Wednesday, November 23, 2005

APB

Sometimes I don't consider some bands for this site because I feel they are too well known. Many times I am wrong. I'm sure most of you have heard Aberdeen, Scotland's APB. Then again, maybe not. They were very popular in the New York City area due to airplay on the legendary WLIR and "Screamer" status for the song "Shoot You Down". There was a lot of college radio support as well. They never got beyond that in the U.S. APB began recording singles filled with intense, funky bass and wiry guitar in 1981 and a compilation of those singles was released four years later called "Something to Believe In" (Red River, 1985). Their first full-length album, Cure for the Blues, was released the following year, and in 1986, the band released their last recording, a four-track EP "Missing You Already". In 1996 "Something to Believe In" was released on CD along with some bonus tracks and quickly fell out of print. It once had been listed for sale on Amazon for $2500.00. Currently it goes for $119.00

APB was:
George Cheyne - drums
Glen Roberts - guitar
Iain Slater - bass, vocals (now with Pablo)

Surprise the APB fan in your life and spring for "Something to Believe In".

Go to the download page to get APB - "Rainy Day" here.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Maximum Joy

Bristol, England's Maximum Joy formed in 1979, blending funk, soul, punk, reggae and jazz into their own unique post-punk sound. They signed to the Rough Trade distributed Y records and their first single, 'Stretch' (see Silence Is A Rhythm Too) came out in 1981. In the U.S. the record was distrubuted by the legendary 99 Records. Their LP, 'Station MXJY' was released in 1982 and was produced by Adrian Sherwood. Maximum Joy’s last single was a haunting version of "Why Can’t We Live Together", a song as relevant today as it was when it was first recorded by Timmy Thomas on 1972.

Maximum Joy was:
Janine Rainforth (singer /violin/clarinet)
Tony Wrafter (saxophonist/trumpeter, previously with Glaxo Babies)
Charlie Llewellyn (drums, previously of Glaxo Babies)
John Waddington (guitar, previously of Pop Group)
Dan Catsis (bass, previously of Pop Group and Glaxo Babies)

and later:
Kev (Ebo) Evan (Bass)
Nelly Hooper (Sin Drum)
Jeremy Hirsh (Trumpet)

Recently a A CD was issued of rare and hard to find 7", 12" and some album tracks.

Go to the download to get Maximum Joy - "Why Can't We Live Together?" mp3 here