THIS IS POP (ART)

Whether i'm browsing Discogs, reading the discography of an artist from yesteryear, or hunched over crates of used vinyl in one of my favourite record shops, i'm always struck by the sheer amount of multiple versions of singles: 12"s, picture discs, coloured vinyl, free posters/badges/stickers/postcards/boomerangs*, different artwork, laminated sleeves, free 7"s with tracks unavailable elsewhere (until the age of the cd reissue, that is)..... the list goes on. It goes without saying that, aside from providing fans with collectables, all these limited editions were essentially a marketing ploy to lure people into buying several copies of basically the same single, thereby pushing both the 45 up the charts and more cash into the record companies coffers. At some point in the eighties the compilers of the charts got wise to this and started putting restrictions on what counted as an eligible sale, probably after ZTT put out a half a million versions of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" to keep it in the charts. But in amongst the multiple mixes and punters deceived by the same record in different sleeves (copyright Morrissey), there are some real gems if you know what to look for. Whilst some artists were content to let their record label do whatever they wanted, others took it seriously and assumed creative control over their releases. One of my personal favourites is XTC. Band leader Andy Partidge had an artistic flair that went beyond the songwriting and got involved in the artwork and design of their record sleeves, and several of their 7" s are quite collectable. Their first Top 40 hit "Making Plans For Nigel" contained a Chutes and Ladders board game unique to the details of Nigel's life in the song, one side for him to play and the other for his controlling parents. "Towers Of London" came as a double 7" , with both paper sleeved singles in skyscraper silhouetted artwork inside a semi-transparent plastic sleeve a more historical skyline of the capital. "Sgt. Rock" came with an insert which turned the lyrics of the song into a Beano-style comic strip. By far the most creative is one of their less well known 7"s, the non-charting "No Thugs In Our House". The final single to be taken from their most commercially successful album (and one of many creative highpoints) English Settlement, the back sleeve presents the song as a musical in 3 acts, and the sleeve opens up into a "theatre" with separate cardboard figurines.

Obviously these limited edition singles aren't cheap, not if you want them in decent condition, but shop around and you may find a bargain. I was lucky enough to pick up two of the aforementioned XTC 7"s on a recent crate digging trip for around a tenner each. 

*The boomerang in question was made of cardboard and hidden inside the sleeve of comedy punk band Splodgenessabounds' cover of Two Little Boys. 

HIP POP

Whilst i was very much a Pop kid as a youngster, "Pop" meant just about anything in the Top 40. I was aware of the terms describing different genres of music, but they meant little to me: if i liked it that was all that mattered. Around the time that music became a more serious interest for me rap and hip hop were ingredients in the minestrone that was the single chart, and whilst i was never a huge fan of either style the occasional song would grab my attention. The more aggressive styles of either music weren't to my taste,  but the more melodic, jazzy likes of De La Soul and Monie Love definitely were. Added to this were UK hip hop acts like Neneh Cherry and Cookie Crew, who both joined my ever growing collection of 45's. In fact, i seem to have bought singles by three of the four mentioned artists in consecutive weeks: Cookie Crews' Edwin Starr-sampling "Got To Keep On", Neneh Cherry's "Manchild", and Monie Loves' "Grandpa's Party" (a tribute to the godfather of hip hop, Afrika Bambaata), the last one provoking some hilarity amongst the record shop staff upon my request for said song. I still like these little heard gems now, and the recent reruns of Top Of The Pops 1989 shows has hopefully dusted them off for others.

LABELLED WITH LOVE PT.1

Since the dawn of the era of recorded music, record labels have existed. A way for musicians to get their art out into the world, and into the homes of music lovers. A way for companies to promote, make money from, and own the rights to millions of songs. But also a way to establish a brand, an identity, that the record buying public would recognise as a mark of quality, associate with a particular genre. Record labels have gone on to become as iconic as the artists whose music they release, familiar logos that stick in the minds of anyone who has ever bought music on a physical format, especially vinyl. The centre labels on the 7" singles in my Dads record collection which i played as a child still remain memorable to me now: the swirling Vertigo logo, the red and tan EMI, the silver Bell Records label, RAK, A&M, Polydor and many others. But throughout the history of recorded music their have been record labels whose raison d'etre has been more than to just sign and release the work of musicians. There are those - mainly independent - record companies who wished to promote an ideal, make a statement, one which they shared with the artists they signed. Sometimes it was to promote a specific genre of music, or a scene that they felt deserved more attention. But occasionally a label would pop up that would unite artists who shared a common cause, not just in the music they played but in a social and political belief, a rallying cry for change. One such label was 2-Tone Records. Begun in 1979 by Jerry Dammers - the leader, keyboard player and main songwriter of The Specials - it promoted not only the music of bands influenced by 1960's and 70's Ska and Rocksteady music and the diy spirit of Punk, but the twin ideals of racial harmony and social equality. This was an era when racism was rife, encouraged by the National Front and the BNP, unemployment was high and the newly elected Thatcherite Tory government were slowly dismantling the very idea of "society", causes like Rock Against Racism and the Labour supporting Red Wedge were springing up, popular with youth who wanted a fairer, more just world. Music with a message that you could dance to, and a movement you could be a part of, well that was always going to be hit in an age when tribes were still very popular.

2-Tone had many hits and started the careers of not only The Specials but Madness, The Selecter and The Beat, but played a key part in the ska revival which, while short lived introduced Jamaican music to a new generation, and influenced the morals and beliefs of many young people who went on to fight for anti-racist causes. A later line-up of The Specials kickstarted a campaign to "Free Nelson Mandela", something which eventually came to pass in 1990. The music is still hugely popular today, with most of the bands still actively touring and recording, although some with different personnel. The iconic black and white chequered label, with the 2-Tone man Walt Jabsco, is a historical piece of artwork recognised the world over.  There is even a museum dedicated to the label in its hometown of Coventry. Last year was the 40th anniversary of 2-Tone, marked by many events including a singles boxset containing 12 reproduced 7" singles in their original sleeves, put together by Jerry Dammers. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one, something i will treasure. 2-Tone was very much a singles-oriented label, and the fact that most of its 45's were huge hits is testament to the brilliance of the music.