80's underground jangle-pop fans take note!

[ghost of miles]

...or maybe it's just me. Anyway, Collectors' Choice is re-issuing the first two Let's Active records (AFOOT & CYPRESS) on a single CD. This was in print for about 10 minutes in the early 90's and has commanded $100plus on e-bay in recent years. It's the band of Mitch Easter, producer of the first three (and the best, IMO) R.E.M. albums. Lotsa great harmonies and chiming Rickenbackers, if you're into that sort of thing, as I was and am. Bring on the Rain Parade!

[AfricaBrass]

I can't believe that anybody remembers Let's Active. I saw the release in the Collectors' Choice catalog and I was thrilled. I loved those albums back in '85, especially Cypress.

I had the old IRS records twofer cd of these albums, but I sold it off with much of my rock music when I got really into jazz. I'm glad I'm going to get a chance to pick it up again.

It's cool that you mention Rickenbackers. Back then, I was learning guitar and was such a fan of Rickenbackers that if a band played one, I usually would try their album. Now I play Rickenbackers.

:rsmile:

[Jazzmoose]

I don't recognize the name; that's strange as it sounds like what I was into at the time...

[AfricaBrass]

I don't recognize the name; that's strange as it sounds like what I was into at the time...

The leader of the band was a guy named Mitch Easter. He got attention for producing R.E.M.s first couple albums.

If you like Murmur and Reckoning era R.E.M., you might like this, though it is a bit poppier. The track "Waters Part" off of Cypress is really good.

:rsmile:

[Jazzmoose]

I probably shouldn't admit this on a jazz board, but given the right context, I have a severe weakness for "poppier" (in the "Nick Lowe" vein, not "Brittney Spears", of course!)

[AfricaBrass]

I probably shouldn't admit this on a jazz board, but given the right context, I have a severe weakness for "poppier" (in the "Nick Lowe" vein, not "Brittney Spears", of course!)

Well, you're not alone. I like some pop music too.

I'd say Let's Active were poppier than Nick Lowe (who is very cool in my book).

:rsmile:

[Jazzmoose]

Shoot...I've got the catalog right here...maybe....

[ghost of miles]

Collectors' Choice says they'll be re-issuing all of the Let's Active records. However, I think there were only two after CYPRESS (BIG PLANS and another title that escapes me); however, it was CYPRESS that I listened to over and over again. I still have the cassette of it, which I've hung onto ever since missing the CD release. (This one will have the two bonus tracks that were also included on the brief I.R.S. CD release.)

Trying to think of other underground American pop bands I listened to in that era, besides the obvious Replacements/Husker Du/Sonic Youth axis:

Rain Parade

Guadacanal Diary

Minutemen

Dream Syndicate

the db's

Feelies

...God, I know there were others, but I've forgotten some of them.

[AfricaBrass]

One of my favorites from that era was the Long Ryders. I loved their Native Sons album.

I had Let's Active's Big Plans for Everybody, but I didn't like it nearly as much as their first two albums.

[Jazzmoose]

Wow; you're talking about a musical period and style that almost fell out of my memory, guys! I remember Guadacanal Diary and Dream Syndicate, and most definitely the dBs; always thought that was a great band name...ah, memories (even fuzzy ones!) can be fun...

[AfricaBrass]

I know they were a little earlier than these groups, but are any of you fans of the band X? To this day, they are still one of my favorites. I remember in the summer of '83 listening to X's More Fun in the New World and R.E.M.'s Murmur non-stop.

Edited April 8, 2003 by AfricaBrass

[ghost of miles]

The Plimsouls (featured in the Nicholas Cage movie VALLEY GIRL) and the irrepressible Camper van Beethoven also come to mind.

I spun X's LOS ANGELES, UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN, and MORE FUN IN THE NEW WORLD quite a few times, once upon a time. A lot of X's catalogue has been re-issued in the past couple of years and I keep meaning to pick it up.

[Jazzmoose]

AH, the Plimsouls. One of the few still around in my vinyl; I still have that EP of A Million Miles Away, right next to my copy of the Dickies Stukas over Disneyland...

[AfricaBrass]

Those X reissues are nice. All have bonus tracks.

The Plimsouls were good, too.

Do you know that they just rereleased Camper Van Beethoven's first four albums as a 5 cd box set. It sells for a little over $30. I think they only pressed up 1000 copies. I bought mine a month ago. My favorite Camper album is Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart. Even though it was on a major label, it was really good.

I have to admit that one band I really enjoyed back then was the Bangles. This was before their Manic Monday sellout. Their first album on Columbia, All Over the Place, had a great sixties vibe.

[Jazzmoose]

Hell, don't feel embarrassed about the Bangles; I had albums by the Go-Gos and Bananarama fer cryin' out loud. For some reason, whenever I listened to Bananarama, though, I had to follow it with The Velvet Underground & Nico...

[ghost of miles]

Well, a band that I liked at first and later couldn't stand was 10,000 Maniacs. They opened for R.E.M. here in '85 on the FABLES tour; I bought their then-current album, THE WISHING CHAIR, after the show, and I still spin that once in awhile. But then John Lombardo left the band, and I just couldn't go for the "Hey Jack Kerouac/Peace Train" direction of the next record.

[Jazzmoose]

...and I just couldn't go for the "Hey Jack Kerouac/Peace Train" direction of the next record.

[AfricaBrass]

Hell, don't feel embarrassed about the Bangles; I had albums by the Go-Gos and Bananarama fer cryin' out loud. For some reason, whenever I listened to Bananarama, though, I had to follow it with The Velvet Underground & Nico...

LOL

[Eric]

I was into all those bands too. I am definitely going to snag the Lets Active CD. Collector's Choice also put out a nice dBs CD last year (their first two albums - now they need to get the next two out). They also did "Setting Sons", a classic by the Jam.

Eric

[AfricaBrass]

Welcome to the forums, Eric!

I should check out those db reissues. I haven't heard them in years.

It is great that they've reissued those Jam albums. I'm lucky that I picked up the Jam boxset a few years ago, so I didn't need to get them.

Collectors' Choice sure has a diverse reissue program.

:rsmile:

[chris olivarez]

Anybody here remember Dream Academy? They did "Life in a Northern Town". I liked their sound. One of their members Kate St. John eventually became a member of Van Morrison's band.

As for the Bangles-Susanna Hoffs-nuff said.

[AfricaBrass]

Anybody here remember Dream Academy? They did "Life in a Northern Town". I liked their sound. One of their members Kate St. John eventually became a member of Van Morrison's band.

As for the Bangles-Susanna Hoffs-nuff said.

I remember them. I had their first album.

This is a fun thread.

:rsmile:

[Jazzmoose]

I remember that particular song, Chris, from an '80s compilation series I used to have, but that's it.

[ghost of miles]

Hey, I get the connection...

"Venus" followed by "Venus in Furs"

"Robert Deniro's Waiting" followed by "I'm Waiting for the Man"

"I Heard a Rumor" followed by "I Heard Her Call My Name"

"Hot Line to Heaven" followed by "Heroin"

..etc.

On another Velvets note, I meant to play "I'll Be Your Mirror" on my public-radio show the other day. I had led off with Dylan's "Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" from the LIVE 1975 set, following it with the Byrds' "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," and was anticipating the sweet opening strains of "Mirror" when I heard the crazed violin riff of "Black Angel's Death Song" instead, going out to five Indiana cities at once. Turns out the box-set CD that I had listed both tracks as #11. At first I was going to stop and re-program, but then I decided I kind of liked the way it ended the set... let it play out. Man, it was my public-radio blooper of the week, though!

[kulu se mama]

i love this stuff. i've been on a huge jangle pop binge lately. i've been listening to rhino's "poptopia" series, and the yellow pills series. augmented with individual albums by the shoes, the records. tommy keene, and big star. that's great news about let's active. i had the original cd, but sold it a few years back when i need some money for other cd's. collectables has been doing a great job with this stuff. they released a josie cotton cd last year, that i ran out an bought asap.

speaking of dream syndicate, i still think that "days of wine and roses" is one of the best albums to come out of the 80's. period. most of those kids rocking to nirvana in the early 90's wouldn't know what hit 'em if they were able to hear this record. unfortunately, they peaked creatively with that first album. the 2nd one is not nearly as good, but it did push me to purchase my first jazz cd (i've got some john coltrane on the stereo baby!), and the rest they say is history.