I Have Never Heard These Bands That Start With The Letter S

"Wanna' Meet the Scruffs?" [Power Play, 1977]
Only a sucker for rock and roll could love this record, and I am that sucker. A middle-period Beatles extrapolation in the manner of Big Star (another out-of-step Memphis power-pop group on a small, out-of-step Memphis label), it bursts with off harmonies, left hooks, and jolts of random energy. The trouble is, these serve a shamelessly and perhaps permanently post-adolescent vision of life's pain, most of which would appear to involve gurls. To which objection the rockin' formalist in me responds, "I wanna hear `Revenge' again." A-

Midtown [Northern Heights, 1998]
it's Memphis, it's the '80s, and darn it, Big Star lives ("Machiavellian Eyes," "Judy [She Put the Devil in Me]") ***

Skeleton Crew were unbelievably great live. The idea was that Frith and Cora would perform the parts of 6 or 7 musicians (hence the name), simultaneously playing percussion, guitar, bass, fiddle, cello, keyboards, tapes, etc., and singing playfully leftist lyrics. First album, "Learn To Talk," is poorly recorded but classic prog-pop (Recommended/ReR sensibility). Second album, "The Country of Blinds," (with the not-so-interesting Parkins) is even worse recorded and less successful. I'd be happy to yousendit a sample.

Unless I wasn't! Though yeah, I think I must have confused them with the other Skeleton Crew (not to mention Skeleton KEY) at some point.

They had a sizeable hit in the UK with 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please'. B-side was the wonderfully named 'Michael Booth's Talking Bum' IIRC. I thought they were funny for about five minutes anyway.

Now I feel like asking if anyone here knows more information on Scary Thieves and where I might be able to acquire that lost LP of theirs. I tried looking at this one location and they were all sold out! But I LOVE everything I've heard from Scary Thieves and I *kinda* know their story but... yeah. OH! And if anyone knows anything about The Sights and what else to check out from them aside from "So Much For Everlasting Love" (which I've become addicted to), that would be really cool.

C'mon people, be my obscure-ish New Wave database for me. ;)

(Also, wasn't Sandii of Sandii & the Sunsetz actually from Hawaii?)

*investigates*

Oh look! More info on Sandii & the Sunsetz:

Sandii & The Sunsetz found some success in Japan and Australia in the 80's (where they had a top 5 hit) but after a few changes of direction and problems with international record companies, began to release albums just under Sandii's name. These began with 1990's "Mercy" which is a stunning collection of ethnic club pop and established her as a successful artist in Malaysia, the Phillipines, Thailand and China, plus it was a big seller in Japan. Sandii's albums "Mercy", "Pacifica" and "Dream Catcher" are excellent, in my opinion, well worth buying if you have the opportunity. She mixes Bhangra, Hawaiian, J-pop, techno, R&B and dub styles to great effect and is comparable to Madonna in a lot of ways. The next album "Watashi" (1996) featured Brazillian styles and was released in France to critical acclaim. Increasingly interested in Hawaiian music and life, Sandii has pursued interests away from the mainstream music industry in recent years and has qualified as a teacher in Hula dance. Her album "Hawaii" has been released in the USA. Sandii owns a dance studio, store and restaurant in central Tokyo.

And apparently there's an official Sandii website. So there.

Secret Affair were basically the Jam without brains.

Shakin' Pyramids were really crap rockabilly.

Sheena & the Rokkets are Japanese, a bit like Princess Princess.

Sic Fucks, as noted elsewhere, included Trish & Snookie, who were indeed part of the same circle as Chris Stein and Debbie Harry. The only thing they did I can recall was a fairly droll white-soul send up that included a chorus in which a male vocalist sang, "Take me to the bridge," and Trish & Snookie replied, "And drop him off!"

Single Bullet Theory weren't Bostonians (sorry, Chuck); they hailed from Richmond and played the D.C. area quite a bit. Seem to recall them as amped-up new wave, but that may be entirely wrong.

There were two Solid Senders, appallingly enough. One were the post-Dr. Feelgood vehicle for guitarist Wilco Johnson, which was pretty much a fans-only proposition. The other were a by-the-numbers blues rock outfit most notable for the presence of onetime Fabulous Thunderbird Keith Ferguson.

SVT was, specifically, a Jack Cassady project, named after his amplifier.

Walter Steding's schtick was very cutesy and annoying. Just some dork and his violin. I never understood why he was everywhere back in early 80s New York. I guess he worked his friends.

The Sic F*cks were lots of fun. They were sort of Dictators-ish, I think, circa their first album. The singer Russel Wolinsky was OK, in a Handsome Dick style, but I mainly liked them for Tish and Snooky. They were so charismatic!

Shox Lumania were very Klaus Nomi-influenced, led by a an artist named Lari Shox. Lenny Kaye's wife was in the band. If there was any sort of New Romantic movement in New York, they were it. I think part of their act was to pretend that they were from some obscure Eastern European country called Lumania. Their big hit was called "I Have No Shoes" and it did kind of sound Eastern European. I loved them! Lari Shox died of AIDS in the late 80s.

Armand Schauobreck Steals' albums always seemed like concept albums about his troubled youth, his time in reform school, etc. They were interesting but I never really listened to them much. They had great covers, though, especially the one with the big grinning Armand with a bullet hole through his head. Also, I think he used to run House of Guitars in Rochester, NY. And he was always sending his picture into Rock Scene.

I never knew Don Farndon was in the Sorrows-thank you, Dr. C! "Belfast Boy" is incredible.

Here's that page w/Shox Lumania videos: http://manparrish.com/video/

"The Stranger" is really catchy!

shit, you are right! then i have heard them cuz i own that movie on vhs. it's a good one.

I have the video, but there are bits I remember from the ICA screening that aren't on it.

Yes

"If so while on a break from Doctors of Madness he stood in for Dave Vanian in the The Damned (or some offshoot)"

Other way 'round actually: Dave joined / replaced Richard Strange as lead singer of Doctors Of Madness for a while after The Damned split up in '78.

">Shrink
This lot I'm sure had a bigger label behind them, I can recall seeing a 10" single (?) at record fairs with a mohawked guitarist on the sleeve (the kind of thing that was always priced at 10p)"

I loved Shrink and I'm sure I've waffled endlessly about him here before.

Shrink was actually one guy rather than a band. He had half a head of pink hair and used to cover his entire face with gold paint before going on stage, until his psoriasis got too bad. Absolutely barking bloody mad. He released a couple of singles (including the absolutely phenomenal "Valid Or Void") and a 10" 6-track thing on an A&M offshoot called Oval around '80 / '81 and had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the film Broken Glass. His backing band was The Secret, who were also signed to Oval.

"I went to the delie (sic)
and Mr. Selaginio
dove right into the cans of peas and carrots
I told him, I'm off duty
I'M here to buy a six pack"

http://www.earache.com/catalog/mosh010.html

Back in the day, when we just had filofax users to worry about.

It probably wasn't the one Scott didn't know in 2003 (it could be though since they've been recording since 2001) but there's a band that features members of Pizzing Razors and Seven Witches from Philly with that name. They released two unspectacular but listenable thrash/death/core albums on Crash (formerly Pavement) and continue to tour.

www.singlebullettheory.net
www.myspace.com/singlebullettheory

The Secrets were comprised of former members of the band, The Brats .
The Brats were a glammy kind of rock band that did the Maxs KC ,Gildersleeves, CBGBs ,circuit in the last 70s .
The singer of that band was the infamous Keith West .

The Sic F*cks Are still together ,as are Sheena and The Rokkets .

The Sic F*cks played last night at Don Hills. They are doing 2 shows in Oct ,one of which is Oct 13th at CBGBs with the Dictators .The 2 girls in the band ,are the 2 girls that own Manic Panic .
You can buy Sic F*cks stuff here
http://www.manicpanic.com
http://www.manicpanic.biz/ct_CGsicf_cksclothingandmusic.htm
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083542/fullcredits

There is a song of theirs here
http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/14786
http://www.cbgb.com/shrine/shriners/snooky.htm
this shot would be during a song called "Chop Up Your Mother"

Shox Lumania were an inflamous 80s synth ,"we wanna be like The Velvet Underground ,only cooler " kind of band . That crap puts me to sleep .
That guy Richard Bone form the band went on to do Broadway music i think .He did lots of stuff .

sheena and the Rokkets opened for Blondie is Tokyo no less than a week ago .

And i bet you never heard of that god awful San Fran "we wish we were japanese ,and we suck" band
"Secret Secret"
blllearrghh ~~~

or do you mean the sorrows of early '80s cbgb power-pop semi fame? they had two albums, one of 'em produced by shel talmy. very merseybeat-flamin groovies-the knack. the bandleader was arthur alexander, but not THAT arthur alexander. a million or so years later, guitarist/sometimes-singer joey cola wound up as the drummer in my first band.

wasn't the guy from mojo guitars on st marks place in the senders? or is that my mind playing tricks on me?

I have never heard these "S" bands from Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1996 book:

(At least I don't think I have. At least not much. Unless I'm wrong about a couple, but so what):

Sacred Reich
Sadat X
The Sandals
The San Sebastian Strings
Santana Brothers
Saraya
Saturday Night Band
Savage Grace
Scarlett & Black
Scatterbrain
School Of Fish
Scruffy The Cat
Seatrain
Seawind
2nd II None
The Serendipity Singers
Shadowfax
Bob Sharples And His Music
Shenandoah
Shotgun
Shotgun Messiah
Shy
Shyheim
Side Effect
Sidewinders (rock quartet from 1989)
The Silencers
Silk (folk-rock quartet from 1969)
Silver
Silver Condor
Sky (Detroit rock trio from 1970 w/ Doug Feiger)
Skylark
Sleeze Beez
Smif-N-Wessun
Smokestack Lightnin'
Smoothedahustler
Snail
Sneaker
Sons of Champlin
The Sopwith "Camel"
The Soul Children
Soul For Real
The Soulful Strings
Souls Of Mischief
Sounds Of Sunshine
Sounds Orchestral
South Central Cartel
South Circle
The Souther Hillman Furay Band
Southern Comfort
Special Ed
Spider
Spiders From Mars (sans Bowie)
Splinter
Spys
Stage Dolls
Stallion
Starpoint
Dakota Staton
Steady B
Stealin Horses
Steel Breez
Steelheart
Stone Fury
The Storm
Billy Strange
Streets
Strunz & Farah
Stuff
Suga T.
Sunny & the Sunliners
The Sunshine Company
Supersax
Susan
Sutherland Brothes and Quiver
Sweat Band
Sweet F.A.
Sweet Tee
Sweet Thunder
The Swingle Singers
Synergy

"S" artists who I came close to listing above then decided that'd probably be lying, even though I'm sure I've never heard a Mort Sahl LP, not even "Sing A Song Of Watergate," which may well be hilarious. (There may be a couple of these that I haven't actually heard, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. Most of them, I've probably only heard one song by. Feel free to discuss them here regardless, though):

Mort Sahl
Sailcat
Saigon Kick
Salty Dog
Sea Hags
7 Seconds
Shakespear's Sister
The Shamen
The Silos
Soho
Soup Dragons
Stackridge
Stampeders
Starcastle (who I still confuse with Stackridge sometimes)
Stargard
Curtis Stigers
Jud Strunk
The Sundays
Sunscreem
Switch

"S" artist who I have definitely heard before (their excellent Australian Joe Jackson imitiation "Who Listens to the Radio" got some radio airplay in Detroit in new wave 1979), but I bet almost nobody else here has (except possibly Australians), and I really wish I had a copy of their album right now:

The Sports

Scruffy the Cat was Boston's entry in the mid 80's roots-new wave thing, after the Del Fuegos, at least. I remember the singer wearing a bandana over his mouth, like a silent film bandit. Not as good as the Dogmatics.

Shy - Brit attempt at riding on the coat-tails of Journey, Foreigner etc (see also : Magnum). Unsuccessful! I saw them supporting Manowar once in London, the singer sang the last song clad in nought but rollerskates, the audience tittered at his small-to-average size manhood.

The Sopwith "Camel" - somewhat in the vein of Spirit, not quite as good but worth a punt.

Spider - utter rip-off of Status Quo but without the CCR bits. Instead, they'd come up with dumbass catchy choruses containing the words "rock n'roll" - Here We Go Rock n'Roll, Rock n'Roll Forever Will Last ("play it loud, play it fast, rock n'roll forever will last") etc. Pretty good actually!

Steel Breez - is this Sacramento's finest Steel Breeze, who hit with "You Don't Want Me Any More" in about 1985? AOR.

Sweet F.A. was The Sweet after they left Chinn & Chapman and tried to go hard rock, to little success.

Synergy was synth wiz Larry Fast, who played on a few Peter Gabriel albums in the late 70's.

Shakespear's Sister had this massive number 1 hit in the UK called Stay, which was unavoidable for about a year. Imagine a cross between Patricia Morrison-era Sisters Of Mercy and The Eurythmics. Eurgh.

Soup Dragons - jumped ship from shambling to baggy, hit with "I'm Free", disappeared.

Stackridge - prog, I always confuse them with Stackwaddy.

Starcastle - American Yes clones, very wimpish.

scatterbrain had a big hit (in oz anyway) with "don't call me dude" mainly due to the amusing video

the sundays are probably the best smiths tribute group of all time, in that they managed to completely transcend their influences

Godammit i hate rapidshare

i loved 7 seconds. especially the first 7-inch with i hate sports on it. but i still hold on to my copy of the crew. they lost me with new wind, their crossover attempt. we in connecticut took pride in one member of the band wearing a violent children t-shirt on the cover of walk together rock together. (which i also liked despite the nena cover)

"Snopek - is this Violent Femmes keyboardist Sigmund Snopek III? If so he had an ok-ish line in keyboardy prog a la early Utopia."

his band The Bloomsbury People made one of my all-time fave early 70's psych records. you can get it on cd now:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/bloomsbury

and his later-70's power/pop/prog stuff is neat too.

Shox Lumania were very Klaus Nomi-influenced, led by a an artist named Lari Shox. Lenny Kaye's wife was in the band. If there was any sort of New Romantic movement in New York, they were it. I think part of their act was to pretend that they were from some obscure Eastern European country called Lumania.

I'm pretty sure Shox Lumania were actually purporting to be from some undersea country analogous to Atlantis. It was a sci fi concept for sure. I got a great deal of enjoyment out of that cassette. Always wanted to know more about them. Glad to find those video links!

The Secrets were comprised of former members of the band, The Brats

Though I could be wrong, I'm pretty sure The Secrets from Scott's list is The Secrets* (with the asterisk), whose self titled album from 1982 is #81 on John Borack's Top 200 Power Pop albums book. It was reissued in 2000. Here are some details:

* Missouri-based group
* Band's first single in late 70s was "It's Your Heart Tonight" on Titan Records
* Only full-length album was issued in Canada only
* Album was co-produced by former Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch

Sid Rumpo - is it just me or has anyone else just conjured up a mental image of Sid James as "The Rumpo Kid" in Carry On Cowboy???

Savage Grace -- from Ann Arbor, they were in the second wave of 60s Dee-troit sound along w/Brownsville Station. did two -- or maybe three? -- albums on Warner Brothers. don't think they're on CD. sound pretty eclectic judging from the five songs I've streamed on my computer. prog and country influences though 1 track, "Come On Down" delivers the motor city mojo thanks to guitarist Al Jacquez.

Seatrain -- folk/jazz/flute hybrid with former members of Blues project.

Sadat X -- Brand Nubian were brazen anti-semites who ended up getting bounced from Elektra for hassling their (Jewish) publicist. Rolling Stone once quoted -- approvingly! or at least neutrally -- some pretty disgusting christ-killer lyric of theirs in a record review. just thought i'd share that.

What I wrote about 707 (from George's list) on Rolling Metal last year:

707 Greatest Hits Live (GB Music) -- Liking this a lot, too. Know nothing about the band. New Rolling Stone Record Guide (blue 1983 edition) dismisses them as "second-rate Toto." Jasper and Oliver's International Enyclopedia of Heavy Metal raves about their "classic heavy-pomp sound with brutal drumming" and says their second album (apparently called 2nd Album!) went top 20 in the U.S., in 1981, and then they got Angel's bassist Felix Robinson. I thought Martin Popoff might be a fan, but realized I was confusing them with 54-40, whoever they are (Canadians, apparently) by mistake.
Anyway, the live album shows they did indeed make truly catchy hard-pop rock with plenty of smart pomp in the arrangements. Closest of maybe just laziest comparison I can think of would be Prism. But the first cut, "Live With the Girl," is a total ringer for "On Top Of the World" Cheap Trick. Some Babys and early Loverboy in there too. Most brutal (and funkiest) drums are in "Millionaire," one of the two heaviest cuts along with the Zep-like (or okay, I dunno, Fastway-like? Paris-like?) "Pressure Drop" (which is not a Toots and the Maytals cover.) Every other cut sinks its hooks in real quick. "Rockin is Easy" might be a protest against protest songs, but I might have heard its words wrong (defintely stuff in there about people wasting time seeking gainful employment and keeping up with the Joneses, and not knowing about the state of the nation and foreign relations, so let's just rock easy instead okay?)
-- xhuxk, Sunday, May 27, 2007 6:37 PM (9 months ago)

special ed - eighties hiphop. i only know his I'm The Magnificant, but in a version with a completely different beat than the one on youtube.

sleeze beez - glam-y dutch hardrock from the late eighties/early nineties

If you've ever seen a late-night commercial for a CD comp of the greatest power ballads then you've heard Canadian one-hit wonder Sheriff and their song "When I'm With You" ...

That song was a hit TWICE up here! First time in '83, later in '88. There was some weird kinda epidemic in 1988-89, with three different songs ("Red Red Wine" and "Send Me An Angel" being the others) all being rereleased & charting higher than their first go-round 3-5 years previous. Weird...

Suburban Studs - original 76 punks who did one good single: "Questions". It had a sax on it, which was awfully daring for the times. The follow-up was called "I Hate School" and was awful.

I wonder if this band got their name from the scene between Janice Rule and Burt Lancaster in "The Swimmer".

The version of the Sports' Don't Throw Stones is actually a composite of the same-titled Australian release with some tracks from the preceding album, their first---so it goes from more of a pub rock, rootsy, even rockabilly (and other 50s) sound, updated to and from the mid-70s, since they picked it up on the late 70s, from Graham Parker & The Rumor (with whom they toured), transitioning smoothly to the hookier newer tracks---so it's kind of like Graham Parker & The Attractions: Stephen Cummings' voice was deeper than Costello's, raspy around the edges, like Parker's, also not as nasal as EC, but sill kind of, so Parker plus early Richard Butler. A somewhat strict sound, not pompous, but no BS young schoolteacher or coach, with crisp combo incl. versatile guitarist, good LP! I've still got it somewhere.

The Stiff-to-Arista version is what I'm talking about.