Wednesday 19 October 2016

Great Lost Songs - Birdland - 'Hollow Heart'



Yeah, if you remember, stupid hair, from the Midlands, Birdland didn't really stand a chance did they? Yet one listen to this in a modern context and you can't help but be taken aback by the power of it all. That sneery punk thing underpinned by a driving guitar melody, it's still got that raw excitement of youth somewhere in it. And somewhere underneath it all a feeling of soul, as far removed from Motown as you get but nonetheless with a heart at the centre.

At the time (1989) it was a big indie hit, the video sat in The Chart Show's indie chart for ages, we all owned a copy of the white 12" with the grafitti writing. Live they were chaotic and mesmerising, a tangle of Mary Chain black and attitude and pre grunge slackerdom, smashing instruments and giving out bad vibes from the stage, a potential UK riposte to the gathering tide starting to blow in from Seattle. They also did a mean cover of 'Rock n Roll Nigger' which hinted that the cartoon press version of the band may not be the whole story.

But it didn't happen that way....and now you'd be hard pushed to hear this on 6 Music....

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