Choo Choo Train - Supersonic Pure Pop Sounds (WTS Popkid No.10)

 

The American pop tradition was and still is protected by Ric Menck, its original flame keeper. Best known as the drummer for the cult power pop band Velvet Crush, Ric has also released countless singles under various names, including indie pop darlings The Springfields and Choo Choo Train, for legendary labels such as Sarah and The Subway Organisation. Along with his long-time partner in crime, Paul Chastain, he is the quintessential manufacturer of modern US pop nuggets. I mean, whenever a copy of Ugly Things magazine lands on my doorstep, I read Ric's column first. He's the one who first got me into Big Star, and he's the one who made me think differently about 60s psychedelic pop. Before I'd even heard it, I used to hate this genre, thinking it was just hippie nonsense. What a moron I was! So, as you probably imagined Ric's a very important figure to me, just like Greg Prevost or Bobby Gillespie.

Menck formed Choo Choo Train with Chastain in the late '80s and with a tiny budget (a $500 loan from a good friend) they recorded most of these compilation's songs. These tunes are now highly regarded (and rightly so) as a cornerstone of late '80s Powerpop and Indie Pop! I can still clearly remember the first time I heard 'Briar Rose', I was completely floored... It was half "Pet Sounds"-era Beach Boys and half 'Sally Cinnamon'-era Stone Roses! Future generations of Lenny Kayes will be amazed when they compile it. 

If someone were to ask me why I created this compilation when similar ones are already available officially, I would simply say that the reason is that they don't include everything! I put together this collection as a love letter to the Menck/Chastain songwriting partnership and I believe it contains all the material that this underrated yet astonishing duo released under that name (including singles, b-sides, EPs, stray or flexi tracks etc). The sleeve was also designed using elements from their singles artwork and fanzine pieces about them.

Listening to the songs in the chronological order they were released is a constant exploration of pop culture. Monsters from the '60s coexist with their '70s and '80s counterparts. Syd Barrett with Alex Chilton, Brian Wilson with Paul Collins, and the Left Banke with New Order! Man, there's also a live rendition of an Iggy Pop track from his still underrated "Party" album! 

Anyway, if you're into Anglophile, tambourine-heavy, Byrdsian psychedelic pop with ringing guitars and sugary harmonies, here's your fix. 

Various Artists - Get Happy: Indie and Jangle Psychedelic Pop from the 80s Underground (WTS Popkid No.9)

I have always thought of the C86/indie pop scene as punk's softer, more delicate offspring. Both shared a DIY attitude, making their own rules and not caring what others might think. They printed their own fanzines, recorded their music (sometimes primitively/lo-fi) and most importantly, released it themselves. And the women who participated weren't just there for eye candy... It looks punk rock to me for sure. 

The term 'C86' was first coined by the legendary Brit newspaper, NME, for its eponymous 1986 cassette compilation, created to showcase new bands from the thriving underground pop scenes in England and Scotland. The term not only describes the groups' jangly, overblown sound, but also the shambling and emotionally fickle mentality behind it. I know it's hard now to imagine how a simple mail order tape could become such a controversial document but that's exactly what happened. 

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Jangle pop wasn't just a British phenomenon, nor did it emerge out of nowhere. The US made a significant contribution to this sound, with bands such as those in the Paisley Underground scene and some of the early '80s garage revivalists showcasing their milder side. Gene Clark-era Byrds and Big Star were genuinely worshipped on both sides of the Atlantic (along with Velvet Underground of course). As with their punk rock forefathers, another crucial element of their sound was their admiration for the Nuggets garage outfits. 

I'm not here to recount the whole story, which is rather long and has given rise to many subgenres (such as twee pop, dream pop, noise pop, chamber pop etc). Nor am I trying to create an authentic indie pop treasury. There are myriad around the market who hold the genre in higher esteem. My goal is to provide you with a compilation of jangle and indie pop songs from that period which draw heavily on '60s garage and psychedelic sounds. Some of the bands you'll hear didn't stick to indie pop and proved to be adventurous. Some were never indie or jangle pop to begin with but recorded a few songs in that style and finally, a few others, though they remained true to their roots, never hid the fact that deep down they were mod rockers with more sensibilities than they would have liked. 

Here you’ll find bands and songs from all the iconic labels of the era: Sarah, Flying Nun, Creation, Subway Organization and Lazy, to name a few. There are well-known tracks such as 'Just Like Honey' by the Jesus and Mary Chain with the legendary Ronettes-like intro, as well as b-sides that should have been on the other side, such as 'On the Hill' by House of Love featuring Andrea Heukamp's wonderful, Nico-esque vocals. There's also a lost track by the Stone Roses that never made it past the demo stage for a strange reason (it would easily have fit on their debut album and stood out!). The moment when Reni and Ian Brown sing a cappella is electrifying, especially for a rehearsal performance! 

There's the head honcho band of Creation Records, Biff Bang Pow, who should have been bigger. Then there's the embryonic and cutesy at this stage Primal Scream, my beloved Razorcuts, who took their name from Buzzcocks and sounded like if the Prisoners were trying to play the Beau Brummels and the one-offs The Clouds, who issued just a single with three fairly killer songs (and a young Teenage Fanclub member on their roster). There's also The Springfields, a short-lived but highly influential American indie pop bunch who were the first foreign group to release a single for Sarah Records and was led by Ric Menck and Paul Chastain, who would later find fame with the Velvet Crush. Or The Nashville Ramblers, whose members were previously involved in well-known San Diego garage punk bands such as The Crawdaddys, The Gravedigger Five and Mystery Machine. There are tons, anyway, of well-known and lesser-known bands that you should definitely search for if you're not already familiar with them and If I had the time, I could write a thick booklet about them. Have a look at the list below and I'm sure you'll get what I mean...

The cover I designed, the title of this comp and the overall aesthetic are a blatant rip-off of the fanzines of that period and scene (Are You Scared to Get Happy, Woosh, The Fine Art of Shoplifting, etc). 

As always, all the tracks have been ripped or taken from the best possible sources, for your listening pleasure. Over an hour and forty minutes of Rickenbackers doing the Pop!

1. Someone Stole My Wheels - Biff Bang Pow
2. Solace - The Sea Urchins
3. All Fall Down - Primal Scream
4. Turn It Around - Mod Fun
5. Get Out Of My Dream - The Clouds
6. Tomorrow's Time Today - The Reactions
7. Kim The Waitress - The Green Pajamas
8. Thru The Flowers (Single Version) - The Primitives
9. Just Like Honey - The Jesus and Mary Chain
10. Secret Goldfish - Baby Lemonade
11. Sunflower - The Springfields
12. The Last Picture Show - Razorcuts
13. Love Is Blue - Hangman's Beautiful Daughters
14. Sun Still Shines (Demo) - The Stone Roses
15. The Trains - The Nashville Ramblers
16. Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh
17. Million Tears - The Pastels
18. Strawberries Are Growing in My Garden (And It's Wintertime) - The Dentists
19. In Love In Too - The Three O'Clock
20. Changing Every Day - The Nuthins
21. You Opened Up My Eyes - Fat Tulips
22. On The Hill - House of Love
23. Rolling Moon - The Chills
24. Sad Eyes Kill - Rain Parade
25. Kiss The Eclipse - My Bloody Valentine
26. Emma's House - The Field Mice
27. Honeypearl - The Summer Suns
28. In The Afternoon - Revolving Paint Dream
29. Heaven Sent Me an Angel- The Times
30. My Favourite Wet Wednesday Afternoon (Live BBC) - The Siddeleys
31. Back Between Places - East Village
32. It's Over - The Things

The Beach Boys - Ma SMiLE (WTS Popkid No.8)

 

Never ever trust the so-called "rock critics". They’re idiots, clueless, self-centered (I'm talking about the older ones who were worth their salt - today's are unworthy of any further mention) and all they care about is pushing the stuff for the right amount. I'm writing all this as a review junkie of sort (isn't human existence a contradiction anyway?). In the pre-Napster, Limewire, Soulseek etc days, "Smiley Smile" was the most tangible thing anyone had and the closest to the legendary and aborded "SMiLE". And many of those wankers had smashed it. Today and by having listened to countless bootlegs of every quality, countless remixes (some by fans I dare say are particularly imaginative), as well as the official release of the sessions and Brian Wilson's reinterpretation without the Beach Boys, I consider "Smiley Smile" a near-masterpiece! In some cases I find the songs creepier and weirder, which I think is a cool thing for a pop record. 

I was sitting the other day doing nothing, just fooling around the net and came across a debate about "SMiLE" and "Smiley Smile". Honestly, I enjoy those clashes as much as any classic battle in football (or soccer, for my US readers). Then I thought it would be interesting, if not a good idea, to try rebuilding an album containing recordings from both officially released issues. And so I did! It was much easier than I thought it would be. In fact, I spent more time designing the cover for this one because I already had a clear idea of what I wanted in. So here's a mixture of brilliant peculiarities ("Smiley Smile") and the stunning and intricate production that Brian was working on before it became too overwhelming for him ("SMiLE Sessions"). 

PS: I believe the "20/20'"versions of 'Our Prayer' and 'Cabin Essence' are better, but then again this one began as a dispute over two albums.

The Raveonettes - Rave On (WTS Popkid No.7)

 

The Raveonettes sound ingredients: '50s rock'n'roll, Jesus and Mary Chain's noise pop, Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, The Everly Brothers' harmonies, Buddy Holly's ghost and Velvet Underground's dark, a little bit of C86 jangle just for spice and the '90s love for electronica of Primal Scream. Now, mix all these elements together with cult noir movies and '70s VHS wild b-movie erotica. This Danish duo certainly look like they could have come straight out of the Andy Warhol Factory, don't they? Have you ever pondered what the outcome might have been if Sonic Youth had been a Cramps tribute band or if The Ronettes had been the singers for Suicide? I suppose you can already see where this is going...

Following the huge success of 'Love in a Trashcan', The Raveonettes could have repeated the formula that brought them fame and fortune without losing their charm. However, they chose to delve even deeper into their darkness, continuing to produce small masterpieces to this day. Rather than stealing glances backwards, they pick up where they left off. Even when tragedy struck. (Sune Rose Wagner was in a long-term relationship with the late American fashion designer, Katie Gallagher. Gallagher was found dead in her Manhattan apartment in July 2022, just one day before Wagner's 50th birthday. Since then, Wagner has spoken publicly about the trauma of her loss.) As Samuel Beckett said, "I can't go on, I'll go on".

Like usual, here's an unofficial compilation of what I think are their best compositions and recordings, which, as far as I know doesn't exist in any form, especially with these songs.

Jubilee - Genuine Nineties Manchester Snot Pop (WTS Popkid No.6)

               

Alright! I'm obviously in a 90s mood and I guess this is something every middle-aged man goes through as he rediscovers and re-embraces his memories of the parties, the booze, the girls, the music, the past glories in general. Judging by the comments and visits, this blog's fanbase mainly like their music from other decades, but I don't really care. If you're smart enough, just listen to what I'm offering - you won't be disappointed!

Formed in 1994, Jubilee were a popular live act in Manchester, regularly packing out venues across the city. Managed by former Hacienda and Stone Roses manager Howard Jones, they were local superstars and championed by the music press as Manchester’s answer to more popular britpop bands such as Supergrass with influences ranging from the Small Faces and the Sham 69 to Syd era Pink Floyd and of course, the Stone Roses (in fact, the pair of main tracks on their singles were much more reminiscent of Oasis' punkier tunes, such as 'Bring It On Down'). Jubilee's snot pop sound proved very popular with the city's student population and Silverstone Records signed them in 1995. Both of their EPs are issued by Mono subsidiary and both releases scraped the Top 50 in 1996. 

Conflicts soon arose within the management, with the band becoming disillusioned with Jones after he pushed Andy Couzens (his collaborator and former member of the Stone Roses) to produce their first single. The band was upset with the end result and the fact that Jones had let an inexperienced producer to work on their record. Typical stuff I guess. Jubilee decided not to provide Silvertone with any more recordings, considering that the record company had not fulfilled its contractual obligations and that there had been insufficient promotion of their second and last move with 'Shake and Shiver'. Jubilee and Silvertone parted ways in 1997 amid bitterness and bad blood. Although they continued to play for a year, the momentum had clearly been lost. As you already have guessed, here you’ll find their two releases for Mono. 

The band is now considered as a junkshop britpop act but believe me they had much more to offer than mediocre outfits that were relatively or hugely successful, such as Menswear or the Bluetones.

Five Thirty - EPs (WTS Popkid No.5)

 

As I have written many times before, I grew up in the '90s. Specifically, in 1990, I started middle school and was 12 years old. Although I tried to keep up with all the latest releases, it was very difficult in the pre-internet era unless you lived in a big city with specific radio stations and imported magazines and newspapers. Nevertheless, I presented my own radio show through which I tried to introduce as many people as possible to the music I thought was the 'best'. I clearly remember being very hostile towards dance music, especially techno (although that changed rather swiftly when 'Screamadelica' landed). I was completely immersed in '70s punk rock, and my life had just been transformed by discovering The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.

It was only much later that I discovered those 5:30 guys. I was all about Cool Britannia and Britpop, and when that scene came to an end, I was anxious to unearth hidden gems or forgotten jewels from that era. And, of course, this came through fanzines. I remember there being an indie record store in Athens dedicated to British music. Sometimes imported fanzines were displayed on its shelves as well, so I grabbed them. Alongside bands such as Studio 68!, the Aardvarks and the Stairs, Five Thirty combined the '60s garage punk that I had discovered only a few years earlier through bands like the Lyres and the Chesterfield Kings with the sounds of the Jam, the Small Faces, the Who and even the Stone Roses! Before these bands, I thought 'mod' meant looking casual. Of course, I used to wear Adidas trainers, Levi's jeans and football shirts. Actually, I still do.

Anyway...

5:30's sole album ('Bed') is a true lost classic. It sits comfortably alongside other UK and US albums that went massive, yet has bizarrely received no recognition from the crowd. The same was true of all the EPs that were released (remember those 12-inch records with their superb sound?). Their first material was dated in the mid/late '80s, but returned in 1991 as a mod and psych-influenced band wearing suits, striped trousers and Chelsea boots. Five Thirty's music was tough, gritty and rockin', yet highly melodic. They favoured a punky, edgy pre-Britpop/snot power pop sound with lots of the era Madchester influences and a gifted arsenal of two frontmen/songwriters plus a drummer as good as Keith Moon. Three years before Oasis, they exuded a rock’n’roll arrogance that rubbed people the wrong way and perhaps they were too mod for the times (mind you Paul Weller was still label-less back then). With their sharp edges and sub three minute songs, this band was clearly at odds with the early '90s shoegaze sound of their hometown (Oxford). In fact, they predated acts such as These Animal Men and S*M*A*S*H, who are often cited as the forerunners of Oasis/Supergrass/Manic Street Preachers/Libertines kind of supercharged pop and rock'n'roll.

I think you've got the idea - I won't bore you with more details. All their 'singles' (actually EPs) have been gathered here, along with some bonuses from recent reissues. 

PS: Don't be fooled by the awful production of this era on the mid-80s, third league, teenage punk debut that starts this compilation. By the time they re-emerged in the '90s, this band had exploded like a supernova.

The Lost Minds - Jerky Motions: Complete 1995-96 (WTS Popkid No.4)

Emerging from the ashes of the legendary Bogeymen, the Lost Minds have picked up where the Creeps of the 'Now Dig This' era (or perhaps the Prime Movers' debut) left off. They only released three records for the long-established garage mod label Detour: two singles and a full-length album. I remember reading reviews at the time recommending them to fans of Ocean Colour Scene or Paul Weller, but that wasn't really the case. These former garage punks had updated their sound to be more soulful, mod -beat and Hammond-driven, in a way that The Prisoners or the JTQ had previously done. And Laurent Bauer had a prodigious voice, typically associated with white (trash?) soul singers in the tradition of Robert Jelinek and Graham Day.

In my opinion, the comparison with the aforementioned Creeps is very apt. There are definitely more similarities with The Small Faces than with The Who during this period, particularly with regard to their Bogeymen days. Expect crunchy, organ-heavy grooves, foot-stomping tunes with funky strummed guitar and a soulful rhythm section eager to outdo the other instruments.

Beady Eye - Complete 7Inches (WTS Popkid No.3)

Beady Eye was often dismissed as Oasis 2.0, whatever that means, but they were much more than that. Of course they sounded like Oasis minus Noel, because that's what they were (duh!). People expected that, and there are plenty of things to be snobby about just to seem hip or sophisticated to a certain crowd, but nobody actually gives a fuck. You know why? Because, just like The Faces, Slade or The Ramones, Beady Eye (or Oasis, for that matter) was always a people's band. There were no pretentious assholes, just an old-school rock 'n' roll gang with a warmth that knicked whatever they liked, just like their heroes did. So fuck you very much if you came that far!

Their reception among critics and the "indie" mob was, at best, sceptical. Their records just weren't good enough for them. I don't know what they were thinking and to be honest to this day I'm typing these lines, I don't care. Because you don't buy into Beady Eye for the groundbreaking stuff, mate. I mean, take a closer look at them. Their artwork and aesthetic were massively influenced by the Immediate Records and the whole Swinging London scene. I have always been captivated by their connoisseur, characterised by that mod-style dressing with flashy shirts and scarves, not to mention the incredible jackets, reminiscent of those worn by The Creation, The Birds and any other mid-to-late sixties freakbeat band worth their salt, along of course with those iconic Beatles hairdos from the "Rubber Soul" era. 

As for the songs, you can clearly hear the influence from The Beatles and The Who to the early Humble Pie or Status Quo at their most hooligan and pub rowdy. Even when they tried to adopt a more adventurous and psychedelic approach, on their second and last step "BE" incorporating the motorik Velvets rhythms (and some Stooges like one note piano), they were still able to produce some seriously good music when they were in the mood for it. 

So, if there's one thing I can be sure about, it's that Beady Eye were definitely a singles kind of band. Thinking of this, I gathered all their seven-inch singles, even the Pretty Green super rare remixes two-sider and after a LONG hiatus, I played them all again on my earphones and I'm telling you guys and gals that I haven't been able to listen to another band for two days in a row now. 

Anyway, I always thought they were great and didn't deserve to fail so badly or having such a bad mouthing. Beady Eye was rock 'n' roll at its best, in a time real rock'n'roll was/is under most people's radar and definitely underground. There's none of that mainstream stuff, no anthemic choruses, and it's kind of raw — at least by Oasis standards. And when the songs were good, they were fuckin' brilliant! And oh, at least had an identity. After all, you can't take the opinions and criticism of people who thought their haircuts weren't cool seriously. They're clueless and have no connection to rock 'n' roll or its history. Right? RIGHT!

Primal Scream - Kill All Hippies (WTS Popkid No.2)

 

Once upon a time, Kris Kristofferson sat down and wrote "Me and Bobby McGee". My younger self would not have appreciated the reference, by the way. Punk rock put me through a fanatically anti-hippie phase, and this is something that I admit has not yet gone away. Could this humble blog post paraphrase this classic song as "Me and Bobby G"? After all, Primal Scream was a mainstay of my music diet since I left my parents' record collection to find my own way. Back when the internet was still the stuff of a sci-fi writer's imagination, I obviously didn't have the knowledge I have now. I grew up just by listening to a band that sounded like the Byrds at first and then like the MC5 and the Stones, and I had no problem with that. Even their acid house delirium seemed fantastic to me!

I now know though that Bobby Gillespie and I have a lot in common — more than I once thought. We both come from working-class families and our parents instilled in us a sense of political awareness, Marxism and pride in our social background. We are still fanatical supporters of the football clubs we grew up with and we love the music, books and films that shaped us as individuals with the same passion. Although Bobby is a little older than me, he is just as fanatical about rock 'n' roll mythology as I am. I imagine he still spends his money on records and books, just like he did back then — and just like I do.

We are also different in (many) other ways. He is the leader of one of the greatest British bands the last 40 years, while I am a network engineer doing nothing that interesting. He used to be the drummer in the most influential band of his generation, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and I am still a network administrator. An when I'm bored and have a little free time, I sit down and write little stories on my blog that probably no one cares about. OK I also share some knowledge and geekiness about the subcultures that shaped us and music that companies normally shouldn't chase. But we live in a capitalist society, so at least we know what to expect.

So, as my typical habits dictated, I wanted to make a compilation to transfer to my iPod for my summer vacation. I wanted it to contain a mix of well-known and obscure tracks. So I did just that and the more I listened to that selection, the more confident I became that this is perhaps the best collection of Primal Scream songs ever compiled by someone (the little devil on my shoulder tells me to relax, but I won't). Companies always concentrated on singles and greatest hits material, but I strongly believe that this one has everything for both newcomers and Primal Scream aficionados.

I then thought, "What's to stop me sharing it in my usual socialist way?" And here it is!

The Charlatans - The Early Singles: 1989-1994 (WTS Popkid No.1)

Let's go back to the 90s, when I was entering adolescence and taking my first steps beyond the Beatles and Elvis. That's when you start listening to other things besides what's in your parents' record collection (and mine didn't have much, they were mainly fans of the Greek new wave and obviously of Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis) and you unwittingly start getting into subcultures without knowing it, adopting their dresscode, hairstyles and behaviors.

The radio played mostly Greek music-let's say a good 90% of it, which made the whole endeavor even more difficult. Of the remaining 10%, 9% was mainstream nonsense. Those were difficult times. Until the indie scene boom came to MTV, we were literally living in a desert. The fanzines and clubs of Athens were two hours away from where I grew up, and it took me a few years to go there to study.

So, apart from what I've already written, the first song that blew my mind was 'The Only One I Know' by The Charlatans. I first heard it at a local disco at a dance held by my school. I don't know if the DJ was just playing whatever was a hit or if he knew what he was doing and managed to slip this into the programme, but either way, it did the job. The Hammond organ stuck in my mind. The vocals were unlike anything I had ever heard before: ethereal and carefree. I just started dancing in pure euphoria.

To cut a long story short, I came across that song again and finally found out what it was and who sang it while I was tuning in to one or two radio stations in Athens that played 'different' kind of music one weekend when I was visiting my grandmother. That's where I caught the virus. To this day, I still consider The Charlatans to be one of my favourite bands. Outsiders and survivors of any music trend of the industry. Baggy, Britpop, you name it.

Their early years, of course, still hold a special place in my heart. The way they married dance rhythms played by non electronic organs and 60s sounds are still unbeatable. Don't get me wrong; I love most of the Inspiral Carpets and like-minded bands, and I have them in my record collection, but the Charlatans did it better. Their neo-psychedelic, maddening drumbeat and the crazed Hammond pays tribute to both ? & The Mysterians and Deep Purple Mk1. It's no surprise that they were fans of The Prisoners.

I have collected all of their singles and EPs, along with all of the B-sides, from their early days until they changed direction while retaining their significance. At first, I had thought about including the demos too, but I decided that the musical journey is already long enough for those of you who decide to follow it.

Much love and respect to Rob Collins, Jon Brooks and all the surviving members who are continuing the legacy.