Ian Gittins reviews Street Fighting Years by Simple Minds, 6th May 1989

This for http://twitter.com/poohugh

What does it sound like? Like this

Chris Roberts reviews Disintergration, 6th May 1989

Quite a sniffy review for Disintergration. I always thought this was the last really decent album The Cure made.

David Stubbs reviews the singles of the week, 6th May 1989

Stubbs is, as always, very good value in these reviews. Interesting to note Stubbs take on the Motown resurections of Sam Brown. One can only wonder what Mr. Agreeable would have thought of Amy Winehouse. It would be great if I could compile Spotify playlists for all the tracks featured in these singles of the week review posts but sadly it’s really hard to find more than 50% of the tracks featured. That said, given Stubbs reviews of most of the records here, maybe that’s a good thing? Well I’ve grabbed what I can so judge for yourself (if you have Spotify) here’s the Singles of the week, 6th May 1989 playlist. Yes, the Robert Palmer track is fucking dreadful.

p.s. I’ve got that Telescopes single on 12″

p.p.s. I saw It Bites live around ’87 and the 16 year old me was very impressed by the guitar skills of the singer *hangs head in shame*

Everett True reviews the singles of the week, 22nd April 1989

Interestingly ET signs off with “one of these days I’m gonna emigrate over there” in his review of New Zealand band Straightjacket Fits. Well he’s not quite there but he is in Brisbane and that’s enough to impress me. So well done to ET for displaying such vaulting predeterminism in his review but however good it sounded I can’t believe it’s better than The Cure’s Lullaby, one of their finest ever singles and I’m no great Cure fan. Anyone got a copy of Life in One Chord? Thought not.

The Stud Brother review Fade Out by Loop, 21st January 1989

Simon Reynolds reviews Hunkpapa by Throwing Muses, 21st January 1989

This was one of the many records I lost at college by innocently agreeing to lend it to ‘a friend’ never to see it again. Truth be told I didn’t much like it and probably bought it as much for the Vaughan Oliver sleeve as the music. And I don’t know why but the title of this record is always Hunkapapa in my head, I guess it just flows from the tongue better.

Everett True reviews the singles of the week, 27th January 1990

Correctly called ET. Blue Thunder is still a fucking gem. And yes, Shine On isn’t all that but I’m not sure I’d have been that dismissive. Other than that there’s proof that not everything McGee touched turned to gold with a review for The Times – remember them? And to the oh so punk Child Molesters – do you feel stupid now?

Dave Jennings reviews the singles of the week, 30th September 1995

Brian Ferry, Dave Jennings reviews the singles of the week, 30th September 1995

David Stubbs reviews What’s the Story (Morning Glory), 30th September 1995

David Stubbs reviews What’s the Story (Morning Glory), 30th September 1995.

A very generous review from Stubbs. I was never a big fan of Definite Maybe but this record was a fucking disgrace after that and the fact that it sold by the truckload was the most depressing thing that happened in 1995.

Steven Wells R.I.P.

I’ll leave it to his contemporaries to write the perceptive, insightful, emotional stuff.

ET has collected a list of tributes here.

There’s also the ever brilliant WSC forum too.

In James Brown’s piece he says “Anything loud or unhip became his domain” which seems particularly astute in the context of the few measly scraps I can offer.

Carter USM, Jesus Jones and finally, perhaps fittingly, Snuff.

Snuff said.

Indeed.

Steven Wells interviews Carter USM, 19th November 1994. Photos Roger Sargent & Derek Ridgers

Steven Wells interviews Jesus Jones, 1st July 1989. Photo Lawrence Watson.

Steven Wells reviews Snuff Said by Snuff, 18th November 1989