How about a Dime for a Couple o’ Nikkis

 The Fems of Feb.

Rev up that Stingray. 

Nikki (Dominique Lorenz) Corvette was born & raised in Detroit. She developed her taste for Motor City rock & roll at shows by Iggy & the Stooges & the MC5. In 1977 Nikki formed the group Nikki Corvette & the Convertibles, with Nikki singing lead backed by Lori Jeri & Sally Dee. The group released a single in 1978, "Young and Crazy" b/w "Backseat Love" & "Criminal Element". They started attracting fans throughout the Midwest. 

By 1980 the group now known as Nikki & the Corvettes, signed a deal with the legendary L.A. punk/power pop label Bomp Records. Their first album was their self-titled Nikki & the Corvettes. 

Nikki moved to Los Angeles, but the difference between the Detroit & L.A. sound was just too great to overcome & her career stalled on the West Coast. Within a few years she'd dropped out of the music business. 

She wrote a book about some of her departed musical heroes, Rock 'n' Roll Heaven, which was published in 1997. The Nikki & the Corvettes album, meanwhile, had gained a fervent cult following (the Donnas name-check the group in a song on their first album). This led to a renewed interest in performing. Nikki played various one-off shows in the early 2000s which led to the release of an album of classic cover tunes, Wild Record Party, in 2004. 

 

Nikki Corvette - Wild Record Party, Base BASE-005CD,2004.
all decryption codes in comments

Ready, Steady Go
Rock Your Baby
Walking Out on Love
Great Big Kiss
Day by Day
Girls Talk
Under My Wheels
High School
Wild about You
Love is Strange
Love Me
What's on My Mind 

 

 

 

Powerhouse roots rocker Nikki Hill is from Durham, North Carolina where she grew up singing every Sunday in her church choir. Then she was a punk rocker in high school. Now she creates her own blend of gospel, soul, rockabilly, rock, & still a little bit of punk to create her own explosive style of roots music.

 

 

Nikki Hill - Here’s Nikki Hill, Deep Fryed Records CDDF 001, 2013,

Ask Yourself
Her Destination
I've Got a Man
Right on the Brink
Gotta Find My Baby
I Know
Don't Cry Anymore
Strapped to the Beat
Who were You Thinking Of?
Hymn for Hard Luck

Enjoy,
NØ

What a Doll

 The Fems of Feb.

Anyone digging into this mess to find music is probably knowledgeable as to The Dresden Dolls & as per this month's Fems of Feb., Amanda Palmer. I thought you might like something a little bit different from this multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist, performance artist, mother (of son Ash & married to Neil Gaiman, which seems like it would be kool). She's got mad skills.

I thought I give you all a taste of Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra.

On April 20, 2012 Amanda launched a new album pre-order on Kickstarter. The Kickstarter project attracted nearly 25,000 backers & raised nearly $1.2 million, at the time is was the most funds ever raised for a musical project on Kickstarter. That album, Theatre is Evil, is featured here. 

 

 

Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra - Theatre is Evil, 8ft. Records 8FT014AUS, 2012.
decryption code in comments

Meow Meow Introduces the Grand Theft Orchestra
Smile (Pictures or it Didn't Happen)    
The Killing Type    
Do it With a Rockstar    
Want it Back    
Grown Man Cry    
Trout Heart Replica
A Grand Theft Intermission
Lost    
Bottomfeeder    
The Bed Song    
Massachusetts Avenue
Melody Dean
Berlin
Olly Olly Oxen Free

exclusive Aust/NZ bonus track    
Denial Thing

Enjoy,
NØ

Candy Says She's Out of the Head & Doing Her Thing

This was going to be the day for the Ronettes post but with the sad passing of Ronnie Spector in January, I gave that post priority & am replacing it with this one. 

 The Fems of Feb.

I kinda passed by Beth Gibbons when I was working on this month's posts, not because she's not a great womyn artist, which she definitely is. As singer & lyricist for Portishead, I felt there was not a lot from that band that needed my attention but there is also her work away from the big P.

By default but in no means demeaning of a fine female talent, this has become Beth Gibbons day. It should be an honor to fill in for the Ronettes.

Beth has collaborated on several occasions with former Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb (Rustin Man). Before she joined Portishead, she auditioned for the singer's slot in .O.rang, the group formed by Webb after Talk Talk's late 80s departure from EMI. Then Portishead happened. 

In 2002 Gibbons & Webb released the album Out of Season in the United Kingdom under the name Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man.

In 2003 the duo released Acoustic Sunlight, basically a vinyl-only live reworking of most of Out of Season (plus the song ''Candy Says'') recorded in March 2003 in Berlin. 

 

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Out of Season, Go! Beat 440665742, 2002.
all decryption codes in comments

Mysteries
Tom the Model
Show
Romance
Sand River
Spider Monkey
Resolve
Drake
Funny Time of Year
Rustin Man 

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Acoustic Sunlight, Go! Beat 066574-2, 2003

Side One -
Drake    
Resolve    
Spider Monkey    
Tom the Model    
Sand River

Side Two -
Funny Time of Year
Candy Says (Velvet Underground cover)
Show

Enjoy,
NØ

Oh Baby, Come Back

 The Fems of Feb.

On an old Skin Flesh & Blood post I added all the 2003 bonus tracks from Susan Cadogan's Hurts So Good Trojan Records original 1975 release. 

Some sweet reggae sounds from Ms. Cadogan.

Here I've added the bonus tracks from the Japanese version of Soulful Reggae.

Susan Cadogan - Soulful Reggae, Ariwa Arilp 080, 1992.
decryption code in comments

Side 1 -
Lovers & Stranger
Emotions
La La at the End
Always Has Always Will
Say a Little Prayer

Side 2 -
That Particular Something
Together We are Beautiful
Baby Come Back
Let's Stay Together
Be My Baby

bonus tracks from Japanese only version -
Band of Gold
Emotional Dub
Dub the La La
Beautiful Dub

Enjoy,
NØ

Butchers on Mars

 The Fems of Feb.

 

In 2013 I went to see Omar Rodriguez-Lopez play at Marilyn's in Sacramento. With OR-L you never are sure who you're going to get on any given night. Got the pleasure of seeing Bosnian Rainbow. OR-L was handling bass, had old bandmate & drummer extraordinaire Deantoni Parks in tow.

The guitar & vocal duties went to one Teresa Suaréz Cosío also known as Teri Gender Bender from the band Le Butcherettes. She was also featured on the Melvin's 2016 Almost Live from Joyful Noise single ''Rebel Girl''.

This is Le Butcherettes first slab. 

 

Le Butcherettes - Sin Sin Sin, Rodriguez Lopez Productions RLP012, 2011.
decryption code in comments

Tonight    
New York    
Henry Don't Got Love    
The Leibniz Language    
Bang!    
All You See in Me is Death    
I'm Getting Sick of You    
Riko's Smooth Talking Mothers    
The Actress that Ate Rousseau    
Tainted in Sin    
Dress Off    
Empty Dimes    
Mr. Tolstoi

Enjoy
NØ

Soul Queen of New Orleans

 The Fems of Feb.

 

Irma Thomas, born February 18, 1941 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana is an American soul singer from New Orleans. She recorded her first tune for the Ron label in 1958. The single "Don't Mess with My Man" was released the following year & reached number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart.

She then began recording on the Minit label working with songwriter & producer Allen Toussaint on songs including "It's Raining" & "Ruler of My Heart". Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963. Irma then had a string of successful releases with Imperial, including "Wish Someone Would Care" which was her biggest national hit along with its B-side "Breakaway".

In 2007, she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain. Thomas is still active as a performer as of 2021, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. She has been Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. Appropriate for Ms. Thomas as she is the "Soul Queen of New Orleans". I've posted up that album elsewhere.

Here's another great one from her more recent label Rounder. 

 

Irma Thomas - The Story of My Life, Rounder Records 2149, 1997.
decryption code in comments

No Use Talkin'
The Story of My Life
I Count the Teardrops
Cried Too Long
Love Don't Get no Better than This
Hold Me While I Cry
I Won't Cry for You
We All Need Love
Get Here
Keep the Faith
Dr. Feelgood

Enjoy,
NØ

Where Have the Honey Bees Gone

 The Fems of Feb.

Rose Porter, known to the music world as Rose McDowall, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Her first venture into music was The Poems, an art-punk trio formed in 1978 with her then-husband Drew McDowall & another bloke named Ian, who had a guitar. Rose played drums, standing up like her heroine Moe Tucker.

She formed Strawberry Switchblade in 1981 with Jill Bryson. After signing with Warner Bros. Records, they enjoyed chart success with their single "Since Yesterday" in 1984. Later singles & an album did not sell well. This fact, along with band problems led to an acrimonious split in 1986.

Shortly after the break-up of Strawberry Switchblade, between 1986-1988 McDowall recorded The Sunflowers Demos which finally saw limited release (500 copies) in 2004 as Cut with the Cake Knife. The tracklist in the foldout booklet consists of 10 songs, with a song called "Honey Bee" at position 4. It was not included because of a manufacturer's error.

For the next six years, McDowall was primarily a guest vocalist or "floating member" of several different alternative bands, particularly in the neofolk genre. She contributed backing or lead vocals for Coil, Current 93, Death in June, Felt, Nurse with Wound, Psychic TV, & Boyd Rice on recordings as well as singing or playing guitar for live appearances. In 1993, she collaborated with Boyd Rice under the band name Spell, producing two singles & an album of 1960s-style pop, country, psychedelia covers for Mute Records. 

 

 

Rose McDowall - Cut With the Cake Knife, Bad Fairy Productions BFCD01, 2004.
decryption code in comments

Tibet    
Sunboy    
Wings of Heaven    
Sixty Cowboys    
On the Sun    
Cut With the Cake Knife    
Crystal Nights    
Soldier    
So Vicious

Enjoy,
NØ

On-U Soundish

 The Fems of Feb.

 

 

Though this is on Venus Rising Records, it was mixed by Adrian Sherwood, remixed by Bill Laswell, features Skip McDonald, Doug Wimbish, Keith Le Blanc, & Jah Wobble, so it's pretty much On-U Sound by any other name.

Sussan Deyhim is an Iranian composer, vocalist, performance artist, & activist.

From 1971 (at age thirteen) to 1975, she was part of Pars National Ballet in Iran, affiliated with Persian National Television. She traveled all across Iran studying with master folk musicians & dancers. Deyhim's music is known for creating a unique sonic & vocal language imbued with a sense of ritual as well as the unknown. It remains true to the spirit of her ancient heritage while pointing to the future with a very personal & poetic sensibility.

Deyhim's wide-ranging collaborations with leading artists from across the spectrum of contemporary art have included Ornette Coleman, Bobby McFerrin, Peter Gabriel, Bill Laswell, Richard Horowitz, Rufus Wainwright, Loop Guru, Marius De Vries, Hal Wilner, Mickey Hart, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Garcia, Joe Jackson, Will Calhoun, Karsh Kale, Doug Wimbish, Keith LeBlanc, Skip McDonald, Jah Wobble, Talvin Singh, Adrian Sherwood, & The Blue Man Group.

I have showcased her work on Bill Laswell's Hashisheen here.

Deyhim is a fervent humanitarian activist. She has performed at the gathering of the spiritual leaders of the world at the United Nations General Assembly in 2001; the first Gathering of Female Spiritual Leaders in Geneva at the United Nations; & the Royal Hope Gala in the Royal Albert Hall, London, England with Plácido Domingo. She has used her talents to raise funds for medical aid to Iraqi children. In 2009, she performed in a sold-out concert at the UN General Assembly to raise funds for misplaced children in Pakistan.

Sussan Deyhim - Out of Faze, Venus Rising Records, 2008.
decryption code in comments

Live & Learn    
Tell Me    
Out of Faze    
The Moment to Come    
10 Thousand Years    
Invisible Burning    
Bashad    
Maze (remix)    
Tell Me (remix)    
Cynical Ride

Enjoy,
NØ

The Suspended Kid

 The Fems of Feb.

Sevda Alizadeh, known professionally as Sevdaliza, is an Iranian-Dutch singer, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, & director.

Sevdaliza was born September 1, 1987 in Tehran, Iran. She is of Azerbaijani, Russian, & Persian descent. She moved with her family to the Netherlands at the age of five.

In January 2015 she released The Suspended Kid which I featured here.

This is Sevdaliza's first full-length release, produced by Sevdaliza & her Rotterdam-based producer / frequent collaborator, Mucky (Reynard Bargmann). 

 

Sevdaliza - ISON, Butler Records BUR-340030, 2017.
decryption code in comments

Shahmaran
Libertine
Marilyn Monroe
Hubris
Amandine Insensible
Hero
Scarlette
Bluecid
Loves Way
Human
Do You Feel Real
The Language of Limbo
Replaceable
Grace
When I Reside
Angel

Enjoy,
NØ

It’s Been a Long Cold Lonely Winter

Last year in February I featured Black History month. I noted at the time how ironic it is that Black History gets the shortest month of the year.

The Basement Beehive Girl Group Underground gave me a great idea.

This year's shortest gets my own heavy dose of irony. Another group of second class citizens in a white male dominated world, womyn, get this month all to themselves. Trying to not cover the near universally known...Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Bjork, etc. but give some time & space to lesser known but no less talented womyn. 

The Fems of Feb. 

 

As always I have to start off each adventure down JA way. I’ve featured this fine lady before in a compilation of No,No,No...the incomparable Dawn Penn, Come(ing) Again. 

 

Dawn Penn - Come Again, Trojan Records CDTRL 370, 1996.

decryption code in comments

Psycadelic
You Don't Love Me (No No No)
Write a Letter
I Just Can't Forget about You Baby
Why Did You Lie
The Traveller
One Step
The Next Life
Here Comes the Sun
Love is Here to Stay
Chilling
I Want to Survive
Long Day Short Night
Love the One Your With
If Only God Could Help Us Now

Enjoy,
NØ

NØ Rad report

Re-uploaded by request 2/22/2024

We interrupt this program for a brief
Public Service announcement.

 

I just woke up from a dream in which I was a wild animal. For a good minute after I was back from the land of Nod I still knew I was a wild creature, running free in the night. I was a huge black dog. 

Quién es, you dare ask? 

 

Various - Songs from the Animal House, NØ Comps., 2022.

Black Rabbit
Animal Sounds
Mechanical Bull
Black Mambo (stripped)
Tall Lion Down
Albatross
The Misled Bat
Monkey Racket
The Green Frog
Diamond Dogs
Howling
Black Crow
Turtle Rock
Stickleback
Animal Sounds (acoustic)
The Black Dog Runs at Night

1. Prince Fatty & Shniece McMenamin - Don Letts presents Version Excursion
2. Grand National - A Drink & a Quick Decision
3. Dope Lemon - Smooth Big Cat
4. Glass Animals - Zaba (deluxe)
5. Dominique Fils-Aimé - Three Little Words
6. Jah Wobble - Metal Box-Rebuilt in Dub
7. Kim Tak Building - In the Forest & the Field
8. Space Monkeys vs Gorillaz - Laika Come Home
9. Parov Stelar - The Demon Diaries
10. David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
11. Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust?
12. Sad Lovers & Giants - Melting in the Fullness of Time
13. Clutchy Hopkins meets Lord Kenjamin - Music is My Medicine
14. The Ghosts - The Lost Album
15. Grand National - Animal Sounds EP
16. Angelo Badalamenti - Fire Walk with Me OST

Lap it up,
NØ

Hair Hoppers

Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground is a two-disc set showcasing 56 songs recorded all across America during the pre-psychedelic 60s.  Rather than the usual novelty heavy offerings of many girl group releases, the content here delivers strong songs sung by powerful voices.  The result is an impressive slice that covers the breadth of the girl group sound, a very strong compilation that stacks as high as a beehive bouffant. 

 

 

Various - Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground, Numero Group 075, 2018.
all decryption codes in comments

CD1 -
Will You Be My Love - The Four J's
I'll Never Know - The Chantells with The Aqua Lads
My Fault - The Passionetts
I Gotta Know - The Tonettes
I Wanna Be a Winner - Vickie & the Van Dykes
A Love of Mine - The Vandelettes
I'll Say Yes - The Devilettes
Searching for My Man - Dot & the Velvelettes
Help Me Somebody - Chapells
Same Old Sweet Lovin' - Devotions
My Lover - The Hill Sisters
Find Somebody New - The Soulettes
I Don't Believe - The Mellow Dawns
Never Gonna Cry - The Cineemas
Dum, Dum, De Dip - Judi & The Affections
Come Go with Me - The Para-Monts
Melvin - The Belles
I Believe (The Man Loves Me) - The Petites
Fall in Love Again - The Voices
Unlucky in Love - Charles Pikes & The Scholars
Broken Heart - The Contessas
I Won't Cry - The Shades
Where is Love - The Monzas
Thank You Baby - Toni & The Hearts
From One Fool to Another - The Dreamliners
Baby Be Good (While I'm Gone) - The Rayons
Teenage Dropout - Paulette & The Cupids
Laughing on the Outside - Bernadette Carroll

CD 2 -
You're Acting Kind of Strange - Chapells
Oh My Sweet Love - The Hill Sisters
Never Change Our Love - Toni & The Hearts
I'm Leaving You - The Devilettes
Don't Look - The Chantells with The Aqua Lads
Baby I'm Crying - Vickie & The Van Dykes
He'll Wait on Me - Paulette & The Cupids
The Lonely Fool - The Dreamliners
Lonely Girl - The Petites
My Plea - The Passionettes
My Heart Can Feel the Pain - The Tonettes
I Don't Wanna Lose You - The Para-Monts
For as Long as You Want Me - Dotty McCullum
Tell Me Not to Hurt - The Shades
Ain't it The Truth - The Monzas
Forever is a Long, Long Time - The Voices
You Confuse Me Baby - The Rayons
He's All Mine - The Vandelettes
Devil's Gotten into My Baby - Devotions
Come Back - The Belles
I'm Sorry Baby - The Mellow Dawns
A Crush on You - The Cineemas
Gimme Gimme - The Contessas
What Do You Do - Charles Pikes & The Scholars
The Nursery - The Four J's
It's Alright - The Soulettes
Ain't Gonna Hurt My Pride - Judi & The Affections
The Humpty-Dump - Bernadette Carroll

Enjoy,
NØ

Three Men in a Tub

A fairly recent one, going back down JA way for some early 1980s Bunny Lee productions. 

 

Various - Rubadub Revolution, Pressure Sounds PSCD104,2019.
decryption code in comments

Know Yourself Mankind – The Paragons
Lazer Beam (Nuff Stylee 12-inch mix) – Don Carlos & Papa Tullo
I Man Come Again – Johnny Clarke
Every Half is a Fraction – Papa Tullo
Bandulu (12-inch mix) – Cornell Campbell & Scientist
The Right Time (Boogie Down 12-inch mix) – Neville Brown & John Wayne
A Place Called Zion – The Paragons
Part 2 – Papa Tullo
Revolution Fighters – Simple Simon
Too Popular – Trevor Castell
Exterminator – Cornell Campbell

CD 2 -
George William Gordon – Simple Simon
Babylon No Badda Haul & Pull Me – Devon Edwards
People Cruel (12-inch mix) – Cornell Campbell & Errol Scorcher
Lay Down Flat – Devon Edwards
Lay Down Flat version – Professor
Gun Fever – Frankie Jones
Gun Fever version – Donovan Phillips
Spread Out (Purpleman a Go Boom it Up) – Don Carlos & Purpleman
Me & Janet – Badoo
Bawlin – Simple Simon

Enjoy,
NØ

Now the Mask is Off

Covering basically the same time frame (1977-81), 

same bands (X,  The Weirdos,  Germs,  The Randoms,  The Bags,  The Eyes,  Black Randy & the Metrosquad) 

& same songs as the Live from The Masque release that I recently featured, these are studio versions with a slightly (it's punk, after all) more polished, less raw sound. 

Great companion piece to any who enjoyed the previous mentioned offering with enough additional music (The Hollywood Square,  The Zeros,  T.S.O.L.,  The Dils,  Adolescents,  The Urinals, & more) to make it well worth while. 

 

 

Various – Punk 45: Chaos in the City of Angels & Devils, Soul Jazz Records SJR CD329, 2016.
decryption code in comments

Out of Vogue - The Middle Class
We're Desperate - X
Disintegration Nation    - The Flesh Eaters
A Life of Crime - The Weirdos
I'm White & Middle Class - The Urinals
I Got a Right - Iggy & the Stooges
Forming - The Germs
Bloodstains - Agent Orange
Trouble at the Cup - Black Randy & The Metrosquad
Ack Ack Ack Ack - The Urinals
Don't Push Me Around - The Zeros
ABCD    - The Randoms
What's Your Problem    - Circle Jerks
Survive - The Bags
Amoeba - Adolescents
Class War - The Dils
Brainless - The Deadbeats
I Like Drugs - Simpletones
World War III - T.S.O.L.
TAQN    - Eyes
Hollywood Square - Hollywood Squares
Final Ride - The Deadbeats

Enjoy,
NØ

Please & Thank You

One thing I know is this release was manufactured by the infamous PDO Company UK. All their releases are prone to disc rot (CD bronzing), so I'm glad I've got this sucka digitized. 

 

Various – If You Can't Please Yourself You Can't Please Your Soul, Some Bizarre SBZCD1, 1990.
decryption code in comments

The Only Good Christian is a Dead Christian – Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel
Product Patrol – Cabaret Voltaire
Total Nervous Phenomenon – Test Dept.
Love Amongst the Ruined – Marc Almond
Twisted – Psychic TV
Flesh & Bones – The The
The Wheel – Coil
The Roxy Cut (live) – Yello
Waiting to Fall – Virginia Astley
Wardrobe – Einstürzende Neubauten

Enjoy,
NØ

This Tree is Free, but Noisy

Thor's Rubber Hammer was a record label originally based out of Athens, Georgia that moved its base of operation to Washington, D.C.. It existed from 2006 - 2011. Suprisingly, for a time Athens had a noise scene that not only spawned this label but was able to score an entire compilation.

Deeded to Itself: Athens Southernoise is a compilation put together by Thor's Rubber Hammer label boss Lars Gotrich. Here's what Lars has to say:
     ''Right about the time I was thinking of moving to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2006, I couldn't help but notice a small noise scene coalescing around Athens, Georgia. It didn't sound like the harsh-wall histrionics coming out of Michigan or the No Fun set of NYC. The sonics were slower and muggier, weighed down by humid summers and the drawl of Southern life

     The CD was released at a big show in February 2007 that I booked at the DIY space Secret Squirrel in Athens. We had two stages set up for a continuous assault on the ears, and went until 3 in the morning. With the exception of Killick, none of these artists exist anymore, but for a little while there, Athens had a Southernoise all it own.''

The title of the release, ''Deeded to Itself'' is a reference to a white oak tree that owns itself located near downtown Athens. In 1832, Colonel William H. Jackson's will deeded the tree possession of itself & all the land within eight feet of its trunk. The original giant oak, estimated around 400 years old, fell over during a wind storm on October 9, 1942. Not wanting the tradition to die, members of the Junior Ladies Garden Club of Athens were determined to replace the Tree. Garden Club members gathered acorns from the site & lovingly began growing a second-generation white oak to replace Colonel Jackson's beloved tree. In just four short years, on December 4, 1946, Junior Ladies members planted the sapling that stands tall today as the Tree That Owns Itself. 

 

 

Various - Deeded to Itself: Athens Southernoise, Thor’s Rubber Hammer, 2007.
decryption code in comments

Poem X - Altruizine
Untitled - Orthopedics
Stormdrum - Killick
It's the End of the World (& We Didn't Know It) - Long Legged Woman
Who Will Save Your Soul¿ - Sailor Winters
Speaking Softly - Chartrueses
Heart Skins - Garbage Island
Death & Grieving - Better People
Green Mountain - Telenovela

Enjoy,
NØ

Now I’m Smelling a Distinctive Autuer of Vinyl

This is the 2008 release from LTM Records' acclaimed compilation series ''Auteur Labels''.  Here they cover Manchester imprint Object Music. 

Object Music was active between 1978 & 1981, pioneering Manchester post-punk scene. Object Music was founded by songwriter & deejay Steve Solamar to release records by his own group, Spherical Objects. The label soon began releasing records by other artists, many of them active in the Manchester Musicians' Collective.

Various - Auteur Labels Object Music 1978-1981, LTM LTMCD 2527, 2008.
decryption code in comments

The Kill
The Knot – Spherical Objects
Dreams of Desire
Queen of the Sea – Steve Miro & the Eyes
River
Stay Awake
10 Minutes – Grow Up
Façade – Alternomen Unlimited
Martial Time/ Martial Law - Warriors
Up & About
Smiling in Reverse – Steve Miro
Seventies Romance
Sweet Tooth – Spherical Objects
Fascinated by Time?
Nite Time – Contact
Troops Out
My One Request – The Passage
The Cake Shop Device – Manchester Mekon
Insects – IQ Zero
Joanne
Affirmation of Existence/ Swept Away
GGGDADGADADAD – Grow Up
Forewarned – Steve Solamar
The Mutant
Decision Time – The Noyes Brothers
Connections – Alternomen Unlimited

Enjoy,
NØ

I Smell Something Burning

 

Another serving for your Dub plate. Special.

 

 

Various - Burning Sounds: Burning Dub Vol 1, Burning Sounds 2016.
all decryption codes in comments

Jah Children in Style - Page One & the Observer
Burning Dub - Niney the Observer
Caddoe Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
Dub Now - Niney the Observer
African Communication - Phill Pratt
God Bless My Dub - Niney the Observer
Con Man - Phill Pratt
Concert Man - Phill Pratt
Rueben - The Revolutionaries
P.L.A. Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
Simeon & Levi - The Revolutionaries
Benjamin - The Revolutionaries
Africa's Time Now - Page One & The Revolutionaries
Garvey Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
Love Dub - Page One & the Observer

Various - Burning Sounds: Burning Dub Vol 2, Burning Sounds, 2016.

Star Wars - Phill Pratt
Observers Style - Page One & the Observer
Guerilla Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
Swapo Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
Naptali - The Revolutionaries
Tenement Yard View - Niney the Observer
Side Walk Rider - Phill Pratt
Dan - The Revolutionaries
Joseph - The Revolutionaries
Ready for It - Page One & the Observer
Maron Dub - The Aggrovators & The Revolutionaries
New Style - Niney the Observer
Way of Life - Page One & the Observer
Dub 51 - Niney the Observer
Which Clapp - Phill Pratt

Enjoy,
NØ

She Was a Darling

 Re-uploaded by request 2/22/2024

We interrupt these Various productions for this announcement...

Had this in the works for next month's "Fems of February" but with the passing of this grand dame, thought I'd bump it up to today. 

 Veronica 'Ronnie Spector' Bennett...we'll miss you, lady.

The Ronettes were an American girl group from Spanish Harlem, New York. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, & their cousin Nedra Talley. They had sung together since they were teenagers, then known as "The Darling Sisters". Signed first by Colpix Records in 1961, they moved to Phil Spector's Philles Records in March 1963. At that time they changed their name to "The Ronettes". 

 

Phil Spector had crafted his role as a record producer (& pop song scribe) into something iconic & cinematic, building his treasured Wall of Sound aesthetic brick by brick, with wind-swept orchestration, booming steady rhythms, luxuriously multi-layered vocals, & soulful, operatic melodies as his building blocks.

He was the craftsman behind a vast range of tunes: "He's a Rebel" by The Crystals; "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" - The Righteous Brothers; "River Deep-Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner; "Let it Be" - The Beatles; "All Things Must Pass" - George Harrison; "Instant Karma" - Plastic Ono Band; "Death of a Ladies Man" - Leonard Cohen; "End of the Century" - The Ramones...this shows the range of his abilities but barely touches his prolific output.

But "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes, featuring the tight choir of these NYC street angels on the Spector-produced song co-written with Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich put the sensual, savvy voice of Ronnie Bennett in the forefront, pushing it beyond the boundaries of the song's complex layers of orchestration. With that song, Ronnie became Philles Records first true "star" greater than Phil himself.

The Ronettes placed nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100, five of which became Top 40 hits. Among their most famous songs are "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You", "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up", and "Walking in the Rain". In 1964, the group released their only studio album, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica. That year, the Rolling Stones were their opening act when they toured the UK. The Ronettes opened for the Beatles on their 1966 US tour, becoming the only girl group to tour with them. 

 

 

The Ronettes - The Best of the Ronettes, ABKCO 72122, 1992.
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Be My Baby
Why Don't They Let Us Fall in Love
I Wonder
Baby, I Love You
(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up
So Young
When I Saw You
Do I Love You?
You, Baby
How Does it Feel?
Walking in the Rain
Born to Be Together
Is This What I Get for Loving You?
Paradise
Here I Sit
I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine
Everything Under the Sun
You Came, You Saw, You Conquered

R.I.P. Ronnie,
NØ

More Damn Records

Mordam Records was a record distribution company founded by Ruth Schwartz (one of the original co-editors of Maximum RocknRoll) in San Francisco in 1983 as an independent punk distribution outlet.

Mordam was the exclusive distributor for dozens of punk rock & independent record labels throughout the 1980s & 90s, gaining a reputation as one of the more reputable distributors in the indie business. They released numerous samplers showcasing their wide roster of bands. This was their in-store playlist. 

 

 

Various - The In-Store Play Sampler, Mordam Records 1995.
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Magdalene – Alice Donut
Out of Control – Naked Aggression
Sioux City Debutante – Strawman
Hey Shadow – The Humpers
Panic – Bratmobile
Ultimate Violations – Spitboy
Rock & Roll Man – Tit Wrench
Together Dumb – Zipgun
I Left My Flannel in Seattle – Butt Trumpet
We Never Close – The Paper Tulips
Teeny Weeny Man – The Show Business Giants
Addiction – Tilt
Frayed –  Buzzov•en
The Gun & the Bible – Negativland
Not That Way – Ill Repute
Invasion of the Dragon Men – Man or Astro-Man?
Balderdash '93 – Victims Family
I'm so Restless – The Witch Doctors
Nine – Swiz
Windfall – One Man Runnung
I Don't Believe You – Parasite
Bob Says No! – Popdefect
Esta Bien Mamacita – El Vez
Shoe-in – Crackerbash
Rat Bite – Unwound
Wrecker! – The Mono Men
Goodbye to You – Screeching Weasel

Enjoy,
NØ