THE RECORDS:
‘MUSIC ON BOTH SIDES’
(ON THE
BEACH FOAMCD8 - RELEASED MONDAY OCTOBER 15th 2007)
There
was once a time, o reader, when guitar-based pop bands, playing
well-constructed, lyrically sharp and strongly melodic rock and roll
were not the spirit of the age. Strange but true; the early 1980s
were a desert for fans of that kind of gear. Which is where The
Records came in. Unabashed and unashamed to let their guitar-stoked
melodic flag fly, in a time when electro-pop, New Romantic clothes-horse
rock and bleak musical soundscapes ruled the roost, The Records
pursued their own determined path with distinction and a flair that put
them in pretty much as field of their own. Music On Both Sides
was their third and final album, originally released on the Virgin
Records label in March 1982, and makes its debut on CD on October 15th
care of the On The Beach Recordings label.
The
Records were led by
drummer Will Birch, who explains in the album’s informative and
entertaining liner notes how he took the decision to vacate the
percussive role and draft in the great Bobby Irwin (a stalwart of
Nick Lowe’s many backing combos) on percussion for Music On
Both Sides, affording a greater sense of production perspective. The
band featured guitarist / vocalist John Wicks, bass player
Phil Brown, and on Music On Both Sides, the band recruited
vocalist Chris Gent (apparently it was felt that the band needed
a ‘front man’ to crack America) and guitarist Dave Whelan.
As for
the music on Music On Both Sides, the band came up with another
collection of polished pop gems, such as Your Own Soundtrack
(which was originally penned in homage to the-then newly minted Sony
Walkman, but which can equally apply to the MP3 player, of course), and
the bands’ typically open hearted attempts to induct electronic
influences into their musical palette by way of such tracks as
Imitation Jewellery and Heather And Hell. There
are also thinly-veiled references to their business travails in the
shape of Clown Around Town and Not So Much The Time.
For the reissue, Birch has dug deep into his collection of
Records demos and live tracks, including eight impressive additions to
the original album’s twelve songs. Amongst those tracks are live
performances from the 1978 Stiff Records tour (wherein they
backed Rachel Sweet, as well as playing a set of their own), and
a marvellous version of Lovin’ You Ain’t Easy, originally
recorded by French Canadian rocker Michel Pagliaro, and featuring
Akron, Ohio native Jane Aire on lead vocals. The delightful
original retro-styled artwork by the late great Barney Bubbles
has been lovingly reproduced and enhanced, too.
Music On Both Sides
completes the trio of reissues by The Records, book-ending its
predecessors Shades In Bed and Crashes. They serve to
remind us of the bands’ utter compositional class, their dogged faith in
classic pop shapes and sounds in the face of industry and public
indifference, and represent a trove of great music just waiting to be
discovered in the hear and now – never knowingly oversold. Indiscreet
PR have limited copies of both available to interested parties, as
well as Music On Both Sides.
Will Birch
is a respected music writer, the
author of the classic history of British Pub Rock, No Sleep Till
Canvey Island, and a frequent contributor to leading UK rock
publications such as Mojo and Record Collector. Will is
available to talk about The Records reissues.
For
further info please contact Alan at Indiscreet PR
(m) 07813 290474
alan@indiscreetpr.com
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