Blammo - Drastic Plastic Flexi

I suddenly thought about this today as 1) it's another classic Yorkshire flexidisc from the late 1980's and 2) it's pretty much next to The Bridewell Taxis flexi in my 7" singles box

I feel sure I must have seen Sheffield's Blammo play at some point in order to have triggered the flexi purchase, but I can't for the life of me remember where or when. Mind fog..

The track "Drastic Plastic" was a political song against the Tory politician Colin Moynihan, who briefly tried to introduce an ID Card system for football fans, in a desperate bid to try and stamp out football hooliganism. Luckily for us it failed and this idiot was never heard of again. Oh actually I tell a lie...Lord Moynihan is a Director of the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympic Games. Jesus.

The second track is an homage to the legendary footballer & indiepop fan Pat Nevin. He made his name at Chelsea back in the 80's when Chelsea were neither rich, fashionable or successful. He likes The Fall...what more needs to be said?

NB. Both tracks are pop perfection.

Track 1. Drastic Plastic
Track 2. Perfect Pat
Year. 1989
Label. Rinkytink Records RTF001

Blammo - Drastic Plastic flexi

The Bridewell Taxis - Lies Flexi

This is another one for my chum Ricky at the Electronic Vibes blog Electronic Vibes

He recently posted the first single by Leeds band The Bridewell Taxis and it reminded me of the flexi I bought at one of their gigs circa 1989.

Upon my arrival in Leeds, the local indie music scene was dominated by two factions – The Edsel Auctioneer (who were going down the Dinosaur Jr / Buffalo Tom proto-grunge path and I have discussed already on this blog) and The Bridewell Taxis (who were basically just what the press quickly termed “baggy”)

The band themselves looked like thugs from the Elland Road terraces, and although the baggy genre will always be historically linked with ecstasy usage, I can tell you that in these early days the audience was mainly booze-fuelled. I saw more drunken idiot audience fighting (actually mostly intimidation and menace) at Happy Mondays & Bridewell Taxis gigs than anywhere else in my life.

I admit I always enjoyed the contradiction of The Bridewell Taxis tough-man image with the, frankly quite soppy, lyrics and jangly sound. In fact who EVER looked tough whilst playing a trombone? It was, as we used to say at the time, well weird man.

If you care to click the above link to their wikipedia page and read the band's history, you'll understand what I mean.

Track 1. Lies
Track 2. Just Good Friends
Year. 1988

The Bridewell Taxis – Lies flexi

As a bonus - there were 3 old flyers tucked in the flexi sleeve, so I thought I'd scan them too. Baggy memories...ah