For What It's Worth

_{FWiW 92}

Welcome to the latest edition of < REWOUND “magazine.”

This month sees the climax of the football season all across Europe. As a long-time Manchester United fan, I’ve of course, always had my eyes fully focused on the English First Division (as it was still known back then) – and the knockout tournaments like the FA Cup. The progress of all the top English clubs in the European competitions also attracted my attention.

I feature the winners of all the major trophies on offer – from the English league title, to the European Cup – now known as the Champions League.

Plus, new books, films, and albums. Also the singles and album charts. All this and more.

What’s

this issue

1. Introduction
2. Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before
3. On This Day
4. First Division results
5. European Cup Winners Cup Final
6. FA Cup Final
7. European Cup Final
8. Book of the Month
9. Film of the Month
10. UK Singles Chart
11. Marks’ Song of the Month
12. Indie Music Charts
13. UK Albums Chart
14. The Record Collector
15. HMV Album of the Month
16. Live Music
17. Play cricket, will travel

_{With thanks to the following publications, streaming services, and websites for their help with this issue. I couldn’t have done this without them:}

Enjoy your read down memory lane

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_{“You play eighteen holes, what do you get, Another day older and deeper in debt,
Saint Andrew don’t you call me, ’cause I can’t go, I owe my soul to the country club pro” 18 Holes by John Denver (1992)}

🏌️‍♂️

Ireland’s premier golf clubs

Where I played

Golf in Northern Ireland

As May dawned, the first glimpses of spring slowly started showing themselves in the Dee. It was a long way off being warm and sunny, but some blue sky and the milder days were most welcome.

I played a few games of golf while I lived in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, none around the world-famous Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. The British Open has been held outside Scotland and England twice, in 1951 and 2019; Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland was the venue for both tournaments. Royal County Down’s biggest tournament is generally considered to be the Irish Open. The course has hosted this event multiple times, including in 1928, 1935, 2015, and 2024.

I did, however, manage to bludgeon my way around the following courses:

1️⃣

⛳

The local golf course opened after being closed for the winter. When I first glimpsed it, a thick coating of snow lay suffocating it. Now that it had opened, a few of my cricket mates took me to play, or make that hack, my way around the tricky parklands course in the Dee.

Boasting magnificent views of the Irish Sea, Copeland Island and the Scottish coast, Donaghadee’s fantastic par 71, 18 holes, throws up several surprises more than capable of catching out the unsuspecting golfer!

2️⃣

Mahee Island Golf Club

Mahee Island boasted a magnificent layout set out along the banks of Strangford Lough. The natural beauty of the setting took my breath away, and a few of my golf balls too!

I see it opened for business way back in 1929 (but sadly closed for good in 2019). Pity, I wonder why?

I didn’t do too badly when I played here. I even recall almost breaking 90 in the one round! The wind is a nightmare on these courses in Ireland – so, I consider a score anywhere below 100, an achievement. Especially considering this was before I took golf seriously.

I dug these photos up on the old internet. As you can see it’s more of a parklands and not a links course – even with the proximity and challenges of having the Lough nearby.

All pics taken on a rare sunny day.

Strangford Lough (pictured below) is a large sea lough or inlet in County Down. It is the largest inlet in Ireland and the wider British Isles, covering 150 km². The lough is almost fully enclosed by the Ards Peninsula and is linked to the Irish Sea by a long, narrow channel at its southeastern edge.

3️⃣

Carnalea Golf Club

Carnalea has been voted the number 1 ‘Hidden Gem‘ in Ireland on a few occasions.

Carnalea Golf Club is a pretty 18-hole, par 69 course on the outskirts of the colourful city of Bangor. Golfers have been teeing off here for over a century and it’s easy to see why. The coastal views out over Belfast Lough are simply spectacular.

On the course blind tee shots, tough doglegs, plenty of bunkers and several out of bounds areas make for a tricky round for golfers of all levels.

“When you’ve tapped in on 18 (for birdie, we hope), retreat and relax in the clubhouse, complete with a bar and dining area. Crispy battered fish and chips with a perfectly poured pint of Guinness is a popular order. Again, the sea views here are the big draw, so soak them up. On a fine day, you might even see the west coast of Scotland.“

I did not write the above (it comes off the website), but I recall the fish and chips, and most certainly helped myself to a Guinness or three.

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_{“At the office where the papers grow, she takes a break, Drinks another coffee, and she finds it hard to stay awake, It’s just another day” Another Day by Paul McCartney (1971)}

👩‍🎤

4th – The Eurovision Song Contest 1991 is held in Rome, Italy and, after a highly controversial voting segment, Sweden’s “Fångad av en Stormvind” by Carola is declared the winner.

🦇

7th – In Macon, Georgia, a judge dismisses a wrongful death lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne. The suit was filed by a local couple who believed their son was inspired to attempt suicide by Osbourne’s music.

🛌

10th – Truth or Dare (also known as In Bed with Madonna internationally), a documentary chronicling singer Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, is released to theatres.

👩

15th – France elects their first female Prime Minister, Edith Cresson

🔪

15th – Richey Edwards, of Manic Street Preachers carves the words “4 Real” into his arm with a razor blade during an interview with NME journalist Steve Lamacq, after Lamacq questions the band’s authenticity. The incident resulted in Edwards requiring 18 stitches

Richey Edwards disappeared on 1 February 1995, on the day when he and Bradfield were due to fly to the United States on a promotional tour of their latest album The Holy Bible. Edwards suffered from severe depression, and was open about it in interviews. He self-harmed, mainly through stubbing cigarettes on his arms and cutting himself: “When I cut myself I feel so much better.” Edwards also suffered from insomnia, and used alcohol to help himself sleep at night.

Edwards’ disappearance attracted a great deal of media attention. However, he has never been seen again and is presumed dead.

_{Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band now consists of Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (drums, percussion, soundscapes). They form a key part of the 1990s Welsh Cool Cymru cultural movement.}

👑

In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the United States for a 13-day tour, which included stops in Texas, Washington, DC, and Birmingham

The Queen visited Washington, DC on the 15th of May. President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush hosted a State Dinner for the Queen and Prince Philip.

16th – Queen Elizabeth ll becomes the first British monarch to address the US Congress.

“What US president was in office when Queen Elizabeth became queen?“

While she was a princess, she visited President Harry Truman in Washington, D.C. (in 1951). She ascended the throne in 1952, while Truman was still president, and her coronation took place the following year when Dwight Eisenhower was president.

Queen Elizabeth II’s reign spanned 14 presidential administrations. The first Royal Visit was in 1951: Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Washington, D.C. on the 31st of October.

Harry S Truman (1945 – 1953) Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969) Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974) Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977) Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) Ronald W. Reagan (1981-1989) George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) Bill Clinton (1993 -2001) George W Bush (2001 – 2009) Barack Obama ( 2009 – 2017) Donald Trump (2017 – 2021) Joe Biden (2021 – the Queen died in 2022)

☝

The 14 American Presidents through the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

🚀

18th – the first British person in space, Helen Sharman launches aboard the Soviet Soyuz TM-12 mission.

Sharman was selected from over 13,000 applicants for the Soviet Union’s Project Juno, a cooperative venture between the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom

Sharman spent eight days at the Mir Space Station, conducting experiments on the Earth’s atmosphere, agriculture, and medicine.

In a recent interview, Helen stated that “it wasn’t so much going to space as the training that appealed … living in Russia, learning the language, doing advanced mechanics. It was a way out [of] the rat race.” She certainly got what she was looking for, travelling to Russia to attend the esteemed Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow for 18 months.

💣

21st – In India, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated by a suicide bomber. The explosion takes place at a public meeting in Sriperumbudur, 14 others are killed in the explosion.

🚗

22nd – The breakthrough of the North rail tunnel between England and France occurs. The M20 motorway was also opened, meaning the unbroken motorway link with London had already been completed an estimated three years before the first trains moved between Britain and France.

24th – Guns N’ Roses kick off their 26-month world Use Your Illusion Tour in Alpine Valley in East Troy. This was a promotional tour for the albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. The tour began approximately when the long-awaited follow-up to G N’ R Lies was to be released, and ended over two years later.

It was the band’s longest tour, consisting of 192 shows in 27 countries, and infamous for its riots, late starts, cancellations and the outspoken rantings of Axl Rose.

The release date of the two albums was pushed back to September, but the tour began as originally scheduled. This trek around the planet marked a high point for Guns N’ Roses, with a total of over 7 million fans attending, and was accompanied by soaring worldwide album sales.

The tour was massive not just in the number and size of performances, but also in its technical aspects and the size of the crew. A total of 130 working personnel traveled with the band, using two different stages to enable faster setup. The trade magazine Performance named the tour crew “Crew of the Year” for 1991.

Duff McKagan revealed in 2015 that the band didn’t make profit on the tour until 1993 due to the extravagant costs.

“The band had such a ball,” Slash remarked in 1994. “We managed to tour for two and a half years, against all the fuckin’ odds. It really was a fuckin’ endurance test of pretty big proportions.”

🎶

25th – The Billboard 200 album chart starts incorporating electronically monitored sales data provided by Nielsen Soundscan, thus beginning what chart aficionados tag as the “Soundscan Era.”

🎃

28th – The Smashing Pumpkins releases their debut album Gish, establishing the band as one of the most important of the alternative scene.

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_{In the blues club, George Best does rule, How flair is punished, His downfall was a blonde girl, but that’s none of your business! Kicker Conspiracy by The Fall (1983)}

First Division 1990/91

Manager George Graham brought in several important new signings for the season, including goalkeeper David Seaman, winger Anders Limpar, and defender Andy Linighan.

The season was their 93rd season of competitive football and 64th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, the Football League First Division.

For The Gunners, it often looked as though the good points would be outnumbered by the bad points. A player brawl in a league fixture against Manchester United in October saw Arsenal have two points deducted, and a few weeks later captain Tony Adams was given a four-month prison sentence for drink-driving (he ended up serving 8 weeks).

Arsenal didn’t lose in the league until a 2-1 loss to Chelsea, their only loss of the season.

The “Almost Invincibles” ** in other words.

(***While not officially “invincible” in the same way as the 2003/04 “Invincibles“ squad, the 1990/91 team is remembered for their near-perfect record and overcoming adversity to win the title.)

Arsenal chased Liverpool for the league title for most of the season before winning the championship with a 3-1 victory over United in the pen-ultimate league game.

On the 6th of May Arsenal are announced as football league champions, their 10th overall – and for the second time in three seasons.

They also reached the semifinals of the FA Cup, losing to Tottenham. Alan Smith was the top scorer in both the league and all competitions, winning the golden boot for the second time.

Arsenal used a total of 19 players through the season and there were nine different scorers.

David Seaman, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, and Steve Bould started all 38 league games. This was basically their entire defence with only Tony Adams missing eight games through the league season.

The top goalscorer was Alan Smith with 22 league goals – 28 in all competitions.

🏆

The top 6:

Arsenal qualify for the European Cup. Liverpool qualify for the UEFA Cup

Arsenal deducted two points; Manchester United deducted one point due to a brawl in a game between both teams

Sunderland and Derby County were relegated to the old Division Two.

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_{“If rain makes Britain great, Then Manchester is greater, As you dry your clothes once again, Upon the radiator” Manchester by The Beautiful South (2006)}

I watched this at a pub in Bangor called Jenny Watts. It was a very festive night as United was popular in Northern Ireland, as they are everywhere now, I suppose. Manchester United are also the first English club allowed back into Europe after the ban was imposed in 1985.

Of course, this was a different time for the Red Devils. They’d hardly won anything in almost forever, and Alex Ferguson was just getting around to changing all of that. This ’91 final was viewed as another step towards almost total domination of the English game for the next two decades.

After a goalless first half, United went 1 – 0 up following a free-kick from captain Bryan Robson, which was headed goalward by defender Steve Bruce. United striker Mark Hughes tapped the ball over the line. However, whether the ball had already crossed before Hughes touched it was in dispute for some time, with both Bruce and Hughes claiming the goal (Mark Hughes later credited the goal to Steve Bruce, but the official scoreline shows both goals as being scored by Hughes).

For his second goal, Hughes cut the ball into the net from such an acute angle on the right that he had to spin it off the outside of his boot to ensure it found its mark.

Ronald Koeman scored a consolation goal for Barcelona towards the end of the game. Barcelona also had a late equaliser ruled offside and had a shot cleared off the line.

The match ended 2–1 to Manchester United on the night, with both United goals coming from former Barcelona forward Mark Hughes. His career faltered after Terry Venables took him to the Camp Nou in 1986. A loan spell at Bayern Munich revived him before his return to United in 1988.

The Red Devils became the first English side to win a European competition since they were all banned in 1985. It was also United’s first European title in 23 years, since their success in the 1968 European Cup. 1990/91 was their only Cup Winners’ Cup title, in which they only played one more season, knocked out in the second round in 1991–92.

The Spanish newspapers stated “The Red Devils came dressed in white, like angels” but went on to remark on how devilish United were in their beating of Barcelona.

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_{“Come on you, Spurs are on their way to Wembley, Tottenham’s going to do it again, They can’t stop ’em, The boys from Tottenham, The boys from White Hart Lane” Ossie’s Dream Spurs FC, featuring Chas and Dave (1981)}

I watched this game at another Bangor pub called Wolsey’s. Packed to the rafters, it was. Football fans gathered around small televisions dotted around the warm pub. These were the days before big flat-screens, of course, and the FA Cup Final was the annual event it used to be. Way before sporting gluttony on TV began, somewhere after the invention of the Premier League and into the new millennium.

Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) was a rising star back then, and seemingly VERY popular with the locals I sat watching with.

The 1991 final was Nottingham Forest’s first appearance in the FA Cup final since winning it in 1959, and they have not reached the final since. It was also the only time a team managed by Brian Clough reached the final; the FA Cup was the only major domestic trophy eluding Clough.

The match is memorable for the performance of Tottenham midfielder Paul Gascoigne, who made two violent tackles on Forest players within the first 15 minutes and was then carried off with torn cruciate ligaments, which kept him out of football for a year.

Gascoigne paid for his rash challenge, which many thought deserved a red card, when Stuart Pearce delightfully curled home the subsequent free kick to give Forest the lead.

After 25 minutes, Gary Lineker had a goal disallowed for offside, and then five minutes later, he was in on Mark Crossley when the goalkeeper brought him down in the box. Lineker stepped up to take the resulting penalty and placed the ball to the keeper’s left, where Crossley dived and kept the ball out. Crossley became only the second goalkeeper to save a penalty in an FA Cup Final at Wembley, after Dave Beasant for Wimbledon in 1988.

After the interval, Nayim cushioned a kick from Erik Thorstvedt into the path of Paul Allen, who put Paul Stewart in on the right-hand side of the box. Stewart drilled a low shot past Crossley into the corner of the net to put Tottenham on level terms.

With the game finishing at 1–1 after full-time, the final moved into extra time. Spurs substitute Paul Walsh looped a header over the keeper, but the ball hit the bar and bounced back off Pearce for a corner. Nayim took it, and Stewart met it at the near post to flick it on. As Mabbutt ran in at the far post, he was poised to head the ball home, but Forest defender Des Walker beat him to it and diverted the ball past his keeper to give Tottenham the lead for the first time in the game.

The game finished Spurs 2 Forest 1 – making my very good mate back home in South Africa, Stephen ‘Slim‘ Knight (pictured above), a very happy young man.

Tottenham’s triumph made them the first club to win the trophy eight times, though this record has since been surpassed by Arsenal and Manchester United. Chelsea and Liverpool have now both equalled Tottenham’s eight victories.

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_{“I had an uncle who once played for Red Star Belgrade, He said some things are really best left unspoken, But I prefer it all to be out in the open” Sexuality by Billy Bragg (1991)}

29th of March – The European Cup

Red Star Belgrade v Olympic Marseille

I watched this game at home, with Willy Donaldson, the farmer who had given me a spare room in his house, to use for the year. I don’t remember much from the evening and from my research I can see why. It was a snooze-fest of note!

The 1990–91 European Cup was the 36th season of the European Cup, a tournament for men’s football clubs in nations affiliated to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

This was the last tournament to be solely knock-out based, with a group stage added for the next season.

Quarter finalists were: Bayern Munich v Porto, Red Star Belgrade v Dynamo Dresden, Spartak Moscow v Real Madrid, AC Milan v Olympic Marseille.

In the semi-finals, over home and away legs, Red Star beat Bayern Munich 4 -3. Marseille hammered Spartak 5 -2.

Although 1990–91 marked the return of English clubs to the Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Cup, after a five-year ban resulting from the Heysel Stadium disaster, Liverpool had been banned for an additional year, so could not participate in the European Cup as English champions.

The final was played at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari, Italy. 👇

Led by tactically-advanced manager Ljupoko Petrovic, Red Star’s style of play was well ahead of its time, with their pace on the counterattack and aggressive press in midfield very similar to modern-day ‘gegenpressing*’.

_{*Gegenpressing, which translates to “counter-pressing” in English, is a football (soccer) tactic where a team immediately presses the opponent after losing possession, rather than falling back to defend. It’s a high-intensity approach aimed at regaining possession quickly and creating attacking opportunities from transition.}

Petrovic was also lucky to have an extremely talented bunch of players at his disposal, with star striker Darko Pancev ending their 1990-91 campaign with 40 goals in all competitions and finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting.

After normal time and extra time could not separate the two sides, the match was to be decided on penalty kicks. Manuel Amoroso’s miss for the French side proved crucial, as Red Star held their nerve to win their first and, as of 2024, only European Cup.

Red Star and Marseille were both first-time finalists. This was only the second time that an Eastern European side had won the competition, after Steaua Bucharest of Romania in 1986.

Red Star won the tournament as the only Yugoslav club shortly before the breakup of Yugoslavia. This was also the last season to feature a team from East Germany, since the East and its West counterpart reunified in October 1990.

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_{“I have my books, And my poetry to protect me” I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)}

Regeneration is a historical and anti-war novel by Pat Barker. The novel was a Booker Prize nominee and was described by the New York Times Book Review as one of the four best novels of the year in its year of publication

Regeneration is one in Pat Barker’s series of novels confronting the psychological effects of World War I. It focuses on treatment methods during the war and the story of a decorated English officer sent to a military hospital after publicly declaring he would no longer fight. Yet the novel is much more. Written in sparse shockingly clear prose – the descriptions of electronic treatments are particularly harrowing – it combines real-life characters and events with fictional ones in a work that examines the insanity of war like no other. Barker also weaves in issues of class and politics in this compactly powerful book.

_{GoodReads 4 out of 5 from 31,423 ratings}

Also

Martin Amis – Time’s Arrow: or the Nature of the Offence (Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1991. It is notable partly because the events occur in a reverse chronology, with time passing in reverse and the main character becoming younger and younger during the novel.

Julia Alvarez – How the García Girls Lost Their Accents (Alvarez is a Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist. Told in reverse chronological order and narrated from shifting perspectives, the story spans more than thirty years in the lives of four sisters, beginning with their adult lives in the United States and ending with their childhood in the Dominican Republic)

Jeffrey Archer – As the Crow Flies (The tale of the Trumper retail empire, through the often overlapping points of view of several of the main characters. The story begins with Charlie, grandson of a barrow costermonger. When his father is killed in World War I, Charlie enlists to take his place, leaving instructions to Rebecca to sell everything and keep his share secure for when he returns)

Beryl Bainbridge – The Birthday Boys (Tells the story of Captain Robert Scott’s 1910-13 expedition to Antarctica)

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_{“Going so good so far, But call me Thelma and shе’s Louise, Ready to leavе in a getaway car, I’ll break you if you break her heart” Thelma & Louise by Meg McRee featuring Harper O’Neill (2024)}

📽

“Thelma & Louise are going fishing … “

I love this one. One minute you think you’re watching an upbeat road movies the next you’re getting a movie that completely fucks your emotions up

Film

of the Month

Unassertive housewife Thelma accompanies her pal Louise, an independent waitress, on a brief fishing trip. However, when Louise kills a man who attempts to rape Thelma, the two become fugitives of the law.

Thelma & Louise is directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri. The film stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as Louise and Thelma, two friends who embark on a road trip that ends up in unforeseen circumstances.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster were originally chosen for the leads; both accepted their roles with enthusiasm. As pre-production of the film dragged on, the two eventually dropped out, with Pfeiffer going on to star in Love Field and Foster in The Silence of the Lambs. Pfeiffer would later admit that passing on the film still kills her.

Geena Davis (who had been vigorously pursuing the lead role for nearly a year) and Susan Sarandon were ultimately chosen. The two took extensive driving and shooting lessons in preparation for their roles

To some extent, Thelma & Louise, is a movie about the freedom of the open road. The two women escape their humdrum existence for a weekend, and when Louise kills a man who tries to rape Thelma, go on the run to Mexico.

The supporting cast includes Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald, and Brad Pitt (in one of his first major roles).

Filming took place in California and Utah from June to August 1990.

Critics Consensus:

Driven by ride-or-die chemistry between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon while director Ridley Scott provides scorching visuals fit for a postcard, Thelma & Louise is a feminist adventure that’s equal parts provocative and rollicking.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86% based on 147 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website’s critical consensus reads, “Simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and peppered with action, Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise is a potent, well-acted road movie that transcends the feminist message at its core.“

“What if we just kept driving?”

Ridley Scott’s movie is best known for its final shot – a still of the eponymous heroines shooting over the Grand Canyon. A feminist classic celebrating life, love and friendship. Do yourself a favour and go watch it again!

The film placed second to The Silence of the Lambs as the best film of 1991 in a poll of 81 critics.

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_{“Those lyrics stuck right down my throat, I never hit, it never hit” Hit Parade by The Beautiful South (2000)}

Since the 30th of March, the number one song in the United Kingdom has been “The One and Only” by Chesney Hawkes. It will remain there for five long weeks.

🙄

Until,

on the 4th of May, when things go from bad to worse

and

“The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” by Cher dislodges it and the “Goddess of Pop” begins her very own five-week stay at the pinnacle of pop.

Fact-file

“It’s in His Kiss” is a song written and composed by Rudy Clark. It was first released as a single in 1963 by Merry Clayton it did not chart. The song was a hit a year later when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit No. 1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964. Recorded by dozens of artists and groups around the world in the decades since the song became an international hit once again when remade by Cher in 1990.

Other

Charting Singles in May ’91

[peak position in brackets]

_Marks’

Song of the Month for

James Roderick Moir (born 24 January 1959), also known by his stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian and artist. He has a double act with Bob Mortimer as Reeves & Mortimer, and is known for his surreal sense of humour.

“Born Free“ was a track off Vic Reeves’ 1991 album I Will Cure You. It was released in 1991 by Island Records, and produced by Steve Beresford, Andy Metcalfe and the Human League’s Philip Oakey.

The album peaked at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and features the number-one single “Dizzy,” a collaboration with the Wonder Stuff.

Written by Don Black and John Barry for the 1966 film of the same name. It would go on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

First released as a single by Matt Monroe in February 1966, arranged and conducted by John Barry.

Reeves directly mentions Monroe and Barry in the song via a spoken-word section.

“Very nice arrangement by the very under-rated Andy Connell, superb keyboard player and arranger, from the lovely Swing Out Sister. Trademark chords on the harpsichord.”

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_{“And you, would hide away and find your peace of mind, with some indie record that’s much cooler than mine” We Are Never Getting Back Together Again by Taylor Swift (2021)}

Independent music (also commonly known as indie music, or simply indie) is a broad style of music characterized by creative freedoms, low-budgets, and a do-it-yourself approach to music creation, which originated from the liberties afforded by independent record labels. Indie music describes a number of related styles, but generally describes guitar-oriented music straying away from mainstream conventions.

There are a number of subgenres of independent music which combine its characteristics with other genres, such as indie pop, indie rock, indie folk, and indie electronic.

The origins of independent music lie in British independent record labels, such as Rough Trade and Mute. In the 1970s, these labels contributed to the emergence of a distinct sound, influenced by post-punk and new wave. NME released the influential compilation album C86 in 1986, and helped with indie’s spread and development.

American independent music first emerged in the 1980s, and was spread via college radios.

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Find all of the above at:

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_{“See those records stacked up in the corner, In the order of when they were played, From that we can retrace the moment, Of when the those mistakes were made” A Case for Vinyl by Tim Burgess (2012)}

The Eurythmics continue at number one in the UK Albums chart. Their Greatest Hits compilation has occupied the top spot since the 30th of March.

Other Top Ten Albums in May

Gold Mother by James spends three weeks in the UK Top Ten, reaching a peak of number 2 on the 4th of May

The Beast Inside by Inspiral Carpets spends one week in the UK Top Ten, reaching a peak of number 5 on the 4th of May.

Schubert Dip by EMF spends three weeks in the UK Top Ten, reaching a peak of number 3 on the 18th of May

Mighty Like a Rose by Elvis Costello spends five weeks in the UK Top Ten, reaching a peak of number five on the 25th of May

De La Soul is Dead by De La Soul spends one week in the UK Top Ten, reaching a peak of number seven on the 25th of May.

5 May 1991 – 11 May 1991

1. Eurythmics – Greatest Hits
2. The Waterboys – The Best of the Waterboys 81-90 🆕
3. James – Gold Mother ⬇
4. Roxette – Joyride
5. KLF – The White Room 🆕
6. Simple Minds – Real Life ⬇
7. Yes – Union 🆕
8. R.e.M. – Out of Time ⬇
9. Simpsons – The Simpsons Sings the Blues ⬆
10. The Stranglers – The Greatest Hits 1977 – 1990 ⬇

12 May 1991 – 18 May 1991

1. Eurythmics – Greatest Hits
2. Michael Bolton – Time, Love and Tenderness 🆕
3. EMF – Schubert Dip 🆕
4. Roxette – Joyride
5. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Sugar Tax 🆕
6. KLF – The White Room ⬇
7. R.e.M. – Out of Time ⬆
8. Simple Minds – Real Life ⬇
9. The Waterboys – The Best of the Waterboys 81-90 ⬇
10. James – Gold Mother ⬇

19 May 1991 – 25 May 1991

1. Eurythmics – Greatest Hits
2. Michael Bolton – Time, Love and Tenderness
3. Roxette – Joyride ⬆
4. EMF – Schubert Dip ⬇
5. Elvis Costello – Mighty Like a Rose 🆕
6. R.e.M. – Out of Time ⬆
7. De La Soul – De la Soul is Dead 🆕
8. KLF – The White Room ⬇
9. Luther Vandross – Power of Love 🆕
10. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Sugar Tax ⬇

26 May 1991 – 1 June 1991

1. Seal – Seal 🆕
2. Eurythmics – Greatest Hits ⬇
3. Beverley Craven – Beverley Craven ⬆
4. Michael Bolton – Time, Love and Tenderness ⬇
5. R.e.M. – Out of Time ⬆
6. Roxette – Joyride ⬇
7. Paul McCartney – Unplugged: The Official Bootleg 🆕
8. Soft Cell and Marc Almond – Memorabilia – The Singles🆕
9. KLF – The White Room ⬇
10. EMF – Schubert Dip ⬇

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_{“And I just can’t get enough, Just like a rainbow, You know you set me free, And I just can’t get enough, And I just can’t get enough” I Just Can’t Get Enough by Depeche Mode (1981)}

Yes, I am,

the

_{Albums released in May 1991 that have found their way into my record collection}

Mighty Like A Rose

Almost a decade and a half after emerging as punk’s brightest angry young man, Costello faces a musical midlife crisis. Will his caustic anger, once so cathartic and cleansing, congeal into bitterness? Is he stuck romanticizing his pain, or will he break through to some hard-won understanding and resolution?

Costello responds with contempt, longing, anger, pity, condescension and the inevitable self-doubt. “The Other Side of Summer,” reminiscent of the Beach Boys, alludes to the album’s underlying emotional tone — the glass is always half-empty.

While the bleak storylines still revolve around bad relationships and indict others for the singer’s problems, the music reveals a more encouraging subtext. This is Costello’s most ambitious and adventurous music for ages.

_{Vic Garbarini – Rolling Stone, May 16 1991.}

My first ever super-group!

I was enthralled when two of my 80s synthpop/guitar heroes got together to form a new band.

Considerably more organic than the title suggests, Electronic pools the talents of Manchester lads Bernard Sumner (Joy Division & New Order) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths). Synthesised melodies and programmed drum beats set the blue mood, though Marr’s crisp strumming and subtle bursts of guitar fire enliven Sumner’s hesitant singing.

Neil Tennant’s (Pet Shop Boys) contribution to “The Patience of a Saint” is masterful. In another highlight, “Getting Away With It,” he manages to push Sumner’s tuneful neuroticism in just the right way.

My favourite tracks are the delicate, acoustic guitar-led slow groove of “Get the Message” and “Feel Every Beat.” Its appropriately slamming rhythms are also a real gem.

Given the pool of talent available here, it isn’t surprising that the album combines buoyant, guitar-charged electronic melodies with taste, poignancy, and a measure of out-and-out rock & roll.

Yerself Is Steam

Much experimental music is often described as bands making soundtracks for movies that don’t exist. Yerself Is Steam began as a soundtrack to a film, composed by a band that didn’t exist. The nascent Mercury Rev started making music together less with the intent of playing gigs than concocting musical scores, be it for student films showing in local galleries, or the nature documentaries they’d put on the TV while they improvised.

In only eight songs, Yerself Is Steam uncorks a flood of sounds and sensations, resulting in an awe-inspiring, nerve-racking experience, floating in the liminal space between childhood innocence and adult anxieties.

Sugar Tax

My former favourite band, with Andy McCluskey as the only original member. The rest of the gang went off and formed a band called Listening Pool. Remember them? No? I thought not.

This allowed McCluskey to pursue mainstream commercial pop with greater success.

The album’s title has often been used to unfairly criticise much of the album’s content as being too syrupy. Chart success was achieved with a pair of singles which stand up to the rest of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s earlier output. The first of these, “Sailing on the Seven Seas,” was co-written by new drummer, Stuart Kershaw, while the second, “Pandora’s Box,” was inspired by the silent movie star Louise Brooks and details the price of fame.

My favourite tune here is the ballad and third single from the album, “Then You Turn Away,” which shouldn’t work, but it does. Sugar Tax finishes with a real gem, pardon the pun, on “All That Glitters.”

Gish

Stellar production, wailing guitars, brain-melting solos, and monstrous drumming. What more do you want?

Just one listen to this album evokes the image of four aspiring, ambitious musicians, thrilled to be making their record and desperate to ‘make it big.’

First and foremost, the guitar work on this record is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Neo-psychedelic masterpieces like album opener “I Am One” and “Snail” contain hooks drenched in effects.

The bass on Gish has much more presence in the mix than any other Pumpkins record from the band’s original run. “I Am One,” “Bury Me,” and the beautiful “Crush” all contain bass lines that are not particularly complicated but were written and composed perfectly.

Though Corgan’s lyrics fall apart upon close analysis, there’s no denying his gift for arrangements. Like Brian May and Jimmy Page, he knows how to layer guitars for maximum effect, whether on the pounding, sub-Sabbath rush of “I Am One” or the shimmering, psychedelic dream pop surfaces of “Rhinoceros.” Such musical moments as these, the rushing “Siva” and the folky “Daydream,” which features D’Arcy on lead vocals, demonstrate the Smashing Pumpkins’ potential.

I am looking forward to what they do next.

^Also

_{New albums by:}

The Candy Skins, The Fat Lady Sings, The Wedding Present, and The Orchids

_{all at your nearest}

_{Fast Forward to the 21st Century: HMV fell into administration in 2013 and again in 2018, but under David Putman’s ownership it has grown to over 120 UK outlets and returned to profit in 2022. It opened a store in Dublin in June, one in Antwerp on Thursday and plans further European expansion.}

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_{“I dig rock and roll music, And I love to get the chance to play (and sing it)” I Dig Rock & Roll Music by Peter, Paul & Mary (1967)}

at the

Club

4th – Dinosaur Jr + The Pastels

15th – Hole + Firehose + Naughty by Nature

16th – The Mighty Lemondrops + Moose + Half Man Half Biscuit

23rd – Robert Palmer + Terry Ronald (support)

30th – Screaming Trees + Weens (support)

2nd – A-Ha

8th – Mr. Big + The Throbs + Heartland

18 to 20th – Maze + Wycliffe (soul/R&B)

24th – Everly Brothers + Duane Eddy

25th – Little Angels + RPLA

27 & 28th – Joe Jackson + Jackie Quinn (support)

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_{“He was more than just a batsman, He was something like a tide, He was more than just one man, He could take on any side” Bradman by Paul Kelly (1987)}

will

🏏

Cricket practices had started at the indoor nets in nearby Bangor. I felt rusty and battled to find any touch under the artificial lights. The weight of expectation on me to perform that season was becoming evident. The locals were looking to me for what I was – an import they were paying “good money” for – runs and wickets (and lots of).

Everything was still jovial and relaxed, but that would all change once the cricket season started.

I also started coaching the Donaghadee youngsters. They were a cheeky bunch of wee f*ckers, but mostly I enjoyed my time with them. I’m not sure I turned them into great cricketers, though. 🤣

I stopped working at the town’s garden centre and then tried my hand at roofing. Yes, I, the least likely person to ever do something like that.

I’ll tell you more about my times with Morrison & McEvoy Roofing Co. in my next issue of <Rewound.

^{Compiled, written, designed & edited by Mark Wilson}