Mouldy old dough by Earl Brutus.

Plus, Tonight has more or less the greatest album-cover/inlay artwork evahhh

I really can't get over that album-cover, it's haunting and kinda beautiful

So many great tracks were given away on magazine freebies or hidden away on vinyl only singles or cds. Maybe a Box-set in the future?

There's a blog somewhere that collects together many of the more obscure tracks, though that Mouldy Old Dough cover still eludes me. I know it exists as someone I know has heard a white label.

I was going to ask are the singles worth hunting down for the B-sides? The only one I have is Larky. I could probably get most of them cheap on amazon. I don't suppose you can direct me to this blog? I'd appreciate it.

Actually I think I've found the blog. Left and to the back? Thanks for leading me to it.

http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.com/2009/11/earl-brutus-some-of-post-deceptive.html

http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.com/2008/12/earl-brutus-early-singles-well-most-of.html

Can't vouch for the links and one of the other blogs appears to have gone but there are some great tracks here.

All the singles have essential tracks but Come Taste My Mind has 3 of the best songs they ever recorded.

I found loads of EB singles in my student radio library and copied them all to my computer! The SAS non-album b-side ("The Scottish") and the Come Taste b-sides (notably "Superstar") are especially great

Superstar is great. Pure Glitter Band.

The other two tracks on that single are Nice Man in a Bubble and William, Taste my Mind.

The single, as a 4 track whole, might just be the best 4 track release ever.

Thanks for all these tips. I've downloaded the early singles from the blog and just put the 3 singles from Tonight in my Amazon basket for a grand total of 3.81!

I'm currently enjoying North Sea Bastard.

Everyone in the world should enjoy North Sea Bastard.

OK, here is something that can and should happen.

SOMEONE!!

1) Obtain "Mouldy old Dough" Earl Brutus/Union Jackson, the rights etcet. (unless you already own this, in which case skip this step).
2) Set up a facebook campaign to launch this as an idea for Christmas 2010
3) release the mp3 at the same time as the X-Factor winner
4) Hey presto, something entirely appropriate for christmas number one.

(unless you already own this, in which case skip this step).

you think/know there are lurkers in the world of ILM is such an esteemed position ?

i was going to contact folks to find out more re this track, but if there are people here closer to the source than i am, then i don't really want to go a hassling ..

Well, so far no luck (read thread above), so if you can, do.

I have just sent an E-mail to Zoe who runs the Pigeon/Makepeace information service as, at one point, Lieutenant Pigeon were in contact with Earl Brutus with the intention of including a track of their own on the release.

I also have a couple of other leads which, hopefully, will lead to my obtaining a copy of the white label.

Watch this space.

I made myself a little playlist of those early singles. It's so great hearing new Earl Brutus songs after all this time. Highlights are the Life's Too Long remix, North Sea Bastard and Queer David. I just need those B-sides from the Tonight singles which are on their way to me.

There's something really moving about the bit where he starts ranting "Who are you, you're nothing you are"

Yes. Absolutely. That's the whole thing about this band, and why they fundamentally remain my favourite band of all time: they fire up pretty much every single emotion, many of them at the same time. Basically, they sound like a band that fucking cared. Which they were.

The version of CTMM from the NME CD is the one where he starts going on about old people and heaters or something in that middle eight, isn't it? Mark: I'm off to your blog to get it right now. I've got a copy of the CD somewhere but fuck alone knows where.

Just played 'On Me, Not In Me' on a jukebox in a pub in Colne.

That bit where he sings 'Take me to your harvester' and then the whole thing goes Henry the 8th crazy with the lutes and stuff...then the huge Glam riff, possibly the biggest, most monstrous, dirtiest glam riff ever, kicks in...everyone in the pub just stopped talking and listened. Admittedly there were only about 8 people there but I have NEVER seen that happen ever before

HOLY FUCKING SHIT. You absolute hero. Although the very idea of being able to get On Me, Not In Me on any kind of jukebox kind of blows my mind in the first instance.

Every single person to whom I've ever played that song has the same jaw-drop reaction to it. I remember the first time Mrs F heard it: "What the fuck was that?!"

I drove past a Harvester today, on the edge of a dismal industrial estate in Hillington. Naturally, that line popped into my head. One of the few cheery moments in that part of the day :)

The version of CTMM from the NME CD

So, so fucking good to hear this again! Thank you, Mark.

Also, the Broken Brothers: if you can pull *any* of that off, I will forever be in your debt. Keep us posted :)

I'm just getting such a heart warming feeling from reading this thread. It looks like it's going to be another night of me listening to The Brutus grinning from ear to ear. As I mentioned earlier hearing those new/old B-sides is brilliant. So far I haven't heard a song by them I didn't love.

Fuck it top 5 Brutus songs.
1.Universal Plan-For the lyrics Mark quoted earlier in this thread.
2.On Me Not In Me-For THAT moment!
3.Don't Leave Me Behind Mate-Steve it's only alco-hol..the way he says that.
4.Come Taste My Mind-For his rant.
5.Life's Too Long-It seems like it takes ages for the chorus to come but when it does it's just one of those moments.

You're Majesty We Are Here, Second Class War, Black Speedway and The Sas & The Glam all deserve a mention too.

And those lyrics Mark quoted.

"I get up.
Go to work.
Eat my lunch.
Come home.
Cure cancer.
That's it.
It's a beautiful world"

Perfect!

what a glorious result : today i found a live version of come taste my mind in the archives that i had no idea about.

― mark e, Thursday, 14 January 2010 21:14 (2 days ago)

I have a live video of this from one of those NME tour concert programmes, recorded around 1997/8 which is staggering. Loads of glass smashing noises and those garage forcourt signs in evidence. Just need to find it, but I'll have a look tomorrow and get it uploaded onto Youtube.

No word from the E-mail i sent on Friday yet but I have the feelers well and truly out regarding the white label and I'm increasingly hopeful.

The Jukebox at The the pub is amazing, Grimly...pretty much the whole of The Fall's back catalogue available, in fact pretty much everything by everyone, it appears. The downside is that the first time you choose a track it has to be uploaded from The Internet which is £1 a song and in my experience, it might not still be in the hard drive the next time you check. Worth it though.

I remember doing exactly the same thing, I doubt I have the tape anymore though. I seem to remember they were on the same show as Travis, Spiritualized and maybe Super Furry Animals.

I used to make compilations of live performances and videos from around 95-98 taped from Top Of The Pops, TFI Fiday and especially The Chart Show. I used to love those indie charts they did where the bands were so obscure they would make they're own video clips usually using lava lamps and floating pictures of the band. Earl Brutus used to crop up quite a lot, footage of them live in darkened rooms with those signs spinning going round. When they came back with Come Taste My Mind it was like wow a proper video maybe they could make it?

haven't listened yet but pre-emotive thanks for the upload mr e!

lol, thanks to iPhone spellcheck for "emotive" too!

One of the greatest live bands ever.

Utter fucking chaos from blokes desperate to defy middle age whilst spewing contempt for the contemporary scene and everything in it.

Lucky enough to catch them a handful of times back then. A real Festival Fuck you too. Gushed about them upthread I think under another stupid moniker

A real shame about Nick Sanderson. Way too young.

The Broken Brothers- I would love to see the footage you have.

But they revelled in that middle age too!

Pretty much EVERYONE I know who's seen Earl Brutus has described them as the best live band ever.

No word from the E-mail i sent on Friday

uh oh - hope we are not hassling the same person !
i've had a response : 'phone me and we'll talk'
eeek.

ooh!

The only reply I've had up to now is from the bloke who did the Traindriver In Eyeliner fanzine.

There was a copy of the white label recently in one of the Record And Tape Exchange shops in London. The chances are, I won't be able to persuade him to part with it, but at least I know it exists and I have potential leads for other copies. If it comes down to simply getting a recording, then I can get it online in no time.

A friend of mine runs a Dubstep label and although he has recently moved to Berlin from London, the potential is there to address issues with pressing and distribution is never a problem nowadays.

Obtaining the rights to press it in the first place, might however, prove to be an issue.

Let me know how you get on mark e

I have a good feeling about this.

oh man that was just tooo damn weird.

jamie fry on the phone.

some details before i forget :

- re 'mouldy old dough' : not EB, but Union Jackson who comprised of Phil King (as in Lush) and Gordon King + Nick S, with Jamie on chorus and hand claps recorded at J&MC studio : 'it was a good night'.
apparently, there is a whispering campaign out there to get it out for the world cup campaign.
i have some numbers to track down a copy, and find out more.

- re sas and the glam : apparently there is a campaign (via alex p @ guardian) to get this to the xmas #1 spot. jamie still has the father christmas outfit good to go for TOTP Special.

- boxset : lots of odds and sods - most owned by Island. lot of love still within the Island/Universal world, but no drive for proper boxset, but jamie believes that the EB story really does need to be told.

in the 5 minutes he was sparking ideas out re cover art for the single - a revised update of the 2 cars/suicide cover : 'tinsel on the cars'

one of the most wonderful, enjoyable surreal moments of my life.

Holy fucking shit ... this could yet be a reality, then. With fucking big knobs on. Awesome, awesome work, Mark.

but jamie believes that the EB story really does need to be told

Yes: this is absolutely vital. And the best way for it to be told would be, er, by Jamie himself, no?

a revised update of the 2 cars/suicide cover : 'tinsel on the cars'

This is the most awesome thing I've heard so far this year :)

Thanks for the update: keep us posted on how you get on with tracking down MOD.

oooooh.
getting closer and closer.
note : re the cars and tinsel.
there was an extra element to the idea that was just too scandalous to put on the wire.
and yes, he did say that should someone want to sort out the story of the band he would be a very willing participant.
it was very obvious that he holds the time in the band with great affection.

i have to get kids do adult stuff, and be offline for a little while (hours not days).
but news just in.
i have it.
and it is what i heard all those years ago on the radio.
so, lets talk about pressing up records/xmas campaigns etc ?

That's brilliant news mark. This just sounds too amazing for words.

Seems as though you've been far more successful than I have, but I would definitely like to help in any way to get this pressed up and heard by as many people as possible.

I can't think of a single band more deserving of publicity and re-evaluation.

So how does it sound then? It couldn't possibly be as good as I've built it up in my head to be, could it?

^_^

i've already said how that original album-cover is a favourite of mine; a tinsel update would be too magnificent for words

i have to get kids do adult stuff,

ouch.
in the exited rush of the school run, this came out badly. please add a comma between 'kids' and 'do'. ta.
i believe we can easily get clearance given that the band are happy to get it out there, tis just a case of the publishers.
no idea as to costs.
also, i only have 192, which isn't going to cut to vinyl really is it ..
i would like to think there are ilm'rs who can provide guidance in such matters ?
[never been in this position before despite having wanted to do something like this for years !]
as for the sound : well, the description at the thread start is spot on. yes its a demo type of recording, but clearly the lads were having a great time in the studio.

I'd suggest starting a new thread looking for advice as those with experience of record production may astonishingly be ignoring an Earl Brutus thread.

That was my description from years ago! I started the thread.

As I stated earlier, I have a friend who has his own label and has many years of experience in cutting what are basically bedroom recordings onto vinyl, though his set up nowadays is way more sophisticated. I've left a message for him but he's in his studio in Berlin and I haven't heard back from him yet. I'm sure he'll know all the ins and outs and I'm very hopeful he'll be able to offer his services.

The original Mouldy Old Dough was basically a living room recording and is all the better for it.

I've had a shit day, but this news has prompted me to do a little dance around my living room.

This whole thread is brilliant. Well done Mark this is amazing news!

Can't wait to hear it, If there's anything I could do to help the release of this count me in.

Also a Brutus boxset would be the dream. I always wondered if they started recording 20 Brutus greats or if it was just a title they had for the third album. Was Larky just intended as a one off single?

This whole thread is brilliant. Well done Mark this is amazing news!

seconded, this is a thread where we all share a beautiful secret and maybe if we unburden our tongues enthusiastically enough some others might or might not pay attention - plus i am oh so down for this potential release

This whole thread is brilliant. Well done Mark this is amazing news!

Can't wait to hear it, If there's anything I could do to help the release of this count me in.

Also a Brutus boxset would be the dream. I always wondered if they started recording 20 Brutus greats or if it was just a title they had for the third album. Was Larky just intended as a one off single?

― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 17:43 (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Thirded.

Not sure if the recording was for the album but the England Sandwich track, recorded for the Sonic Mook Experiment compilation seemed to employ a more cut-up, almost Bomb Squad style and sounded great. If any more stuff was recorded in that vein, it would be more than worthy of release.

just a warning.
until we have figured a few things out, i will not be releasing this to the wire as an mp3.
we've come this far, and if between us we can use this opportunity to get the track to crimbo #1 then surely thats a massive winner.
i.e. i am gunning for mark g's suggestion upthread (whether it was serious mark or not it matters not now !)
of course, if this all comes to nothing and i just end up dropping track on the blog due to lack of interest, then so be it, that's the way it goes.
but until then, lets see what fun we can have.

mouldy old dough mouldy old dough no nose job

one show at the Austrian Cultural Institute in 2001 ended with the arrival of the police, who had mistaken the band's pyrotechnic-laden performance for a terrorist attack

fwiw nick sanderson is pretty much my ideal of the human being

just a warning.
until we have figured a few things out, i will not be releasing this to the wire as an mp3.
we've come this far, and if between us we can use this opportunity to get the track to crimbo #1 then surely thats a massive winner.
i.e. i am gunning for mark g's suggestion upthread (whether it was serious mark or not it matters not now !)
of course, if this all comes to nothing and i just end up dropping track on the blog due to lack of interest, then so be it, that's the way it goes.
but until then, lets see what fun we can have.

― mark e, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 18:04 (27 minutes ago) Bookmark

Just spoken to my record label mate who reckons the biggest problem with getting it released in a physical format could well be the MCPS, it might mean either getting a letter from the performers autorising it to us, paying MCPS between 2 and 4 hundred pounds, or, worst case scenario, both.

The good news is that as white labels exist, there must be an acetate and almost certainly, this will be still at the pressing plant. it might be an idea to get in touch with the band again, get a catalogue number and see if they have any idea who pressed it. Of course, this could have been destroyed, the studio might have closed, etc.

If the pressing plates still exist, the cost of creating physical copies will be much lower. Even if it only ends up available as a download, the quality will be the best possible.

I'm sorry if this isn't making much sense, but I've just got off the phone to my mate and he bombarded me with information. He's promised to E-mail me tonight with a clearer list of what would be required

re quality : it seems that there is an mp4a available that was lifted directly from DAT tape.
so if this idea flies, we can go up on the 192.
re pressing plant : thats going to be a long shot innit.
its 10 years plus. they wont have held onto the acetates for an unreleased record will they ?
re mcps : do people have to go through all that for promo-only releases ?
[i think i once looked into this idea before, and just gave up with the legal/costings etc .. its a minefield !]
hey ho.

fuck.
this world is soo small sometimes.
producer bloke who follows my twitter feed has just revealed that the original version of MOD was recorded on his tape machine.

not sure if 'original' version = promo version that was pressed, but i doubt there would have been multiple recording sessions ?

re quality : it seems that there is an mp4a available that was lifted directly from DAT tape.
so if this idea flies, we can go up on the 192.
re pressing plant : thats going to be a long shot innit.
its 10 years plus. they wont have held onto the acetates for an unreleased record will they ?
re mcps : do people have to go through all that for promo-only releases ?
[i think i once looked into this idea before, and just gave up with the legal/costings etc .. its a minefield !]
hey ho.

― mark e, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 19:01 (3 hours ago) Bookmark

Minefield indeed! I think the MCPS thing might not apply but it depends who licenced the white labels. As for the acetates, you're probably right, but any pressing on vinyl would certainly be cheaper if that already exists.

I'm a big vinyl fan, but to be honest, if it gets out and is available and it appears one person in the band at least has given their blessing, it would be a job well done.

This thread has given me so much pleasure already, even if nothing comes to pass, but I would love it if the combined efforts of a small group of fans gave others the opportunity to hear and enjoy one of the greatest and most under appreciated bands of all time.

Listening to Male Wife and grinning. Half day off tomorrow means I might get the chance to find that NME tour video and get it on Youtube.

This thread has given me so much pleasure already, even if nothing comes to pass, but I would love it if the combined efforts of a small group of fans gave others the opportunity to hear and enjoy one of the greatest and most under appreciated bands of all time.

re the NME video.
jamie mentioned that it was actually broadcast live on ch4.
they were billed with BRA .. and apparently, jamies trousers split.
i laughed, but it was quickly pointed out that actually, it was quite serious, and no laughing matter !
so do indeed look closely should you find the video, you may get to see more than you bargained for.