Archive for October, 2024

Catwalk- Positive Thinking 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1985 on October 28, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Been going through my 7” collection preparing for a DJ gig and realized I ripped quite a few of these some years back, but haven’t gotten around to posting them. With that in mind, here’s a one-off single from Catwalk, from 1985. I believe the band was based in the US, judging from their record label (Broken Records, also home to Day One, LeRoy, Who’s This Mary?). These all appear to be Chicago-based artists, so it might be safe to assume that Catwalk were from the area, though the single appears to have been recorded and produced in LA, so hard to say which city Catwalk called home. Barry Leech (previously active in hard rock band Receiver) is credited as the songwriter here, but can’t quite tell if he played all the instruments himself, or if there’s a full band behind the single. Any other info would be welcome!

Not much else I can tell you about this one, but you can expect some nice new wave/minimal synth sounds from both sides, with some deep synth melodies and a hint of guitar/bass. I’m more partial to the A-side myself (that synth hook and guitar line are killer) but of course your mileage may vary. Enjoy!

Catwalk – Positive Thinking
1. Positive Thinking
2. Attention

*download it here*

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Third Circle- Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life 7 & 12”s

Posted in 1980s, 1986, industrial, jangle, Leeds, post-punk, uk on October 11, 2024 by Frankie Teardrop

Third Circle are a name that may be familiar to some, as they’re one of the infamous Leeds bands, the same scene who brought us The March Violets, The Lorries, Three Johns, and Sisters of Mercy. While not as well known as those bands, they had a three single run on Rouska Records, also home to early Cassandra Complex and Dustdevils releases. They sound similar, to my ears, to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, with a similar drum machine pummel and forlorn, sung/shouted vocals. However, despite the intense, mechanical drum programming, I find there to be some excellent pop songwriting on their best known track, “Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life.” With the hooks, jangly guitars, and vocal melodies, it almost reminds me of a Smiths song, buried underneath a cold, industrial, city.

Some of y’all might be familiar with this excellent track already. I can’t say I’ve heard their second and third singles, but will have to inspect them sometime in the future. It’s worth noting that Martin Kelly joined up with W.M.T.I.D. (an EBM/industrial project that formed to support Cassandra Complex), while Tim Daly, a performance poet in his own regard, was a member of Bazooka Joe, and most interestingly, was a lyrical consultant for Pink Floyd’s post-Waters album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Wild!

Speaking of wild, here’s the details for both the 7” and 12” version of this most excellent single from 1986, both which have exclusive b-sides and different versions of the single track. The 7” version is a little janglier (note: the dip early on is a pressing flaw, present on multiple copies) while the 12” is a little heavier/more industrial, if you will. Enjoy!

Third Circle – Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life 12”
1. Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life
2. Real Eyes
3. Silent For Too Long (live)

Third Circle – Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life 7”
1. Last Night Was the Best Night of My Life
2. The Man Who Fell Apart

*download both here*

Check out the band’s lyrics, hosted by Third Circle member Dennis O’Driscoll here!

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