Happy Rock: O Maximo da New Wavo

I picked up this two-disk Stiff sampler record when I was stationed overseas, in 1983. The disks, being imports, bear no notice of Stiff Records (it was released by DaNova Records) except the artists: Ramones, Pretenders, Nick Lowe, and the other “maximo da New Wavo” bands who were all label-mates in the 80s. I don’t think there are any rarities here. Most of the stuff was released state-side on other collections. The only thing I hadn’t heard was Nick Lowe’s live version of “I Knew the Bride.”
All the same, it’s cool to hear some of these songs again. I was sampling through the tracks trying to decide what I could share and came across a couple that were like old friends I hadn’t heard from in years. Graham Parker’s “Endless Night” was one of those songs.

Spellbound.mp3 Rachel Sweet
Nightboat to Cairo.mp3 Madness
I Knew the Bride (live).mp3 Nick Lowe
Everybody’s Got Something to Hide (Beatles cover).mp3 Feelies
Endless Night.mp3 Graham Parker and the Rumour
C’mon Let’s Go.mp3 Ramones and the Paley Brothers
Cities Talking Heads
Chinese Rocks.mp3 Ramones
Reasons to be Cheerful Pt.3.mp3 Ian Dury and the Blockheads

*****
Out of curiousity, I Googled some of these bands to see what they're up to now. Rachel Sweet recorded a few albums and appeared on "Seinfeld." The Feelies were in a Jonathan Demme movie called "Something Wild," playing a high school reunion band. Graham Parker continues recording and published a set of short stories, "Carp Fishing on Valium," in June 2000. His second book, "The Other Life of Brian," appeared in September 2003. Ian Dury died of colorectal cancer in 2000.

The others I'm guessing you know about....

posted by aikin @ 11:45 AM