William, It Was Really Nothing

This is a tribute to artists that went undiscovered in the 80's, for whatever reason.

Baby-Billy MacKenzie

I was very into music in the 80's. Yet I totally missed this singer and his band, The Associates. Not only had I not heard them, I hadn't even heard of them in the 80's. I never caught up until one day I read an article in a British magazine where Bjork was waxing and waning about what a great singer he was. I thought, hmmmm, I love her. And that time, there were a number of Associates reissues floating about.

But this was the first song I heard. Most of what I am going to tell you I didn't know at the time. That Billy MacKenzie killed himself at the age of 37, right around the time of a solo comeback. That The Cure's song "Cut Here" and The Creatures (Siouxsie again) "Say" are both in reference to him, while "William, It Was Really Nothing" is said to be a tribute by Morrissey.

Whatever the case, this song really blew me away. I have since gotten the Associates greatest hits, which I like as well as the solo record this track is off of, Outernational. The solo record is hit and miss, while the Associates record seems a good primer for them...it definitely makes me want to hear his other stuff.

But back to this song. Lush, romantic, sad...its a true stunner. His voice...wow....extraordinary--its been described as operatic, which I can see. His vocals range from a low Bowie-esque growl to an all out belt. And its at this point that the strings come in. The song is devastating (its all about a failed relationship) and all the more so once you know the circumstances of his death.

Its all rainy nights, walking the streets alone, and doomed love.

Primitive Painters-Felt

Like the Associates, this is a band that I missed entirely. And frankly, I blame my friend Molly, who was all into Goth makeup and Bau Hau, The Cure, Wire and The Smiths. How she could be constantly pushing The Legendary Pink Dots and The Jazz Butcher (Conspiracy) and yet miss this? So its her fault.

I haven't heard everything by them, but they are definitely worth checking out. There earlier stuff has a 4AD feel to it, most notably the Cocteau Twins (particularly this song, my favorite, which actually is a duet with Cocteau Twin Elizabeth Fraser). You could guess this by the title alone, which as a Cocteau feel to it. Later on there music became more jangly (still beautiful). In any event, I'm not Felt expert (they are pretty influential on a number of bands, most notably Belle & Sebastian). But this is a beautiful song.

(You Don't Know How) Glad I Am-Maria McKee

From the getgo, with the strings and piano, this sounds like a lost standard from the early 60's. Maria McKee's enormous vocals even give off a Patsy Cline feel. Its a beautifully upbeat love song...it'd make a great wedding song (dare I say that...ugh, weddings, ugh). In any event, its off her record Peddlin' Dreams.

You should hear this song. You should buy Peddlin' Dreams. But the main reason I picked this song is to tell you about Maria McKee, whose been around over 20 years. She started in the wildly underappreciated (by record buyers, not critics) Lone Justice. In retrospect, Lone Justice was probably doomed from the start, with their rockabilly and country influences. Not the way the new wave college rock river was flowing. They had one near Top 40 hit, "Shelter", which got knocked for being too synth-laden. Interestingly (and as far as I know, I'm the only one to ever notice this, but that cannot be true) Tayor Dayne basically copied huge parts of this song for her hit "I"ll Be Your (yeah, you guessed it) Shelter." Maria McKee should have sued.

In '86, Lone Justice broke up and Maria went solo. Since then she has released fabulous record after fabulous record. To underground and critical acclaim, yes...but she deserves to be heard by a much wider audience. She has one of the clearest most beautiful voices in music today and is a fantastic song writer (listening to "Breathe", "Has He Got A Friend In Me?" and "Show Me Heaven" as well as old Lone Justice songs "Don't Toss Us Away", "You Are The Light" and "Dixie Storms" will ensure that you fall in love).

A lost treasure...you'll thank me for this, trust me.