"Just For A Day"

Hello,

A bit weary after spending a night in full-throttle.I just went to a gig last night in Makati with some friends and spend the night a bit drunk and haze...Ehmm...I talked with my friend,Sherwin (who surprised me as he also know my other friend whom i was with!) about the bit's & bob's,music,collections,lokal music scene,etc.After taking 2 bottles of San Mig Light,He waved goodbye and went home and i go along with my other friend's to continue watching the gig.After that i google all the way as i arrived home 6:30 in the morning...!!!I was ok now & im a bit lazy as my head is a bit empty! but still i was able to finish some term papers & now listening to this loveable band which own's a big space in my heart & ears (i loved them so much) after year's of missing them as one of the frontrunners of the shoegazing scene,Slowdive.

The band formed in late 1989 in Reading and consist of Neil Halstead (vocals/guitar),Nick Chaplin (bass),Adrian Sell (drums),Christian Savill (guitar) (see:Eternal) & the charming Rachel Goswell (vocals/guitar).Before initially recording their output,Adrian Sell left the band to pursue his studies,They found a subbed drummer in the form of Neil Carter who plays with them for about a year before Simon Scott (of the great but forgotten band,The Charlottes).They were signed on the influential Creation label who released their material.

Debut LP "Just For A Day" was released in 1991 ("Celia's Dream" was my fave!) on the wake of the scene who was sweeping UK back then.It features the band at it's peak of their luscious dreams echoing in their music as they were dubbed by the hard to please purists & music critics as "The Scene That Celebrates Itself" alongside a bunch of bands who has a nod to their shoelaces.After 2 years saw the emergence of their strong follow up "Souvlaki" in 1993 (initail copies saw a special double release including "Blue Day"(a compilation of their early EP's) as a 2nd disc).It includes some of their gems such as "Alison","40 Days" (i miss this one!!!),"When The Sun Hits",Etc.This LP was delayed stateside as problems with US label SBK surfaced but interestingly when it was already released in 1994,It included almost half of the "Blue Day" compilation as bonus tracks.

After some problems on touring & promoting the LP,Simon Scott had parted ways with the band and Ian McCutcheon replaced him on the kit but the press are already tired on the shoegazing scene at that time as the Nirvana led grunge year's have overtaken the planet (even Alan McGee thought that MBV would changed his life but it was the other way around when he was interviewed in a glaring music mag...).Problems seems to continue on the opening of the year of 1995 as their 3rd LP,"Pygmalion" has been ignored & described by many as an ambient of sorts with it's dark leanings cause basically it was done solo by Neil Halstead although a hint of contributions from bandmates Rachel and Ian can be traced on some songs.They were dropped from the Creation roster in similar with their US label.

Unhappy with the results,Nick Chaplin & Christian Savill left the group while recording & the band dissolve slowly resurfacing later on with a new project called Mojave 3 which consists of Neil,Rachel and Ian and released a string of LP's on 4AD with Neil & Rachel also putting out solo outings also on 4AD with the recent release of Rachel's debut "Waves Are Universal".Simon Scott went on to play with other bands such as Inner Sleeve,Lowgold and is currently on Televise. A retrospective double CD was issued including rare B-sides & Peel sessions titled "Catch The Breeze" last year.

Here are a some echoing in silence tunes from the band:

Slowdive - "Slowdive"
Slowdive - "She Calls"
Slowdive - "Albatross"
Slowdive - "Beach Song"
Slowdive - "Catch The Breeze" (live in Oslo)

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"Revolutionary Spirit"

Hello,

I've been listening to this band eversince the week started,Harry Hunks.Formed in the late 90's in Finland & composed of Matti Eräsaari (vocals/guitar),Olli Moilanen (percussion/backing vocals),Antti Ahokas (keyboards) & Jaakko Laine (bass) who quit the band in 1999.Later on they are joined by Pekka Kastari & Petri Nakari (guitars) (who is also in a band called Red Carpet).

They play happy songs that can make you smile even at the low times of your life and guitar pop reminiscent of The Trash Can Sinatras.They have already released some of the cruncy tunes you'll ever hear such as "With Summer Wine" which is included in the compilation "Meet The Scene:An Introduction To Finnish Underground Guitar Pop" released by Rhythm Barrel Records in 2001.They have already released a string of "7 Singles,"Romancing (Out Of Season)" in 2001 on Marsu on paras then "20 Miles An Hour" also on Marsu on paras co-released by Rhythm Barrel Records in 2003.

After a year of touring & spending some time recording new songs,Harry Hunks returned with their brand new CDEP "Revolutions From Pink To Pale" which was released last year,It saw them at their peak with songs of melancholy and cheeriness echoing in "Snooze Alarm" (my choice!) then swithing to a bit warmer tune of "Slow Air" then closing it with a bash on "Let's Not Go To Vienna".

I am looking forward in hearing more on them but as of now,Here are a couple of their song's:

Harry Hunks - "With Summer Wine"
Harry Hunks - "Snooze Alarm"

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"Crash"

Hello,

Been crashing up & down lately & a bit tired because of my studies and at the same time...Listening to some old but still great stuff.I missed this band which i think has one of the prettiest faces in the emerging "Blonde Scene" in the mid up to late 80's UK indie music scene,Talking bout The Primitives.

The band which was formed in 1985 in Coventry,England and composed of Kieron (vocals),Paul Court (vocals/guitars),Steve Dullaghan (bass),Pete Tweedie (drums).Kieron was later replaced by Tracy Tracy (Tracy Cattell is her real name) (vocals).At the peak of the bludgeoning UK indie scene,The band showcased their loved of 60's pop blend with buzzsaw guitar's but with charm & aura as saw in the release of their first single,"Thru The Flowers" which appeared on their own label,Lazy Recordings (home also of early My Bloody Valentine,See See Rider,Birdland) in 1986.

Being lumped as the new Blondie with their melodic approach in their music but with the angst of The Ramones,The band soon create a big buzz in the warm but hard to please media enthusiast who will soon crown them as their new pop darlings right after they release their debut LP,"Lovely" on major label RCA in 1988 which scored them the major hit "Crash".Prior to the release of the LP,Tweedie has been replaced by Tig Williams (drums) who appeared on their debut.

After completing their American tour,Dullaghan exited the group and a new bassist was recruited in the form of Andy Hobson (who will later became a member of The Pretenders) who will later be replaced by Paul Sampson who stepped on for their sophomore effort,"Pure" in 1989 who failed to match the success of it's predecessor as it failed to sell as well as it's singles.The band recorded it's last LP,"Galore" which was produced by Ian Broudie (Big In Japan/Original Mirrors/Care/The Lightning Seeds) in 1991 which sadly,Also met the same fate as it was not even released in the US.Last year a retrospective & a rarities collection was released which was named after their debut single,"Thru The Flowers:The Anthology".

Here are a couple of the band's songs to reminisce those hazy days & crash those parties again:

The Primitives - "As Tears Go By"
The Primitives - "Crash" (demo)

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"Violent Love"

Hello,

Time is so quick & were already approaching the middle end of the year...So timely to hear this underrated but ooozing band which create a bit dreamy sound but will left you craving for more!Im talking about My Violent Ego.The band which fuses melting guitars with it's dreamy vocals where formed when Paolo Miceli (who was based in Italy) (guitars/drum loops) met Christy Brewster (from Scotland) (vocals) on Mp3.com back in 2001 sharing the same passion in music.

Being away with each other is not a reason for them so they started recording their music by way of sending files through each other through the internet.Hearing traces of My Bloody Valentine,Curve,Slowdive or a band which has a tie up on the shoegaze feel of the early 90's in their music,The band has already released a string of EP's & their LP,"Carried Along By Fate" was a stormer with it's melodic but dreamy guitar lines shattered along the songs like "Thrill Of Light" layering their wall of sound music on it's feet.

My Violent Ego had toured Italy in March/April of last year & After 2 years of not seeing each other,They met in France in July also last year to record a new EP but sadly things don't go well as Christy just dropped out.Still,Paolo carry on & just this year saw the release of a new EP,"Clicks & Hisses" which was a collection of unreleased demos & rarities which was released only through the internet.Here are a couple of songs from the new EP:

My Violent Ego - "Plam"
My Violent Ego - "Pesky Fly"

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