Here's a bit of trivia for you. Did you know there's a tiny connection between Sarah Records and Matthew Sweet? Ric Menck, probably best known for his power-pop outfit Velvet Crush, or for a few of you as Sweet's drummer on some of his best work, was in a couple of great but slightly lesser-known indie-pop bands in the '80s that deserved more of the limelight. One of those, Choo Choo Train, was on Subway Records, a label that gets touted here with regularity, and the other was the Springfields, an American band from Champaign, Illinois, that caught the ears of Clare and Matt. Sarah 10 was "Sunflower", a three-track 7" from 1988 with "Clown", a Hollies' cover, and the Sweet-penned "Are We Gonna Be Alright?" Sweet has never released a recording of this beauty given to the Springfields.
I have a couple of singles from the Springfields, but I don't own "Sunflower". Instead, I have all three songs from the single on 'The Ballad of Ric Menck' compilation that first came out on Summershine in 1996. I can't recommend this one enough. You'll find some Choo Choo Train, Springfields and solo recordings on there. I like it so much I bought it on two formats! Action Musik reissued it in 2004 with extra songs and liner notes from Menck. If I come across that one, I guess I'll own three copies. Doing this post reminded me of another seldom heard Sweet recording that I'll get to next week.
"Are We Gonna Be Alright?"
Yes, that really is how the songs ends.
10 comments:
You really do have quite an encyclopaedic knowledge of the more obscure end of indie Brian. Constantly impressed.
As Drew said
Bumped into Aldo at a gig tonight
Thank you, boys. It's a sickness. Hmm, I wonder what show brought CC and Aldo together. If you see Aldo again around town, give him my best.
I think it may have been in Mono.
Hello Brian,
I’ve owned the Ric Menck CD on Summershine for a long time and love it! I’ve been a big Velvet Crush and Matthew Sweet fan for long time. I recently picked up the Paul Chastain EP vinyl. I’ve been really getting into Sarah Records over the last year or two. My favorites are Field Mice and Orchids. By the way, did you pick up the recent 2-disc Orchids comp on Cherry Red? Speaking of Sarah alumni, I was excited to find two East River Pipe CDs in the used bins at my local record store a couple months back. Cheers, Matt
Hi, McPop. I touted the Orchids comp on these pages because I think it’s very good for newbies or those that didn’t know they have been releasing quality records again. Truth is, though, I have just about everything the Orchids have released. The only thing I don’t have that’s on the comp is the re-recording of one song from the Sarah years. Otherwise, I would be all over it. Hell of a find in the bins! That’s the best feeling in the world. Clicking a button on Discogs can never replace that. Nearly time to hear your best albums list for the year. Can’t wait.
No it was Sleazys.
L-Space and Sun Rose at a Last Night from Glasgow show.
Sadly both a bit disappointing
I've just looked it up.
Spinning Coin at Momos may have been a better option!
CC, I know it’s silly, but I like hearing about the shows you fellas are going to around town. Living vicariously through the Glasgow contingency. Thanks for letting me know. Sorry it didn’t quite live up to expectations.
An education as always Brian. I saw Velvet Crush live once, during their tenure at Creation.
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