Some FEATURED ARTISTS on this week’s Stronger Than Dirt (Saturday,
January 29, 8-10pm) include the La De Das, Lewis & Clarke Expedition (early
Michael Martin Murphy), Sparks, Teenage Filmstars, Minutemen, Altered
Images, the Fall, Electrelane, Vaticans, lots of new music, as well as the weekly
Dusty Diamond.
PICTURE SLEEVE OF THE WEEK: Altered Images were a popular Scottish new
wave/post punk band with several hits in the UK in the early 80s. Their first
single, “Dead Pop Stars,” however, was not a hit, and was in fact, somewhat
controversial because of its release in early 1981 on Epic Records shortly after
John Lennon’s death. It featured the artwork of Scottish designer David Band
(credited as “David Bance” on the record), who also provided cover art for other
UK bands like Spandau ballet and Aztec Camera. Click to enlarge.
LAST WEEK’S DUSTY DIAMOND (a forgotten gem from the STD vaults): The
Masonics are a Medway UK based garage band that has been active since the
early 90s. They have included since the beginning Micky Hampshire
(Milkshakes) on guitar and vocals, and Bruce Brand (Milkshakes, Headcoats,
and many other Medway bands) on drums. “She Cut Me to the Bone” is a
simmering mid tempo nugget with jangly guitar and some tasty keyboards. It
appeared in 1995 on the “In a Man’s Heart” EP on Royal Records. Listen to it
here:
Promo art from Sparks’ 1974 “Propaganda” album on Island Records. Photo by
Monty Coles.