Cabaret Voltaire Pick

It was and it wasn't hard to make this pick. First, they have several greatest hits compilations. Anyone of them is good. All of them together make a great look. My pick is slightly different than all of those. First I make no distinction between the early and late Cabaret Voltaire work. My first exposure to them was Mix-Up from 1979. I've liked every album since. That made it very difficult. Maybe I was  less enthused by Johnny YesNo, but I even liked Three Mantras. The first song I connected with was a cover of the Seeds. Genius! Then I couldn't get the lyric "70 Billion People on the Earth, Where are They Hiding?" out of my head. They took a turn and I followed. Micro-Phonies and Drinking Gasoline were on my turntables all the time. Around that time I finally saw them live. Multiple times. My favorite being in London in some small club in some industrial area. I called last minute to a record company rep and got my name on the list as I stepped up to the window. They didn't care and just let me in. I saw them on both coasts of the USA. If pressured I might say that Throbbing Gristle is my favorite of the two, but I would be hard pressed to make the choice.

Cabaret Voltaire Pick

01 Cabaret Voltaire - Just Fascination

02 Cabaret Voltaire - Do Right

03 Cabaret Voltaire - Sensoria

04 Cabaret Voltaire - Radical Chic

05 Cabaret Voltaire - Landslide

06 Cabaret Voltaire - Yashar

07 Cabaret Voltaire - What is Real

08 Cabaret Voltaire - Easy Life

09 Cabaret Voltaire - Sex, Money, Freaks

10 Cabaret Voltaire - Smooth

11 Cabaret Voltaire - I Want You

12 Cabaret Voltaire - Vasto

13 Cabaret Voltaire - No Escape

14 Cabaret Voltaire - Sluggin' For Jesus

15 Cabaret Voltaire - Kneel To The Boss

Buzzcocks Family

Yesterday I posted up Howard Devoto family and a lot of that could fit with this, so I included only two Magazine tracks, the rest you can find yesterday. My pick includes a lot of the Buzzcocks over the years (even after the death of Pete Shelley). A little of my favorite Buzzcocks, four Pete Shelley solo tracks and then a smattering of tracks from other members of the Buzzcocks. Steve Diggle who kept them going, Barry Adamson (check out his family pick for more). A couple of side projects for John Maher, Mike Joyce and solo track from Tony Barber round out the pick. Not too much of a rabbit hole, but enough to get you started looking. The Buzzcocks were one of those bands that I never understood why they didn't reach mainstream success more than they did. Their songs are mostly pure pop. But then you hit one or two and the lyrics tell you why they were banned on a few occasions.

Buzzcocks Family

01 Buzzcocks - Wish I Never Loved You

02 Buzzcocks - I Don't Mind

03 Buzzcocks - Why Can't I Touch It

04 Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (with Someone You Shouldn't've)

05 Buzzcocks - What Do I Get

06 Buzzcocks - Senses Out Of Control

07 Buzzcocks - Keep On Believing

08 Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict

09 Buzzcocks - Jerk

10 Pete Shelley - On Your Own

11 Pete Shelley - Yesterday's Not Here

12 Pete Shelley - Telephone Operator

13 Pete Shelley - Homosapien

14 Buzzcocks - Do It

15 Buzzcocks - You Say You Don't Love Me

16 Magazine - Shot By Both Sides

17 Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me

18 Steve Diggle & The Flag Of The Convenience - 50 Years Of Comparative Wealth

19 Barry Adamson - Autodestruction

20 Morrissey - Interesting Drug

21 Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls - Dream Sequence I

22 Tony Barber - Someday

23 John Cooper Clarke - I Don't Want To Be Nice

Howard Devoto Family

This pick is cool. It can't help it. Devoto was the beginning of the Buzzcocks, the beginning and all of Magazine. Either one of those two bands would relegate him to the cool pile. But add in Luxuria and his solo stuff and he is beyond cool. His mug is pure uncool geek and that makes him cool. His music is amazing and that sure helps. He's one of the few artists who have a song that mentions the San Fernando Valley (where I lived for years). That's cool. Bing Crosby also sings about the Valley. As does Frank Zappa. All cool cats. I like this pick. All the songs are great.

Howard Devoto Family

01 Buzzcocks - Boredom

02 Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards

03 Magazine - TV Baby

04 Magazine - My Mind Ain't So Open

05 Magazine - Give Me Everything

06 Magazine - About The Weather

07 Magazine - Motorcade

08 Magazine - Goldfinger

09 Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me

10 Magazine - Definitive Gaze

11 Magazine - Rhythm Of Cruelty

12 Magazine - Touch And Go

13 Magazine - Permafrost

14 Howard Devoto - Cold Imagination (Extended Version)

15 Howard Devoto - Rainy Season

16 Luxuria - Beast Box

17 Luxuria - The Beast Is Dreaming

18 Luxuria - Public Highway

19 Luxuria - Jezebel

Lydia Lunch Box

I have to state up front, that I love Lydia Lunch. She's a firecracker. I've met her a few times, seen her play live both as a singer and as a spoken word poet. I don't know what it is, but it seems like there is a connection everytime we've been together. She would not know my name from adam, but every single time we've ended up flirting, playing grab ass or something. That's not because I am somebody, but she's just flirty and I am okay with it. I encourage it with her. She's short compared to me and she's trouble all the way through! And I mean that in a good way. That being said, she will hate my pick here. It's got tracks she doesn't like. But sorry, I do. These are my favorites out of the non-spoken word recordings I have. Every time I find something from her, I have to get it. Yes, I am a fan.

Lydia Lunch Box

01 Lydia Lunch With The Anubian Lights - Nothing But Trouble

02 Lydia Lunch - Spooky

03 Lydia Lunch - Some Velvet Morning

04 Lydia Lunch With Rowland S Howard - I Fell In Love With A Ghost

05 Lydia Lunch With Clint Ruin - Don't Fear The Reaper

06 Eight Eyed Spy - Run Thru The Jungle

07 Lydia Lunch With Clint Ruin - Why Don't We Do It In The Road

08 Lydia Lunch With Babes In Toyland - Witchy Woman

09 Lydia Lunch - Atomic Bongos

10 Eight Eyed Spy - Diddy Wah Diddy

11 Lydia Lunch With Sonic Youth - Death Valley 69

12 James White & The Blacks - Stained Sheets

13 Lydia Lunch With The Anubian Lights - Champagne, Cocaine & Nicotine Stains

Jimmy Somerville Family

This pick kind of fits in with last few days of posts, but this time the emphasis is on Jimmy Somerville. First known as the falsetto voice of Bronski Beat, he soon left to start the band Communards. Took a couple of people who had played on the early Bronski Beat albums and put out a couple of albums and a few singles, Then went "solo". He guested on a few tracks for others, usually as back singer. I included a few at the end. He had a great falsetto, supposedly some weird politics, but I don't judge him by that because he never showed that side to me. I only heard second hand. I like his voice.

Jimmy Somerville Family

01 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy

02 Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way

03 Bronski Beat - Ain't Necessarily So

04 Jimmy Somerville - To Love Somebody

05 Jimmy Somerville with June Miles-Kingston - Comment Te Dire Adieu

06 Jimmy Somerville - Run From Love

07 Communards - Never Can Say Goodbye

08 Bronski Beat - Why

09 Communards - You Are My World

10 Communards - For A Friend

11 Bronski Beat And Marc Almond - I Feel Love Johnny Remember Me

12 Communards - There's More To Love Than Boy Meets Girl

13 Communards - So Cold The Night

14 Jimmy Somerville - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

15 Communards - Tomorrow

16 Communards - Disenchanted

17 Jimmy Somerville - Read My Lips

18 Fine Young Cannibals - Suspicious Minds

19 Banderas - Why Aren't You In Love With Me

20 Carmel - One Fine Day

Repost: Vince Clarke Family Pick

Vince Clarke is a synth-pop genius, innovator. He started Depeche Mode. He was Yaz or Yazoo (depending on where you were in the world). He is Erasure. And a dozen other projects that you may or may not have heard. It seems to me, that he gets a new singer and does a project. Some have lasted longer than others (obviously in Erasure he's been there a long time). Some lasted one single. But all have lasting importance in the musical world. Since he was in some longer than others, I took my favorites from those bands in this pick. The singles, I could only pick one. And I still had too many to pick from. So if I missed your favorite, sorry. There's just a lot to choose from. If you do not know this man, shame on you, but now you have no excuse.

Vince Clarke Family

01 Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
02 Depeche Mode - Dreaming Of Me
03 Depeche Mode - New Life
04 Yazoo - Don't Go
05 Yazoo - Only You
06 Yazoo - Nobody's Diary
07 Yazoo - Situation
08 The Assembly - Never Never
09 Vince Clarke & Paul Quinn - One Day
10 Erasure - Oh L'Amour
11 Erasure - Sometimes
12 Erasure - Chains Of Love
13 Erasure - A Little Respect
14 Erasure - Love To Hate You
15 Erasure - Take A Chance On Me
16 Erasure - Always
17 The Clarke & Ware Experiment - Open Our Eyes
18 VCMG - Spock
19 Vince Clarke & Paul Hartnoll - Better Have A Drink To Think
20 West India Company - Ave Maria (Om Ganesha) (Extended Version)

Bronski Family

Bronski Beat was Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek. They sang with people like Eartha Kitt and Marc Almond. Steve and Larry carried on after Jimmy left to form Communards and some solo work. They got a few new singers. Jon Foster appeared on Hit That Perfect Beat and then Jonathan Hellyer came around Cha Cha Heels. I have tracks from each on here. One of my favorites is the almost ten minute collaboration with Marc Almond. Distinctly Bronski, but oh so Almond. You might be thinking why is Die Antwoord on this pick? Well, it is a track written by Steve and Larry. Just thinking: This pick reminds me a lot of the Vince Clarke pick I made some time ago so I might just repost it tomorrow. 

Bronski Family

01 Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat - My Discarded Men

02 Bronski Beat - One More Chance (7 Version)

03 Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat - Cha Cha Heels (Radio Mix)

04 Bronski Beat - Ain't Necessarily So

05 Bronski Beat - C'mon! C'mon!

06 Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way

07 Bronski Beat - Run from Love

08 Bronski Beat - I Love The Nightlife

09 Jimmy Somerville - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

10 Bronski Beat - Heatwave

11 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy (Full 12 Version)

12 Bronski Beat - Why

13 Bronski Beat with Marc Almond - I Feel Love-Love To Love You Baby-Johnnie Remember Me

14 Bronski Beat - Hit That Perfect Beat

15 Die Antwoord - Beat Boy