Song Of the Day, March 14, 2006
Every few months, it occurs to me to Google this 45, because I've owned it since I was in high school but I have no clue who on earth these guys are. Unfortunately, all that ever shows up is a few rare records sales lists. At one point, I did find out that guitarist Ronan Heenan and drummer Simon Ryan were later members of the short-lived Irish folk-punk band Lick the Tins, but that's about it. Anyway, "Don't Pass the Buck" has a vague ska pulse to it, but it's primarily just that sort of jittery, echo-laden post-punk that was so popular in the UK around this time. This is one of those records that's undeniably sort of second-rate, yet there's something kind of cool and charming about it that's kept me from getting rid of it when I've been weeding out my 45s. Love that uber-jangly dual guitar part about halfway through, for one thing.
-Srewart Mason
7 Comments:
From the liner notes to Lick the Tins: "Drummer Simon Ryan was living in Kilburn, North West London, when he re-met songwriter/guitarist Ronan Heenan, with whom he had played in an earlier group, The Almost Brothers. This very obscure combo released a 1980 single, "You'll Never Make It," which remarkably made the Radio One playlist, but the group folded soon afterwards... Ryan was a graphis designer who worked in the art department of Stiff Records."
Any chance of posting the other side?
Huh. 'Cause that's not the other side of this single, which is called "Theme For A Lonely American Private Detective In Paris." They must have done two singles, then. Thanks!
If I am reading that label correctly, this single was produced by Pat Collier. I should guess that this is the same Pat Collier who produced one of my favorite albums, -Underwater Moonlight- by the Soft Boys, eh?
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James
Indeed it is. Pat Collier produced many of my favorite records, including a previous Little Hits submission, the Darling Buds' "Hit the Ground."
Love that label design. Isn't that part of Rodchenko's portrait of Mayakovsky?
Hmm...it's hard to tell for sure from that link, but I do believe you're right! Excellent catch!
I remember The Almost Brothers. The 2nd guitarist was called Quentin, and the bass player was Gem. They played regularly at The Moonlight Club, West Hampstead between '81 and '84. Pat Collier worked at The Moonlight as a DJ around that time. They released a four track EP after "Don't Pass The Buck", I used to have a copy. Simon Ryan designed the cover of Split Enz first single for Stiff - later to become Crowded House.
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