A cryptic post for a rather niche item – I deduced from the Twitter name it is The Distractions who I know mainly cos they recorded a 7″ single for Factory (Time Goes By So Slow) which turns up on a couple of FAC compilations, and David Quantick frequently raves about them.
I’ve had that album in my hands in shops and record fairs more than once and for some reason never been convinced to part money for it and put it back. I’ve only heard a few YT clips and not entirely convinced but presumably when this is reissued I can audition it in full and get a better appraisal of it’s charms – I’m a sucker for a great lost LP especially from the early 80s.
Like me, I expect the OP never even considered it to be obscure! It’s such a magnificent album (possibly the finest pop album of the 80’s) that in my head feels like the sort of classic everybody knows.
We’re talking about the debut (and for 30 odd years the only) Distractions album, “Nobody’s Perfect” released on Factory records in 1980.
@vulpes-vulpes@johnw
They have an interesting spread of record labels: my 7″ single “Time Goes By So Slow” is on Factory FAC12A (terrible cover for a Factory release); my 12″ of “You’re Not Going Out Dressed Like That” (none of the 4 songs is called that, by the way) is on TJM Records; and my copy of the “Nobody’s Perfect” LP (excellent cover) is on Island.
Never noticed that before.
Doh! Of course it’s on Island but I’ve always thought of them as a Factory band. The (excellent) Peter Saville sleeve on Nobody’s Perfect doesn’t help. My vinyl copies are on the same labels as yours are. The difference in quality between the Nobody’s Perfect sleeve and the 12″ EP suggests TJMs budget was a bit lower!
I mainly know The Distractions for the track Times Goes So Slow, which crops up on every Factory / Manchester compilation, and the fact that they featured Arthur Kadmon, who was one of the shorter-lived members of The Fall.
Oh, it’s a cracker. The first thing I heard by The Distractions was their lovely cover of ‘Boys Cry’ on Mike Read’s evening show. Not a good looking bunch, which probably didn’t help.
Yes, I was blinded by my love for this album and presumed everyone would know this, of course they would!
The Distractions – Manchester band, Factory links although the album released on Island. Never re-issued, never on CD and the original mix is a bit muddy tbh but its a cracker.
I did include a link to their own website which has mysteriously vanished and would have cleared up some of the confusion. Doh!
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how one man’s assumption of a band they think everyone knows about is another man’s obscurity? I’ve actually never heard of the Distractions!
One of those band names that’s so similar to several others from around the same time that I can’t be sure whether I’ve heard of them or not. Or whether I’ve heard any of their music before or not.
Song/album titles are no clue.
I agree with the comment, although there’s no bar on how popular a band has to be to be discussed here. Many’s the time I’ve been convinced that people were just making up band names to sound impressive! (until I googled them, of course)
johnw says
Hurrah! Finally I’ll be able to ditch my slightly scratchy Vinyl to MP3 version I did (as a vinyl to WAV) over 20 years ago.
Vulpes Vulpes says
ilps 9604 – hope we get a few goodies thrown in, but I’ll settle for a decent CD remastering.
Pajp says
I can’t follow the Twitter link. Put me out of my misery … are we talking the Jessie J album or the Mike + The Mechanics one?
The Good Doctor says
A cryptic post for a rather niche item – I deduced from the Twitter name it is The Distractions who I know mainly cos they recorded a 7″ single for Factory (Time Goes By So Slow) which turns up on a couple of FAC compilations, and David Quantick frequently raves about them.
I’ve had that album in my hands in shops and record fairs more than once and for some reason never been convinced to part money for it and put it back. I’ve only heard a few YT clips and not entirely convinced but presumably when this is reissued I can audition it in full and get a better appraisal of it’s charms – I’m a sucker for a great lost LP especially from the early 80s.
SteveT says
Would be nice if I knew what you were talking about.
johnw says
Like me, I expect the OP never even considered it to be obscure! It’s such a magnificent album (possibly the finest pop album of the 80’s) that in my head feels like the sort of classic everybody knows.
We’re talking about the debut (and for 30 odd years the only) Distractions album, “Nobody’s Perfect” released on Factory records in 1980.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Not Factory – it’s on Island Records – like I said above, its catalogue number is ilps 9604.
Peanuts Molloy says
@vulpes-vulpes @johnw
They have an interesting spread of record labels: my 7″ single “Time Goes By So Slow” is on Factory FAC12A (terrible cover for a Factory release); my 12″ of “You’re Not Going Out Dressed Like That” (none of the 4 songs is called that, by the way) is on TJM Records; and my copy of the “Nobody’s Perfect” LP (excellent cover) is on Island.
Never noticed that before.
johnw says
Doh! Of course it’s on Island but I’ve always thought of them as a Factory band. The (excellent) Peter Saville sleeve on Nobody’s Perfect doesn’t help. My vinyl copies are on the same labels as yours are. The difference in quality between the Nobody’s Perfect sleeve and the 12″ EP suggests TJMs budget was a bit lower!
Leicester Bangs says
I mainly know The Distractions for the track Times Goes So Slow, which crops up on every Factory / Manchester compilation, and the fact that they featured Arthur Kadmon, who was one of the shorter-lived members of The Fall.
Barry Blue says
Oh, it’s a cracker. The first thing I heard by The Distractions was their lovely cover of ‘Boys Cry’ on Mike Read’s evening show. Not a good looking bunch, which probably didn’t help.
Ainsley says
Yes, I was blinded by my love for this album and presumed everyone would know this, of course they would!
The Distractions – Manchester band, Factory links although the album released on Island. Never re-issued, never on CD and the original mix is a bit muddy tbh but its a cracker.
I did include a link to their own website which has mysteriously vanished and would have cleared up some of the confusion. Doh!
Ainsley says
The band have just confirmed that the album HAS been remixed for this release (although no release date yet) which is fantastic news
http://www.thedistractions.co.uk/home.html
Arthur Cowslip says
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how one man’s assumption of a band they think everyone knows about is another man’s obscurity? I’ve actually never heard of the Distractions!
Mike_H says
One of those band names that’s so similar to several others from around the same time that I can’t be sure whether I’ve heard of them or not. Or whether I’ve heard any of their music before or not.
Song/album titles are no clue.
Ainsley says
well, now you can
Ainsley says
I agree with the comment, although there’s no bar on how popular a band has to be to be discussed here. Many’s the time I’ve been convinced that people were just making up band names to sound impressive! (until I googled them, of course)