Sadly, no. There were two singles and then a self-titled album. Debut single "Only For Sheep" was a big hit in Australia, but failed to chart anywhere else. Follow up "Let Him Have It" didn't do anything either. The band had quite a following in Ireland, but the real death blow came when the long player was only released in Canada and Australia. What, no Ireland or UK?!? Ridiculous. It was all over by the end of 1981. The Bureau is one of the biggest head scratchers in my vinyl collection. As you will hear in a moment, these songs should have been monumental. They picked up where 'Searching For the Young Soul Rebels' left off...
"Only For Sheep"
"Let Him Have It"
The Bureau is actually somewhat new to my collection. Some of you may remember the story of how I ended up with the above three pieces of vinyl, but here is a quick recap. As a huge fan of Dexys and the Style Council, the Bureau had been on my list of wants for many many years, but their work has always been a tough find. When I say "list," I literally mean it. Mrs. LTL found my list a couple of years ago and took it with her on a business trip to Chicago. She stopped by my old haunt Vintage Vinyl in Evanston and managed to get the lot. She placed them under the tissue paper inside of a box that seemed to have nothing but pajamas when I opened it on Christmas morning in 2014. I felt the kind of excitement usually reserved for only the little ones on that holiday.
Two more from the letter B to come, but tomorrow I'm going to try and convince you one more time that Dexy splitters the Blue Ox Babes were quite good as well. I failed miserably a few weeks ago.
7 comments:
I bought the two Bureau singles at the time, but remained unaware of the existence of the album for many years, indeed I've still never heard it. The story about Mrs LTL's Christmas gift had me a bit misty eyed. You've got a diamond there Brian.
36 years have gone by and The Bureau still sound exciting.
The Archie Brown in the band, it reminded me of a band called Archie Brown And The Young Bucks, who I think were based in Newcastle Upon Tyne (North East England), who I (and Charity Chic on his far too many visits!) saw a plethora of times in the early 1990s. I've no idea if it's the same Archie Brown.
I've just down a lazy bit of research and it is indeed Archie Brown of Archie Brown and The Young Bucks. A fine live band they were, and CC would agree with me.
Swede, Still tough to believe that album wasn't available in your neck of the woods. The B-sides from the two singles were part of the album. So, you actually did hear 40 percent of the long player. Frankly, the album should have been released in America too. The Bureau opened for Pretenders over here for a long spell in '81. If anyone at the shows liked them and went to their local shop the next day looking for it they were out of luck.
There is an interesting story about that tour and how the Bureau ran out of money (and management). It was the end of the road, really. They had to raid the main act's dressing room while they were on stage just to find food. One night when they came out of the Pretenders' room the other supporting act, Stray Cats, were waiting out in the hall and chastised them for their behavior. Archie and the lads wanted to fight but Brian Setzer's boys backed down. Hunger and poverty will do that to you.
George, I was unaware of Archie Brown and The Young Bucks. I found a few clips. One was of them performing the second song I have posted but under a different title sometime around 1990. Thanks for the heads up. Has always growled like he has rocks in his throat, but a great performer nonetheless.
Echorich, I'm with you, buddy. What a rhythm section!
I love that story about your wants list.
Great story. Your missus is a one in a million....but you knew that anyway!
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