Various Artists – "Brum Beat Live At The Barrel Organ!" (Big Bear Records – BRUM 1) 1980

We cheekily mentioned the 1974 Birmingham Pub Bombings in the previous posts on Belfast,so the logical progression must be to hear some music from a pub in Birmingham,UK,not Alabama.The alleged Bombers were all arrested, basically for being Irish, and soundly beaten up until they confessed.

They were all pardoned and released some years ago now after serving 16 years at her majesties' pleasure. 

Of course you all know that Birmingham,the UK's second city)....pronounced Birmin-gum in Brummy(the local accent_, and Birming-haaam in the United states (twats....boycott them!)...has a very strong argument in the richly contested arena as to who was the most important city in the British rock'n'roll stakes,and therefore also in The World. The undisputed birthplace of all Heavy Rock,also can boast Moody Blues,ELO, the Move,Led Zeppelin,Black Sabbath,...er...Duran Duran, the worlds best selling Reggae band...UB40....Napalm Death,Traffic, Judas Priest, The (English)Beat), Dexy's,Swell Maps, Spencer Davis Group....I could go on...shit,I forgot Slade!?
Nothing like that steller list on this local compilation, but one of the groups (The Lazers), had ginger chanteuse,T'Pau's Carol Dekker on vocals!...we are definitely worthy.
This is essentialy Birmingham's version of "Hope and Anchor \front Row Festival" with it's Pub Rock sensibility, rather than the cutting edge post-punk vibes one would expect from Brum's own Nightingales. Nowt wrong with that however, me being a big digger of said scene.
Love Pub Rock me,so i do......this really was Punk before Punk in my humbles.
It does boast an act that had a single in John Peels' special box of fav singles....namely The Quads, who recorded the rather splendid "There Must Be Thousands" single that said venerable DJ,and mucky minded lady fiddler played to death in 1980.

I notice this double disked forensic investigation into all things Brummy seems to be sponsored by Ansells Bitter, not,an alcoholic tipple of choice for your average London Punk Rocker,who always seemed to have a can of Colt 45 glued to their hand; and where is Colt 45 now eh?....gone!...just like all the bands featured here....yes, even The Quads are gone and forgotten.Life is harsh innit? That such beauty could come from such a grim shithole as Birmingham is nothing short of amazing.However grim conditions are often touted as the very reason all this great art was created in the first place,an escape route so to speak.Following the Beatles to mansions in Surrey as soon as possible.The fabs couldn't wait to get out of Liverpool, and who can blame 'em?...trouble is the list of groups on this LP are patently stuck in one the world's oldest and grimest industrial conurbations.see this music as a cry for help. 

Tracklist:

A1 Bright Eyes – The Lonely Ones
A2 Bright Eyes – Casablanca
A3 The Lazers– Headache
A4 The Lazers– Rivet
A5 Willy & The Poorboys– My Babe
A6 Willy & The Poorboys– Hoy Hoy Hoy
B1 The Quads – When Everything Is Said & Done
B2 The Quads – Wonders Never Cease
B3 Rockers – It Takes A Thief
B4 Speed Limit – Alright On The Night
B5 Speed Limit – CJ
C1 Dansette Damage– All Little Girls Taste The Same
C2 Dansette Damage– Invaders
C3 Mayday – Moving In Time
C4 Mayday – Standing On The Edge Of The World
C5 Dangerous Girls– Demolition
C6 Playthings – Sally Daydream

D1 The Thrillers –To The Top

D2 The Thrillers – Breakout
D3 Spoonfull – On Your Trail
D4 Spoonfull – Nine 'Til Five
D5 Eclipse– Enjoy Yoursef

DOWNLOAD from the UK's sickened city HERE!