Embrace

These guys were probably one of the first bands that I got a bit more involved with. I first got into them about the time when they released their first single 'All You Good Good People' on Fierce Panda and I saw them as part of what I think was the NME Carling Premier tour in 1997 (which possibly had the Longpigs and Travis on the bill).

Anyway, I thought they were great and at the time I was doing my PhD in Bristol and was spending a lot of time working with computers and this was when I first got into using the internet. I eventually started to put together what turned out to be (I believe) the very first Embrace fansite just about the time when the other McNamara brother J was putting together the first official site. It was nothing special but it got a lot of attention including (from what I remember) a mention in Q magazine! It was a great time and there was a nice small community using the web in its early days and I had great fun updating the website. The first proper release was the Fireworks EP and it was absolutely amazing. A couple more singles and then an album 'The Good Will Out' followed on from that and with every release they set their sights high (to steal from one of their lyrics). I really loved the slow, acoustic ballads but they could do massive torch songs too which were quite wonderful.

After leaving Uni I didn't keep up the website but I kept listenig and buynig the music although in my eyes (and ears) nothing quite matched that first album. They've now released five albums and I think the last one 'This New Day' was a real return to form. The band's official website is well put together but what slightly disappointed me when researching some facts for this piece is how poor the quality of fansites is out their for the band.

For more information:
Embrace on Wikipedia
The Official Embrace Website

Essential Listening:
The Good Will Out
Fireworks: The Singles 1997 - 2002

The changing face of the music business

Two announcements today have probably made people sit up and take notice of the changing times that the music business is going through. First there was the announcement that The Charlatans' next album (due out next year) will be available to download for free from the XFM website. Then the biggest news of the day is that the new Radiohead album, called 'In Rainbows' (not sure about that one yet lads), will be released next week (10th October) and only available via the WASTE website. Not only will it be download only for the moment, but there will also be a physical version available later in the year (with a second CD of songs, the album in heavyweight vinyl and some stunning artwork from Mr Donwood) but then you can also decide how much you want to pay for the download!!!!
Now thats a radical move - nice one Radiohead. I can certainly see where they are coming from. A comment from Alan McGee (who is apparently manager of the Charlie Twins these days) "The band will get paid by more people coming to gigs, buying merchandise, publishing and sync fees. I believe it's the future business model".
Is the whole industry starting to change? I am sure a lot of music biz types will have their eyes/ears open waiting to see what happens.


How nice is the packaging for the special edition of 'In Rainbows'

The Wonder Stuff

Ah yes, The Stuffies. I only ever saw them live once at the Brixton Academy in 1990 which according to Room512.com was on the 21st August (I know that mainly because Janes Addiction were in support and had replaced the Ned's from the support slot for which I was pissed off with them and then they were totally c&*p anyway).
I first heard '8 Legged Groove Machine' on a tape I got from a friend at school which had 'The Stone Roses' on the other side - I wasn't sure about the Roses at the time. They soon became my favourite band of my school days and they provided some wonderful albums. I remember now getting 'Hup' on its first day of release and I also bought Jesus Jones' debut album the same day. What I think I liked best was the attitude from Miles Hunt and then also the pop songs with catchy lyrics and especially the fiddle parts from 'Fiddly' from 'Elvis' onwards.
At Uni when I first got into using the internet and email I was part of The Stuffies email list and managed to get hold of some great rare stuff, unfortunately most of which is now on tape and I don't have a way of playing. One of the best tapes came from Russ Hunt (Miles' Brother) who produced a tape with solo stuff and various rare tracks - thanks Russ if you happen to come across this.



I was thinking about what sort of things I wanted to put on this page and I settled on three songs. Firstly there's an early track from the 'Eight Legged Groove Machine' LP and then one of my absolute favourites 'Sing The Absurb' which is from the 'Construction For The Modern Idiot' album (their last proper album before the first ending of the band). In this acoustic radio performance from the 'Love Bites & Bruises' album its perhaps their finest moment in my eyes. In the same acoustic mode 'Can't Shape Up, Again' is the companion piece to 'Can't Shape Up' from 'Hup' and works great if you play the first followed by the second. Then finally 'Just Helicopters' which was a B-sides on the 'Hot Love Now' E.P. collection and one of their best later tunes.
Enjoy.

For more information:
The Wonder Stuff on Wikipedia
Room 512 - An Unofficial Wonderstuff Fansite

Essential Listening:
Never Loved Elvis
Love Bites & Bruises

Thousand Yard Stare

Thousand Yard Stare were probably the biggest local band around when I was growing up in Windsor. I think I first heard about them listening to Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London (or whatever it was called at the time). He had a show on Sunday afternoons and I used to try and do my homework listening to the latest music that you couldn't really hear anywhere else. TYS were a band based in Slough and as the biggest local music venue was the Old Trout they made the trip over to Windsor on a fairly regular basis. I can't remember exactly when I first saw them live but I have got a feeling it was Christmas 1990 (referring to the aforementioned Old Trout website). Their first E.P. was released earlier that year and had got a lot of attention with the lead track Weatherwatching. They then went on to release the Keepsake E.P. with lead track Buttermouth the following year. The big time (if there was ever a big time) came with their next release (the Seasonstream E.P.) with lead track No Score After Extra Time (or 0-0 a.e.t. as its also known). A classic piece of pop with a little help from Martin 'Fiddly' Bell from The Wonderstuff (I will definitely write something about them in the future). 0-0 a.e.t. even made it into the charts and on to many pages of the NME and the like.

Debut album 'Hands On' followed which I have just this week got from ebay in order to replace my original vinyl version. The most memorable gigs I remember are probably the two biggest that they played. Firstly there was the scorching hot afternoon at Glastonbury in 1992 where they were on the second stage and I seem to remember the small but excited crowd down the front going mad to all their greatest songs and then there was perhaps their biggest gig at what turned out to remembered at the 'Shoegazing Festival' - Slough Festival in Wexham Park July 1991 (according to a quick Google search). As the name suggested the rest of the line up included all the bands from that particular genre of music (including a wonderful headline set from Ride) but ofcourse as a homecoming gig it was always going to be the big one for TYS.

A second album 'Mappamundi' followed but TYS never really managed to continue their success and disappeared in 1993.

I'd like to say thanks to Stephen, Sean, Dominic, Giles and Kevin wherever you are these days. It was a great time of my musical life that I look back on with much pleasure.


For further information:
Thousand Yard Stare on Wikipedia
Whatever happened to..... TYS

Essential Listening:
Hands On

Ah well....

Ah well, my grand plans for writign a regular blog go up in smoke right from the off. I'll keep at it though and try to post a few musings every now and again and include some rare slices of music that mainly appear to be missing (or hidden) on the web. Lets give it another go.

In the beginning...

I thought I'd start with the reason for the name of this blog. Well once upon a time I grew up in Windsor and in my youth there was one big influence on my musical development and that was the Old Trout (now turned into a Brown's) which hosted some seminal gigs by local and more famous bands (more of later.....). Called the Psykick (sic) Dance Hall it also hosted a few indie disco's which were latterly called Psykick Dance Nights but I'm pretty sure they started out life as Disclocation with DJ's Sean and Steve from local indie heroes 'Thousand Yard Stare' (again, more of them in a later posting). So this is my tribute to that era and of all the music I've enjoyed since.
There is a wonderfully nostalgic look back at the Old Trout on this website put together by Mike Bennett.