Julian Cope / Echo & The Bunnymen

A couple of similar EPs from a couple of similar artists.

Julian Cope - "Sunspots" EP - Mercury (UK), 1985

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Echo and The Bunnymen - "Seven Seas" EP (a/k/a "Life At Brian's") - Korova (UK), 1984

For starters, both bands came out of the late '70s Liverpool psychedelic scene (in fact, both frontmen started in the same band). More specifically, both bands released very strange double-EPs - disguised as singles - within a year of each other.

Cope's remixed "Sunspots" - from 1984's Fried - is added to three LP outtakes. Most notable is the eccentric "I Went On A Chourney": a minimalist techno ditty with found dialog (Julian himself?).

Echo and The Bunnymen's "Seven Seas" (from the Ocean Rain LP) is joined with four tracks described as "Recorded live at Liverpool Cathedral for the programme 'Play At Home'", a rather loosely played, unplugged batch of tracks. The performances are hit-or-miss, but I do enjoy the grooved out Donovan-style "Villiers Terrace", and their reading of "All You Need Is Love" is more fun than you'd expect.

Graham Parker & The Rumour

a few goodies from my Graham Parker 45s:


The Pink Parker (EP) - Mercury, 1977
 
After two flawless albums, Graham Parker and company put out this nifty little 7-inch, which kicked off with a brilliant cover of The Trammps' "Hold Back the Night". The second half is killer, containing live versions of "Soul Shoes" and "White Honey". And... it's pink!

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The Bleep - Vertigo (UK), 1977
 
B-side of "The New York Shuffle". I have no idea if this was meant as a joke, or if the label was really concerned over this to start with. What we have here is a different take of "The Raid", with all the drug references bleeped out. Worth a listen, though I strongly recommend taking out Stick To Me after hearing this and put on the proper version.

Chuck Berry

Here's a couple of my favorite Chuck Berry sides



Around & Around - Chess, 1958



Back In the USA - Chess, 1959



These copies have had some plays on them, but it's still my favorite way of listening to Chuck Berry - scratches and all.
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Steppenwolf

Some late '60s hits from Steppenwolf.

Born To Be Wild / Everybody's Next One - Dunhill, 1968

Magic Carpet Ride / Sookie Sookie - Dunhill, 1968

Rock Me / Jupiter Child - Dunhill, 1969

The singles are all noticeably different from the album versions, some quite radically so. "Magic Carpet Ride" starts cold - instead of fading in - and contains numerous edits. "Jupiter Child" is actually longer that the stereo album version, by way of an alternate intro edit.

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