Wednesday 30 April 2008

Boxer Bear Vol4 (The Batmix)


At some point these mixes must get worse i hear you cry! Fret not my little pumpkins this is a stunner!


1. The Bardots - Pretty O (Starting off with the Norfolk link again with a track from the Bardots debut and best album Eye Baby. Pretty O is a slow builder which turns into a wall of beautiful noise and a stunning pop tune. Fact - The singer was the brother of the singer from Adorable and went on to form Polak)
2. Sensitize - Lack of Understanding (Saw Sensitize support Kingmaker at the Waterfront in 1992 and this is the B-Side of the debut single Maniac. A Better song imo with a great rumbling Bassline. Don't think they ever released an album by the two singles were in the words of GLC "Cracking Like".)
3. CUD - Hey Boots (Second CUD track to appear due to me playing them loads having bought some of the reissued expanded albums this week. This is from Leggy Mambo which is considered by the Space Cudets to be arguably the best album they released.)
4. Candyflip - Redhills Road (A good single from a much maligned band, dont know much about them, bar it being two scouse lads who recorded one album and whose best known track was a cover of Strawberry Fields Forever)
5. Airhead - Easy (Great Pop band who were known for the first two singles as Jefferson Airhead. Saw them twice the second time supporting Inspiral Carpets in a fantastic line-up which included Frank and the Walters. This is an album track of the fantastically named Boing! album)
6. Resque - She Drives my Train ( "Indie pop ditty" Off the EP of the same name another two single one album band as seemed to be the acceptable deal between 1989 and 1993! Fact - Drummer Wes went on to be the lost 3 member of Carter USM by replacing the drum machine!)
7. Eugenius - Mary Queen of Scots (The Scottish band that were previously Captain America and The Vaselines and much loved by Kurt Cobain. This track was a single on Creation in 1993 and a good one at that. The Captain America/Eugenius/Vaselines legacy is long overdue a retrospective release as apart from the Oomalama album everything is stupidly hard to get hold of! (Ever tried googling Captain America music!!!!))
8. Urusei Yatsura - Plastic Ashtray ( Another Scottish band who like feedback and fuzzy guitars. From the We are Yatsura album I remember seeing them play this track at Norwich Arts Centre standing next to the late great John Peel. That was a moment)
9. Five Thirty - You (Another one album band "Bed". This was one of the singles of a really good album only marred by underwelming production that leaves you wanting to turn everything up! Singer went on to form The Nubiles)
10. Inspiral Carpets - Butterfly (An early early song from another of my all time favourite bands whom I have seem 6 times now, If you haven't got them check out Clint Boon and Tom Hingley's solo albums which are excellent pieces in their own right. Fact - Cool as Fuck)
11. Ride - Vapour Trail (Live) (recorded for BBC Radio1 in 1991 from the Town and Country Club in London. This is one of my fav Ride Tracks. Loz's drumming on this track is exceptional. Fact - Apparently its Andy Bell's fault they have not reunited!)
12. S*M*A*S*H - Petal Buzz ( Now let me get this right they were part of the New Wave of the New Wave scene (I give up!) Which from what I remember consisted of 5 bands only, along with These Animal Men, Compulsion, Nubiles and Blessed Ethel. Saw them live a couple of times have some decent songs although the singer always looked really old and straight from the 70's punk Scene)
13. New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Get Better ( Fifth single from the odd manc's. This track was also included on the weird and wonderful Pigeonhole album. Again no career retrospective available which is a shame. Fact - My girlfriend dislikes this album!)
14. Flowered Up - Better Life ( Second song to appear by F UP again not an album track this was a the last ever single from the band released 18 months after Weekender on 7" only. Another great song which hinted at a slightly different direction. Flowered Up seem to have got back together a few times over the last few years and have been very low key with a couple of new tracks appearing in My Space. Fact - Barry Mooncult the dancer was the first naked person I saw on stage)
15. Batman - Mr Freeze 1960s soundtrack ( A little taster from a great CD I found featured music and clips from the original and unavailable 1960's Batman TV Show)

http://rapidshare.com/files/111469269/Boxerbearsvol4.zip.html

Tuesday 29 April 2008

Speak to me brothers and sisters!

Hi Everyone if your out there!!

I have had a couple of very nice comments so far and would love to hear anything you have to say. I am a prime cuplrit for not leaving enough comments but i have seen the error of my ways!!

Boxerbear Vol 4 created and should appear in the next 48 hours and i might be having a guest mixmaker appear shortly with a completely different taste in music to keep this going! Exited?? You should be mon.....

Monday 28 April 2008

Boxerbears Vol3 (The Sun is Out Mix)


Happy Monday Peeps.

Here is Volume 3 of the hugely infuential (sic) Boxerbear Mixes. Hope u enjoy this one. Still havent purchased a record player that i can transform my old tunes from yet, but i am working on it! Plenty to keep you going in the meantime....


1. Revenge - Pineapple Face (Lead track from Peter Hook's first side project Revenge's first album -One True Passion, Can still hear its Hooky with the rumbling bass. The album was a mixed bag but this is a fine song)
2. The Railway Children - Music Stop (This track off the Music Stop 3 track EP was one of my most played cassettes ever. The Native Place album was a brilliant piece of work and how they never really stepped off the lower level touring rung is beyond me.)
3.Revolver - Heaven Sent an Angel (A track I wished I could play on guitar, swooping melody and fey voices ahoy. Another band who were in the "Shoegaze set" and again had so many ideas in their locker. Most of the stuff they released was excellent. Check out the albums and EP's on E-Bay, you wont be sorry)
4. Dr Phibes and the House of Wax Equations - Hazy Lazy Hologram (Edit) ( A band that confused me a little alongside people like Levitation and Bark Psychosis as to if they were good or too indulgent. Dr Phibes were I suppose Space Rock, plenty of feedback and sonicness. The album was good but this was the standout. I think they only release one album which was a shame)
5. Moose - Uptown Invisible (The Sonny and Me mini album was one of the first CD's I ever bought alongside Inspiral Carpets- Life and ahem a Danny Wilson album. Band I never saw live which I regret. Released a number of albums and EP's which spanned lots of different styles such as Shoegaze, Slacker, Indie Pop, but generally excellent music. This is from the Honey Bee LP)
6.Unbeleivable Truth - Settle Down (Mostly known for having Thom Yorkes brother in the band, A fact that does not put me off despite my dislike for most things Radiohead! Another story another post!! But a different kettle of fish, great little acoustic rock number from the Oxford Band. )
7. Spirea X - Chlorine Dream ( A single from 1991, Spirea X were a band formed by Jim Beattie who was formally the guitarist in Primal Scream. Haven't managed to get hold of the album Fireblade Skies, but is on my list of must find on ebay, but the singles were excellent, this being the best.)
8. The Wonderstuff - Inertia (Ok so even my mum knows Dizzy and Size of a Cow but having revisited the best of recently I realised that many of my fav tracks weren't the Singles! This is from Never Loved Elvis and like most of the album is great. Saw them a couple of years ago when they reformed and Miles is still a great gobby frontman of a great band. The new LP's aren't too shabby either despite having had no publicity!!)
9. Into Paradise - Dreaming (bought the Chuchtown CD for 3.99 in about 1993 and loved it. Never saw they live don't have any other records by them but a wonderful record. This track was the reason I bought the CD as I had heard it on the Mark Goodyear Evening Session which along with Peel was my marker for new music in the days before Tinternet!)
10. Ride - The Model (Love Ride and wish they would reform. Had the pleasure of meeting Mark Gardener and Loz Colbert at one of Mark's Solo gigs a couple of years ago and was in awe. Lovely guys and signed a CD for me despite me spouting on about Nowhere being the Soundtrack of the 1st year of highschool in a drunken fanboy manner!! This is a cover of Kraftwerk off the Ruby Trax Comp album)
11. Midway Still - I Wont Try (Saw the "Fraggle" Rockers a couple of times once supporting MC4 and once Back to the Planet. Great band who entire output has recently been re-released as one double album in the last year, called appropriately "I Wont Try". I have not got that but have the two albums Dial Square and Lifes Too Long, so there!.)
12. Cosmic Rough Riders - Glastonbury Re-Visited (More recent than most bands on my comp but they kinda remind me of 1991 and thats in a nice way. The album Too Close to See Too far, is imo the best summer driving album ever, so if you haven't got it buy it! This alas is not from that (Boo Hiss) But is still great (Horray!) From the Deliverance album by the Scottish 4 piece)
13. Sugar - Tilted (Bob Mould's post Husker Du post Solo V1 band Sugar were superb. I saw them on the Copper Blue Tour at the UEA and they started with This Act We Act and I remember thinking that how one guitar could A)Be that damned loud and B)Make such a great noise. This is from the second Album Beaster, and needs to be played very loud!!!)
14. Happy Mondays - Staying Alive (12" mix) (Anyone who knows me will be amazed that Shaun Ryder hasn't appeared in the first 2 Boxerbear mixes knowing my devotion for the guy and his musical output. I succumbed and plumped for a cover version for something a little different. Happy Mondays can do no wrong in my eyes)
15. Carter USM - After The Watershed (To finish a little Carter to close on a crash, I would like to see them live in Brixton in December but alas my liking for them is not matched by many people I know these days, Enjoy!)

Footnote:
As ever if any musicians or labels dont wish me to include thier music please drop me a line and i will remove it straight away. I mean no harm or to make any money, and just see it as promoting bands that i love to others, and whose music maybe hard to get hold of.


http://rapidshare.com/files/111015963/Boxerbearsvol3.zip.html

Thursday 24 April 2008

BoxerBears Vol2 (The Second 15)


Wow i hear you cry that was fast! Well yes but its always quick the first few times!!

Here goes comp number two hope you like it and i hope maybe there are one or two bands you may want to check out more of.

Heres whats on it.....

BoxerBears Vol2

1. The Real People - People on the Telly (Great driving song and appears on many of my home made compilations and I never get bored. Released in 1997 as a single, I never got to see the Real People live but have nearly everything they ever released. Strange!)
2. Blue Aeroplanes - Yr Own World (Bought this on 7" during a trip to the shops during a scout camp! Another hugely underrated band with Langleys weird have talking have singing voice. Get either Beatsongs CD which this is from or Swagger which has recently been re-released)
3. BIS - Eurodisco (Wasn't ever a massive fan of BIS although bands like Los Campesinos and Mistys Big Adventure seem to be nicking their style in recent times. This was unlike anything else they did and is quite brilliant in a eurodance type stomp way.)
4. CUD - Down Down (Cover version of "Ver Quo" that was released on the NME Ruby Trax album. CUD were brilliant pop purists from Leeds. They have recently re-released all of the albums and all are superb. Saw them in Tunbridge Wells last year when they reformed and were still brilliant, Buy everything!)
5. Marion - I Stopped Dancing (From the seminal This World and Body LP from 96, Saw them live at the Waterfront and were really good. Shame they split after a mediocre second album. Guitarist Phil Cunnigham went on to join New Order which I suppose if you had to go to another band is a decent choice!!)
6. Catherine Wheel - Shallow (One of their earliest songs, Ferment is one of my fave cd's. again the Norfolk link is here and so I saw them a number of times firstly at the Arts Centre in Norwich in about 1990 and lastly at the Duchess in Leeds in about 98. Great track reminds me of Mark Goodyears evening sessions!)
7. Kitchens of Distinction - When in Heaven ( From the Death of Cool LP great song, never sure which genre KOD came under but released some great records. Fact - Lead singer was called Patrick, there were only 3 in the band and he now records under the guise of Stephen Hero)
8.The Stairs - Flying Machine (I bought a couple of stairs EP's once as they were in the reduced section in Lizard Records and having listened to I have no idea why, Sounds like it was recorded in the late 1960's and in Mono, a weird little band who if released this today NME would be all over them and geniuses)
9. Power of Dreams - Slowdown (From imo their best LP 2 Hell with Common sense a fine piece of Irish punk pop, dont know much but I know Boxsetgo has posted some other material before, so check it out then get on ebay!)
10. The Fieldmice - Sensitive (I bought a Fieldmice tape years ago and really wasn't sure if I liked them or not. Over the years I realised I really do! This is the second single on Sarah Records)
11. Thousand Yard Stare - Wildshire (Hands up I only bought the first ep cos of the football reference (0-0 AET) but was glad I did, Have everything they ever did and no doubt will post other odds and sods in the future. Fact - Saw them play an extended set at the UEA when James cancelled, lots stayed to watch as well.)
12. Chapterhouse - Breather (A Band that seem far more popular now than when they were together. Lumped in with the Shoegazing scene they had far more vision and ability than their contemporaries. This is from the great Whirlpool album)
13. Spitfire - Superbaby (First came across them supporting Blur in 1991, seemed good only released 2 EP's as far as I am aware this was the lead track on one of them a good indie rock tune. Fact - My mate Wilkie having seen them proclaimed them to be better then Blur, He was wrong!)
14. Magoo - Red Lines (are fine) - (A song from the first Magoo album proper and again a band from the "Indie backwaters of Norfolk" Have released a varied and innovative set of albums and EP's, this from about the 5th EP.)
15. The Fall Guy Theme Tune - Not exactly in keeping with the compilation but I love this song and you will be singing away by the end of the song. Lee Majors is a legend!)

http://rapidshare.com/files/110045860/Boxerbears2.zip.html

Wednesday 23 April 2008

Its Here!!!!! Boxerbear Vol1 (The First 15)


My first proper compilation! Enjoy

Please let me know if you like it or have any suggestions. Here is whats on it......


1. Kingmaker - When Lucys Down ( My signed Kingmaker Eat yourself whole t-shirt got worn more than virtually any other piece of clothing in my teens, this is off the second ep they released called Waterproof. Surprisingly no best of has ever been put together!)
2. The Lemon Trees - Love is in your Eyes (Dont know much but... ex World party Member makes good pop song shocker!)
3. The Bridewell Taxi's - Face in the Crowd (The better half of a double A Side from recentely reformed Leeds popsters the other half was a cover of Dont Fear the Reaper.)
4. Ultra Vivid Scene - Special One (Is currentely on my list of favourite 20 songs ever, its that good)
5.Flowered Up - Flapping (B-Side to the wonderous Phobia, IMO everything they have ever done is brilliant including B-Sides and Remixes)
6. The Redskins - Keep on Keeping On (A step back to the 1980's and a song i found on a John Peel compilation tape many moons ago. Facts - They were mods and from york and split up in 1986)
7. Pale Saints - Throwing Back the Apple (Great tune from a band that bordered (and possibly laboured) under the 4AD/Shoegaze tags, this is from the career best In Ribbons album)
8. Velvet Crush - Drive Me Down (A song which is as good in acoustic form as it is electric, 1992 single release on creation released many albums in 90's and are quite hard to come by.)
9. Moonshake - Beautiful Pigeon (Another song from a band i saw in my teens, seemed beautiful in Norwich Arts Centre circa 1992)
10. Lush - Sweetness in Light (How were Lush not massive? Check out Spooky or Caio the Best of for proof)
11. Fat Lady Sings - Arclight (Irish gem of a pop song released in 89 and again in 91, From Dublin the album Twist was a regular on my walkman!)
12. Ruthless Rap Assassins - Less Mellow (Kermit from Black Grapes old group this is the only single i have by them and have struggled to get hold of much that they did . Shame as its a brilliant tune)
13. Skee Lo - I Wish (No idea about this fella only hit he had but i remember it being on every compilation tape i had for about 2 years running, great tune)
14. My Bloody Valentine - You Made me Realise - (Great song great band if you dont know about them "shame on you")
15. Stare -Stare (From the Stare EP A Norwich based band who i saw 2 or three times as a young pup in Norwich most noatably around the time of Radio 1's Norwich Sound City 92, who released 3 singles before splitting. All three excellent the other two, Mood and Work may feature on future comps)

Download -
http://rapidshare.com/files/109744776/boxerbear1.zip

Tuesday 22 April 2008

Coming Soon BearBear Vol1

I have put the first complilation together and it is already to be uploaded which i shall do as soon as possible. I features a random mix of indie pop/Hip Hop and Shoegaze and has no these other than them all being very good tunes.

Keep watching you just may like it!!.....

P.S - if anyone has any recommendations regarding software or hardware to convert vinyl into MP3 i would love to hear it as i have 2 crates full of old 7" records begging to be put online and i dont want to waste money on anything if its gonna be rubbish!

James

Thursday 17 April 2008

Dirk Wears White Sox: Belltower - Flight


Belltower - Flight



First music post a great 3 track single that virtually nobody has heard of that isnt between the ages of 30 and 33! And is impossible to get hold of!

Have a listen follow the link to download and to read Dirk's notes on the band!
Enjoy


This is the late great Rhana Boxer Bear aka Big Dog.

His favourite things ever were playing ball, eating, breaking wind and cuddling.

And his two best mates were Benson and Charlotte bears.

He is a Dog Legend

Piccies

Firstly if anyone would like to send me some pictures of Boxer Dogs that they own with a profile i will add them to the blog in between the music and the chat (c: J Ross bbc)

Welcome

Hi,

I have been meaning to do this for ages but thought i would give it a go today. I will use this blog to post some rare music that people may not have heard or get hold of, to publish my general world thoughts and to display pictures of boxer dogs!!!

Come back soon i hope you will enjoy

James