New Wave Outpost Forum

You know those singles that left you incredulous and asking "what the F**k"! They might have made a bands career or at least prolonged it. And hey! Why stop with just the singles? What supposed album "filler" could have lit a fire under the buying public, if it had only seen airplay? Let's have fun with this one, I'm always looking for new listens. Share them if you have them! "Music, the gift that keeps giving back".

"Oh look at me I'm covered in punk, covered in new wave, covered in You..."

Portobella - Covered In Punk

There's been some great discussion in the past about great b-sides in general...

http://www.nwoutpost.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=424
http://www.nwoutpost.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9505

But specifically to your question, I'm gonna pick Pretenders' Cuban Slide and Joy Division's Dead Souls.

Cool boards! Amazed it took me so long to find them.

I interned at WLIR-FM on Long Island (around '86-'87), and one day saw DJ "Larry the Duck" going in to record his "Off the Boat" import show.

I told him he should play Robyn Hitchcock's "Tell Me About Your Drugs," a vinyl B-side/bonus track on the CD. He did, as the last song of the show, and the damn thing became one of the most requested songs that week, falling just short of winning "Screamer of the Week" (WLIR's best new song contest) for the next two weeks.

When another DJ, "Malibu Sue" interviewed Robyn before a show at the Ritz, and said WLIR was playing "Drugs," Robyn was totally baffled as to why, suggesting "If You Were A Priest" was the single at the time. I was on my way to the show, I almost drove off the LI Expressway laughing.

Too bad it wasn't a single. Probably wouldn't have gotten much commercial play outside of WLIR/KROQ, but it would have made for a great video I bet!

I believe New Order's "1963" and Depeche Mode's cover of "Route 66" actually won "screamer" as B-Sides, I know they got a lot of play.

Symmetry b-side of Nova Heart by Spoons

www.thespoons.ca
"This is where the loose ends tie together"

That I can't even remember whether "The Walk" or "The Upstairs Room" was the B side shows that the B side was good. AMG curiously describes "The Upstairs Room" as "breezy." I always thought it was ominous; reminded me of Anne Frank.

DougMash, Robyn should have been pleased rather than baffled. The fact that the song was that popular, may have sold the album to a whole other audience that didn't respond as heartily to the "designated" single. Call it a two pronged selling approach. Thanks for sharing!

"Oh look at me I'm covered in punk, covered in new wave, covered in You..."

Portobella - Covered In Punk

Two B-Sides that turned into A-Sides:

XTC - Dear God
Thomas Dolby - One Of Our Submarines



-Sean
Altrok Radio
Streaming on your computer anytime, at <a href="">http://www.altrokradio.com</a>
Fridays at 10PM on your FM radio, at <a href="http://90.5thenight.org">90.5 The Night</a>

The Cure had a number of excellent b-sides that could have been A-Sides - "The Exploding boy", for example.

[quote][i]Originally posted by dcappe[/i]
<br>Symmetry b-side of Nova Heart by Spoons
[/quote]

I heard that it was supposed to be the A side at one time.

[quote][i]Originally posted by zalasta[/i]
<br>The Cure had a number of excellent b-sides that could have been A-Sides - "The Exploding boy", for example.

[/quote]

Agreed. Also "Man Inside My Mouth"