The Flying Lizards: C or D, S&D

Not so into The Secret Dub Life of the Flying Lizards, though.

I reckon that, without their hit, "Money," and without a deal with Virgin, that we'd be talking about them much more. The first "real" postpunk band to have something of a hit in America? There's a thread!

From today's Times:

In his freshman year at Occidental, Mr. Obama and his dormitory mates would gather around a couch in the hallway of their floor while stereos blasted songs by the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the B-52's and the Flying Lizards.

Okay, he gets my vote for sure now.

Actually, the article says "bands like the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the B-52's and the Flying Lizards.

I wonder what other bands like the Flying Lizards they listened to.

The Lying Flizards

Has anyone seen these Zonophone reissues of The Fourth Wall and the first one? Wire mentions them in a recent issue, but i can't find them anywhere.

Oh, I crack myself up with some of my old comments.

Carry on, don't mind me.

Oh, and Matinee: They are download only.

ugh. this day just keeps getting better.

They aren't even in the US itunes store :(

To whom it may concern at Zonophone,

Can I please pay you $20 for an import CD instead of 8 pound for a half-wit mp3?

try hmv downloads.

BTW, it's not Flying Lizards per se, but the David Cunningham/Peter Gordon CD "The Yellow Box" is pretty cool as well and not entirely unlike Flying Lizards at times, though no female vocals, cover versions, or anything like that. It's all pre-sampler and very along the lines of some of Simon Fisher Turner's stuff (not the pop albums).

awesome. you know, i've been meaning to pick that up forever and was recently tempted again in light of these "reissues." thanks for the recommendation.

btw, weird but it seems hmv digital doesn't allow mac users unless they're using IE for some reason. i'll probably not buy the digital version regardless.

the one cool thing about these reissues is that emi has put high quality versions of the videos from the first two albums up on youtube.

That is cool, yeah!

Micro Werks re-issued the first album: http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Lizards/dp/B0035ECHR2
Sounds great! It doesn't say when, but the liners notes say "Remastered by Jerry Peterson." There's one bonus track, the single edit of "Money."

My question: is this the first time this album has been released on CD in the USA?

Discogs.com says there were Japanese CD editions, but no previous USA CD editions: http://www.discogs.com/Flying-Lizards-The-Flying-Lizards/master/59154

There was a download version by EMI, (and it's on Spotify) with lots of extra tracks (12" versions, bsides, etc)

sex machine 12" is pretty great

Recent BBC4 doc on great cover versions featured Deborah Evans-Strickland being very funny indeed. "The reason I spoke the words rather than sang them is because singing is more difficult". "There have been so many good ideas already- why bother coming up with new ones."

I think you're very, very, very....very.......very................very

A highlight of the TOTP reruns was the FL's doing "TV"

("Money" didn't get repeated thanks to Sav/DLT)

Possibly the poshest person I've ever heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LnQw8tH55k

I'd forgotten "TV", what a great track.

... and on Top of the Pops!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5F0R0SuIzw

... is that David Toop on the right?

This is great--pretty sure that's Steve Beresford.

(Oh, you're right, Toop's on guitar, Beresford is on miniature keyboard playing the topline hook)

("playing", in true TOTP fashion, that is, ha)