Monday, September 21, 2009

Deaf School


9-21-09 Deaf School


Remember Deaf School, the Liverpool band? Not quite ‘pub rock’, not quite ‘punk rock’ – and a little early to be true “new wave”?


DON'T STOP THE WORLD WARNER CAN WS-4764

LP 1977 10 TRKS

DON'T STOP THE WORLD STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1084

CD 1977 15 TRKS ('06 issue) kami sleeve (5 x bonus tracks)

DON'T STOP THE WORLD / SECOND HONEYMOON WARNER US 2LS 3011

LPx2 1977 22 TRKS 1st x 2 LP's

ENGLISH BOYS - WORKING GIRLS WARNER US BSK 3169

LP 1978 12 TRKS

ENGLISH BOYS - WORKING GIRLS STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1085

CD 1978 16 TRKS ('06 issue) kami sleeve (4 x bonus tracks)

SECOND HONEYMOON WARNER UK K 56280

LP 1976 12 TRKS

SECOND HONEYMOON STRANGE DAYS JPN WAS-1083

CD 1976 16 TRKS ('06 issue) kami sleeve (4 x bonus tracks)

WHAT A WAY TO END IT ALL WARNER US PRO 675

7" x 2 1977 4 TRK EP; with pic sleeve, promo-only


I see that all of their albums have been recently re-issued in England on Cherry Red Records, so never fear. And original US copies still seem to turn up – the first two combined onto an ambitious double album, and the lone “English Boys” as a single LP, a year later. But you never seem to see UK copies at all, around here, anyway.


This group reminded me of Roxy Music a bit (when Roxy Music were “fun”). It should be noted that they were from Liverpool, home of The Beatles. So, a sense of humor.


And the law of diminishing returns, I like the first one best, followed by the next and the final one. “What A Way To End It All”, “Hi Jo Hi”, “Where’s The Weekend” all actually got some KROQ airplay, way back when.


More recently, I got all three albums as little paper album cover CD’s from Strange Days Records in Japan. They did a stellar job, with reproducing the outer and inner sleeves, and each have several BBC & B-Side bonus tracks. And they sound great, too.


This is the band that producer Clive Langer came from, I might add. I forget his pseudonym in Deaf School, but he certainly had one. I think I also have a 45 by bv bass player Steve Lindsey. And (her name escapes me and I’m too lazy tio go get them and look) – wasn’t the female vocalist here roped into joining Gruppo Sportivo, at some point (after the first girls left)?


These albums sound like a lot of work, and I bet the live show was a fun one – but they were a tad too early for the 10cc crowd, who had yet to go “new wave” (if they ever went new wave, as it were).

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like Deaf School and will now get those Cherry Red CDs! As for 10CC presaging New Wave, it makes sense. After all, what is "The Original Soundtrack" but a Sparks album (save for "I'm Not In Love") in all but name? Speaking of "I'm Not In Love," the last time I had a copy of TOST I was listening to it with phones in about 1983 and damn if that hit single didn't reek of Trevor Horn productions of the time. Right down to the gossamer "Fairlight" textures that permeate the song. Was I hearing the Gizmotron at work?

Ron Kane said...

10cc: Not sure if the Fairlight was all over TOST or not. "Consequences" was 2 years away, but G&C were definitely dabbling in the "Gizmo" universe in '75. I have never listened to TOST in headphones, but I bet it's a good one for that.

I recommend the first Deaf School UK Cherry Red CD to you, "Second Honeymoon". Try that one first, Jim-san.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I have the US 2xLP with the first two Deaf School. It's just that being on vinyl, I never get to really hear them conveniently. I checked and yes, I was definitely hearing the Gizmotron, since Fairlights were 5 years into the future at the point of TOST! It's just that in 1983 it sounded very much like "Moments In Love!" It seems like the Gizmotron was like a polyphonic e-bow!