Entertainment For Lively Minds
Spotify Obscurities: The Direct Hits
Finally bit the bullet and got onto Spotify yesterday. Being a long time Mac/iTunes user the whole thing is very familiar in it's layout, and some of the content is also available for sale on iTunes so it wasn't that surprising to find a band (who are on iTunes) I've loved for years on there. However they are a little bit obscure so I thought I'd share.
The Direct Hits were a south London three piece from the early to mid 80s. They were big on the Mod scene, which by 1984/85 had disappeared underground. Two albums were released; Blow Up is the first (and my favourite) and House Of Secrets followed. It's all very Jam/Beatles/Who/Squeeze/XTC powerpop with the flavour of 1966 when everyone was going psychedelic around the edges. If you're a fan of any of those people, especially XTC then I think you'll like The Direct Hits.
So, people, bands you love that you think deserve a wider audience that we can find on Spotify?
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No Modesty Blaise, the best Direct Hits song, on spotify
Never mind, they’ve got all the Squire records. Is Girl On A Train the weediest single ever? “Do you live at home with your mum and dad? Or do you have a husband who makes you sad?”. Dear old Squire. Nice to hear them again. And I‘d forgotten that Kirsty Macoll sings b/vs on My Mind Goes Round In Circles.
Squire!
Oh yes; some great melodies despite the weediness.
Yup, no Modesty Blaise or She Really Didn't Care or Christopher Cooper from The Direct Hits, all great tunes.
The Direct Hits Blow Up
was the first album I downloaded on E-music just the other month and it was the first time I'd heard it since 1986 or so. An utterly fantastic record from start to finish and I still know every word! I remember seeing them complete with Colin's under sized Hofner back in 85 at a leisure centre in Peterborough. Life gets no more rock and roll than that when you're a nipper. What Killed Alistair Crowley was completley ripped off by the Scream and the Roses on Velocity Girl and Made Of Stone. This is a FACT and not some delusional over excietd rambling. Probably.
They were absolutely wonderful.
Must get onto Spotify. The E-music download has all the song titles mixed up so Every Ready Play Thing is labelled A Place In The Eightes. Hell, I'm putting on now. It's crazy time. Woo! £1.82 please.
Wow!
I had never heard of them - strange, given how much I loved mod bands. I'm still a huge Jam fan, so I will be checking out The Direct Hits for sure!
BTW, is there a website for them? Or any more info? Graphics? (Googling 'Direct Hits' doesn't get you far, for obvious reasons!)
They're also the first band, IMO, that's had a 'Modesty Blaise' song that's any good!
cheers,
Audiate
www.modestyblaisebooks.com