I Could Be in Heaven With Imagined 'C87'

As a followup to Cherry Red's excellent reissued and expanded 'C86' box set, the label has posed a great question: What songs would have made NME's long list had there been a 'C87' compilation? NME may not have released such a thing, but Cherry Red will. They have farmed the UK's fertile indie field from mid-1986 through 1987 to produce a three-CD set tentatively scheduled for a late May or early June release. Not quite all of the clearances are in place, but this is the expected tracklist of 'C87.' The second disc, in particular, should have you giddy.

DISC 1
1. THE SEA URCHINS Pristine Christine
2. THE HOUSE OF LOVE Real Animal
3. THIS POISON! Poised Over The Pause Button
4. THE VASELINES Son Of A Gun
5. THE WONDER STUFF It's Not True
6. THE HEART THROBS I, The Jury
7. THE CLOUDS Get Out Of My Dream
8. CUD Mind The Gap (Demo)
9. THE SHAMEN Young Till Yesterday
10. THE DARLING BUDS Spin (Flexidisc Version)
11. KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION Escape!
12. THE BOY HAIRDRESSERS Golden Shower
13. THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD Grandfather's Cluck
14. THE INSPIRAL CARPETS Now You're Gone (Demo)
15. THE BACHELOR PAD Albert Hofmann
16. THE NIVENS Room Without A View
17. THE MOTORCYCLE BOY Big Rock Candy Mountain
18. BLOW-UP Good For Me
19. THE FLATMATES I Could Be In Heaven
20. THE RAW HERBS Old Joe
21. ROTE KAPELLE These Animals Are Dangeroos
22. BOB What A Performance
23. THE SUBMARINES Grey Skies Blue
24. HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS Don't Ask My Name
25. THE WALTONES Downhill
26. I, LUDICROUS My Baby's Got Jet Lag
DISC 2
1. ONE THOUSAND VIOLINS Please Don't Sandblast My House
2. THE WEDDING PRESENT My Favourite Dress
3. LAUGH Paul McCartney
4. THE SOUP DRAGONS Hang Ten!
5. THE PRIMITIVES We Found A Way To The Sun
6. THE WOLFHOUNDS The Anti-Midas Touch
7. BIFF BANG POW! In A Mourning Town
8. THE BODINES Clear
9. TALULAH GOSH Talulah Gosh
10. MIGHTY MIGHTY Built Like A Car
11. POP WILL EAT ITSELF Sweet Sweet Pie
12. McCARTHY Frans Hals
13. THE CHESTERFIELDS Ask Johnny Dee
14. MIAOW When It All Comes Down
15. RAZORCUTS Sorry To Embarrass You
16. DAVID WESTLAKE The Word Around Town
17. GOL GAPPAS Saint Lucy
18. BMX BANDITS The Day Before Tomorrow
19. A HOUSE Kick Me Again Jesus
20. THE GROOVE FARM Surfin’ Into Your Heart
21. BRILLIANT CORNERS Please Please Please
22. BABY LEMONADE Secret Goldfish
23. THE RAILWAY CHILDREN Brighter
24. EAST VILLAGE Her Father's Son
25. ROSEMARY'S CHILDREN Southern Fields
DISC 3
1. DOG FACED HERMANS Catbrain Walk
2. STUMP Tupperware Stripper
3. GAYE BYKERS ON ACID Everythang's Groovy
4. BOG-SHED Tried And Tested Public Speaker
5. A WITNESS Red Snake
6. MACKENZIES New Breed
7. THE SHRUBS Edith
8. THE BAMBI SLAM Bamp-Bamp
9. STITCHED-BACK FOOT AIRMAN Shake Up
10. 14 ICED BEARS Like A Dolphin
11. JESSE GARON & THE DESPERADOES I'm Up Here
12. THE DESERT WOLVES Love Scattered Lives
13. THE SIDDELEYS What Went Wrong This Time?
14. THE WEATHER PROPHETS In My Room
15. THE WISHING STONES Beat Girl
16. THE CARETAKER RACE Man Overboard (Demo)
17. CORN DOLLIES Forever Steven
18. THE DENTISTS Just Like Oliver Reed
19. PHIL WILSON 10 Miles
20. YEAH JAZZ Sharon
21. THE ROSEHIPS So Naïve
22. THE HEPBURNS Made Up
23. RODNEY ALLEN Happysad
24. EMILY The Old Stone Bridge

To whet your appetite, here is my personal favorite of the lot. In keeping with my pledge to go all vinyl in 2016, here is "I Could Be in Heaven," transferred from the 7" above moments ago. This is one of my most treasured records. I melt every time I hear that little scream at the end. Flatmates forever! I would love to hear if you think anyone was overlooked on this 75-song collection.