What are you listening to right now?

[River Don]

Lanterns on the Lake

An indie band from North Shields, plugging away for years with little recognition have been nominated for the Mercury prize. I expect someone at their label has managed to convince enough people that they deserve a bit of exposure.

Not bad though, there is a Cocteau Twins vibe about them I quite like.

https://youtu.be/aGTOfvjwD2Y

[knockers]

Saw them at the No Direction Home festival (End of the road spin off that got pulled after one year) at Welbeck abbey in 2012.
Pretty good if i remember rightly. They play the Brudenell most years when they tour.

[turnbull for england]

Heard this from 1989 on six music , really liked it https://g.co/kgs/M9fFKJ

[IDM]

All over the summer I’ve had my usual eclectic mix but leaning toward more ska types.. top tune of the season was “Uptown Top Rankin’ “

[River Don]

Try this IDM, an old skinhead favourite. A really nice reggae ska track.

https://youtu.be/_k216KBDv5k

[IDM]

Thanks RD..

[Axholme Lion]

The Who Live at Leeds. Full bloody belt, classic. Beats all this modern stuff every time.
15 minute version of My Generation going into See Me, feel me, touch me, heal me...

[wilts rover]

A nice bit of Yorkshire krautrock - Craven Faults

https://cravenfaults.bandcamp.com/video

[BillyStubbsTears]

Fortunately I'm not listening to much that Gary Davies remembers from the 1980s.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2HXwW7yy2T2tw4YqlDXvBJZ/your-ultimate-80s-album-vote

Look at some of the ones he's missed off.

Joy Division - Closer
New Order - Brotherhood  & LowLife
Happy Mondays - Bummed
UB40 - Signing Off
Pixies - Doolittle
Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
The Clash - Sandinista
The Jam - Sound Affects
The Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
The Specials - More Specials
Kraftwerk - Computer World.

And that's before you get into the really good stuff like Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, Dinosaur Jr, early Simple Minds etc.

Edit: Christ, I've just realised he's got Deacon Blue on his list and no Aztec Camera. I can think of 25 better 1980s Scottish acts than Deacon Blue off the top of my head.

[IDM]

BST there is one album on his list which sprung to my attention, only one on his list which was one of those I had in mind before reading his list.  Is not the smiths nor the Cure.  Guess correctly the one I mean first go, and I’ll donate an Ayrton to a charity of your choice..

He picked a smiths album but neglected “the smiths” or “Hatful of Hollow”..

As for U2 I would have chosen the “Under a Blood Red Sky” live album..

Where’s “Dreamtime” by The Cult.? Or “One Eyed Jacks” by Spear of Destiny.?

You can’t have a best of the 80s album list without “Head Over Heels” by the Cocteau Twins, and by not including “Kings of the Wild Frontier” he’s probably breaking some law too.

Do you have the CNT label “They Shall Not Pass” compilation album BST, which I believe was put out in support of the miners’ strike.?

I’m sure I could think of many more but not at this time of night, but I’ll leave you with Scritti Politti and “Cupid and Psyche”..

[River Don]

T'Pau?
Wet Wet Wet?
Howard Jones?
Shakin' Stevens?

Tuh!

[BillyStubbsTears]

IDM

I'm going to guess at It Takes a Nation of Millions?

As for your other suggestions, I'm on board with the majority of those. Especially Head over Heels (although I prefer Blue Bell Knoll when they got a bit poppier) and One Eyed Jacks which I've just rediscovered after about 20 years of not listening to it. Still as powerful as it was in the mid 80s. And Cupid & Psyche 84.

I'm struggling to pick my favourite 80s album but Empires & Dance by Simple Minds is one I keep going back to after 40 years. I joined a record library at University because I really fancied a lass who was on the committee and that was just about the first album I took out. Never got any further with her but that album changed my music taste for life. It was like something from a different world and it still sounds as edgy today.

I've never come across that CNT album but The Redskins were another favourite. Went to see them at Leeds Poly in 1986 and it was possibly the best gig I ever went to.

[River Don]

It's easy to forget BST a lot of those records you list there, that are recognised as being classics now, were at the time quite niche and hidden away on the John Peel show not really troubling the charts very much.

There are some glaring omissions of more mainstream pop bands like Madness and The Police, who would surely come in ahead of the likes of Deacon Blue.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Fully accept that RD. But we're looking back from now.

Kylie's first album is on the list. Sandinista isn't...

[IDM]

IDM

I'm going to guess at It Takes a Nation of Millions?

As for your other suggestions, I'm on board with the majority of those. Especially Head over Heels (although I prefer Blue Bell Knoll when they got a bit poppier) and One Eyed Jacks which I've just rediscovered after about 20 years of not listening to it. Still as powerful as it was in the mid 80s. And Cupid & Psyche 84.

I'm struggling to pick my favourite 80s album but Empires & Dance by Simple Minds is one I keep going back to after 40 years. I joined a record library at University because I really fancied a lass who was on the committee and that was just about the first album I took out. Never got any further with her but that album changed my music taste for life. It was like something from a different world and it still sounds as edgy today.

I've never come across that CNT album but The Redskins were another favourite. Went to see them at Leeds Poly in 1986 and it was possibly the best gig I ever went to.

Nope, it was “Non Stop Erotic Cabaret”

As for the CNT compilation, check it out if you can - haven’t checked you tube yet.  At the time of release it was the only place I could get a proper record of the Sisters of Mercy “Body Electric”/“Adrenochrome” tracks as the original 1982 single was discontinued by then.

For younger members, back in those days f you missed buying a singles record when it was out, especially by a lesser known band, you missed out.

Back to CNT - in my Uni days (late 80s) before a night out once I was ready to leave the flat, I would listen to “Mindless Violence” by the Newtown Neurotics” off that album, and “My Love Paramour” by the Cocteaus.!!

[IDM]

It's easy to forget BST a lot of those records you list there, that are recognised as being classics now, were at the time quite niche and hidden away on the John Peel show not really troubling the charts very much.

There are some glaring omissions of more mainstream pop bands like Madness and The Police, who would surely come in ahead of the likes of Deacon Blue.

You’re not wrong, but let’s say circa 1983/4 when most of my favourite stuff was out, there were only 4 tv channels (just), no internet, so unless you spent your evenings w**king or hanging around the streets with your mates or playing early video games, evenings were for doing my homework in my bedroom listening to Kid Jensen and Peel.

[Donnywolf]

Till recently my only music intake was in the Car listening to TraxFM and if heading for Clee I would change to CompassFM alongside Humberside Airport

Unfortunately Trax has now gone and been replaced by Greatest Hits Radio in fact it looked like a bit of a coup as GHR (whoever they are) simultaneously pounced on loads / 10s of / hundreds of Stations similar to TraxFM and replaced the lot

For me personally I was happy with Trax and now I dislike GHR and am trying other local Radio for local news local views and local Footy output from the like of Paul M

I have not found my new "perch" yet and went away from Sine and am currently on some other DAB only Station which I hope comes good

[River Don]

Fully accept that RD. But we're looking back from now.

Kylie's first album is on the list. Sandinista isn't...

I suppose if we're going to look back to the 80s and say this is what people should have been listening to, we might find space for

The The - Infected
Talking Heads - Remain in the Light
The Wedding Present - George Best
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
The Sugar Cubes - Life's Too Good
The Beasty Boys - Licence to Ill
The House Martins - London 0 Hull 4
Half Man Half Biscuit - Back in the DHSS
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy and the Lash


A lot of the most important records were being released as 12" singles, so are compilations allowed?

Street Sounds Electro series
The Sound of Chicago House
Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit

All of that is a lot better than anything by Mick Hucknall.

[Axholme Lion]

Till recently my only music intake was in the Car listening to TraxFM and if heading for Clee I would change to CompassFM alongside Humberside Airport

Unfortunately Trax has now gone and been replaced by Greatest Hits Radio in fact it looked like a bit of a coup as GHR (whoever they are) simultaneously pounced on loads / 10s of / hundreds of Stations similar to TraxFM and replaced the lot

For me personally I was happy with Trax and now I dislike GHR and am trying other local Radio for local news local views and local Footy output from the like of Paul M

I have not found my new "perch" yet and went away from Sine and am currently on some other DAB only Station which I hope comes good

https://www.unionjack.co.uk

You pick the music via an app. British music old and new. Give it a try.

[idler]

I listen to that sometimes in the car. All British music and some good tracks. I do lose the signal in one or two places, especially out Keighley way.

[keyser_soze]

Beabadoobee is my current favourite, very (early) 90's indie-pop from a 20 year old girl from the Phillipines. Her first album is out next month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFwPh-KbEY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6CeA6vRtW4

[Donnywolf]

Till recently my only music intake was in the Car listening to TraxFM and if heading for Clee I would change to CompassFM alongside Humberside Airport

Unfortunately Trax has now gone and been replaced by Greatest Hits Radio in fact it looked like a bit of a coup as GHR (whoever they are) simultaneously pounced on loads / 10s of / hundreds of Stations similar to TraxFM and replaced the lot

For me personally I was happy with Trax and now I dislike GHR and am trying other local Radio for local news local views and local Footy output from the like of Paul M

I have not found my new "perch" yet and went away from Sine and am currently on some other DAB only Station which I hope comes good

https://www.unionjack.co.uk

You pick the music via an app. British music old and new. Give it a try.

Cheers - will do after I work out retune of DAB in my car lol

[Axholme Lion]

Till recently my only music intake was in the Car listening to TraxFM and if heading for Clee I would change to CompassFM alongside Humberside Airport

Unfortunately Trax has now gone and been replaced by Greatest Hits Radio in fact it looked like a bit of a coup as GHR (whoever they are) simultaneously pounced on loads / 10s of / hundreds of Stations similar to TraxFM and replaced the lot

For me personally I was happy with Trax and now I dislike GHR and am trying other local Radio for local news local views and local Footy output from the like of Paul M

I have not found my new "perch" yet and went away from Sine and am currently on some other DAB only Station which I hope comes good

https://www.unionjack.co.uk

You pick the music via an app. British music old and new. Give it a try.

Cheers - will do after I work out retune of DAB in my car lol

Best part is that there's not much DJ chat.

[Donnywolf]

Looking forward to it - but as you rightly pointed out earlier the peripherals on Cars these days are far beyond what are needed and far beyond my comprehension to boot

Currently trawling Google to find "How to retune your DAB Radio" - ALMOST got an answer yesterday lol.

My boot has 5 height settings for example and had "defaulted" somehow (its a computer so I will have pressed a button to tell it somehow) and I had to resort to Google to find out how to return it so my 6 foot 5 high head could get under it

I was sure I knew where it was in the settings but just could not understand why it was "missing" Eventually I saw what I needed - "with the engine turned on ....." so that was the difference in that example

I remember when technology was little arrow indicators sticking out of the side of your car. LOL

[SydneyRover]

Luckily for us the neighbours have just left for a week away so the volume is up and the squeezebox is picking the music.

[Donnywolf]

Union Jack loud and proud

Car was too clever... Still don't know how to retune DAB but didn't realise it was sectioned off and I found SDL National and there it was Union Jack

Cheers Al.... This one will "stick" I reckon

[River Don]

https://youtu.be/f6E6ugW7TOo

New New Order single. Very average in my opinion.

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

Till recently my only music intake was in the Car listening to TraxFM and if heading for Clee I would change to CompassFM alongside Humberside Airport

Unfortunately Trax has now gone and been replaced by Greatest Hits Radio in fact it looked like a bit of a coup as GHR (whoever they are) simultaneously pounced on loads / 10s of / hundreds of Stations similar to TraxFM and replaced the lot

For me personally I was happy with Trax and now I dislike GHR and am trying other local Radio for local news local views and local Footy output from the like of Paul M

I have not found my new "perch" yet and went away from Sine and am currently on some other DAB only Station which I hope comes good

Same, I was a big fan of Trax FM and its presenters and features, until it unfortunately got the chop. I tried GHR, enjoyed the top 500 greatest hits countdown, apart from that, I've moved away from it.

I now listen to Lincs FM on the Alexa as it is the same set up as Trax FM was; Hits and Memories etc., even if it is for Lincolnshire and Newark and nothing means anything to me, apart from the decent mixture of music. Classic album of the week is WTSMG - one of my favourites.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Slothrust - often play them all day! Indie band been going a few years, best live band I saw last year.

Here's one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbv6Jfnpx-Q

[River Don]

I really like this at the moment. An 80s throwback with more than a touch of A-Ha and Jan Hammer about it. This bloke clearly knows how to put a pop record together.

https://youtu.be/4NRXx6U8ABQ