Sunday 29 January 2017

Britpop's Greatest (Non) Hits

Any show can play the Britpop classics, and many do. However what makes our show that bit different is the detours that we make into Britpop's backwaters. The great songs that somehow never quite made it and now lay forgotten. Some of these we know because we bought them, or because they are preserved for posterity on disc 2 of a Shine compilation. (There were 10 volumes of Shine and they are in the CD bag for every show!).

However we rely on our awesome listeners for most of these forgotten bands. Someone will email or tweet requesting a band that we've never heard of and thus spark a search here at Britpop HQ. Firstly, to find the CD and then to find a band member to come on the show. Sometime it's the former band members themselves that get in touch, which makes arranging the interview a bit easier.

And amongst these forgotten bands are some real quality tunes. Listening again 20 years later you think "How was this not a hit?". Who knows, maybe the wrong management, the label screwed up or perhaps that was the week that a dozen other good indie bands released a single so you just never got the airplay or the review in NME/Melody Maker/Select etc.

The 90s is littered with a whole slew of singles that missed, albums that never got released and indie bands that got dropped when the Britpop bubble burst. You just need to read the Speedy Story to see what was happening.


So this is where we take a stand. This is where we excavate those long forgotten hits that never were and return them if not to the limelight then at least to the consciousness of the Britpop cognoscenti. 

We are going to release our own forgotten Britpop compilation CD.

Why not just make up a playlist on Spotify or YouTube? Well where is the fun in that? The CD was the music format of the 90s and that is what we shall have!

There are a few challenges to face, not least the fact that we don't know what we're doing. However this is a show that prizes enthusiasm over professionalism so we will find a way. We have already started talking to a label who are interested in getting involved and that will make things easier if it comes off but it's still very much at the stage of not knowing what we don't know.

So what happens next? The way we see it we have these steps to take:
  1. Compile a long list of great, forgotten Britpop singles
  2. Try and get rights/permission for as many of those songs as possible
  3. Sort out the business end; artwork, pressing, distribution, promotion etc. Maybe a PledgeMusic campaign with some extra goodies.
  4. Have an awesome launch party (or gig?)
  5. Clear a space on the wall for the gold disc
How hard can it be? Probably quite hard actually but let's not let that get in the way right now... The aim is to have the CD out by the end of the year.

So, focus on Step 1. Compile a long list of great, forgotten Britpop singles. This is where we need your help. What should we include on the compilation? 

There are just 2 rules:
  1. The band never had a Top 20 hit
  2. The single itself didn't chart (Top 40)
SEND US YOUR SUGGESTIONS! 

You can leave your ideas in the comments below, tweet us @britpoprevival or email nick@britpop.org.uk. Of course if you think that you can help in any possible way, do please get in touch.

This should be fun! 

7 comments:

  1. Judging by the lack of views on this video for Dollars in the Heavens (peaked at #59 in the singles chart) I conclude Geneva are somewhat forgotten. I hope the fact that their first album, Further, did get to #20 in the album charts doesn't exclude them.

    Dollars In The Heavens

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    Replies
    1. Geneva are great. The only gig we've ever promoted was for their singer Andrew Montgomery a couple of years back.

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  2. A few that spring to mind...

    Bawl "Beyond Safe Ways"
    Octopus "Your Smile"
    Inaura "This Year's Model"

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  3. Here's an alternative Britpop playlist I made a while ago (deep breath...)

    Faded Glamour – Animals That Swim
    Windsor Park – Arnold
    Former – Arturo
    Future Times – Astral
    Tick Tock – Astrid
    What You Gonna Do? - Astronaut
    Still Hanging Around – Autopop
    Earthly Faces On Alien Places – Backwater
    The Rise Of The Catwalk Queen – Ballroom
    Beyond Safe Ways – Bawl
    When Martin Met Martine – The Bigger The God
    Monkey Sanctuary – Bivouac
    I've Told You Before – Boutique
    The Birds – Carrie
    The Most Tiring Day – Cecil
    Let Me Go – Chicks
    Can't Stop These Things – China Drum
    Deep – Chuck
    Too Young – Coade
    Polly's Domain – Coast
    Say Yes! - Comet Gain
    I Never Have Been Done – Congregation
    Stand By Your Man – Cottonmouth
    Blackmail – Cuckoo
    English Country Garden – The Dandys
    This Is For Real – David Devant & His Spirit Wife
    American Disco Dancer – Daytona
    Pull The Wires From The Wall – The Delgados
    Monkey Suit – Delicatessen
    How Free – Don
    Solitary Party Groover – Drugstore
    Scooby Doo – Dweeb
    Come Taste My Mind – Earl Brutus
    The Mill Hill Self Hate Club – Ed Ball
    Best Friend – Ether
    Days Like These – Family Of Free Love
    Drama Queen – Feline
    Jetstream – Fin
    Teenage Emergency – The Flamingoes
    Lonely Days – Future Bible Heroes
    Houdini – Glitterbox
    I Don't Wash – God's Boyfriend
    It Looks So Easy – The Great Outdoors
    A Judy Garland Life – Gretschen Hofner
    Is This What You Call Change? – Harvey's Rabbit
    I've Had Enough – Hillman Minx
    Ladies On The Way – Hofman
    Oh My Heartless – Hopper
    Happy Ending – Inter
    Wintercomessummer – Jack
    Is This A Girl – Kidnapper
    Now It's Time To Say Goodbye – Kitchens Of Distinction
    Coming Round – Laxton's Superb
    Supersonic Daydream – Libido
    Stand Up – Lick
    Twisted – Linoleum
    So Tough – Livingstone
    Big Wheels – Llama Farmers
    Sink Or Swim – Lower
    Step Right Up – Mainstream
    This Life – Mandalay
    Android Dreams – Mega City Four
    Welcome Home Jellybean – Midget
    Breaking The Ice – Molly Half Head
    Life In Mono – Mono
    Tricolore – Mover
    Cracking Up - Murry The Hump
    Girl At The Bus Stop – My Drug Hell
    Superstar – Nilon Bombers
    Stoneface – Novocaine
    Crush – Passion Fruit And Holy Bread
    To Be The One – Passion Star
    Haven't Seen You – Perfume
    Autocade – Prolapse
    This Is The Life – Pullover
    Foxhole – Pure Morning
    Something Wild – Rare
    Bingo England – Scarfo
    Easy Path – Seafood
    Come Undone – The Secret Goldfish
    The Official End Of It All – Sexus
    Candlelight – Six By Seven
    Wasted – Smaller
    Caroline – Snug
    Baby Come On – Spacemaid
    A Week Away – Spearmint
    Stickety Bone – Spillage
    The Kids Are Solid Gold – Sportique
    Hotel Silence – Subaqwa
    Something Wicked – Super 8
    Superstar – Superstar
    Taxi Headbutt – Tampasm
    Go Go Ufo – TC:Hug
    Paranoid – Telstarr
    If You Can't Do It When You're Young When Can You Do it? - Theaudience
    So Glad – Thrum
    She's A Man – Thurman
    Shining In The Wood – Tiger
    Cream Bun – Tiny Monroe
    Louise – Twin Hazey
    It's A Dog's Life – Twister
    Best Wishes – Ultrasound
    Get Yourself Together – Velocette
    Worrying About Your Life – Velvet Jones
    Fixer – Vent 414
    Inelegantly Wasted In Papa's Penthouse Pad In Belgravia – The Weekenders
    Detroit – Whiteout
    Josmo King – Wilson
    Banana Tea – Wireless
    Quarantine – Witness

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    Replies
    1. Wow, that is one impressive list! Thanks

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    2. Well you *did* ask for a long list ... ;-)

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  4. Queenie EP by Pimlico
    English Tea..Thurman
    Anything by Mantaray
    Detroit..Whiteout

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