The Best of Brought To Life - 014

1. THE PORK DUKES - 'Bend And Flush' - Wood 7" - UK - 1977
Time for filth! The Pork Dukes were very childish and perverted so a lot of their songs were about sex. This meant little if any radio airplay but lots of adolescent boys thought they were very very cool. This was their first single, a different version of which appeared on the 'Streets' LP (with a much thicker organ).
2. THE NEWS - 'That Girl' - Missing Link 7" - Australia - 1980
Generally people think this is not a patch on the 'Dirty Lies' 7". People are wrong. This is every bit as good, if not better.
3. THE SALFORD JETS - 'Don't Start Trouble' - RCA 7" - UK - 1980
Not sure where this lot came from (!) but this must have been on, what, their 5th single? Love the 'whoa-oh's' on the chorus. I'll probably include the A-side later.
4.  THE REDUCERS - 'We Are Normal' - Vibes 7" -  - UK - 1978
The first of 3 singles. Lovely slightly dischordant element to this one which ends as abruptly as it starts.
5. TUBEWAY ARMY - 'That's Too Bad' - Beggars Banquet 7" - UK - 1978
Their first single, before the synths came in and the guitars went out. Oh well, that's too bad.
6. THE CUBAN HEELS - 'Downtown' - Housewives Choice 7" - UK - 1978
Their first single by a largely neglected band. Formed by ex-members of Johnny and the Self Abusers. Bet they wish they'd stayed with the then-to-be Simple Minds instead. One of my favourite cover versions ever.
7. THE DOCTORS OF MADNESS - 'Bulletin' - Polydor 7" - UK - 1977
Sort of proto-punk initially, influenced by the likes of Bowie and Roxy Music, this band were formed by the infamous Richard Strange and took their crazy live shows endlessly around Europe. The Sex Pistols supported them, y'know?
8. THE PORK DUKES - 'Throbbing Gristle' - Wood 7" - UK - 1977
The B-side of 'Bend and Flush'. If his meat really was as wide as it was long then the man was clearly a freak.
9. GIRLS AT OUR BEST - 'Warm Girls' - Record 7" - UK - 1980
Only one girl in the band actually, the gorgeous Judy Evans, who I had a big crush on at the time. Unfashionably from Leeds, but Peel favourites, a great live band and great lyrics to boot. 
10. MARTIN & THE BROWNSHIRTS - 'Taxi Driver' - Lightning 7" - UK - 1978
Hilarious sole release from this short lived Chester band. Read all about them here.
11. KEVIN SHORT & HIS PRIVATES - 'Punk Strut' - EMI International 7" - UK - 1978
Blogged to death, re-released with video to boot, but who doesn't like a tongue-in-cheek punk parody? 'There's safety in numbers, there's safety in pins, but tell me where the danger lies if everyone wins'.
12. LOCKJAW - 'I'm A Virgin' - Raw 7" - UK - 1978
You know the format - Raw records, recorded at Spaceward, re-released on Damaged Goods. From their 2nd 7" - infinitely better than the first.
13. STATIC ROUTINES - 'Rock 'n' Roll Clones' - Good Vibrations 7" - Ireland - 1979
From Dundalk. The piano comes in out of nowhere and there's lots of catchy na-na-na-na's in the chorus.
14. THE INTROZE - 'Doin' The Lambeth Walk' - Monarch 7" - UK - 1982
Another cover version, this time a good ol' cockney knees up. Read all about 'em here.
15. RIFF RAFF - 'Romford Girls' - Chiswick 7" - UK - 1978
From the 'I Wanna Be A Cosmonaut' E.P. and, yes, that is Billy Bragg singing. Guitar by Wiggy and keyboards by S.D.R. Gol'fish.
16. THE PORK DUKES - 'Makin' Bacon' - Wood 12" - UK - 1977
Yellow vinyl. But shouldn't it have been pink? Oh, that was the LP. 'A 10-inch chopper with a varicose vein'? In your dreams, stumpy.
17. THE DOCTORS OF MADNESS - 'Waiting' - Polydor 7" - UK - 1977
The flipside of 'Bulletin' with a nice bit of fiddlin' throughout.
18. THE KIDZ NEXT DOOR - 'The Kidz Next Door' - Warner Brothers 7" - UK - 1979
The B-side of the 'What's It All About?' 7" which was their sole release until Rave Up released a full-length in 2011. Produced by Jimmy Pursey with his younger brother Robbie on vocals. Read more here.
19. CELIA & THE MUTATIONS - 'Mony Mony' - United Artists 7" - UK - 1977
Yet another cover which was notable as The Mutations were actually The Stranglers. Their manager thought it would be interesting to put a 'classy lady' in front of a dirty rock band. The public were underwhelmed.
20. THE CUBAN HEELS - 'Do The Smok Walk' - Housewives Choice 7" - UK - 1978
The B-side of 'Downtown', proving that they could write their own songs too.
21. THE SALFORD JETS - 'Who You Lookin At?' - RCA 7" - UK - 1980
As promised, the A-side of probably their 5th single. Nicks the riff from 'Steppin' Stone' which is probably why it sounds good.
22. THOSE INTRINSIC INTELLECTUALS - 'Radio Iceland' - Fault Line 7" - UK - 1980
Sole release from this Inverness combo. 'No Holidays in America, no Holidays in Granada, I want to turn the wireless on to listen to the Nordic Saga'. For sure!
23. SHAKE - 'Culture Shock' - Sire 7" - UK - 1979
Formed by Jo Callis after the Rezillos split. They weren't quite as good. Also released as a 10" with 2 extra tracks.
24. THE NUMBERS - 'Government Boy' - Local Label 7" - Australia - 1979
The first single from a band which went through many line-up changes but had a core of brother and sister Chris and Annalisse Morrow. Later releases were more radio friendly.
25. THE PORK DUKES - 'Melody Makers' - Wood 7" - UK - 1978
Probably their best track and, for once ,it wasn't about sex. Sadly it was the B-side of 'Telephone Masturbator'.

***BONUS TRACKS***

26. THE NEWS - 'I'm So Confused'

27. THOSE INTRINSIC INTELLECTUALS - 'Do The Executive'

28. THE NUMBERS - 'Guerilla'

29. GIRLS AT OUR BEST - 'Getting Nowhere Fast'

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