It was never going to be too long before a Who track appeared in the random track generator. The Who are easily my most collected band.

The album selected was actually the Backtrack 3 Track Records sampler featuring Jimi Hendrix on side 2.

Disguises is considered, along with I’m A Boy and Substitute to be the first examples of thematic conceptual song writing from Townshend, here taking on gender identity, a subject he was fascinated by.

It was also Paul Weller’s favorite Who track which The Jam covered fairly faithfully on the ‘B’ side of Funeral Pyre.

Random Discogs Track

When I See You is from the debut album A Product Of… from The Thompson Twins. They would never be quite the same band as we hear on this album, and this is a hint of what they could have become. Post punk and almost mod-revival-esque, but with hints of the 80s romantics.

I have some very early Twins in the collection, found on compilations from young record labels alongside bands like The Scene, The Hitmen and The V.I.P.’s and so the mod revival direction they started off with was very obvious back then.

This album is a bridge between that and the Thompson Twins most people know. Don’t get me wrong, I have and love later Twins LPs (I used Here’s To Future Days as one of my HiFi demos back in the day) but this early music has a lot going for it and is probably more ‘my bag’.

Random Discogs Track

This will happen from time to time as I have quite a few shellac 78rpm records in the collection. Every so often we bring out the portable gramophone and have a 78 evening. Our HMV portable was serviced by one of the last gramophone specialists in the country recently, who re-sprung it for us. Should last another 100 years now according to him!

Anyway, Bing Crosby, and all the crooners, sound a little bit more authentic on shellac.

Random Discogs Track

I have this album on cassette as, at the time, I either couldn’t find a vinyl copy or it was too expensive. Might have to look again, but honestly the tape sounds great.

I chose the first track, which I love, and which sets the album up nicely. This is a very good album indeed, and another one I found through a mastodon recommendation.

Random Discogs Track

A nostalgic, feel good album if ever there was one. Released back in 1980, just as I was seriously getting into music, this song (and Brass In Pocket) transports me right back to childhood and taping the top 40 on my small radio cassette player.

A great debut that still holds up today musically - and it will be my first record of the day this morning!

Random Discogs Track

The random Discogs machine chose a relatively new addition to the collection this morning. Like a lot of music, I’ve forgotten when and how or who recommended Drahla but I am very glad they did. One of my favourite discoveries of the last 5 years.

This track is off their Useless Coordinates album, which is fantastic, but it was angeltape that really blew me away.

If you like you can read more about that album here: https://revivalrecords.co.uk/2024/04/26/drahla-angeltape/

Random Discogs Track

I get obsessed with Sparks now and then, but then have large gaps where I hardly play them. Propaganda was, I think, the second album I owned, after Kimono My House which I adore.

I’m glad Discogs served this up as its random album - I will duly give it a spin today - perhaps it will kick start one of those Sparks obsession weeks 😄

Random Discogs Track

I have this on CD Single, among other formats. Not my favourite Blur song by a long way, but it has a certain something.

What’s a guilty pleasure song?

In my defense I was 7 years old, but this track is the earliest one I can remember having an obsession with. Me and my friend Julian wanted to dress like them and everything! I quickly moved on to bigger and better music, but I can’t help remaining fond of Showaddywaddy, and of 7 year old me starting off on my musical journey.