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Favourite b-sides

sideshowbob

sideshowbob

Champagne fascia aficionado
I'm not sure we've ever had a thread about this, which is strange given that the music room here is full of Nick Hornby-ish people who like making lists (me included).

So, singles (7" or 12") with great b-sides.

Alternative TV - Lost In Room. The b-side of the distinctly odd single, The Force is Blind, this successfully marries Mark P's south London existential angst with a truly memorable buzzsaw guitar riff. It's also one of the best starts-slow-and-then-speeds-up-a-lot songs ever.

Pere Ubu - Heart of Darkness. The b-side of 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, which is in itself one of the best A-sides ever. 1975, punk is here, and Cleveland is home to the best band in the world.

Eyeless in Gaza - Scent on Evening Air. The b-side of New Risen, a beautiful pop song and an unashamed attempt at the mainstream. But the b-side, well, it's something else again. A song of such unalloyed beauty and purity that it has been known to bring a tear to my eye. I hadn't listened to it for quite a while, but this morning it caught me unawares, tacked onto the end of the reissue of the Back From The Rains record, EiG's least-good album. Suddenly the opening notes of Scent on Evening Air wafted from the speakers, and *completely* stopped me in my tracks. A song of extraordinary power, and some of Martyn Bates' most exquisite lyrics and singing. It's been in my head all day, and I've not tired of it.

-- Ian
 
I've never really bought any singles so nothing to contribute, but you have just reminded me I bought an EIG record (yellow cover, not sure of the title?) aaaages ago and didn't get round to playing it so it's just about to go on the table. Thanks!
 
That would be Photographs as Memories, their first LP. It's one of my very favourite records.

-- Ian
 
James - Lazy B side to 12" of How Was it for You. It is a very simple song with a basic production but features some wonderful moments of guitar playing from Larry Gott over a simple Jim Glennie bass line. IMO James have rarely captured their live magic so well.
 
Cool thread Ian. Hard to know where to begin (or stop) but here's a few:-

The Beatles - You Can't Do That (Can't Buy Me Love). Lennon at his meanest.

Buzzcocks - Noise Annoys (Love You More). A perfect pop racket.

Magazine - I Love You, You Big Dummy (Give Me Everything). Devoto covering Beefheart with a nasty Barry Adamson bass line.

The Smiths - Back To The Old House (What Difference Does It Make). Morrissey and Marr's most beautiful couple of minutes.

Cheers

Rich
 
The Dickies - Doggy Do ( Eve of Destruction)

SLF - Wasted Life (Suspect Device)

Sex Pistols - All the B's from the first 4 singles , plus friggin in the riggin which is just downright funny even 30 years later...
 
So many Lad:)


Rolling stones

Play with fire / The last time


off the hook / Little red roaster


Singer not the song / Get of my cloud


Spider and the Fly / Satisfaction



Then there were the Beatles


One We like today was the Mcoys the bside of Hang on sloppy

"i cant explain it" Brilliant

Of course then the was the b side of Ten Years after Love Like a Man Also Love Like A Man but this was a 33rpm bside anyone remember that ?

http://tv.cream.org/extras/top100bsides.htm
 
Eddy Grant; "Living on the frontline".

The B-side was instrumental version and they played it EVERY time I frequented the "Venue" round the corner from Victoria station in London. Great sound in that place, anyone remember it?
 
The Smiths: "Rubber Ring" ("The Boy With the Thorn In His Side")

The Stone Roses: "Going Down" ("Made of Stone")
 
Fretless Eric said:
Eddy Grant; "Living on the frontline".

The B-side was instrumental version and they played it EVERY time I frequented the "Venue" round the corner from Victoria station in London. Great sound in that place, anyone remember it?
Click to expand...

Yes don't remember the instrumental but do remember the Venue, a nice place which I seem to recall Richard Branson owned, I saw Todd Rundgren there.
 
Siouxsie And The Banshees Voices ( Hong Kong Garden)
Buzzcocks: Oh Shit ( What Do I Get)
Dr Alimantado : Reason for Living (Born for a Purpose)
The Clash 1977 ( White Riot)

As you've already had 30 seconds over Tokyo

Use to clear pubs with The Banshee's Voices (Hong Kong Garden) Juke boxes are no fun without B sides.

It is still 1977 isn't it?


Kevin
 
kjb said:
It is still 1977 isn't it?


Kevin
Click to expand...

Too right it is (or thereabouts). Here's a few more:-

Buzzcocks - Whatever Happened To? (Orgasm Addict)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Read It In Books (Pictures On My Wall)
The Jam - The Butterfly Collector (Strange Town)
Wah! Heat - Hey Disco Joe (Better Scream)

Cheers

Rich
 
Thread reawakened alert!

(Although there is almost certainly another B Side thread somewhere...)

Just stumbled across this on Deke Dickerson's Facebook page. The original B Side to Stand By Me, sublime.

 
The Only Ones 'Peter and the Pets' B side of 'Lovers Of Today'. Then 'Your Chosen Life' B side of 'Trouble In the World' notable because it has the nastiest line in any recorded song I can think of.
 
RickyC6 said:
Cool thread Ian. Hard to know where to begin (or stop) but here's a few:-

The Beatles - You Can't Do That (Can't Buy Me Love). Lennon at his meanest.

Buzzcocks - Noise Annoys (Love You More). A perfect pop racket.

Magazine - I Love You, You Big Dummy (Give Me Everything). Devoto covering Beefheart with a nasty Barry Adamson bass line.

The Smiths - Back To The Old House (What Difference Does It Make). Morrissey and Marr's most beautiful couple of minutes.

Cheers

Rich
Click to expand...
Surely Lennon at his meanest is Run For Your Life from the Rubber Soul album. The song opens with ‘Well I’d rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man’. I’d say that’s pretty harsh. I’ve had a couple of bad breakups but I’ve never felt like that.
 
Kraftwerk's The Model was originally the B side to Computer Love, in the UK at least. It was the only Kraftwerk song I knew until a few years ago, which is probably some kind of crime in pfm land. One of my favourite bands now.
 
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