Your last listen

[Grumpytim]

Both The Skids & Big Country have decent box sets, The Skids later Burning Cities is definitely worth a go as well. No Thyself by Magazine is also rather good, though you may as well pick up Luxuria, Beast Box and Jerky Versions of the Dream along the way.

Feel a bit of a fraud - currently playing Rammstein - Zeit, but hey ho.

[slinger]

I don't know if you guys use Cherry Red https://www.cherryred.co.uk/ but it's a great place for box- sets you might not even know exist, I warn you though, it gets expensive.

[Fretless]

One of my regular shopping sources is an eBay seller in Germany called Medimops.

Vast selection of used CDs, low prices and fast delivery (to The Netherlands).

Skids box set ? Check !

[slinger]

One of my regular shopping sources is an eBay seller in Germany called Medimops.

Vast selection of used CDs, low prices and fast delivery (to The Netherlands).

Skids box set ? Check !

Bloody Brexit!

[CN211276]

Halestorm - Back from the dead

[slinger]

Skids 'The Virgin Years' (2015)



As promised - the Skids 6CD box-set which contains just about everything that the band ever released. To be quite honest, I am surprised by how much of this is familiar, I seem to remember having more Skids singles than LP's: 'Into the Valley, 'Circus Games', 'Masquerade' with a vague recollection of having had 'The Absolute Game' for a while as well.

So, this set comprises of the 4 main albums with a load of extra tracks ('Absolute Game' includes the extra 'Strength Through Joy' LP) and an entire BBC concert on disc 5 along with the Bruce Fairbairn-re-worked 'Days in Europa'. To finish off there is a CD of all their Peel Sessions (John Peel was a big fan). In short - the works. The box contains, as well, a booklet with an entertaining history of the band.

I had forgotten, also, how incredibly influential this band were - leading the more melodic and exploratory Post-Punk wave along with Magazine, directly inspiring the likes of U2 and Simple Minds. The Skids were close contemporaries of The Clash and The Stranglers and held with equal esteem back in the late 70's. However, my ongoing trawl through this musical era is revealing that there is a lot of music that passed me by and the discovery of these lost treasures is proving to be thrilling.

A wild trip then; from the rousing Punk anthem of 'Into the Valley' sweeping down from the Highlands, through the Bill Nelson-produced 'Days in Europa' (Nelson's guitar playing heavily influenced Stuart Adamson's style). Then the commercial peak of 'Absolute Game' and on to the thoughtful, introverted 'Joy' (an album I have never heard before now).

Unique, inspired, literate and talented. The light of the Skids burned but briefly - but it sure burned bright!



Now to dig out my Big Country CD's ...
... Bagpipe guitars !!!!!

[CN211276]

Queensryche - Empire

[NSNO2021]

Between playing a good number of CDs I have Radio Paradise (flac) on 24 x 7 whilst I see if getting >100 hours in on my new M23 amp and upgraded Pontus 2 dac makes any difference.
Roll on Tuesday

[CN211276]

Nico and the Velvet Underground

[Fretless]

The Specials 'The Specials' (1979)



A logical side-step from the reggae emphasis of 'Sandanista' is the Ska movement that was closely allied to the Punk explosion of the late 70's.

Leading the pack were multi-racial Coventry group The Specials with their self-titled debut LP. To my shame, this is another great album that I have never listened to before.

Tight and infectious, a combination of dancehall fun and hard-hitting political commentary.

Why has it taken me so long .... ?