This compilation has become a bit of a mystery with time as it was accompanied by an A4 booklet that gave more information about the bands on it but which has since been lost so I only know the names of the bands and not the titles of the songs. I can remember that the compiler was called something like Gris Boojum (presumably not the name his mother gave him).
I believe the bands are mostly from the Huddersfield area and I probably bought it in Virgin in Sheffield in its halcyon days at the bottom of the Moor some time in 1981.
Provincial compilations are still an interesting thing to me, especially from that time as one appeared in most towns, driven by the access to studios, record pressing and cassette duplication that came out of punk and that made producing 500 or a thousand copies of an LP viable. In many ways this tape is very typical of many of them: a bit of new wave/power pop (The Guests, Glossy Mags), a couple of punk bands (The Noise, The Xpozez) a ska band (Jab Jab), a couple of synth bands (Boolean Operations, E2R) and a couple of unreconstructed pub rockers, plus the grumpy experimentalists who sat at the back being snide at music collective meetings.
Of course, with its title (and almost certainly copyright lawyer taunting cover) it’s not the easiest thing to find any information about, so this might be it. If anyone has any more information I’d love to hear it.
Fit the First:
- The Guests
- Treatment
- Chapter V
- Gentle Ihor
- Boolean Operation
- The Noise
- Glossy Mags
- The Xpozez
- Or Was He Pushed
- Jab Jab
- Private Dicks
- L.E.D.
- Triangular Hour
- The Floor
- Big Fat Women Wot Can't Add Up
- E2R
Gris Boojum was also a contributor to the West Yorkshire fanzine Wool City Rocker, though I haven't a clue as to who they really were.
ReplyDeleteI came across this blog by chance and wanted to post a reply. I was the sax player in the Guests, one of the bands that appeared on 'Only a Northern Song'. I have a copy of the tape, including the insert that Simon mentions. I left The Guests in July 1981 to do other things but enjoyed my time with them, and being part of that scene in Huddersfield. I think we all felt at the time that we could make a real contribution to music, and that it would all somehow mean something - forever. Looking back it was a time of real creativity, energy, and hope, and the cassette tape album format was the way to go back then. A 16 track analogue mixing deck and a fast copier were basically all that it took. I met Gris several times. A very nice chap indeed. I think he was actually called Chris.
DeleteHi, I stumbled across this while working on a project that is going to reference 'Only a Northern Song'. Rather surprised to find it uploaded and available.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to discuss aspects of this 1980/1 project. I think still have the original tapes and artwork somewhere.
Best wishes, Gris Boojum, Snark Music
I, too, bought this way back in the day, I don't know where from but it would have been from a record shop in Hudddersfield. It also came with a generic balloon and a badge, although they have since been separated from the cassette despite my hoarding tendencies. I don't remember the A4 sheet however. Would love to hear this again as I no longer have a working player. I remember that I loved Boolean Operation (I also just happened to be obsessed with OMD at the time). Anyone know where this upload may be? Rgds Andy PS I had a friend who was in Or Was He Pushed. (Great band name)
ReplyDelete