU! But are there places for all of us to meet anymore? The record store was (and is) more than just a place to spend money: it was a place to spend time, meet like-minded people and learn about new music (or even older releases you may have missed first time around).

There are still plenty of sports bars around for all the sports fans to gather and enjoy a game together and that is awesome. There are upscale coffee shops everywhere where folks can get together and be arty and pretentious, and that, too, is awesome.

But all the record stores I remember from my youth have closed down. It is up to US to support the ones that are still left standing. And if you visited one of them on RECORD STORE DAY, than THANK YOU again. Visit them again tomorrow... or next weekend, too! Perhaps the kids of today and tomorrow will one day realize that the record store experience is amazing indeed. It is up to US to show them the way.

P.S. After all these years, the same friends I used to go record shopping with 25 years ago are STILL my friends and I'd like to give a shout-out to them: Chuck, Jeff G, Jeff K, Jannette, Matthew, Kristin and many others.

Peace, love and pancakes,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee

The views and opinions expressed in this posting are strictly those of the author.