The compilation was the brainchild of Carl Davies
(former Go-Thongs), released by on his own label Davies Records. ‘The
only really known band on the Lp are Expost Facto and the High V, who
appear courtesy of Probe Plus’(Breakout, Feb. 1985). The first five
hundred copies of this Album only had one side of music contained on
them, all the sleeves where hand cut from re-cycled cardboard. The
second pressing later became a proper two-sided album with gatefold
sleeve and inserts –1000 of which were pressed.
Mike
Badger (founder member of La’s and a major contributor in various forms
to this compilation, with Lee Mavers in the pic): ‘A lot of people
don’t know it was actually funded in part by Carl’s brother, the actor
Ian Hart and it did actually remain very much a ‘secret’ until 1996 when
a guy from Australia called Terry Banks contacted MOJO magazine because
the first ever La’s release a song called ‘ I Don’t Like Hanging
Around’ was on side two’.
(see:
http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/chat/chat.asp?id=5294http://www.geocities.com/the_las/lascratch.html. )
A Secret Liverpool
a1. Unknown Artist: Silence
a2. The Kindergarden Paint Set: Secret Life
a3. Ellagaru: Banana Skin
a4. The Riotous Hues: Lessonless Rainbows
a5. The Harts: Please Believe Me
a6. The Cranes: It's That Expression
a7. Roy Gbiv: The Time Grew Forever
b1. The La's: I Don't Like Hanging
b2. Ex Post Facto: Enchanted Ground
b3. Ellagaru: Mother Mother
b4. The High Five: Turning
b5. The Harts: Near The End Of Love
b6. The Riotous Hues: She Left
b7. The Kindergarden Paint Set: Oh Baby
b8. Esprit!: For You
b9. Holiday For Strings: The Greatest Myth
The
opening track was three minutes of complete silence (the ‘empty’ mp3
file is not included in the folder). Mike Badger recalls: ‘In the
tradition of Crass and John Cage, the opening track was three minutes of
silence, though that just confused people.’
(see also:
http://www.mikebadger.co.uk/musicdisc.htm )
Kindergarden
Paint Set: First musical venture of Mike Badger, whose life span was
between 1981-1982. At the time defined as Bananarama imitators (for no
apparent reason). Mike Badger featured on percussion on both tracks of
the album, recalls: ‘It was my first real musical venture,” admits Mike.
“3 guys and 3 girls doing a kind of Rip, Rig & Panic-style
percussive, Doo-wop thing, mainly students, who decided to remain
students and get proper work. I cried like a little whipped pup when it
broke up and moved to London for 18 months in May 1983. During KPS’
lifetime, Roger Eagle got us some gigs at the Adams Club (Eagle’s
post-Eric’s venue) with The Frantic Elevators (Mick Hucknall’s
pre-Simply Red art-rock outfit – Ed). All in all, it was a case of
youthful exuberance versus harsh reality!’
(see:
http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/chat/chat.asp?id=5294 )
(see also:
http://www.mikebadger.co.uk/musicdisc.htm )
Harts:
Under this name Carl Davies (of Davies Records) recorded two songs for
this album, and insisted that they should be released backwards.
La’s:
The tracks on this compilation were by the first line-up of La’s,
featuring Mike Badgers. Actually, the number I Don't like Hanging Around
is Mike Badger with backing band the Modernaires performing a two
minute ramshackle swing. Lee Mavers (bass-player with Neuklon) joined
the group soon after the release of this compilation. A drummer, Tony
Russell and a bassist were recruited and the band started playing
parties and local pubs.
(see also:
http://www.link2wales.co.uk/lpool/las.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/the_las/lascratch.html.)
Roy
Gbiv: Under this pseudonym, the song is Mike Badgers (later La’s) first
official release on vinyl. Badgers describes the song as ‘a poem set to
‘The Syncopated Clock’ by Leroy Anderson played at 45rpm instead of
33rpm – Alice in Wonderland territory’.
(see:
http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/chat/chat.asp?id=5294 )
Esprit!:
Originally called Carnaval, the band included Kevin Wright (vocals,
guitars), Steve Boyle (guitars, vocals, later with Honey), Ian Fradgley
(bass player, later with Tony Velasco, ex Carry On Spying), Mike Ward
(drums), and Paul Roberts (sax). Boyle’s remembers: ‘For some reason,
Kevin – who was Paul Simpson’s cousin (Wild Swans) didn’t want to use
the name Carnaval on the compilation LP and also we used just about the
worst song we had. The guy pulling together the LP, David something
[Carl Davies, ndr.], was a mate of Kevin’s so we went along with this.
We should have put a good song on as over the years I have discussed
this LP with a variety of people and I sold my spare copy to a bloke in
Japan a few years back.’ The band, after recording three Radio One
sessions, split just before a showcase gig at Kirklands because of a row
over the potential use of a drum machine. Nathan McGeogh was their
manager for a month. Julie (sax) who replaced Paul Roberts who went off
to art college was the girlfriend of now famous Liverpudlian actor Ian
Hart.
(see:
http://link2wales.co.uk/liverpool/liverpool-a/liverpool-h/ )
Cranes: Pop band fronted by Carl Reynolds (vocals).
Holidays
fro Strings: Power-pop group formed in 1983 by Andrew Schofield
(vocals, later featured on the soundtrack of the BBC thriller serial
Marksmen), Jimmy Hughes (drums, former Madame, later Foundation), Jay
Naughton (keyboard, later Jojo & the Real People).
Riotous
Hues also appeared on the Elegance, Charm and Deadly Danger compilation
(1985, see relevant post). (For Ex Post Fact and High Five, see relevant
posts.)
Crosstalk
A/V formed in 1981 by Mark Webb (bass, former Dead on Arrival) and Paul Clark
(vocals, guitars). In March 1982, they were joined by Gillian Walker (keyboards),
and Mike Simkins (drums). After the release of their first single (The Queue,
November 1982), they band gathered at Terminal Studio, Manchester to record
some numbers (or re-record songs already featured on the band’s earlier demos)
possibly in view of an LP release. It was the 18/19th December 1982.
1. End 
Mark Webbs:
‘Sadly, the band ran out of steam and money after those final recordings, which
were the best we did and showed the Goth type direction the music was going in’
