Fades in Slowly

Ostensibly an ongoing concern, no new album has appeared since 2003′s ‘The Sand and the Stars’, which was recorded, as all albums should be, almost entirely live on a beach.

The band’s three sessions come from the mid 90s…

18th June, 1994

Movietone’s first session, recorded on 12th May, 1994.

TRACKLIST

-Heatwave Pavement
-Darkness Blue Glow
-Stone
-Mono Valley

LINE UP

Kate Wright (Guitar, Vocals)
Rachel Brook (Bass)
Ros Walford (Clarinet, Perc)
Matt Elliot (Guitar, Percussion, Piano)
Matt Jones (Drums)

10th February, 1996
 
Movietone’s second session, recorded on 28th January, 1996.

TRACKLIST

-The Voice Came Out Of The Box And Dropped
-Blank Like Snow
-Summer
-Chocolate Grinder

LINE UP

Kate Wright (Guitar, Vocals)
Matt Elliott (Guitar, Noise)
Rachel Brook (Bass, Xylophone)
Matt Jones (Drums)

20th September, 1997
 
Movietone’s third session, recorded on 31st August, 1997

TRACKLIST

-The Blossom Filled Streets
-Hydra
-Facing West From California’s Shores

LINE UP

Kate Wright (Guitar, Vocals)
Matt Elliott (Guitar, Noise)
Rachel Brook (Bass, Xylophone)
Matt Jones (Drums)

Movietone record label site
 

Cohen’s sessions at the BBC in 1968 offer a young artist, whose voice is fresh, delving into poetry with a richness of words and subject. Today, they show a young artist at the peak of his powers.

Cohen did a lot of work at the Beeb in 1968, but here are the four songs from the July Top Gear show hosted by John Peel. The final track of the four is a duet with British folk singer Julie Felix. I’m warning you now, this is a bit special.

Leonard Cohen’s Top Gear session: 14th July, 1968

- That’s no way to say goodbye
- You know who I am
- Like a bird on a wire
- So long Marianne

By 1979 they had signed to the major label United Artists and released the single Jellyfish/Engine Of Excess and the album Laughing Academy. 1980 brought the release of the single Secrets/Brain Bomb, which received both critical acclaim and also sold fairly well. A European tour followed and United Artists sent the band into the studio to record another album, a concept album to be called Gigantic Days. However, while the recording was still going on, United Artists were taken over by EMI, who dumped the band. Punishment Of Luxury released two further albums, Seven in 1983 and Feels Like Dancing Wartime in 1984. The album Gigantic Days was finally released, on CD, in 1998.

In 2007, they reunited and played a few songs for the basist Jimi Giro’s 50th birthday party. A little more than a year later they landed a gig at a small pub in Gateshead, which was considered a success and was reviewed in The Guardian newspaper. The band are apparently planning more gigs in the future and possibly introducing more new material. They are currently enjoying gigging, on June 12th they played in Kilburn, North London.

30/08/1978 : TRACKLIST

-Funk Me
-Babalon
-Let’s Get Married/You’re So Beautiful

30/05/1979 : TRACKLIST

-Radar Bug/Metropolis
-British Baboon
-Secrets

Punishment Of Luxury on MySpace

The original lineup was Rob Hickson (vocals), Pete Waddleton (bass), Mark “Wiff” Smith (drums), and Re-Vox (guitar). In July 1981, Re-Vox was replaced by Steven Green. The band recorded 3 Peel sessions between 1982 and 1984.

23rd June, 1983

18th January, 1984

Cheers to Martin Wheatley for these.

Short, sharp and to the point… would be a huge improvement on my current posts, but work continues to be a real bugger. Another one courtesy of the mighty Teenage Kicks Steve, a mix tape of 1982 shows. The master speaks:

‘Mark was at the same Uni at the same time that I was, but in a different college. He made this compilation of various sessions and Peel plays, and has several more. Dates are largely unknown (and it’s not entirely October 1982), but it’s an enjoyable romp. Despite his reservations, the quality is not all that bad.’

Info here.