Dr. Feelgood

Dr. Feelgood were a Pub Rock band formed in the early 1970s in Canvey Island, Essex, the group are best known for early singles such as "Back in the Night" and "Milk and Alcohol".

The group's original, distinctive British R&B sound was based on Wilko Johnson's choppy guitar style. Along with Johnson, the original band line-up included singer Lee Brilleaux and the rhythm section of John B. Sparks, known as "Sparko", on bass guitar and John Martin, known as "The Big Figure", on drums.

I was actively aware of the band from about 1975 onwards and followed them until about 1980, although with diminished enthusiasm as other genres began to take a lead.

First track here is the classic 'Milk and Alcohol', a favourite of my friends when at Uni in Reading in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The other classic is 'Back in the Night'

I have one or two of their singles in my collection, these are firmly stuck in the loft with other records from this period!

The Alarm

The Alarm are a Welsh rock band that formed in Rhyl, Wales, in 1981. Initially formed as a punk band, The Toilets, in 1977, under lead vocalist Mike Peters, the band soon migrated to a more standard rock format and included marked influences from Welsh language and culture. By opening for acts such as U2 and Bob Dylan, they became a popular new wave pop band of the 1980s. The Alarm's highest charting single in Britain was 1983's "Sixty Eight Guns" , and is what they are most remembered for. Their 1984 album, Declaration, which contained "Sixty Eight Guns", peaked at number six in the UK Chart.

Malcolm McLaren

Malcolm McLaren was an English visual artist, performer, musician, clothes designer and boutique owner, most remembered for his management of the Sex Pistols. McLaren attended a number of British art colleges and adopted the stance of the social rebel in the style of French revolutionaries. He realised that a new protest style was needed for the 1970s, and largely initiated the punk movement, for which he supplied fashions from the Chelsea boutique SEX, which he operated with girlfriend Vivienne Westwood. After a period advising the New York Dolls in the U.S., McLaren managed the Sex Pistols, the issue of a controversial record, " God Save the Queen ", poking fun at the Queen's Jubilee in 1977, was typical of McLaren's shock tactics, and he gained public notoriety by being arrested after a promotional boat trip with the band outside the Houses of Parliament. McLaren performed with acclaim as a solo artist, initially focusing on hip hop and world music and later div...

Orange Juice

Orange Juice was a Scottish jangle pop band founded in the Glasgow by Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan, and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, They became Orange Juice in 1979, best known for their only UK Top 40 hit hit " Rip It Up ," which reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart in early1983. The band released their first singles on the independent Postcard Records label founded by Alan Horne, along with fellow Scottish bands Josef K and Aztec Camera.

King

Paul King was born in Ireland but moved to Coventry, England, with his parents at a young age. After graduating from Coventry Drama School he joined rock-ska band the Reluctant Stereotypes. King's line up of the band – which also contained record producer Paul Sampson – released an album and three singles before the band disintegrated. After the demise of the Reluctant Stereotypes, King formed the Raw Screens who in 1983 were relaunched as the self-named band King. As lead singer, King was famed for his BIG haircut and spray painted Doc Marten's Boots – whilst Richard James Burgess produced and drummed on most of the band's songs. The band lasted just a couple of years, though both of their albums, "Steps in Time" and "Bitter Sweet" , went Gold, and they had two Top 10 singles with "Love & Pride" and "Alone Without You" .

Big Country

Big Country were a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline,in the early 1980s, Big Country comprised Stuart Adamson (formerly of Skids, vocals / guitar / keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar / mandolin / sitar / vocals), Tony Butler (bass guitar / vocals) and Mark Brzezicki (drums / percussion / vocals). The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s and the band incorporated Scottish folk and martial music styles, and they engineered their guitar-driven sound to evoke the sound of bagpipes, fiddles and other traditional folk instruments. Their biggest hit and my favourite track is ' In a Big Country ', also 'Look Away' and their first single ' Fields of Fire '

Muzical Mystery Tour

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