Posting a bit later than other days. I’ve been quite busy I must say!
Olivia’s World: our friend Lica from Go Violets and Tempura Nights moved from Brisbane to Vancouver some time ago. But she didn’t stop making music. Now she fronts Olivia’s World and she just released a new song called “Cereal Boxes” that even features the great Rose Melberg drumming and doing backing vocals!
Cariño: definitely one of the most exciting Spanish bands at the moment. The band who released a wonderful 10″ on Elefant Records have just unveiled a new video, this time for their song “Mierda Seca”. And we can only say it is great!
Westkust: on March 1st the terrific Luxury Records band will be releasinga new album on vinyl and CD. It will be self-titled and it will have 9 songs. One of them is available to stream on the band’s Bandcamp, the song “Swebeach”, which is great combo of shoegaze and indiepop with female vocals. Looking forward to listening to the whole thing!
Charm: some punky power pop here by this Welland, Canada band. Their latest online single has two songs, “U Don’t Talk” and “Lie To Me” and they sound bouncy, poppy and fun. The band is formed by Martine, Mich, Drew and Shane.
Apple Orchard: and lastly this blast from the past. The 6 songs by the California by way of the Philippines band that was released by Popgun Recordings as a cassette EP in 2003 is now available on Bandcamp. Definitely worth spending some time listening to this lo-fi beauty.
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From Blackpool, in Lancashire, came the band Yeh-Yeh. I suppose they were more of a powerpop or mod band but I think their single “You Will Pay” is a fantastic slice of guitar pop, so why not find out what happened to them?
It seems there are two versions of their 7″ “You Will Pay”. One released by Berlin (BRS 001) and another by TMA (BRS 001). I guess what differs is the sleeve and the year it was released, the B side was “7 Bells” for both versions.
On the back of the sleeve the band members are listed: Andy Houghton on bass and lead vocals, Shem on guitar, Keith Suede on harmonica and vocals and Simon Knowles on drums. Steve Borsley played horns and Teddy Corvo the piano. The two songs were recorded at Berlin Studios and were produced by Ian Richardson and was assisted by Lyth. Both songs are credited to Andy Houghton.
The TMA 7″ came out in 1986, one year after the Berlin one (1985). As mentioned the sleeve was different. This one looks more 60s. The back sleeve has much less information, only the band members. I wonder why this re-release? Anyone knows?
There is a tape called “Live at La Cage” which was released by TMA (TMAC003) in 1988. I am guessing here that La Cage was a venue in Blackpool. Also on this tape I don’t see Simon Knowles listed as a drummer but Darren Adamson. Keith Suede is not in the band either but someone nicknamed Ringo. This tape included 7 songs: “99 1/2 Won’t Do”, “Baby Blue”, “Sweet Sweet Lovin'”, “Lovers Lane”, “Long Legged Baby”, “My Babe” and “7 Bells”. Lots of babies in these songs! I would love to listen to this tape sometime.
There are a bunch of compilation appearances but they are all from recent times, not from they were around.
In 2004’s “Shake” compilation released by Biff Bang Pow Records they contributed “Don’t Try (To Deceive Me)”. The next year on the same label’s comp “Shout!” they had the song “Weekend”. In 2006 on Biff Bang Pow’s “Shimmy” CD comp they had the song “What the Papers Say” and that same year on “The Young Idea: A Pop Tribute to Anthony Meynell & Squire” they contributed “It’s Getting Better”. Lastly that same year, “Mr Jones” was included in “News of the World MK II – Songs for Scootering” that was released by Howitzer Records.
“Does it Look Like Rain?” was included in the 2009 “Do You Wanna Be in the Show? – A Pop Tribute to The Jetset” that was released by Twist Records. That same year they had “And So Begins Another Day” on the “Mods Mayday 2009″ 7” comp released by Rowed Out Records and “And We Still Feel The Same” on “Forty One Sixty: The Songs of the Shambles” released by Blindspot Records. In 2011 they contributed “To All Who Can’t Attend” on Twist Record’s “Power Chords, Harmonies and Mistletoe” and on an unknown date, their song “You Will Pay” was included in “Shake Some Action Vol. 1 UK – A Collection of Powerpop, Mod & New Wave Rarities 197501986”.
Lots of compilations, lots of songs, but only one single. Strange isn’t it?
I check if the members had been involved in other projects. I see that Andy Houghton had been in Tempercalm, releasing an album in 2007 and Simon Knowles had been involved lately in The Freakbeats.
I find a comment on the blog The Songs That People Sing, a comment by Andy Houghton. In it he mentions that the band reformed in 2004 and released 2 CD albums and a 3rd was in progress. The year of the comment is 2008. They were also touring the UK at that time. They were playing Aug. 24 2008 in Burnley.
Then I stumble upon a Facebook page! On it there are plenty of photos and also links to songs by the band. For example here is “This Town“!
I keep digging. I find out that the band started in 1983 as The Catch. I also believe that prior to that they had been in XFX. They released a tape called “Read It About It”. What songs were in it?
There used to be a Myspace. I think that’s were they sold their newer albums. I couldn’t find what their names were. I suppose that many of the songs they contributed to the compilations were from their reformed period. Are they still playing together? There is little information on the web about them. Few blogs have written about them. Why? Anyone remembers them?
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Listen
Yeh-Yeh = You Will Pay
