As Stu and Lucy were leaving and moving to London the next day, it seemed fitting that we used January’s Record Club to mark their move, and we thought why not do that with a ‘London’ theme. Both have been instrumental in getting Record Club going, so for that, and many other reasons, we’re sad to see then go.

Still we had a good time, kicking the evening off with the Clash’s London Calling in it’s entirety. (Yep, a whole double album!)

Unhalfbricking got a nice introduction from Stu – we’re still not sure if we played his mum’s copy, his dad’s copy, or one his dad got by nefarious means.

Various London themed singles and album tracks filled out the night. A bit of Madness, a bit of punk, some Motorhead live at Hammersmith, etc

Abbey Road by the Beatles was the last album of the night, with an original copy from Stu’s mum getting an outing. This was the record she bought with her first hi-fi because ‘it had good bass’.

A few singles later, (and some dancing – yeah, I know!) we closed the night with West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys.

Good fun.

Comments, suggestions? Visit our Nominate page, or contact us.

Records:

Abbey Road

Artist:

The Beatles

Year:

1969

Event:

Jan. 2012: London Calling

This was played at the January 2012 event.

We had an original copy from Stu’s mum and it sounded great.

Abbey Road on Wikipedia

London Calling

Artist:

The Clash

Year:

1979

Event:

Jan. 2012: London Calling

The perfect sound track for friends as they make a life changing move to the smoke?

London Calling on Wikipedia

Unhalfbricking

Artist:

Fairport Convention

Year:

1969

Event:

Jan. 2012: London Calling

Stu says:

“Great cover photo taken in Wimbledon and one of my favourite albums EVER. I have my dad’s vinyl copy too. Is that ok? Great mix of trad and modern,different tempos,ace singing and some sing-a-longs and amazing instrumental sections. It’s brill!”

Unhalfbricking on Wikipedia

This was our last club before Christmas 2011. We decided to mark the festive season with 3 great vinyl albums – but probably none of them would be by Slade, Shakin’ Stevens, or Wizzard. Then again perhaps that was what the punters wanted. We asked  people to  consider what they might bring along:

• Maybe it’s something you’d like to receive, or give?
• Maybe it something that just fits this time of year?
• Maybe it’s the anti-dote to commercial Christmas?
• Maybe it’s something you were given many years ago?

In the end, The Pogues made it due to some synchronicity of thought between a couple of people, both brining an album along. Moondog made it cos it seemed different and because he had a long white beard (honestly!), and Lennon seemed a popular choice – with the added bonus of only having one Christmas song on the album, right at the end.

45s and 12″ filled out the night with Dean McPhee‘s single going down well – you cansee him live on the 10th December. Mazzy Star’s Flowers in December seemed to be a hit, but Abba’s Happy New Year, not so…ach well, Daz will be back for the next one, so maybe we’ll get some tastier 45s.

The massive pile of old NME papers went down well. Something for everyone in there. Listening to records and reading the NME, takes me back.

See you in Jan.

Records:

If I Should Fall from Grace with God

Artist:

The Pogues

Year:

1988

Event:

A not quite Christmas special

Playing around with the Christmas theme, Stu turned up with ‘Rum Sodomy & the Lash’, an album by the band with that Christmas song, but without the Christmas song on it. At the same time, the album with the Christmas song on also turned up, so that cemented The Pogues as one of the records of the night. But which one? The Christmas song won the day.

If I Should Fall from Grace with God on Wikipedia

Shaved Fish

Artist:

John Lennon

Year:

1975

Event:

A not quite Christmas special

This compilation album ends with “Happy Xmas (War is Over) / Give Peace A Chance (Reprise)”, so it’s not a bad choice around Christmas time. A bit of Lennon seemed like a good concensus choice for ending the evening, so that was that.

Shaved Fish on Wikipedia

Viking of Sixth Avenue

Artist:

Moondog

Year:

2005

Event:

A not quite Christmas special

Moondog made the cut for the ‘A not quite Christmas special’ event, quite shamefully, because he looked a bit like Santa with his long white beard.

Highly recommended by a couple of the people at the event, for most of us this was pleasing new ground. Well worth checking out.

Moondog on Wikipedia

We went with a Detroit theme for the October event.

We took some suggestions, but also found Tam and Lee, (and their vinyl collections), and their love of Detroit sounds, so they helped get the evening going.

There are some photos of the event in the gallery, and by all accounts the night was the usual mix of good music, good people and  a good bar. See you at November’s event.

This might be of interest to anyone wondering what the sound of Detroit might be:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Detroit
• 100 best Detroit songs: http://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12036

Suggestions, links, comments below.

Records:

Fun House

Artist:

The Stooges

Year:

1970

Event:

The Sound of Detroit – Oct. 2011

This was played at the Detroit night event. If it’s Detroit, then there’s gotta be some Stooges.

I think I bought my copy from somewhere in London. It’s still got the shrink wrap sleeve on.

Fun House by The Stooges on Wikipedia

Innervisions

Artist:

Stevie Wonder

Year:

1973

Event:

The Sound of Detroit – Oct. 2011

I know nothing about this album and wasn’t at the event where it was played, so you’ll have to fill in the gaps for yourselves!

Innervisions on Wikipedia

Didn’t we have a loverly time the evening we spent at record club? It was great to see some new faces down there, and, of course, the familiar ones as well.

We built the night based on the suggestions we’d recieved on our nominate page. These included a bit of psychedelic space rock from Gong (a very well played version of the record was supplied by Paul, a gift from “Bagnall”…), some late-eighties indy pop foolery from the Pixies, a tribute to REM in the form of Fables of the Reconstruction, and just ‘cos it’s 20yrs old we ended with Nevermind.

The twittersphere was alive to the sound of Record Club last night, check@therecordclub on twitter for more. Or read our blog.
And, don’t just take our word for it, read the Culture Vulture review.

Records:

Camembert Electrique

Artist:

Gong

Year:

1971

Event:

Record Club Returns

A popular suggestion in our nominate section. We played a much loved, muched played version, so there were a few crackles, but it was an interesting listen.

Camembert Electrique on Wikipedia

Fables of the Reconstruction

Artist:

R.E.M

Year:

1985

Event:

Record Club Returns

As R.E.M anounced they were splitting up just days before Record Club, the punters took matters into their own hands (and why not!) and turned up armed with their R.E.M vinyl. A quick round of UN style diplomacy led us to give Fables of the Reconstruction an airing. Arguably, a little less well known than much of thier work, as it was only their third album, it was an interesting listen.

Fables of the Reconstruction on Wikipedia

Nevermind

Artist:

Nirvana

Year:

1981

Event:

Record Club Returns

Well there was just a little bit of hype around this album during September 2011, as it became 20 years old.

Rather than invest in the 4CD/DVD collectors edition box set, why not have a listen to it on vinyl instead? It was chosen as a late addition to the September event and got squeezed in as a bonus 4th album on the night.

Nevermind on Wikipedia

Surfer Rosa

Artist:

Pixies

Year:

1988

Event:

Record Club Returns

The first full length album by the Pixies got the vote over Doolittle on the night of the Record Club event. The whole of their back catalogue was on offer, thanks to Rob who brought it along.

This is an album that many people ended up getting on CD as it came bundled with another record, Come on Pilgrim, at the time. So we put the theory to the test that the vinyl sounds much better than the CD versions.

Surfer Rosa on Wikipedia

The first ever proper Bradford Record Club was curated by our very own Stu at theThe Kirkgate Centre, Shipley. Check out the event photos.

Longtime member of Quack Quack and vinyl aficionado, he chose Horses by Patti Smith and the debut album by Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band. Unfortunately he didn’t manage to track down Safe as Milk on vinyl so he subbed it on the night withClear Spot.

Previously Stu had brought a selection of records to our first informal gathering of Record Club, and we all loved what we heard.

The third album on the night was chosen via an online vote, with Rock N Roll with the Modern Lovers coming out as the winner.

In between the albums, Daz managed to spin a few 7″ singles.

Most importantly, it was a great social occasion, with lots of record talk throughout the evening. The bar had some nice beers (and cake!), and it was great to meet a bunch of other people that seemed to like what we were doing.

Don’t just take my word for it. Check out this blog post: Shipley Record Club – an Evening of Music, Chat and Beer.

If you have suggestions for future albums, or curators, or anything else, then let us know via the nominate section, or leave a comment below.

Records:

Clear Spot

Artist:

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

Year:

1972

Event:

First Record Club

When we played this we had at least one Captain Beefheart fan that had made the trip especially to be at the club. As it happens we should have been playing Safe as Milk, but we hadn’t managed to track down a copy in time!

For some of us this was the first time we’d listened to a whole Beefheart album.

Good stuff!

Clear Spot on Wikipedia

Horses

Artist:

Patti Smith

Year:

1975

Event:

First Record Club

A pre-punk favourite from Stu. Interesting to note that this was out 2 years before the punk explosion in the UK.

Horses on Wikipedia

Rock N Roll With Modern Lovers

Artist:

The Modern Lovers

Year:

1977

Event:

First Record Club

Let’s try Record Club

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers were a big inspiration on Punk music – simple short songs played and sung with more enthusiasm than spot-on precision, particularly where Richman’s highly idiosyncratic voice is concerned.

Jonathan Richman famously appeared as the wandering minstrel in the film ‘There’s Something About Mary’.

Their most famous song ‘Roadrunner’ is not on this album. Rather than the heavier electric sound of their first album (“The Modern Lovers”, 1976), this album features an all acoustic ‘skiffle’ type line-up and the natural ‘live’ sound of the group playing together in a room.

The cover art comprises a photograph on one side and a near-identical painting on the other, which are – at first – hard to tell apart. This disc was greatly enjoyed by the assembled few!

The Modern Lovers on Wikipedia

With our partners off out to a 50’s event at the National Media Museum we had a little impromptu record club, and since we were left holding the baby, used that as the theme.

From the selection of records we brought along we listened to:

• Another side of Bob Dylan
• Phil Spector – 1958-1969 [Box set]
• B.B. King – From the Beginning
• Captain Beafheart – Spotlight Kid

…not necessarily in that order…

Records:

Another side of Bob Dylan

Artist:

Bob Dylan

Year:

1964

Event:

Let’s try Record Club

Surprisingly few Dylan fans in the room, so this was chosen as a gentle introduction for non-believers.

Another Side of Bob Dylan on Wikipedia

Back to Mono 1958-1969

Artist:

Phil Spector

Year:

1991

Event:

Be my baby

This is a box set that Dave picked up in his early 20’s, discovering the joy of the ‘wall of sound’.

Back to Mono on Wikipedia

From the beginning

Artist:

B.B. King

Year:

1967

Event:

Let’s try Record Club

Just a great album. Started the debate about double albums and box sets, so we only played one of the two discs.

B.B. King on Wikipedia

The Spotlight Kid

Artist:

Captain Beefheart

Year:

1972

Event:

Let’s try Record Club

An album to introduce others to the magic of Captain Beefheart?

Dave says: “I was really pleased to hear ‘Click Clack’, a track that I’ve come to love thanks to John Peel.”

The Spotlight Kid on Wikipedia

Dave, Daz, Stu and Linda got together to try out Record Club tonight. Lucy andNicky came by later.

Stu brought a selection of records and between us we first selected the Modern Lovers, and then Pit er Pat.

It was great. We decided that talking while the records were on was ok, cos we hardly get to see each other anyway.

Records:

Rock N Roll With Modern Lovers

Artist:

The Modern Lovers

Year:

1977

Event:

First Record Club

Let’s try Record Club

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers were a big inspiration on Punk music – simple short songs played and sung with more enthusiasm than spot-on precision, particularly where Richman’s highly idiosyncratic voice is concerned.

Jonathan Richman famously appeared as the wandering minstrel in the film ‘There’s Something About Mary’.

Their most famous song ‘Roadrunner’ is not on this album. Rather than the heavier electric sound of their first album (“The Modern Lovers”, 1976), this album features an all acoustic ‘skiffle’ type line-up and the natural ‘live’ sound of the group playing together in a room.

The cover art comprises a photograph on one side and a near-identical painting on the other, which are – at first – hard to tell apart. This disc was greatly enjoyed by the assembled few!

The Modern Lovers on Wikipedia

Shakey

Artist:

Pit er Pat

Year:

2005

Event:

Let’s try Record Club

Pit er Pat are a three piece ‘avant rock’ group from Chicago, whose music often has a dark undertone but (in Stuart’s opinion) is never dirge-ish.

This album has a refreshing guitar-free rock sound, with interesting rhythms, great keyboard sounds, well-used samples and excellent spine-tingling vocals.

Stuart became aware of Pit er Pat when his band played a gig with them in Nottingham a few years ago.

Now a duo, they continue to tour and record extensively. They are friendly with fellow Chicago avant rockers ‘Tortoise’

Pit er Pat on Wikipedia