I do not go back to 1986 and the start of 14 Iced Bears. I learned of the band in name only sometime in the late '80s, but I never saw any of their records at the shops I frequented. It's a moniker you never forget though, and I hoped to hear their music someday. With the pedigree of 14 Iced Bears, why wouldn't I? The band released their first couple of singles on Mark Flunder's Frank label, home to the McTells and other indie-pop legends. Yes, that's Mark Flunder from Television Personalities. John Peel loved 14 Iced Bears, and they would record a session for his show in both 1986 and 1987. The third single came out in 1988 on a new label trying to get its footing called Sarah. Perhaps you have heard of it. A couple of well-received albums would follow, but it's these first three singles in particular that are so highly coveted by indie-pop geeks like me.
In 2001, Slumberland Records, one of the greatest labels out there to this day, rescued these recordings and threw in the Peel Sessions and several other nuggets on a comp called 'In the Beginning'. It's a little less of a big deal now, what with all of the work Cherry Red and Optic Nerve have done in recent years to resurrect their discography, but this CD was a godsend 16 years ago.
To announce this compilation was in the pipeline, Slumberland put out a double-A-sided 7" earlier in the year with debut song "Inside" on one side and second single "Balloon Song" on the flip. That's what we will listen to today. I knew I was going to love "Balloon Song" because another Slumberland band I was enamored with covered it so well in 2000. I highly recommend you give the version by the Aislers Set a listen too. You'll find it on the band's sophomore album 'The Last Match'. "Inside" is loud, fuzzy and would have been a nice fit on NME's 'C86'. By Balloon Song", 14 Iced Bears were a little less about racket and more about melody. Simply beautiful.
"Inside"
"Balloon Song"
This has been a stellar year for fans of 14 Iced Bears, and I'll have more on that when I unveil my lists of favorite new albums and reissues in the coming days.
15 comments:
I'm with you on the filing Brian. Never knowingly listened to this mob before but I like what I hear. More financial outlay I fear. Thanks friend!
" numeric names are always filed as though spelled out"
As Drew said, and I absolutely agree. As my spreadsheet of my collection shows. But,as you also said, the sorting algorithm gets it wrong. (Jo is completely unimpressed with this, by the way)
13th Floor Elevators and 10,000 Maniacs are under T here Brian
and obviously 10 000 Maniacs appear in the list before the 13th floor elevators (and we all know that the definite article doesn't count as part of the group name)
Jesus, you're pathetic, you lot!
You've opened a can of worms here Brian. Where do you stand, filing wise, on artists like T.Rex and Paul McCartney for example? I file T.Rex at the very start of the T section not in the Tr spot and similarly any Mcs are slotted away before the main Ms kick in. T'was ever thus, going back to my days in record shops. Which reminds me of how we all laughed when we learned that one of the stores that comprised our local competition all those years ago, filed all solo artists under christian names - christian names! Bonkers!
Hey, Dirk. You must be mixed up. Remember what JC said as we walked to Monorail and passed the long line waiting to get into a comic book store. "We're sad, but they're pathetic."
Swede, My days working in a record store have followed me as well. That period counts. Yep. Just as a-ha goes to the front of the letter A, so too should T.Rex go to the front of the letter T. I saw a fair share of bonkers filing at the shop I worked in as well. I youngster filed Van Morrison in the letter V thinking the name had something to do with the over-sized auto instead of a person's first name.
A fine example with 13th Floor Elevators, CC. Wish that one had popped into my head when I did this post. Right on with the articles, George. Drew, if I have converted you into a fan of 14 Iced Bears, my day is made.
Dirk - I resemble that remark
808 State? Under E.
13th Floor Elevators? Under T.
Where do we stand on band names beginning with A (A Certain Ratio, A Tribe Called Qwest). Unlike 'The' I file under A as it seems an integral part of the name.
I'll get my coat.
Adam, I have A Craze in the A section. Was afraid to bring it up with George.
I'm with both of you there, A Man Called Adam, A Guy Called Gerald etc, the start of the As
Did you know that 14 Iced Bears got their name from a biscuit packet here in the UK? I recently dug out their single "Inside" from my collection which came in a pink & white paper bag*. They were a Brighton band playing the same places as us (popguns) back in the late 80s, often on the same bill. I saw Rob (lead singer) in the summer and he was trying to get a psychedelic band together. We actually played with them again back in 2014 at the gig to promote the Scared To Get happy CD on Cherry Red. About 10 bands played including Mighty Mighty, Wolfhounds and Brilliant Corners. Great night actually.
*I'm not ashamed to say that I actually sold that 7" but only because it was for charity at an indie gig where I knew it would go to a good home. Got £10 too, a 200% investment over 30 years! Not quite BITCOIN but OK.
Haha, like The Swede I remember the record shop in question who filed everything under first names. Oh how we laughed! But you know what, it saved all this confusion, all these variations on rules, all these possibilities. You just looked at the first letter of whatever word or name or number or half a name or a group name which includes both (e.g. The Edgar Broughton Band, a problematic one under other filing systems) and it saved all that deliberation. Easy peasy. Oh except when it was the definite article The. Well, apart from with The The. Oh you know what I mean.....
C, I thought you may recall a few funny moments at your shop.
Judge Pop, That gig for Scared to Get Happy had to be epic. What a lineup for the best box set I have on the shelf! The person that got your 7" of 14 Iced Bears got a steal. Good for you giving it up for a good cause.
"numeric names are always filed as though spelled out"
Indeed. I'm feeling both sad and pathetic.
I knew nothing about 14 Iced Bears until I started scratching the underbelly of the C86 stuff, I've continually like what I've heard.
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