Sunday, November 23, 2008

Swell Maps

I've been a Swell Maps fan for some years now. They never let you down.

The first time I met Nikki Sudden he lambasted me because although I had listened to all the other records extensively, I had never actually heard Jane From Occupied Europe for some reason. Don't worry, I have changed that in the meantime.

I mentioned before that Phones B. Sportsman is my favorite punk rock name of all time. That night Nikki told me where the name came from and I promptly forgot. Fortunately for me, I recently exchanged a few emails with Mr. Sportsman himself and he told me this:

"Phones was a fave character in one of those Thunderbirds/Stingray progs, Sportsman was cos i was the only Map who was even remotely interested in sport, and i don't remember what the original B stood for, but now it is officially Bysshe (after the poet Shelley)."

Thank you sir for that!

I'm not sure why, but bits and pieces of these have appeared on various compilations but never all in one place. Now you too can listen to the original Swell Maps singles as they were intended to be heard. I'm including the single that came with A Trip To Marineville because it seems like the right thing to do (and I had to buy it separately as my copy of the LP did not include it).

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, all 5 singles by Swell Maps.

Read About Seymour (Rather/Rough Trade)
1. Read About Seymour
2. Ripped & Torn
3. Black Velvet




















Dresden Style (Rather/Rough Trade)
1. Dresden Style
2. Ammunition Train
3. Full Moon




















Loin Of The Surf (Rather/Rough Trade)
1. Loin Of The Surf
2. Doctor At Cake
3. Steven Does
4. Bronze & Baby Shoes



















Real Shocks (Rather/Rough Trade)
1. Real Shocks
2. English Verse
3. Monologues




















Let's Build A Car (Rather/Rough Trade)
1. Let's Build A Car
2. Big Maz In The Country
3. ...Then Poland

3 comments:

Peter Tron said...

a mate of mine is into these [he keeps tellin' me about 'em].

thnx 4 giving me the opportunity 2 listen to 'em,

Baz.

rgratzer said...

Thanks! I really like Jacobites. And I have Wastrels and Wippersnappers, but still need to give it some good listens.

An old friend of mine had enrolled Nikki Sudden to make some songs for an indie movie he was making. Sudden agreed on the grounds that he be given enough money to carry him on a solo tour of the states. My friend agreed. Sudden came to the states and then died during the tour.

ROOKSBY said...

Nice work! Got 'em all on vinyl already but it's nice to have Monologues & Steven Do for the iPod - thanks again...