James Cooke

Hell's teeth.

Robert Gordon - Bad Boy. Mar 80. No UK Chart Placing. Just 27 minutes of music with a BBE date of 1958. Best when he goes outside this boundary on 'Born To Lose' plus his covers of 'Bad Boy' & 'Picture Of You' are decent. A touch better than Shaky 6.5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

And I've just noticed it's dedicated to @kategarnermusic.bsky.social 's Dad!

I love this album cover & shall be my car listening for next weekend. Terrific piano playing that I can only marvel at. The first track is the theme tune to early 80s snooker programme 'Pot Black' & is called 'Black & White Rag'

Shakin' Stevens - Take One. Mar 80. UK Peak: 62. Rock n Roll Records with a country inflection would have been sure to please Dad's of 1980. 'Hot Dog' is the hit & best track & is upbeat throughout. 6/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

999 - The Biggest Prize In Sport. Feb 80. No UK Chart Placing. I knew this band had some songwriting quality after 'Emergency' & 'Homicide' & so it's proved here. A driving new wave pop sound throughout. Good energy. 7/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Players Association - We Got The Groove. Feb 80. No UK Chart Placing. Just the four tracks on this 30 minute album. Don't disagree with the review. It's good serviceable disco but not much more. 6/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

This Side Of Love

open.spotify.com/track/0A6eI8...

Chart crimes. The first single from his second album, the one after 'Sign Your Name', only got to No.83 in 1989. A psychedelic rock/soul slice of awesomeness

Some corkers there! I like to make chilli jam with mine. Very nice with cheese biscuits in the colder months. Let me know if you want the recipe

Here early doors at this lovely venue in Shepherd's Bush to see Sananda Maitreya aka Terence Trent D'Arby. It's only taken me 38 years to finally see him live.

Spyro Gyra - Catching The Sun. Feb 80. UK Peak: 31. The kind of record that exudes music you hear when you've just arrived for that 1st cocktail in the bar of a hot country. It relaxes you & but by day 3, you'll think it's soporific Muzak. 5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

It's Buggles who adorn the cover of Smash Hits from 21 Feb to 5 Mar 1980. I've got 'Too Much Pressure' & 'Terminal Jive' & the rest to discover. Yes, another Shaky album incoming. #smashhitsalbumreviews

Buggles - Age Of Plastic. Feb 80. UK Peak: 27. Agreed. A strong album with half of the 8 tracks being single releases. 'Video..' towers over them but 'Plastic Age' is a very worthy follow up. Listenable. 7/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Rupert Holmes - Partners In Crime. Feb 80. No UK Chart Placing. 'Him', a pop gem concerning jealousy is the best song other than 'Escape' on here that calls to mind a more playful Billy Joel & life as it's lived in New York City. Not bad. 6.5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

John Foxx - Metamatic. Feb 80. UK Peak: 18. Deeply contrasting to yesterday, this is muscular & mechanical with a greater sense of purpose, 'Plaza', 'He's A Liquid', 'Touch Go' & the classic 'Underpass' (Underpants!!!) being highlights. Nearly great 7/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Thank you. Estimated completion date: 2029!

Changeable weather this afternoon on my walk to Woodcock Park & back. Looks like a spider's escaped and heading towards the drains. What could possibly go wrong?

Jon & Vangelis - Short Stories. Jan 80. UK Peak: 4. If there is a genre called Anorak synth then these guys are at the vanguard. Pretty & wispy tapestries are weaved proggily. 'I Hear You Now' is the highlight, sounding like a Take Hart montage. 5.5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Ooh the first time I remember hearing a thunder rumble on Halloween night

Is this what the abbreviation 'IDGAF' is for?

Flying Lizards - Flying Lizards. Feb 80. UK Peak: 60. A frenetic German dose of Dadaism kicks us off, proper bash your head with a tin tray stuff. 'Summertime Blues' is a prototype of 'Money', (best cover ever?) but quite amateur by comparison. Curiouser & curiouser. 5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Each time I listen to 'Thriller', this lyric sounds like 'Mike Read just called' #mondegreen

Yikes. Listening to 'Strange Kind Of Woman' by Deep Purple and see that the original song title was called 'Prostitute'. Probably a wise choice to change that in 1971.

YouTube video by A-ha - Topic The Blood That Moves the Body

Ideal Friday as it's testing all day so on goes my Halloween soundtrack

'Red stains on eyes of a blue dog,
my pain fades as interiors fog'

Pardon?

youtu.be/0t9MVplqCNM?...

A suitable Halloween type book for my next read

A much loved venue for me. Pub at the front, venue at the back. Loveably dingy with plenty of atmosphere. Saw Sleeper & The Selecter here.

Good memories of this classic compilation from that song. The best song on side 4

Casino Music - Jungle Love. Jan 80. No UK Chart Placing. French sophistipop that reminds me of the cool style exhibited by the likes of Air in the late 90s. Strongest track is 'Do The Proton' with its pleasing 'oohs & aahs' 6.5/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

Doctor Mix & The Remix - Wall Of Noise. Jan 80. No UK Chart Placing. Buzz Saw guitars, deadpan vocals & electro noise dominate this whole album labelled ‘Severe Indie’. Wanted to be nice after such a condescending review but I’ll just say ‘different’ 4/10 #smashhitsalbumreviews

And those who put in meetings at 1pm