Flashback: The Summer of My Discontent, 2012 Edition

Prelude

It has been a while since my last post—over two months, in fact.

I had intended to continue the saga of the Summer of 1987 in my next post—but, alas, real life decided to intervene. (You are forewarned—this could be a long one…) Continue reading

Flashback: The Official Lenn Tapes—Japan Survival Series (Summer 1985)

A “Larger than life itself…”
Ringo Starr – “Oh My My” (Apple)
Rod Stewart – “Dock of the Bay” (from Motown Returns to the Apollo)
Go West – “Call Me” (Chrysalis)
The Human League – “Fascination (extended remix)” (A&M)
The Style Council – “The Lodgers (or She Was Only a Shopkeeper’s Daughter)” (Polydor)
Phil Collins – “Don’t Lose My Number” (Atlantic)
Donna Summer – “I Feel Love” (Casablanca)
Elton John – “Your Starter For…” (MCA)
Stevie Wonder & George Michael – “Love’s in Need of Love Today” (from Motown Returns to the Apollo)
Kajagoogoo – “Too Shy (Midnight mix)” (EMI)
Apollonia 6 – “Sex Shooter” (the only performance in Purple Rain that isn’t interrupted by dialogue or cutaways) (Warner Bros.)

B “A 2 x 4’ll do it…”
The Style Council – “Shout to the Top!” (Polydor)
Paul Young – “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” (CBS)
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas? (12″ version)” (Columbia)
Thomas Dolby – “The Search for Truth” (the first 30 seconds or so of one of the “Dissidents” remixes played at 33-1/3 rpm instead of at 45) (EMI)
Go West – “Goodbye Girl” (Chrysalis)
The Jam – “Absolute Beginners” (Polydor)
Elton John – “Philadelphia Freedom” (from The Superior Sound of Elton John 1971-75) (DJM)
Spandau Ballet – “Lifeline” (Chrysalis)
Earth, Wind & Fire – “Touch” (Columbia)
John Lennon – “Ya Ya” (Apple)
The Style Council – “Council Meetin’” (Polydor)

“It’s a keeper…” Continue reading

Flashback: 1987 (Part 2)

The 24th Birthday State of Mind Tapes
March 16, 1987

Part 1:
A
David Sylvian – “Gone To Earth” (Virgin)
Kate Bush – “Running Up That Hill” (EMI)
The Style Council – “My Ever Changing Moods” (Polydor)
Joe Jackson – “The Verdict” (A&M)
Prince – “Sometimes it Snows in April” (Paisley Park)
Ryuichi Sakamoto – “Ballet Mécanique” (School/Midi)
Supertramp – “The Logical Song” (A&M)
Simply Red – “Holding Back the Years” (Elektra)
David Sylvian – “The Healing Place” (Virgin)
The Style Council – “Blue Café” (Polydor)

B
Robbie Nevil – “C’est La Vie” (EMI Manhattan)
The Style Council – “(When You) Call Me” (Polydor)
Boz Scaggs – “Hard Times” (Columbia)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “Tokyo Storm Warning” (Columbia)
Japan – “Oil On Canvas” (Virgin)
David Sylvian – “Nostalgia” (Virgin)
Jimmy Buffett – “Wonder Why We Ever Go Home” (live) (ABC)
Koji Ueno – “Adagietto (remix)” (¥EN)
Epo – “Harmony” (Dear Heart/Midi)
David Sylvian – “Upon This Earth” (Virgin)

Part 2:
A
Ike & Tina Turner – “Nutbush City Limits” (United Artists)
Rachel Sweet – “B-A-B-Y” (Stiff/Epic)
Rachel Sweet – “Who Does Lisa Like?” (Stiff/Epic)
Mick Karn – “Buoy” (featuring David Sylvian) (Virgin)
John Lennon – “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” (Apple)
John Lennon – “Mind Games” (Apple)
John Lennon – “#9 Dream” (Apple)
Elton John – “Roy Rogers” (MCA)
Thomas Dolby – “Weightless” (EMI)
Plastics – “Diamond Head” (Island)
Joe Jackson – “You Can’t Get What You Want (Til You Know What You Want)” (A&M)
Nick Heyward – “Whistle Down the Wind” (Arista)

B
Elvis Costello – “Hoover Factory” (Columbia)
Wynton Marsalis – “Melancholia” (Coumbia)
Culture Club – “Time (Clock of the Heart)” (Virgin/Epic)
The Style Council – “It Didn’t Matter” (Polydor)
Sade – “Punch Drunk” (Epic)
Supertramp – “Just Another Nervous Wreck” (A&M)
Warren Zevon – “Ain’t That Pretty At All” (Asylum)
Japan – “Sometimes I Feel So Low” (Hansa)
The Art of Noise – “Love” (ZTT)
David Sylvian – “Silver Moon” (Virgin)
David Sylvian – “Where the Railroad Meets the Sea” (Virgin) Continue reading

Flashback: 1987 (Interlude)

The Beatles

  • Please Please Me  CDP 7 46435 2
  • With the Beatles  CDP 7 46436 2
  • A Hard Day’s Night  CDP 7 46437 2
  • Beatles for Sale  CDP 7 46438 2
  • Help!  CDP 7 46439 2
  • Rubber Soul  CDP 7 46440 2
  • Revolver  CDP 7 46441 2
  • Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band  CDP 7 46442 2

all Parlophone
1987 Continue reading

Flashback: 1987 (Part 1)

Prince – “Sign “☮” the Times”*
Paisley Park 0-20648 (12-inch single)
1987

U2 – The Joshua Tree
Island 7 90581-2 (CD)
1987

Amidst all the anxiety and pathos swirling around inside my head, these two records were released. Prince’s new single, “Sign “☮” the Times”, came out in February (the album of the same name wouldn’t hit the shops until the end of March); The Joshua Tree came out in March, one week before my birthday. Continue reading

Flashback: Elton John—Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Part 2)

Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
MCA MCA2-10003 (double LP)
1973

Since I bought this album in the spring of 1974, a couple of the things I remember about the time are lots of sunny days, and the introduction of Mr. Pibb, Coca-Cola’s Dr. Pepper wannabe soda. Continue reading

Flashback: David Bowie—Pin-Ups (8-track edition)

Because I haven’t posted anything new for a couple of years now, I’m going to delete my other blog (The Lifelong Mixtape) soon. I don’t want to lose everything, though, so I’m going to re-post some of the entries here. First up: my reminiscences around David Bowie’s 1973 album Pin-Ups. Continue reading