MIDNITE CRUISER - Rich Bitch 7'' 1977

Northern Ireland didn't have a big underground scene but some cool bands came from there and Midnite Cruiser from Belfast is one of them and they consisted of Paul (vocals), Crow & Peege & Rodney (guitars), Jimmy (bass) and Ger (drums). Their only 7Inch was released on Cliff Moore's IT Records label. He owned four record shops in Northern Ireland and after a meeting with Chiswick in London, he returned home and to set up his own label. Only five singles were made. A bit useless info: Midnite Cruiser were basically Speed with extra guitarist Rodney joining the ranks. The music is much punkier than the previous Speed release. The tracks for the single were recorded at Hydepark Studios, Templepatrick and engineered by George Doherty, who would go on to form his own Rip-Off label the following year. The band split soon after the single's release. Paul West (real name Paul Maxwell) went on to join the Tearjerkers. The two songs are also guests on the indispensable Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland compilation.   

- Great Thx to Fredrik - 

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V/A - Room To Move EP 1980

I wanna end the uncomfortable February with a nice compilation with four bands from Northern Ireland who got this 7Inch dedicated from Energy Records and all songs have the spirit of the early 80's sound and this region is known for its powerpop/punk style. If you need more info about the bands so visit the cool spitrecords (the virtual home of Northern Ireland punk) site and become part of this unique scene and do you want more music? Well, then don't miss both Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland compilations.

1.Cyborg - THE OUTCASTS

2.Belfast Telegraph - SHOCK TREATMENT

3.Take Me - THE VIPERS

4.Snakes And Ladders - BIG SELF

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V/A - Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland 1998

Rare to find is Volume I of the Northern Ireland Area and this record is more in a pop/mod taste as punk goodies. And this is damn cool stuff. I posted this on my old Blog and I remember there were still numerous downloads. Well, logo that I must do it again. Even more sound from the small tip of Ireland can find on Belfast Rock, which also kicks. This volume in the Bloodstains series is a definite stand-out.

1.Time To Be Proud - RUDI

2.The Perfect Crime - RUEFREX

3.Rich Bitch - MIDNITE CRUISER

4.Conscious - ELECTRO-MOTIVE FORCE

5.Wanted - ELECTRO-MOTIVE FORCE

6.The System Is Here - EX-PRODUCERS

7.Bondage In Belfast - THE ANDROIDS

8.I Wonder Why - PROTEX

9.The Teen Age - VICTIM

10.Cruisin' - DETONATORS

11.Behind The Door - EX-PRODUCERS

12.Sharon - PRETTY BOY FLOYD & THE GEMS

13.Fingers - THE DOUBT

14.Lookaway - THE DOUBT

15.Guilty Conscience - THE DEFECTS

16.The Heat Is On - XDREAMYSTS

17.You Said - THE MOONDOGS

18.Striker - MIDNITE CRUISER

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V/A - Belfast Rock 1978

One more superb compilation here and this time we head to Northern Ireland and see what's going on there at the end of the 70s. From this small part of Ireland came a number of very good Punk & Powerpop bands and their singles are nowadays extreme rare and highly coveted by collectors (It's no different with this album). A few months ago I posted the first Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland record which is damn good and more punk you know. After listen I thought I have more stuff from this area and I find this goodie and since I have ripped the plate several months ago so it could appear here. Released via Rip Off Records shows this stuff a good mix of pretty decent guitar sounds, partially published as 7inches. The only deficit: no info sheet but we live in modern times so visit irishrock for details about the bands. In 1980 the label Shock Rock released another compilation called simply Belfast which is also great. That's all from me for today, wanna move to bed now, tomorrow is another hard working day!

1.Spread The Word Around - PRETTY BOY FLOYD & THE GEMS

2.Cortina Cowboys - BLUE STEAM

3.Looking For A Lady - COBRA

4.Jimmy Jump - JUMPERS

5.You Should Be So Lucky - NO SWEAT

6.Cruisin' - DETONATORS

7.Lizard King - BLUE STEAM

8.Start All Over Again - NO SWEAT

9.Graveyard Boogie - COBRA

10.Rough Tough Pretty Too - PRETTY BOY FLOYD & THE GEMS

11.Baby C'mon - JUMPERS

12.Light At Your Window - DETONATORS

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V/A - Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland #2 1998

Northern Ireland's underground music is not only populated with good punk bands, foremost known primarily for excellent powerpop stuff and this Bloodstains compilation proves this clearly with seventeen varied melodic goodies. As on Volume 1 a first-rate picking and this record was hard to get, believe me, and kicks the gray November Saturday full in the ass, I hate such days (must be in the sun....immediately). Anyway, enjoy the weekend and start with this sound!

1.All I Wanna Do (Is Rock'n Roll) - PROTEX

2.Don't Tell The Detectives - THE ZIPPS

3.Set Me Free - TINOPENERS

4.The Pressure's On - RUDI

5.Big Check Shirts - SHOCK TREATMENT

6.Bloody Bouncers - CONTROL ZONE

7.Numbers - STAGE B

8.Mental Cases - ELECTRO-MOTIVE FORCES

9.Contrast Disorder - THE DOUBT

10.Light At Your Window - DETONATORS

11.I'm Sorry - TEARJERKERS

12.Just Friends - DOGMATIC ELEMENT

13.Johnny Johnny - CONTROL ZONE

14.Young Rebel - FAMILY OF NOISE

15.I Need You - VICTIM

16.Teenage Love Song - P45

17.I Can Help - THE PEASANTS

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THE DOUBT - Contrast Disorder EP 1980

On this rainy Saturday music is announced and before I rip vinyl a quick post by another band from Ireland with their only record that was only pressed 500 times, but was re-released by Incognito Records as Incognito Punkrock Classix Series 2015, also 500 copies. Info: formed in Bangor around 1978 by Hugh (vocals), Paul (guitar), John (bass), Steven (drums) and their main inspiration came from an earlier Bangor band called the Standards. After a few months John Clarke was replaced on bass by Robert Scott from recently disbanded Bangor outfit The Ski's. Over the next year The Doubt played as many gigs as they could. Arguably, their best show ever was a charity gig arranged by the band which also featured slots by Fifth Column and Belfast bands Ruefrex and The Androids. For the first (and last) time the Doubt had use of a proper PA and played a storming set to a crowd of several hundred. The band split in October 1979 despite having discussed releasing a single. As the principal songwriters, Corken and Scott decided to go ahead with the release of an EP and roped in Adrian Maddox (Fifth Column’s guitar player) to play drums on the recording while Corken took over vocal duties. Contrast Disorder was eventually released on Solo Records in early 1980 after numerous delays and sold a couple of hundred copies locally. It featured four brilliant tracks. In 2003, Rave Up Records released a compilation which featured the four songs of the EP plus ten unreleased demo sessions. When the Doubt split Steven and Hugh went on to play in the Co-Ordinates whilst Scott and Maddox formed Palace Of Variety. Later, Scott would form Carpenter Joe. Represented on relevant compilations, for example Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland I recommend for you.

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V/A - Rip Off Records Compilation 2010

Finally weekend and you already know that I always greet it with refreshing music and today I open it with a fantastic compilation with combos from the legendary short lived Belfast based label Rip Off Records (specialized mainly on PowerPop) which at the end of the Seventies a bunch of great 7Inches released that are very popular today and it's amazing that an american label named Sing Sing Records brought us this divine record in 2010. It goes without saying that the original records were released in very small editions, so this little compi is an excellent idea to keep all those great bands/songs from being forgotten in the dark oblivion of the ocean. Certainly an excellent addition to the two Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland goodies. And now I'm thirsty and I'm hissing a beer...

1.Friends - THE ZIPPS

2.Suzy 'D' - LENNY & THE LAWBREAKERS

3.You'll Never Find Love - MINOR CLASSICS

4.Sharon - PRETTY BOY FLOYD & THE GEMS

5.I Want You - TINOPENERS

6.It For The Kicks - THE FADERS

7.I Don't Like Girls - MINOR CLASSICS

8.Start All Over Again - NO SWEAT

9.Me And Bobby McGee - LENNY & THE LAWBREAKERS

10.Time To Kill - CLIVE CULBERTSON

11.She Doesn't Love Me - CRAMP

12.I Don't Wanna Be - TINOPENERS

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