I’ve been on another Friends Again kick this week. I recently tracked down an original copy of the “Honey At The Core” 7″ single (with the much nicer sleeve art). Friends Again, being a product of major label 80s, released so many different versions of the same song. And I, being a product of my own nerd-ness, love to compare each one. So enjoy all the versions I have of “Honey At The Core.”

“Honey At The Core” from the “Honey At The Core” 7″ (Moon 1)
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_friendsagain_honey1.mp3]

“Honey At The Core” from the “Honey At The Core” 7″ (MER 156)
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_friendsagain_honey2.mp3]

“Honey At The Core (Reprise)” from the “Trapped And Unwrapped” LP (MERL 43)
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_friendsagain_honey3.mp3]

Friends Again on Last.fm

I found a stack of old September Set fanzines (from the 1999 show featuring Mahogany, Brideshead, Elegant, Brittle Stars, Skywriters and Masters of the Hemisphere). Free with any order, just leave us a note when you check-out in saying you want one.

I think there needs to be more “whistle and whoops” in music today. Actually I’m not even sure what a “whoop” is here, but all members of C-Saim are credited on this single for having provided them… Andy Bennette (on guitar, vocals, piano, whistle, and whoops), Bryn Daniels (on 8 & 4 string bass, whistle, and whoops), and Steve Brown (on drums, congas, additional perc, whoops, and whistles).

Their double A-side 7″ “Night Air” b/w “Give and Take” was released in 1983 on Summit Records (SUM 3T). It’s by all means an over-looked 80s classic and should be hailed with the likes of Haircut One Hundred and… Fun Boy Three (is that a compliment? I’m meaning it as one). “Give and Take” thankfully made an appearance on “The Sound Of Leamington Spa, Vol 3” compilation, but “Night Air” is still only available on the single.

They had a website some years back through Andy’s publishing company, Night Air Music, but it was taken down. Thanks to web.archive.org, you can visit the site in it’s archived form here (some images are broken, but it’s mostly there). It has a lot of detailed info on the group written by Andy himself, so it’s good it’s not gone forever.

Listen to “Give and Take”
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_c-saim1.mp3]

Listen to Night Air”
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_c-saim2.mp3]

Copies of this single usually sell in that $30-$50 range, but I got mine for around $10, so it’s possible (but as you can hear from the vinyl rips, it’s it’s pretty poor shape). Octopusmusic.fr currently has some selling for 35,00 euro if you’re willing to pay that.

Liverpool’s Kit formed in 1984 from the ashes of Send No Flowers. They released three 12″s and one LP between 1988 and 1990 on Play Hard Records (a Manchester label run by Dave Haslam and Nathan McGough). “How To Break This” is my favorite track taken from their “Unshakeable Faith” LP. For this recording, Kit featured Lyn Sangster (on guitar and vocals), Michelle Brown (on bass), Nat Smith (on drums), Phil Luckin (on trumpet), and Kenny Manson (also on guitar). Maybe someday a proper Kit reissue will see the light of day, but then again I say that about most bands I post about here. Luckily their releases are still available for a decent price second hand if you look hard enough.

Listen to Kit – How To Break This
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_kit.mp3]

Discography:
My Design 12″, Play Hard Records (DEC 10), 1988
Cheatin’ My Heart 12″, Play Hard Records (DEC 20), 1989
Unshakeable Faith LP, Play Hard Records (DEC 32), 1989
Overshadowing Me 12″, Play Hard Records (DEC 34), 1990

And again, here’s that nice review by Neal from The Hellfire Sermons for those who didn’t read it the first time.

St. Vitus Dance were a Liverpool band by way of Belfast. They released their debut album “Love Me Love My Dogma” on Probe Plus in 1987 and it features one of my favorite tracks “Horse Sense.” The band consisted of Noel Burke (vocals), Haydn Boyle (keyboards), Maurice Mulvenna (bass), Philip Freckleton (guitar), Damien Magee (guitar), and Peter Hesketh (drums). You may remember Noel having a brief stint as frontman for Echo and the Bunnymen, replacing Ian McCulloch for the 1990 album, “Reverberation.” Read an interview with Noel Burke here.

In May 2005 a reconstituted St. Vitus Dance reappeared (including most of the original line-up). They played some shows and released a proper cd version of the “Dogma” album (with bonus tracks). A new album “Glypotheque” (also on Probe Plus) was released last year.

Listen to St. Vitus Dance – Horse Sense
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_stvitusdance.mp3]

Buy “Love Me Love My Dogma” on Amazon.co.uk

www.myspace.com/stvitusdancemusic

Holiday Records is a new label started by Jacob (from the Shelflife band Horse Shoes) along with some friends and family. Their concept is pretty refreshing, every Friday (starting today) they’ll have a new digital release available for download for free! The first one is “Walkin’ Under Trees” by The Acorn Boys, a band Jacob was in prior to Horse Shoes. What I’ve heard is fantastic, so head over and grab it.

Download The Acorn Boys

Be sure to check their site every Friday for something new. Future releases will include Bonfire Kids, Victory VIII, Winterlish, Canoe, and The Drums.

www.holidayrecords.net
www.myspace.com/holidayrec

That Dearly post got me thinking more about Bryan Hanna and how “Girl Daredevil” by the Bomb Pops is probably the best single in the world.

Read Alistair Fitchett’s write-up on the Bomb Pops on Pique.

Listen to Bomb Pops – Girl Daredevil
[dewplayer:http://www.shelflife.com/mp3-bin/b_bombpops.mp3]

Order “Recommended For Diversion Seekers” from Grimsey Records
www.discogs.com/artist/Bryan+Hanna