Week 04: 01/08/79 - 21/04/80

And to week 04, or Dragnet week. I never really had Dragnet at the time, I think I borrowed it from a friend in sixth form who I thought was the coolest because he had a beautiful vinyl copy of said record. I'm not sure I really got it at the time but now I think it's a masterpiece.

From the tinny high end of Witch Trials, to the dank dark sewer of Dragnet. Dragnet seeps with damp, the recording sound like it's in a cave and Mark mumbles his way through the record. And the songs are really good, the set as a whole is super coherent and, unlike Witch Trials, a bit of thought's gone into it and the order actually makes sense. The lyrics are blossoming and the music is coming together, dropping off the bits that were superfluous. Printhead chugs along in the punk/rockabilly style that was to become the Fall in later years. Your Heart Out is almost pop like, and bounces along. "Here's a joke, to cheer you up...,They have no anaesthetic, that joke's pathetic". The stand out for me is Flat of Angles - cheap tinny recording that spits and starts: Now you're trapped in Flat Of Angles! The Streets are full of mercenary eyes! It's stunning.

Then a couple of live shows from the Hip Priest series - both are audience recordings and the quality is not super great. The set list is pretty much dragnet and the quality of the band is not far off the upcoming Totale's Turns live record. Retford gets a treat in the form of a blazing version of No Xmas for John Quays, much tougher than the Totale's version, but with less band put downs (maybe Mark played it up for the record). There's also a bizarre version of Psycho Mafia with the words from different songs being shouted over the instrumental.

Then to the West Coast (or as it now is: Down South) to LA. Lots of audience talking on this one. The track listing is not much different. They do a decent Stepping Out, an 11 minute version of Spectre Vs Rector, and a bass heavy take on Muzerowi's Daughter. The audience asks "What do you think of this band?" to no reply.

And then, I think the first Fall 45 I bought - Fiery Jack. Mine came in the non-yellow sleeve straight from the heartland of Bristol Indie: Revolver Records. I don't really like the single but sentimentality rules. The lead track is kind of boring and for me doesn't really go anywhere. 2nd Dark Age is great - with the annoying organ back but not being annoying. Marc Riley singing "2nd Dark Age" over and over, in the only way he can. And then finally, a version of Psykick Dance Hall which I think is a little better recorded than the album version.