It was a busy weekend for me with work. I hoped to reorganize my records but didn’t have the time. Also I wasn’t in the right mindset for that. It takes a special mood to move boxes around and put the 7″s in alphabetical order. I also don’t seem to have enough space now for LPs. I have my furniture for this format already full. What to do? It’s a complicated situation in NYC. Space is a luxury. Should I move to Jersey? That doesn’t sound that exciting. I like being close to the action, even though with the pandemic there hasn’t been much going on!!
Some good finds today:
Silver Biplanes: this is really amazing, and I missed it. Just 25 copies. Way too little. I am sure more than 25 people would want this. Two songs by a new combo formed by Tim from The Razorcuts and Vanessa of The Melons. Wow! The one song you can preview, “Think Again”, is fantastic. At least it says that the two songs on the 7″ lathe cut will be available on a 2023 album. Let’s hope so!!
Barry: another project from London. Barry are Mark, Kathy, Helen and Bart. They released a 7″ last February with two catchy and punchy songs, “Neolithic Homosex” and “No More Boys”. The 7″ is still available and if you don’t believe me how good these songs are you can check them out on Bandcamp now. Great stuff!
Bedroom Eyes: our friend Jonas Jonsson is back with a new album!! This is amazing news! “Sisyphus Rock” is out now on black vinyl and comes with 8 popstatic songs! This is the 3rd album by his project. I can’t think of anyone that doesn’t like this band. Praised by everyone. I would like a CD version of this record, maybe that’s my only complain. But well, you can win them all. The 8 songs can be previewed on Bandcamp and again, they are really good.
Purplespace: there’s a bunch of songs by this Jacksonville, Florida, that date from last March. They all will be part of an album called “11:11”. Other than that I don’t know much more about this cool sounding dreampop band. I picked “Library Girl” as the one I will share with you all as it is my favourite. But do check out the rest.
Pararrayos: and lastly this four-piece from Barcelona. They have released a 6-song EP titled “Electricidad” which seems to be only available digitally. The band formed by Gonzalo, Laura, Dani and Victor, has been going since 2018 and they have a couple of previous EPs worth checking out.
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Byfleet is a village in Surrey, England. It is located in the far east of the borough of Woking, around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of West Byfleet, from which it is separated by the M25 motorway and the Wey Navigation.
The village is of medieval origin. Its winding main street, High Road, contains old large public houses, a church and several timber-framed houses, as well as other 16th and 17th century houses with listed status. The former Brooklands motor racing circuit is located just to the north, while to the east, across the River Wey, is the former Silvermere estate, now a golf club.
Byfleet is served by Byfleet & New Haw railway station, on the South West Main Line. In July 2012, its northern bypass hosted the long-distance cycling road races for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
That’s where we are heading today.
My first encounter with this band happened sort of by chance. While watching videos on Youtube I was getting a suggested video for the song “Sunshine Day” by The ’68 Floods. I had never heard them and wasn’t aware if they were an indiepop band. But the thumbnail image looked like something I might like. So guess what, I did like the music!
This video dates from 1987 and there’s a message saying that this song and video are the reason why Mr Nunn became a teacher and not a rock star. I suppose Mr Nunn is one of the band members. His name is actually Tony Nunn. The video was produced and directed by Gerard Wall aka The Groover. It was filmed in Brighton.
This took me to a Soundcloud page with a lot of their songs! We find songs like “I Want You”, “Letter to Angel”, “Don’t Want Your Sympathy”, “If This is The Way the Story Ends”, “Shine”, “Where Does All My Money Seem to Go”, “Stand Alongside of You”, “It’s Not for Me”, “Palace Street”, “Marianne”, “Why I Try”, “Sunshine Day”, “What Does it Matter to You”, “Another Girl (Another Song)”, “Even if You Dare” and “That is All”.
Lots of great songs in there. And what’s best is that I keep finding more info about them! There’s a Facebook page!
But first let’s talk about the band’s name.
The Great Flood of 1968 was a flood caused by a pronounced trough of low pressure which brought exceptionally heavy rain and thunderstorms to South East England and France in mid-September 1968, with the worst on Sunday 15 September 1968, and followed earlier floods in South West England during July.[3] This was likely the severest inland flood experienced in the Home Counties during the last 100 years
There are plenty of photos on the web, archival photography of 1968 floods…
So what did I learn from Facebook? Well that the band reunited in 2010. They even played a gig at the Village Club in Byfleet on Nov. 27, 2010.
We know that the band released a tape EP titled “4 from 68”. Not sure which songs nor which year it was released. Another tape EP was released in 1986 “’68 in 86”. Again no tracklist.
“Floodtide”, “Trackdown”, “Live Mix” and “Down the Lane” are the names of other cassette EPs. Again don’t know the tracklist. Then we find some CD releases as well. There’s “Bomb Crater Hill” and “Dogs on a Bike”. Were these albums? I believe the songs on Soundcloud are the ones on the “Bomb Crater Hill” album though…
Tony Nunn, released a tape album under the name The Beefeaters called “Another Mouth to Feed”. How did it sound like?
In 2013 the band played their last ever gig on October 12 at the Epsom common Social Club.
And lastly a Youtube video channel with lots of live footage! There’s from their last gig “I Want My Woody Back“, “Rescue Me” comes from a rehearsal at a tent in Greenbelt Festival in the late 80s, then a few videos of the band busking in Greenbelt including songs like “I Fought the Law“, “The Kids are Alright“, “I Want My Woody Back” and “Do You Love Me“.
The band also played the Greenbelt Fringe Festival in the late 80s and videos of them performing “My Biggest Weakness“, “I Fought the Law“, “Sunshine Day“, “Rescue Me“, “Another Girl Another Song“, “Come Back My Love“, “It’s Not For Me“, “I Want My Woody Back“, “I Just Cry” and “Little Bit of Soul” are available.
Then footage from a gig in 1997, November 1997, in Byfleet with the songs “There’s a Guy Works Down the Chipshop Swears He’s Elvis“, “Sunshine Day“, “Shine“, “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better“, “That is All“, “Surfin’ USA“, “Brown Eyed Girl” and “I Found Love“. It is clear by now that they liked to cover many songs!
One thing I found about them is that before being called The ’68 Floods they were caalled Milky Bar Kids betweeen 1984 and 1985.
Found the band members names too, Tony Nunn on guitar, Jim Smith on bass, Andy Brown on vocals, Graham Wood on lead guitar and Martin Smith on drums. Martin was to be replaaced by Steve King.
Would be nice to find out if the Milky Bar Kids recorded something too. And if there are more songs by The ’68 Floods. Any information would be good!
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