VA - Where Were You, Independent Music from Leeds 1978-1989 [2023] (3 x CDs)

LEEDS

VA - Where Were You, Independent Music from Leeds 1978-1989 [2023] (3 x CDs)

Where Were You? (Independent Music From Leeds 1978-1989) is a 3-CD box set compiled by Benoît Farvak and Richard Rouska, and released by Cherry Red Records in 2023 that showcases the diversity and creativity of the Leeds music scene during a decade of political and social turmoil. From post-punk to goth, from indie pop to synth pop, from jazz to industrial, this compilation features 68 tracks from bands that shaped the sound and identity of the city, some of them well-known, some of them obscure, but all of them worth discovering.

CD1 covers the late 70s and early 80s, when Leeds was a hotbed of DIY experimentation and innovation, influenced by the punk ethos and the art school culture. Highlights include The Mekons’ angular and sarcastic “Where Were You?”, Gang Of Four’s funky and radical “Damaged Goods”, Girls At Our Best!'s catchy and energetic “Getting Nowhere Fast”, and Soft Cell’s dark and synth-driven “A Man Can Get Lost”.

CD2 focuses on the mid-80s, when Leeds became synonymous with the goth movement, thanks to bands like The Sisters Of Mercy, The March Violets, and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, who combined gloomy atmospheres, heavy guitars, and drum machines to create a distinctive and influential style. Other genres are also represented, such as the jangly pop of The Wedding Present, the avant-garde noise of The Three Johns, the electro-pop of Vicious Pink, and the experimental folk of Tom Fazzini.

CD3 spans the late 80s, when Leeds witnessed the emergence of new trends and sounds, such as the baggy groove of Bridewell Taxis, the shoegaze bliss of Pale Saints, the indie rock swagger of The Edsel Auctioneer.

Where Were You? is a comprehensive and fascinating document of a vibrant and vital music scene that deserves more recognition and appreciation. It is a must-have for fans of British alternative music, and a great introduction for newcomers who want to explore the rich and varied musical legacy of Leeds.

Leeds was nothing like a musical powerhouse. It was always indie, and that’s precisely what makes Cherry Red’s new three-disc compilation, Where Were You? Independent Music From Leeds (1978-1989) so much fun. (Amazon)

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Track lists

CD01

01 Mekons - Where Were You? 2:44

02 Rouge - Have You Seen Gene 2:48

03 Jerks - Cool 3:11

04 Rats And Delicious - No Time 2:07

05 Agony Column - (I Had It) All Worked Out 3:21

06 Neat - Hormones In Action (In My Heart) 3:03

07 Gang Of Four - Damaged Goods (Lp Version) 3:28

08 Scritti Politti - Messthetics 1:46

09 City Limits - Morse-Code Messages 2:39

10 Expelaires - Sympathy (Don't Be Taken In) 3:05

11 Alwoodley Jets - Crash N' Burn 3:27

12 Girls At Our Best! - Getting Nowhere Fast 2:00

13 Shake Appeal - My Own Way 2:24

14 Delta 5 - You 3:51

15 Knife Edge - Favourite Girl 4:05

16 Music For Pleasure - The Human Factor 2:44

17 Squares - Buddy Holly 3:18

18 Mirror Boys - At Tiffanys 3:41

19 Dance Chapter - Anonymity 4:53

20 Boys - Let It Rain 3:56

21 Soft Cell - A Man Can Get Lost 3:18

22 Abrasive Wheels - Army Song 1:54

23 Icon A.D. - Fight For Peace 3:17

24 Expelled - Government Policy 2:58

25 Underdogs - East Of Dachau 3:43

CD02

01 Sisters Of Mercy - Temple Of Love 3:54

02 March Violets - Religious As Hell 3:52

03 Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Beating My Head 3:16

04 Anabas - Barricades 3:55

05 Three Johns - Do The Square Thing [7' Version] 2:31

06 Vicious Pink - Cccan't You See 3:32

07 Tom Fazzini - 16 Vessels 4:02

08 Annie Hogan - Executioners Song (Kickabye) 5:05

09 Déjà Vu - Cut The Cross 2:34

10 Flowers For Agatha - Presentation 3:58

11 Xero Slingsby And The Works - Hurricane Damage In Leeds (Live) 4:07

12 Hollow Men - Late Flowering Lust 4:24

13 Rose Of Avalanche - Goddess 5:09

14 Cassandra Complex - Moscow Idaho 3:16

15 Surfin Dave And The Absent Legends - Stateside Centre 2:47

16 Age Of Chance - I Don't Know And I Don't Care 1:21

17 Third Circle - Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life 3:33

18 Wedding Present - You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends 3:03

19 Pink Peg Slax - Boy From Leeds 2:39

20 Dustdevils - Seeds In The Spoil 2:55

21 Mission - Wasteland 3:57

22 Salvation - Thunderbird 4:41

CD03

01 Rhythm Sisters - Saturday/Sunday Lazy Leeds Afternoons 3:37

02 Ritzun Ratzun Rotzer - Noodleman 1:53

03 Sinister Cleaners - Longing For Next Year 3:13

04 Prowlers - Life's A Mystery 3:19

05 Son Of Sam - Goodbye Junkie Jim... 4:15

06 Len Liggins - Life In Leeds City 2:43

07 Good Shepherds - Wallpaper Man 3:52

08 Wmtid - Go Big Red 4:48

09 MDMA - Evidence 4:38

10 Drug Free America - Day-Glo Pussycat 3:56

11 Vaynes - Lick The Dirt 4:09

12 Bazooka Joe - Hometown 5:00

13 Cud - I've Had It With Blondes 3:33

14 Snapdragons - The Things You Want 2:26

15 Groovin' With Lucy - Lennys' Lament 4:13

16 Purple Eternal - Trip #67 2:56

17 Bridewell Taxis - Wild Boar 2:56

18 Ghost Dance - Celebrate 3:25

19 Pale Saints - Sight Of You 5:39

20 Gold Frankincense & Disk Drive - Character Assassinator 4:22

21 Edsel Auctioneer - Our New Skin 3:50

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