Day 111. How is everyone? Not much news today, but as always I bring some great music!

Accent: remember I interviewed the band some time ago? It turns out the band has just released a CD album on the Portuguese label Different Class Records. This album is called “Live Kings Head Fulham 1984” and as you can guess it is a live album. It has 14 songs, 13 for the first time on CD.

Startropics: I really like the Chicago band a lot! They have a few new songs from their Stay Home Sessions which were filmed for DKFM’s DreamGaze Worldwide III this month. There is “Running Scared” and “The Test of Time“. It is hard to pick which one I like better. Maybe the latter? Maybe the first? Both are very good!

Parks, Squares and Alleys: this Russian band is totally unknown to me but has a terrific new song called “Друг (Friend) “. The song seems to feature another artist by the name САММЕР КОМА. I don’t even know if it is a proper band, it might also be a one-man project by Sergey Khavro. In any case this song is great!

The Reds, Pinks & Purples: Glenn Donaldson’s band has a new song on Bandcamp and it is a cover of the Monkees 2016 tune “Me & Magdalena” It is really nice. On top of that he updates us that he has recorded a 12″ EP for Tough Love in the UK and an album for Slumberland. Can’t wait for both of them!

Sweet Season: lastly this amazing discovery coming from Phoenix, Arizona. This three-piece formed by Monte Ewert, Mella Barnes and Dan Radel have just released their first two songs on Bandcamp. They are “Blue Girl” and “Never Been Before” and I am sure everyone that reads this blog will enjoy them! Jangly, bright, lush songs. Thumbs up!

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Back in 1978 in the Isle of Wight a band called Flirt was formed. They played original sons but also covers of bands like Blondie, The Pretenders, The Ramones and other punk and new wave bands. The people behind this band were Nigel Hayles on guitar, Debbie Barker on lead vocals, Eric Biggs on bass and Chris Lines on drums.

Then in 1979 they were to change their name to Cassie. Under this name the band signed a deal with the Portsmouth based label Video Records and a publishing deal with Wessex Music. Also Chris Lines, the original drummer, was replaced by Hugh Lewis.

With the new lineup the band would go to Porstmouth and record two songs, “No More Rock N’ Roll” and “Keep in Touch” at Telecomms Studios. Sadly these two songs were never pressed on vinyl as the label had financial trouble and folded.

That must have been a terrible thing for the band but they continued. In 1980 they entered Tim Marshall’s studio in the Isle of Wight to record demos for Wilf Pine who used to be Black Sabbath’s manager (!). The songs they recorded then were “Change of Image”, “She’s a Flirt” and “Model in a Magazine”. But still even though these were great songs, Wilf was unable to get them a record deal.

In 1982 the band would release a 7″ on A.K.A. Records (AKS 101). It may have been a self-release, I can’t say, but I would guess so. It included two songs, “Change My Image” on the A side and “Will You?” on the B side. I don’t own this record, but would love to of course. It may also have been a 7″ the band would send to labels, to make them known, as it doesn’t look as they invested in a sleeve for it. What we do know from this record, is that “Change My Image” was written by Debbie Barker while “Will You?” was written by Chris Line. Both were produced by Wilf Pine.

The band would continue playing live and trying to get a deal. They would get a six month residency at the Royal Sandrock Inn in Nilton. Then the band would break up and then reform in 1984 to write new songs for the Feet on the Street Project. It is at this time then that at The Rod Gammons Sound Studio in Brightstone they would record the songs “Hold Me”, “Driven by the Tide” and “The Light Shines On”. This songs would catch the attention of Dakota Records but nothing ended up released. Then in 1985 the band split.

Then I found a great find, all their recorded output is available on the Isle of Wight Music website! Wow! They could put it together as an album. I don’t think they are in chronological order but 12 songs are available in MP3 format to download and listen: “No More Rock N Roll”, “Change of Image”, “Find a Way”, “Falling”, “Boys will be Boys”, “Dimensions”, “She’s a Flirt”, “Hold Me”, “Driven by the Tide”, “The Light Shines On”, “Keep in Touch” and “Model in a Magazine”.  Some of these are not mentioned in their bio on this website, so I wonder when where they recorded, if in different demo sessions, or what?

And even better, this last find on the web. The 7″ has been reissued by Reminder Records (REM-01) this year. It includes both songs from the original record. It is available on their website! So don’t miss it!

So yeah, I know very little, but I find their songs fun and catchy. I’d definitely like to know more about this female-fronted band from the early 80s!

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Listen
Cassie – Change of Image