Sadly lacking in live concerts, my favorite music-related things from 2020, in alphabetical order:
Erik Hall – Music for 18 Musicians
Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians is one of my favorite pieces of music. I have eight different recordings of it in my music collection. What is distinctive about Erik Hall’s recording is that he performed and recorded it alone at home using the instruments he had available. The use of alternative instrumentation gives this version some interesting sounds and textures, and the solo recording of a piece intended to be played by 18 people together in a room is totally on-brand for 2020 (even though it was recorded in 2019).
This album is not as consistent, overall, as 2018’s Joy as a Form of Resistance. The best songs (“Grounds”, “Model Village”, “Carcinogenic”) are as good as any the band has recorded, while others (like “Mr. Motivator”) highlight the band’s finely honed two-guitar assault but are held back by Joe Talbot’s sometimes overly didactic lyrics. Nevertheless, it is hard to think of a rock band as vital and relevant as IDLES.
This is an album that just feels stronger and stronger with every listen. Loveless’s stellar voice and wonderful no-fucks-to-give attitude is still on ample display here, but the real news is the growth in her songwriting. There’s not a weak song on this album, and in a just universe “Love is Not Enough” would be a massive radio hit. This is my favorite album on this list.
A gorgeous and unique blend of techno and dreamy pop. This record lulls you into a contemplative state and then the drums kick in and immediately get you moving. Energizing and surprisingly emotional for “electronic” music.
This is an extremely well researched history of the use of sampling in hip-hop. Starting with Steve Reich’s “Come Out to Show Them” (and I’m hooked already), the emergence of prominent DJs in NYC in the 70’s, and the birth of the Sugar Hill record label, Patrin traces the key innovators and technologies that established sampling as the engine of hip hop.
This book introduced me, an old white guy punk rocker, to a lot of great music that I had previously overlooked, including James Brown’s In the Jungle Groove, J Dilla’s Donuts, and Madlib’s Shades of Blue. But I suspect that no matter how much you know about hip-hop, this book will increase your understanding and appreciation.
After the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, anger, grief and frustration boiled out onto the streets across the United States. On May 29, Killer Mike of the rap duo Run the Jewels made a remarkable, impassioned speech in the wake of rioting in Atlanta expressing his rage and calling for action: “…it is time to plot plan strategize organize and mobilize.” A few days later, on June 3, Run the Jewels released their fourth album. RTJ4 is the sound of the summer of 2020, a searing indictment of U.S. society backed by incendiary beats and samples (including a great use of a Gang of Four sample).
From “Ju$t”:
Master of these politics you swear that you got options Master of opinion cuz you vote with the white collar The 13th Amendment says that slavery’s abolished Look at all these slave masters posing on yo dollar
From “Walking in the Snow”:
And everyday on the evening news they feed you fear for free And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper “I can’t breathe” And you sit there in house on couch and watch it on TV The most you give’s a Twitter rant and call it a tragedy
Uncompromising truth, an unvarnished portrait of The United States in 2020.
Kate Stables, the leader of This is The Kit, first came onto my radar when I saw her on stage with The National in 2019 (going to concerts, remember that?). This is The Kit sounds a bit like a 60s/70s English folk rock group with the addition of layered arrangements that sometimes incorporate horns and woodwinds. Stables’s voice reminds me a bit of Sandy Denny, which reinforces the folk rock vibe. This is a beautiful, well-crafted recording.
The songs are about dealing with loss, persevering through difficulty, and coming to terms with yourself and your powers. Stables is like the grounded friend who sits with you and talks you down when you’re freaking out.
Craig Finn is best known as the singer and principal songwriter for The Hold Steady. His songs for The Hold Steady often tell stories about druggy teenage hoodrats dealing with their teenage problems in the hazy aftermath of massive parties. In Finn’s solo work — I Need a New War is his fourth solo album — he follows those messed up kids into their 30s and 40s. These songs are still about people with problems, but they are now adult problems: “Then the doctor left a message, said we’re looking at these numbers from your chest”; “I wore the right shoes, I wore the right shirt, I went to the city, the city didn’t work”; “I’ve been keeping up with payments, man, I’ve been managing the pain.” Finn’s protagonists are marginalized people, seeking refuge in small acts of kindness and tentative expressions of identity: Something to Hope For.
I feel like I’m painting this as a dark record, but it really isn’t. It’s a record about resilience and optimism in the face of adversity. Two songs late in the record, “Holyoke” and “Her With the Blues” are wryly humorous and seem as autobiographical as anything Finn’s ever written.
This was the album I listened to the most in 2019.
Craig Finn & The Uptown Controllers – Live Performance, Minneapolis, MN, 8-Jun-2019
Seeing Craig Finn in a concert setting, what stood out is his ability as a low-key but engaging frontman and the flexibility and sensitivity of the band he’s assembled, The Uptown Controllers. Seeing Finn in a small venue in front of an adoring home-town audience was a real treat.
Squeeze – Live Performance, Minneapolis, MN, 3-Sep-2019
I wrote about this concert last year. We had great seats thanks to a friend with connections, and my expectations were far exceeded. My favorite concert of the year.
The National – I Am Easy to Find
When we saw The National in 2018 (I wrote about that concert here) the US was in the middle of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and the band, and especially singer Matt Berninger, were palpably angry. I have to believe that the strong presence of female voices on I Am Easy to Find is, at least in part, a product of that anger. The album features vocals from Gail Ann Dorsey, Lisa Hannigan, Mélissa Laveaux, Eve Owen, Diane Sorel, Kate Stables, Mina Tindle, and Sharon Van Etten. Carin Besser contributed to the writing of the album. Mike Mills‘ short film with the same name (linked above), starring Alicia Vikander, was developed in parallel to the album and is a moving portrayal of one woman’s life. The inclusion of all these new voices takes I Am Easy to Find to places The National have never been before.
This album is a lot to absorb and definitely rewards multiple listens. My favorite songs tend to shift from listen to listen, but “Not in Kansas” seems like a centerpiece for the album. The song’s protagonist returns home to the midwest, presumably from one of the coasts, and is dismayed with what has happened in the place where they grew up. The song ends with a chorus (of angels?) offering a suggestion, or perhaps passing judgement:
Time has come now to stop being human Time to find a new creature to be Be a fish or a weed or a sparrow For the Earth has grown tired and all of your time has expired Oh, the gardens are sprouting with flowers All the tree-tops are bursting with birds And the people all know that it’s over They lay down their airs and they hang up their tiresome words
Honestly, in a world where Brent Kavanaugh becomes a Supreme Court Justice, that doesn’t sound like bad advice. I wouldn’t mind being a sparrow.
The National, Live Performance, Santa Fe, NM, 8-Sep-2019
Having seen The National in concert multiple times, the architecture of the band has becomes clear. Bassist Scott Devendorf and his brother, drummer supreme Bryan Devendorf are the Cincinnati rock ‘n’ roll heart of the band. Twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner on guitars and keyboards weave chamber music patterns over the foundation provided by the Devendorfs. Singer Matt Berninger is the band’s trickster, an agent of chaos bringing a sense of unpredictability to their performances. At one moment, he’s handing out bottles of wine to the front row of the audience. In the next, he’s telling a story about a conversation with a lizard while hiking outside of Santa Fe. Then, he’s taking a mid-song excursion through the audience at the end of what must be the world’s longest microphone cable. All the diverse elements of the band make for a consistently exciting performance.
The performances on this tour had another element, the inclusion of a rotating cast of female vocalists. In Santa Fe, Kate Stables was onstage for more than half the songs. Her calm presence was like the eye in a hurricane of masculine energy.
Radiohead – MINIDISCS [HACKED]
Someone came into possession of bootlegged digital copies of 18 MiniDiscs that were created during the production of Radiohead’s 1997 OK Computer album. Altogether, the MiniDiscs included 381 tracks and more than 16 hours of music, including preliminary sketches of songs, demos, rehearsals, live performances, alternate versions, near-final mixes, and goofy studio hijinks. There are, for example, 19 different version of “Paranoid Android” spread across the discs. There are also multiple versions of songs that weren’t included on OK Computer that became holy grails for Radiohead fans, like “Lift” and “True Love Waits” (a studio version of which was finally released on 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool).
The bootlegger was, apparently, attempting to sell tracks from this collection. In addition, at some point the entire collection was leaked on the internet. When Radiohead heard about what was going on they responded by making the entire collection available on Bandcamp for a limited amount of time, with all proceeds from sales going to the environmentalist group Extinction Rebellion. During the 18 days the collection was available on Bandcamp, more than 31,000 copies were sold.
Obviously, this is something that only diehard Radiohead fans will be interested in. For those of us who are big fans, this collection is like being set loose in the candy factory. It is full of previously unearthed gems and provides a fascinating glimpse into the band’s creative process.
Thom Yorke – ANIMA
ANIMA is Radiohead vocalist Thom Yorke’s third solo album. This is dark, densely layered electronic dance music. Standout tracks include “Traffic”, “Not the News”, and the haunting “Dawn Chorus.” The album was accompanied on release by a short film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson on Netflix (well worth watching, if you’re a Netflix subscriber). Anxious music for anxious times.
The Who – WHO
The Who are my all-time favorite band. When I heard that they were recording a new album, I had mixed feelings. Endless Wire, the last Who album, was released in 2006 and had some interesting moments, but was only a pale shadow of the band’s best work. Could a pair of septuagenarians really pull off a respectable Who album?
Well, the old bastards pulled it off. Townshend’s writing is full of piss & vinegar and his guitar playing is good as ever. Daltrey’s voice sounds better than it has in years (decades?). Moon and Entwistle are of course irreplaceable, but the backing musicians on WHO, including Pino Palladino, Zak Starkey, Joey Waronker, and Benmont Tench serve the songs well.
“All this Music Must Fade” is a straight-up classic Who single. There are a couple of weak tracks, but overall this is an album that can stand proudly alongside the rest of The Who’s legendary catalog.
The Hoot
For years now, two of my best friends in Minnesota have hosted a hootenanny in their living room on the first Friday of even-numbered months. It works like this: ten or so people bring their instruments and/or voices to the house. The evening starts with snacks, adult beverages, and conversation. Then a circle is formed in the living room. Going around the circle, everyone gets a chance to either share a new song (handing out printed copies of lyrics and guitar chords), pick a song from the “Hoot Book” (which includes just under 300 songs), or pick a song at random from a hat. Then everyone sings/plays that song. This goes on into the early morning hours.
I started attending The Hoot occasionally, when it happened to coincide with one of my visits to Minnesota. Then I started planning my visits to Minnesota around the schedule for Hoots when possible. In 2019 I decided that attending every Hoot, even the ones during the Minnesota winter, was a priority for me, and I was able to be part of 5 of the 6 Hoots in 2019.
Why do I like The Hoot so much that I’m willing to travel 1,000+ miles six times a year to participate? For one thing, The Hoot has motivated me to pick up the bass guitar again after putting it aside for decades. I spend a little time every day practicing and preparing songs to bring to the next Hoot. Most importantly, though, the other people who attend The Hoot are smart, funny, talented, generous, and just plain nice. Musical mistakes are ignored, and good performances are always recognized. Just wonderful people to play music and spend time with.
I had low expectations going into the Squeeze concert. After all, Glenn Tilbrook is 62 years old and Chris Difford is 64. I was anticipating a low-energy affair. Boy, was I wrong! This was an energetic and loud excursion through Difford & Tilbrook’s deep catalog, fueled by punk energy and powered by a strong backing band.
Chris Difford
A couple of things really stood out for me. First, in spite of their age and decades of performing, Tillbrook’s and Difford’s voices still sound really, really, good. When they sing together, the combination of Tillbrook’s sweet tenor and Difford’s rough baritone still raise goosebumps. The second thing that stood out, something that I never realized, is that Glenn Tilbrook is a really excellent guitar player. He played lead guitar and all the solos through the entire concert.
Yolanda Charles
The band backing Difford and Tillbrook were excellent. I thought the rhythm section, in particular, were stellar. Drummer Simon Hanson was powerful and energetic while amazing bassist Yolanda Charles was the musical backbone of the band.
Opener KT Tunstall
One-woman band KT Tunstall was the opening act. You may not recognize Tunstall’s name, but you probably have heard her big hit. Her love of performing and gratitude for the audience’s warm reception were obvious. It was so inspiring to watch someone who so obviously loves what she’s doing.
Ten favorites from 2018, presented in alphabetical order.
The Decemberists – I’ll Be Your Girl
This band had worked themselves into a safe folk-rock cul-de-sac over the last couple of albums, so it is great to hear them try some new approaches (synthesizers, more abrasive guitars). Highlights include sing-along songs for the slow apocalypse we live in (“Everything is Awful”, “We All Die Young”), “Severed”, and this albums long suite based on a folk story (Russian folk story, this time): “Rusalka, Rusalka / The Wild Rushes”. Vocabulary words from the lyrics (there’ll be a test later):
abrades
alight
anon
augur
bereft
clamber
cusping
fey
glowered
liminal
lolled
petard
wrought
Ekoin Temple Morning Service
Ekoin Temple, Koyasan, Japan November 11, 2018, 6:30 am
On our trip to Japan we (Caitlin and I) spent a night at a Buddhist temple in Koyasan. The next morning, a little sore from sleeping on a thin cushion laid on top of tatami mat flooring, we got up early to attend the 6:30 am morning service. The service was in a candle-lit temple. Four monks were arranged around an altar. The service, about 30 minutes long, was very musical in nature, with chanting punctuated by a gong and cymbals. I’ve heard recordings of ceremonies like this in the past, but to see and hear it in person was a powerful and memorable experience.
The Hold Steady – Three Singles: “Eureka” / “Esther”, “The Stove & The Toaster” / “Star 18”, “Confusion in the Marketplace” /” T-Shirt Tux”
It is so great to to have Franz Nicolay and his keyboards back in the band. These three singles harken back to The Hold Steady in their 2005-2008 prime. Unreliable narrators exhibiting poor judgement in sketchy situations in the company of dubious friends. All described over killer guitar riffs.
IDLES – Joy as a Form of Resistance
“If someone talked to you
The way you talk to you
I’d put their teeth through
Love yourself!”
(From “Television”)
A great punky rock record from the UK. The two guitars are loud and often distorted, with bass and drums holding the songs together. Singer Joe Talbot writes lyrics that are angry, funny, and empathic (sometimes all at the same time). The songs often have great sing-along choruses, although lyrics sometimes fall back on cliches. The song “I’m Scum” is about class differences, “Danny Nedelko” is about immigration, “Great” addresses Brexit, “June” is about the heartbreak of a stillborn child, and “Love Song” is a funny take on modern relationships.
A key theme of the record is finding a healthy identity as a male in an era when the ugliness and brutality of traditional masculinity have become all too apparent. This is explored in “Colossus” (“I am my father’s son/His shadow weighs a ton”), “Never Fight a Man With a Perm”, “Television”, and most directly in “Samaritans”:
“Man up, Sit down, Chin up, Pipe down
Socks up, Don’t cry, Drink up, Don’t whine
Grow some balls, he said
Grow some balls
The mask
Of masculinity
Is a mask
A mask that’s killing me
The mask, the mask, the mask”
Great record, great band.
Angélique Kidjo – Remain in Light
Kidjo takes Talking Heads back to Africa in a delightful bit of cultural re-acquisition. The original Remain in Light is one of my top 10 albums of all time. Kidjo’s version brings a warmth and vitality to the songs that the original lacks (I love David Byrne, but warmth has never been one of his stronger attributes).
Zoë Keating – Snowmelt EP
Four tracks of warm, embracing music. The sound of healing, the sound of the ice cracking, the sound of emerging from darkness. A self-described “one-woman orchestra”, Keating coaxes every kind of noise you can imagine out of her cello, using looping and multi tracking to build up intricate pieces.
Lydia Loveless – Live Performance, Roswell, NM, 8-Jun-2018
One Friday I drove three hours down to Roswell to see Lydia Loveless perform solo, opening for Justin Townes Earle. If you’re a singer/songwriter, performing alone with just an acoustic guitar in a tiny club leaves you no place to hide. Lydia Loveless is the real deal. She writes great songs (think young Chrissie Hynde), plays a serviceable guitar, and has a HOLY SHIT FORCE OF NATURE voice.
After her set she sat behind her merch table. I said “Hi” and she sold me a t-shirt. Such is the life of a critically acclaimed musician on tour.
Michele Mercure – Beside Herself
My archival release of the year. A collection of synthesizer recorded in Mercure’s home studios between 1983 and 1993, much of it recorded for theatrical productions and self-released on cassette. The music shows the inventiveness of a talented and curious artist exploring a new medium. The music transfer from tape and remastering make the material sound great, and the packaging and liner notes do a great job of putting the music, and Michele Mercure’s career, into context. It is always great to see wonderful but lesser known music rescued from obscurity.
The National – Live Performance, Berkeley, CA, 24-Sep-2018
The first time I saw The National in concert was on September 28, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. Earlier that day the band had played in front of over 25,000 people before a speech by President Obama at a rally on the UW Madison campus. As you might imagine, the band were in a particularly good mood that evening, even a little giddy. I clearly recall two impressions from that concert: 1) The National are a lot looser and funnier live than they seem on their sometimes dour sounding records, and 2) Bryan Devendorf is an amazing drummer. On the whole it was easily one of my top 5 concert experiences.
What a difference the passage of eight years can make. The National still have their sense of humor, and Devendorf is still an amazing drummer, but the music was grittier and singer Matt Berninger’s performance had an angry edge to it. At one point he encouraged the audience to express their feelings about the Kavanaugh nomination. The audience responded vociferously. “Oh, I needed that” said the woman next to me after she sat down. Highlights for me were an emotional “Bloodbuzz, Ohio”, “Mr. November” (celebratory in 2010, a little desperate in 2018), a defiant “Fake Empire”, and “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks”, where Berninger turns his microphone stand around to face the audience, abandons the stage to wander through the crowd, and leaves the singing to the fans. The fans didn’t miss a word. All in all, a memorable and cathartic concert experience.
Comparisons are always treacherous, but at this point I can’t help but compare The National to another of my favorite bands, Radiohead. Both bands have compelling and quirky singers/front men (Berninger/Thom Yorke), both have brothers in the band (Jonny and Colin Greenwood in Radiohead, Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Scott and Bryan Devendorf in The National), and both have guitar players who are notable musicians in non-rock contexts: Bryce Dessner is a composer who has co-written a Grammy-nominated film soundtrack (The Revenant) and written for the Kronos Quartet, and Jonny Greenwood composed the score for the film There Will Be Blood, has recorded Steve Reich’s “Electric Counterpoint”, and has collaborated with Krzysztof Penderecki. Both band write surprisingly sophisticated music (often with cryptic lyrics) and seamlessly incorporate electronics into their live performances (although Radiohead have been doing this longer than The National).
Richard Thompson – 13 Rivers
The Best Guitarist You’ve Never Heard Of has released his best album in 10 years. He’s accompanied by Michael Jerome on drums, who has been playing with Thompson since 2003, and Taras Prodaniuk on bass, who have been with Thompson since 2010. The new additions to the line up are Bobby Eichorn on guitar and three back-up vocalists (Siobhan Meyer Kennedy, Zara Phillips, and (on one track) Judith Owen). The new additions bring some welcome textural diversity to the record. The addition of a second guitar, in particular, seems to give Thompson more room to solo, which is always a good thing. Early stand-out tracks are “The Storm Won’t Come” (a slow burn that ends in guitar pyrotechnics), “The Rattle Within”, “Do All These Tears Belong to You?”, and “Pride”.
Nick Lowe is an English songwriter, producer, bassist, and vocalist. His musical career started in the late 60s and in the first half of the 70s he saw some success as a member of the beloved pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz. Over the years, Lowe has evolved into a silver haired introspective crooner. He has a devoted fan base and continues to tour and record (he is, in fact, on tour as I write this). In this essay and its accompanying music mix, I am focusing specifically on the decade between 1976 and 1985, an astonishingly productive and artistically vibrant period in Lowe’s career. I will also bring attention to the array of talent that Lowe tapped into consistently, a constellation of talent that made possible his accomplishments during this decade.
I am not exaggerating when I say that Nick Lowe was astonishingly productive during this decade. Between 1976 and 1985, Lowe released six albums under his own name, contributed significantly to three Dave Edmunds albums and the Rockpile album, produced two albums for Carlene Carter, one for Paul Carrack, as well as five Elvis Costello albums. He also produced recordings (singles or albums) for 12 other artists during this decade.
As a producer, Lowe has what I think is an undeserved reputation for just bashing recordings out quickly (“Basher” is his nickname). To my ears, his production is often keenly tuned to the specifics of the song and the artist. Listen to Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ “Radio Radio”, where Lowe pushes the guitar back in the mix and brings a surgical focus to the extraordinary performances of keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas, and drummer Pete Thomas. Contrast that with a song like Dr. Feelgood’s “That’s It, I Quit”, where Lowe brings you into the bar with the band (I can smell the spilled beer), or Lowe’s own “Cruel to Be Kind”, a glowing example of pristine guitar pop (“pure pop for now people”). Another example of focused production is The Pretenders’ “Stop Your Sobbing”, which puts the spotlight on Chrissie Hynde’s distinctive voice. Far from being a “basher”, Nick Lowe’s production work showed careful attention to the artists and material he was working with.
Lowe’s own recordings during this decade were made with three different bands. The first, Rockpile, worked together between 1976 and 1981. Rockpile were Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (bass, vocals), Billy Bremner (guitar, vocals), and Terry Williams (drums). Edmunds is, like Lowe, a multi-talented musician; guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. As a member of the band Love Sculpture, he had a #5 single in the UK (“Sabre Dance”). In 1970 his solo recording of “I Hear You Knocking” was a #1 single in the UK and a #4 single in the US. As a successful artist in his own right, Edmunds had very much a co-equal role in Rockpile. Like Lowe, Edmunds has a deep affinity with American rock, R&B, and rockabilly. This is reflected in the work they did together.
Rockpile released only one album under their own name (Seconds of Pleasure, 1980) because until 1980 Lowe and Edmunds had contracts with different record labels. However, the Dave Edmunds albums Tracks on Wax 4 and Repeat When Necessary, and Nick Lowe’s album Labour of Lust were all essentially Rockpile albums. Repeat When Necessary and Labour of Lust were even recorded and released concurrently. Rockpile were also the band on Mickey Jupp’s album Juppanese and Carlene Carter’s album Musical Shapes. Reportedly, tensions between Lowe and Edmunds were responsible for Rockpile’s break-up in 1981. In the liner notes for a Seconds of Pleasure reissue, Lowe stated “We got together for fun and when the fun had all been had we packed it in.” Billy Bremner and Terry Williams both appear on Nick Lowe records through the 80s, but Lowe and Edmunds wouldn’t work together again until 1988.
Paul Carrack is a keyboardist and vocalist, best known for his “blue-eyed soul” singing voice. He saw early success in his career as a member of Ace, whose 1975 single “How Long” hit #20 in the UK and #3 in the US. In 1981 he joined Squeeze where he sang one of the band’s most enduring hits, “Tempted”. Carrack left Squeeze in 1982, having joined Nick Lowe’s band Noise to Go. Like Dave Edmunds, Carrack was a peer and partner to Lowe. The other members of Noise to Go were Martin Belmont (guitar), James Eller (bass) and Bobby Irwin (drums). Like Rockpile, Noise to Go served as the “house band” for a number of Nick Lowe-produced recordings: Carlene Carter’s Blue Nun, Carrack’s Suburban Voodoo, and Lowe’s Nick the Knife and The Abominable Showman.
“Tempted” is the one song I’ve included in my mix that has no direct involvement from Nick Lowe. However, Elvis Costello’s production and Paul Carrack’s vocals bring it firmly into my Lowe Constellation. Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook also sang on Costello’s “From a Whisper To a Scream”. Interestingly, the original plan for Squeeze’s East Side Story was to make it a double album, with sides produced by Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, and (supposedly) Paul McCartney. In reality, Dave Edmunds produced one track on the album, with Elvis Costello (with Roger Bechirian) producing most of the rest of the record. The 1997 reissue of East Side Story includes “Lookin’ For a Love”, an outtake produced by Nick Lowe.
Nick Lowe was married to Carlene Carter in 1979. They partnered in songwriting and recording. Lowe produced two Carlene Carter albums, and Carter added vocals to several Lowe solo recordings. Their union also brought Nick Lowe into the Royal Family of American music, the Cash Carter family. Johnny Cash recorded Lowe’s “Without Love” in 1980 with Lowe producing and members of Rockpile and The Attractions playing on the recording. In 1994 Cash would record a powerful song that Lowe wrote specifically for him, “The Beast in Me”.
Late in 1982 James Eller left Noise to Go. Nick Lowe picked up the bass and the group continued as a four-piece band with a new name: Cowboy Outfit. In English slang, a “cowboy outfit” is an organization that does shoddy work and exhibits dubious business practices. Cowboy Outfit, active until 1985, would record two albums, Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit and The Rose of England. They also played on the tracks Lowe produced for John Hiatt’s album Riding With the King. Hiatt and Lowe would work together again as members of the “supergroup” Little Village in the early 90s.
I believe that the first time I became aware of Nick Lowe was when I noticed that he had written “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding?”, the last song on the US version of Elvis Costello’s Armed Forces album. Soon after I figured out that Lowe had not only written this song, but he had produced Armed Forces… and all the other (at that time) Elvis Costello records I loved. It is difficult for me to imagine how Elvis Costello’s career would have evolved without Nick Lowe’s involvement.
Even though they had been working together since 1976, Costello and Lowe did not record a song together until 1984’s “Baby It’s You.” In his liner notes for the Rykodisc reissue of Goodbye Cruel World, Costello provided some background for this recording. “As Nick and his Cowboy Outfit were to join us on the US leg of our ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ tour Columbia Records suggested that we cut something ‘extra’ for a joint twelve-inch promo record featuring each of our latest single releases. Despite all our studio work together this was our first duet on record. Unfortunately the record company deemed the track ‘too good’, fearing that it would draw airplay from the ‘real’ singles.” Because of the label’s reservations, this track would remain obscure until it was released on a Costello compilation in 1987.
In 1985 the professional relationship between Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe would come full circle when Costello produced the track “L.A.F.S.” on Lowe’s album Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit.
Looking back on this remarkable decade in Nick Lowe’s career, what stands out to me, besides the number and quality of the records he was involved in, is just how successful he was at developing (often enduring) relationships with top-tier artists, many of them legends: Dave Edmunds, Elvis Costello, Paul Carrack, Carlene Carter, Billy Bremner, Terry Williams, Martin Belmont, James Eller, and Bobby Irwin. A truly amazing constellation of talent.
Part 1: 1976-1979
“So It Goes” – Nick Lowe Nick Lowe’s first single as a solo artist, released in 1976. The first single released by Stiff Records, catalog number BUY 1. Musicians: Steve Goulding (drums), Nick Lowe (vocals, bass, guitar). Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
“New Rose” – The Damned The Damned’s first single, released in 1976 (Stiff Records BUY 6). The first single by a British punk rock group. Musicians: Dave Vanian (vocals), Brian James (guitar), Captain Sensible (bass), Rat Scabies (drums). Written by Brian James. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Don’t Ask Me Questions” – Graham Parker & The Rum-our Released on the album Howlin Wind in 1976. The debut album by Graham Parker & The Rumour. Musicians: Graham Parker (guitar, vocals), Bob Andrews (keyboards), Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass), Steve Goulding (drums). Written by Graham Parker. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Less Than Zero” – Elvis Costello Elvis Costello’s first single, released in 1977 (Stiff Records BUY 11). Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals), John McFee (guitar), Johnny Ciambotti (bass), Mickey Shine (drums), Stan Shaw (organ). Written by Elvis Costello. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Whole Wide World” – Wreckless Eric Wreckless Eric’s first single, released in 1977 (Stiff Records BUY 16). Musicians: Wreckless Eric (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (guitar, bass), Steve Goulding (drums). Written by Wreckless Eric. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“That’s It, I Quit” – Dr. Feelgood Released in 1977 on the album Be Seeing You (United Artists Records UAS 30123). Musicians: John B. Sparks (bass, vocals), The Big Figure (drums, vocals), John Mayo (guitar), Lee Brilleaux (vocals, guitar). Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
“I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass” – Nick Lowe Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 1). Reached number 7 on the UK singles chart. Musicians: Uncredited. Written by Andrew Bodnar, Nick Lowe, and Steve Goulding. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“You’ll Never Get Me Up in One of Those” – Mickey Jupp Released in 1978 on the album Juppanese (Stiff Records SEEZ 10). Musicians: Mickey Jupp (vocals, piano) and Rockpile. Written by Mickey Jump. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Radio Radio” – Elvis Costello & The Attractions Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 24). Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals) and The Attractions (Steve Nieve (keyboards), Bruce Thomas (bass), and Pete Thomas (drums)). Written by Elvis Costello. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Television” – Dave Edmunds Released in 1978 on the album Tracks on Wax 4 (Swan Song SSK 59407). Musicians: Rockpile. Written by Nick Lowe. Produced by Dave Edmunds.
“Cruel to be Kind” – Nick Lowe Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 43). Reached number 12 in the UK and US singles charts. Musicians: Rockpile. Written by Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Girls Talk” – Dave Edmunds Released in 1979 on the album Repeat When Necessary (Swan Song SSK 59409). Musicians: Rockpile. Written by Elvis Costello. Produced by Dave Edmunds.
“Stop Your Sobbing” – The Pretenders The Pretenders’ first single (Real Records ARE 6). Musicians: Crissie Hynde (guitar, vocals), James Honeyman-Scott (guitar), Pete Farndon (bass), Martin Chambers (drums). Written by Ray Davies. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding” – Elvis Costello & The Attractions Released in 1979 on the US version of Armed Forces (Columbia 35709). Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
“Without Love” – Nick Lowe Released in 1979 on the album Labour of Lust (Radar Records RAD 21). Musicians: Rockpile. Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
Part 2: 1980-1985
“Without Love” – Johnny Cash Released in 1980 on the album Rockabilly Blues (Columbia JC 36779). Musicians: Pete Thomas (drums), Nick Lowe (bass), Bob Wootton (guitar), Dave Edmunds (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar). Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
“Too Bad About Sandy” – Carlene Carter Released in 1980 on the album Musical Shapes (Warner Bros. Records BSK 3465). Musicians: Carlene Carter (guitar, vocals), Rockpile. Written by Carlene Carter. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Riot Act” – Elvis Costello & The Attractions Released in 1980 on the album Get Happy!! (F-Beat XXLP 1). Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions. Written by Elvis Costello. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“When I Write the Book” – Rockpile Released in 1980 on the album Seconds of Pleasure (F-Beat XXLP 7). Musicians: Rockpile. Written by Nick Lowe and Rockpile. Produced by Nick Lowe and Rockpile.
“Crying In the Rain” – Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Released in 1980 on the EP Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Sing The Everly Brothers. The EP was included with US copies of Seconds of Pleasure. Musicians: Nick Lowe (guitar, vocals) and Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals). Written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King. Produced by Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds.
“Do Me Lover” – Carlene Carter Released in 1981 on the album Blue Nun (F-Beat XXLP 12). Musicians: Carlene Carter (vocals), Noise to Go, Billy Bremner (guitar), Huw Gower (guitar). Written by Carlene Carter, James Eller, and Nick Lowe. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“From a Whisper To a Scream” – Elvis Costello & The Attractions Released in 1981 (F-Beat XX 14). Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Martin Belmont (guitar), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals). Written by Elvis Costello. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Tempted” – Squeeze Released in 1981 on the album East Side Story (A&M Records AMLH 64854). Musicians: John Bentley (bass), Gilson Lavis (drums), Chris Difford (guitar, vocals), Glenn Tilbrook (guitar, vocals), Paul Carrack (keyboards, vocals), Elvis Costello (vocals). Written by Glen Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian.
“Raining Raining” – Nick Lowe Released in 1982 on the album Nick The Knife (F-Beat XXLP 14). Musicians: Noise to Go. Written and produced by Nick Lowe.
“I’m In Love” – Paul Carrack Released in 1982 on the album Suburban Voodoo (Epic ARE 38161). Musicians: Noise to Go. Written by Nick Lowe and Carlene Carter. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Ragin’ Eyes” – Nick Lowe Released in 1983 on the album The Abominable Showman (F-Beat Records XXLP 18). Musicians: Noise to Go. Written by Nick Lowe. Produced by Nick Lowe and Roger Bechirian.
“Time Wounds All Heels” – Nick Lowe Released in 1983 on the album The Abominable Showman (F-Beat Records XXLP 18). Musicians: Noise to Go, Carlene Carter (vocals), Simon Climie (vocals). Written by Nick Lowe, Carlene Carter, and Simon Climie. Produced by Nick Lowe and Roger Bechirian.
“Riding With The King” – John Hiatt Released in 1983 on the album Riding With The King (Geffen Records GHS 4017). Musicians: John Hiatt (guitar, vocals) and Cowboy Outfit. Written by John Hiatt. Produced by Nick Lowe.
“Baby It’s You” – Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe Released in 1984 on the single “The Only Flame in Town” (Columbia 44 05081). Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals) and Nick Lowe (bass, vocals). Written by Burt Bacharach, Mack David, and Barney Williams (Luther Dixon). Produced by Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.
“L.A.F.S.” – Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit Released in 1985 on the album Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (F-Beat ZL 70338). Musicians: Cowboy Outfit, Jeff Blythe (saxophone), Paul Speare (saxophone), Jim Paterson (trombone), Dave Plews (trumpet). Written by Nick Lowe. Produced by Elvis Costello and Colin Fairley.
“The Rose of England” – Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit Released in 1985 on the album The Rose of England (F-Beat ZL 70765). Musicians: Cowboy Outfit. Written by Nick Lowe. Produced by Nick Lowe and Colin Fairley.
I had the great fortune to be a music nerd living in Minneapolis in 1984. It was one of those times when you could tell, in real time, that great things were happening around you. The Replacements, a band up until then known as much for their shambling drunken live performances as for their music, released the album Let it Be, which was a huge leap forward in musical sophistication and ambition. Hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü released Zen Arcade, a double album with a narrative through-line (aka a “rock opera”) that explored themes and musical styles far from the band’s punk origins. I still have the copy of Zen Arcade I bought at Oar Folkjokeopus in Minneapolis on the day it was released. The release of these albums would have made 1984 a major year for music in the Twin Cities, but but they were not the biggest thing to come out of Minnesota music that year, not by a long shot.
I saw the movie Purple Rain in a Minneapolis theater shortly after it was released. The audience was rapturous, delirious, totally captivated. In retrospect, it wasn’t a very good movie, except for the concert scenes. The soundtrack album was a sensation, in both an artistic and commercial sense. Purple Rain, the album, has sold more than 25 million copies and spun off two #1 singles. Prince was also a busy and successful producer in 1984. The Time’s “Jungle Love”, produced by Prince was a #20 single. Another song he produced, Sheila E.’s “The Glamorous Life”, was a #7 single that also spent two weeks at the top of the dance chart. 1999 had been a successful album, but 1984 was the year that Prince vaulted to super-stardom.
By the way, the full name of the Prince song included in this mix is: “17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose, if U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose)”.
1984 was also the year that rap-rock was born. Rock bands had incorporated aspects of rap into their work for several years (“Ring ring, it’s seven A.M./Move yourself to go again”). Rap-rock involved rap artists incorporating rock sounds explicitly into their music and/or collaborating with rock artists. Run-D.M.C.’s “Rock Box” is generally acknowledged to be the first rap-rock track, incorporating a heavy rock guitar riff played by session musician Eddie Martinez. “World Destruction”, another pioneering rap-rock track, was a collaboration between Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon, perhaps the oddest duo since David Bowie and Bing Crosby.
Note: The song “88 Lines About 44 Women” is delightfully filthy. I recommend you not play it for your Sunday school class.
Thirty-five years later, it is easy to forget that 1983 was an awful year. In the UK the far-right Thatcher government won re-election. Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union an “evil empire” and then invaded Grenada seven months later. A suicide bomber in Beirut killed more than 300 people, including 241 US troops. Saddam Hussein deployed chemical weapons in Iraq’s ongoing war with Iran. A Soviet fighter shot down a Korean Airlines jet, causing the death of all 269 passengers and crew. The possibility of nuclear war was a real concern; when ABC broadcast a TV film, The Day After, about the aftermath of Soviet nuclear strikes in Kansas and Missouri, more than 100 million people watched.
Given this atmosphere, it is no surprise that a lot of the music from 1983 reflects anger, tension, and dread. In a song like “My City Was Gone” or “Pills and Soap” the anger is unmistakable, but “Love on a Farmboy’s Wages” is just as angry, just more subtle and cloaked in pastoral music. “In a Big Country” sounds anthemic and gains energy from guitars manipulated to sound like bagpipes, but the lyrics portray a narrator looking desperately for something to hold onto in the face of disappointment and betrayal. “Making Flippy Floppy” has a goofy title, but the lyrics are about as dark and cynical as Talking Heads ever got: “Business and pleasure lie right to your face.” A cruel summer, for sure.
Even in a lousy year, bands continue to grow and evolve. Some performers seem to emerge fully formed from the beginning of their career. Examples of this include Ramones, Billy Bragg, and, to a degree, R.E.M. Others struggle early in their career to find their own voice, perhaps copying their heroes or experimenting with different styles until they find something that clicks for them. In retrospect, I see three important bands that fully came into their own in 1983. New Order had an amazing 1983, releasing their finest album, Power Corruption & Lies as well as two iconic singles, “Blue Monday” and “Confusion”. U2 released their third album, War (note the title!), which first exhibited the combination of political activism and stadium-ready sound that would make them superstars. Finally Hüsker Dü released the Metal Circus EP, which solidified their identity, both from a songwriting and sonic perspective.
Part 1: I’m Not Expecting to Grow Flowers in a Desert
My City Was Gone – The Pretenders
In a Big Country – Big Country
Racist Friend – The Special AKA
Pills and Soap – The Imposter (Elvis Costello)
Love on a Farmboy’s Wages – XTC
This is Not a Love Song – Public Image Ltd.
25 Reasons – Red House
A New England – Billy Bragg
Time Wounds All Heels – Nick Lowe
Cruel Summer – Bananarama
Bedward the Flying Preacher – Prince Far I
Your Silent Face – New Order
Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs – Minutemen
Institutionalized – Suicidal Tendencies
Real World – Hüsker Dü
Color Me Impressed – The Replacements
She’s in Parties – Bauhaus
Talk About the Passion – R.E.M.
Genetic Engineering – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
MTV (Music Television, youngsters) first went on the air in August 1981. Hungry for “content”, MTV would show videos from bands that had no chance of getting play on mainstream radio. My impression is that beginning in 1982, MTV helped to begin the process of mainstreaming “underground” or “alternative” music.
1982 was also the year when several significant groups called it quits. The Jam, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, and Richard & Linda Thompson all released their final albums in 1982. Shoot Out the Lights, the final Richard & Linda Thompson album, is a stunning snapshot of a dissolving relationship and probably their best album. The Jam’s last album, The Gift, shows that the band was exiting at the top of their game, but also shows how far Paul Weller’s musical interests had drifted. Stiff Little Fingers’ last releases moved away from their punk sound, alienating many fans. The Clash’s Combat Rock seemed at first like a bit of a disappointment, but my appreciation for it has grown over the years.
At least we still had Bowie. And of course, new groups rose to prominence in 1982 even as old favorites were calling it quits. Culture Club had a huge hit with their first album. Groups like Bow Wow Wow and Missing Persons emerged from relative obscurity and scored big hits (both of these bands, by the way, were highly telegenic). The album 1999 helped Prince move from being a well regarded niche act to an international superstar. Go watch the video for “Little Red Corvette” and you’ll understand why.
Huang Chung were not yet a big name in 1982. In 1983 they would switch record labels, change the spelling of their name and re-record “Dance Hall Days”. The re-recorded version became a big hit, but I think I prefer this earlier, looser version.
Meanwhile, punk rock continued to thrive in its own world, and middle American rock acts (like Marshall Crenshaw, Tommy Keene, and most notably, R.E.M.) continued to make earnest guitar-focused music.
The Gang of Four song “To Hell with Poverty!” has always been a favorite. In my college years it became something of a personal anthem. That was when I was young and stupid enough to confuse actual poverty with not having a lot of cash (but always being just a phone call away from Mom and Dad’s help).
Part 1: I’m Probably Not the Kind of Girl You Think You Want
Always Unknowing – Roxy Music
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me – Culture Club
Hurt – New Order
Dance Hall Days – Huang Chung
Blue Hotel – Lene Lovich
Destination Unknown – Missing Persons
From the Air – Laurie Anderson
I Fell in Love – The Roches
I Melt With You – Modern English
Cat People (Putting Out Fire) – David Bowie
Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst) – Peter Schilling
Delirious – Prince
Black Coffee in Bed – Squeeze
Go – The Replacements
I Have the Touch – Peter Gabriel
Did She Jump or Was She Pushed? – Richard & Linda Thompson
Part 2: You Tasted Mustard When She Painted Your Face
Know Your Rights – The Clash
I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
Talking to a Stranger – Hunters & Collectors
Read About It – Midnight Oil
Shabby Doll – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Save it for Later – The English Beat
Back to Zero Now – Tommy Keene
You’re My Favorite Waste of Time – Marshall Crenshaw
Lesson in Love – Paul Carrack
The Hanging Garden – The Cure
1,000,000 – R.E.M.
Talkback – Stiff Little Fingers
Raining Raining – Nick Lowe
Tears in Rain – Vangelis
Ghosts – The Jam
Situation – Yazoo
T.V. Party – Black Flag
Reason for Existence – Subhumans
To Hell with Poverty – Gang of Four
Mad World – Tears for Fears
True Romance at the World’s Fair – Algebra Suicide
My self-indulgent tour of the music of the early 80s continues.
1981 saw “rock” fully embracing new technologies: synthesizers, sampling and rap. Check out, for instance, the rapping Austrian…
These new technologies played a role in many transformational and evolutionary changes. Pete Shelley, lead singer for pioneering punk band The Buzzcocks, surprised everyone with the synth-led, danceable, transcendent “Homosapien”. The Human League evolved from a quirky experimental synth band to a pop band prominently featuring female vocalists. Track down “Circus of Death” on YouTube sometime if you want to hear how much a band can change in two years. The evolution of The Human League also spun off Heaven 17. New Order arose from the ashes of Joy Division like a Phoenix brandishing a sequencer. Robert Fripp decided, for Robert Fripp reasons, to start a new version of King Crimson after almost seven years of dormancy.
Then there’s Talking Heads, which spawned three separate projects in 1981. What I hear in these records is that David Byrne wanted to be Brian Eno, Jerry Harrison wanted to be David Byrne, and Tina Weymouth is an under-appreciated genius.
Meanwhile, back in the USA, good old guitar/bass/drums rock ’n’ roll was alive and well. 1981 saw the first single from R.E.M. and first albums from Go-Go’s and The Replacements. In addition, Mission of Burma released the EP that would make them college radio station staples.
Part 1: Pull Up to the Bumper, Baby
You Can’t be Funky – Bush Tetras
Bustin’ Out – Material with Nona Hendryx
(We Don’t Need this) Fascist Groove Thang – Heaven 17
Der Mussolini – D.A.F.
Der Kommissar – Falco
The Jezebel Spirit – Brian Eno & David Byrne
Genius of Love – Tom Tom Club
Worlds in Collision – Jerry Harrison
This is Radio Clash – The Clash
Pull Up to the Bumper – Grace Jones
Don’t You Want Me – The Human League
Controversy – Prince
Everything’s Gone Green – New Order
Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go – Soft Cell
The Art of Parties – Japan
Part 2: We are on Our Own and the Only Thing Known is Our Love
Takin’ a Ride – The Replacements
Our Lips are Sealed – Go-Go’s
That’s When I Reach for My Revolver – Mission of Burma
Absolute Beginners – The Jam
Message of Love – The Pretenders
Homosapien – Pete Shelley
Discipline – King Crimson
Radio Free Europe – R.E.M.
Afterimage – Afterimage
We’re Desperate – X
Cheeseburger – Gang of Four
The Punch Line – Minutemen
Raindance – The Past Seven Days
Tickets are Free – Norman Salant
Tempted – Squeeze
Do Me Lover – Carlene Carter with Paul Carrack
From a Whisper to a Scream – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
For me, the early 1980s was one of the greatest eras in popular “rock” music. It was as if the great tidal wave that was punk rock swept away all the rules about who could make music and what that music had to sound like. Once the flood waters receded a million flowers bloomed.
I write this with full awareness that everyone probably thinks that the music of their college-age era is the best. In spite of this obvious bias, I think I can make the case that the early 80s were pretty special. My intention is to create song mixes for each year of the early 80s to hopefully convince myself that the music was as good as I remember.
This first mix (in two parts) includes music released in 1980, which was by any measure an exceptional year. For example, this mix includes tracks from eight bands that released their debut albums in 1980: U2, The Suburbs, Rockpile, The English Beat, Bauhaus, The Pretenders, UB40, and X (as well as the debut singles from Hüsker Dü and Minutemen). Several veterans released music in 1980 that was as good as anything they ever put out, including David Bowie (Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)), Peter Gabriel (Peter Gabriel 3 aka “Melt”), Pete Townshend (Empty Glass), Joy Division (Closer), Rush (Permanent Waves), Tonio K (Amerika), and Talking Heads (Remain in Light).
And maybe best of all are the wonderful tracks from bands that never really hit it big, or lingered in obscurity for all of their (often short) careers. The Petticoats released one single. Manicured Noise released two singles. Stiff Little Fingers were a terrific band that never achieved anything like the prominence of their peers (especially in the US).
Part 1: All Them Tiny Insects Look Like You
Gotta Gettaway – Stiff Little Fingers
Fashion – David Bowie
Double Dare – Bauhaus
A Forest – The Cure
Delta Rain Dream – Jon Hassell & Brian Eno
Final Day – Young Marble Giants
When I Write the Book – Rockpile
If I Didn’t Love You – Squeeze
Kingdom of Love – The Soft Boys
High Fidelity – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Girl Crazy – Tonio K
Mirror in the Bathroom – The English Beat
Cig Machine – The Suburbs
Ace of Spades – Motörhead
The Wait – The Pretenders
Private Life – Grace Jones
King – UB40
Paranoid Chant – Minute Men
Wardance – Killing Joke
Komakino – Joy Division
Crosseyed and Painless – Talking Heads
Part 2: Someday You’ll Meet Your Rocking Chair
Are You Glad to be in America? – James “Blood” Ulmer
The Man in the Dark Sedan – Snakefinger
Lawnchairs – My Daughters Wedding
Statues – Hüsker Dü
Going Underground – The Jam
I Don’t Remember – Peter Gabriel
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School – Ramones
Bad Reputation – Joan Jett
Johny Hit and Run Paulene – X
Interlude No. 2/Bill Lee – Warren Zevon
It’s Her Factory – Gang of Four
Dub – Pylon
Bandrobber – The Clash
Towers of London – XTC
Another Day – U2
When You Were Mine – Prince
Power of Love – T-Bone Burnett
Faith – Manicured Noise
Dancing in the Street/My Enemy is a Bad Man – Fred Frith
