Bluetrain ‘Under The Hammer’

Last month I was sent a message on Instagram by Stephan Tiedemann, asking why some recordings he had of my band, Bluetrain, had never been officially released. I must admit, I wondered if he had got the wrong person, as everything I had, had been released on the two ‘Best of..’ Bluetrain albums. The first cd, ‘Some Greater Love‘ came out on Plastilina Records (in Peru!) in 2011 and then in 2020 Firestation Records in Berlin put out those tracks with a few more, the last I had.

That album came out on both cd and vinyl and sold out very quickly. It was also released in Japan and likewise sold out very fast. I thought that was everything.

To my amazement, Stephan sent me five recordings I had completely forgotten about! Three of the songs had been re recorded, these were the original versions. ‘Land of Gold‘ and ‘Parade‘ are both on the Bluetrain 12″ we released on Dan Treacy‘s Dreamworld Records in 1987. ‘You Bring Me Back To Life‘ is included on the two albums mentioned above.

Thanks to Tim Paton for the e.p.’s cover photo.

These early versions of those songs really made me happy to hear – we sound so young and innocent. (We were! Rudy is 18 and I am 19). The two other songs included on the new e.p., ‘Band of Friends‘ – one of Rudy’s songs, with him on vocals and ‘Under The Hammer‘ another song written by myself and Danny, have never seen the light of day.

I got all five tracks mastered and today they are released via my Indie Through The Looking Glass label. You can hear them on all the usual digital platforms, including Spotify and Bandcamp. There is also an option to download them via Bandcamp and include five signed (by Danny and me) original Buzz Club / Bluetrain flyers.

The really funny thing is, yesterday, pure coincidence, Jay Cox, a Buzz Club regular sent me these flyers! I love it when my Buzz Club collection gets new entries! Thanks Jay.

1987 was a really exciting year for us. We played Glastonbury, France, a Scottish tour, supported both The Mighty Lemon Drops and The Bodines and filmed a video for ‘Land of Gold’.

These photos are from the video shoot, taken by Sandy Along with us, that’s Dan Treacy from The Television Personalities and Dreamworld Records, sitting on the camera boom and, sitting playing Rudy’s Rickenbacker is Phil King. Phil was in The Servants at the time but went on to be in Lush, The Jesus and Mary Chain and more.

These are from our gig in Tours, France.

Glastonbury 1987, we played the Cinema Tent, running through the mud to make it in time – Kev, our drummer played in his wellington boots!

Below are various images from 1987, including The Stone Roses, who Danny and I saw at Dingwalls supporting The Raw Herbs. It was the first time we had seen them and we fell in love instantly.

The Brilliant Corners played The Buzz Club twice within a few months in 1987 – once at the West End Centre in Aldershot where we ran the club and once at Camberley Town Football Club where we did a one off Buzz Club (where they invited me to the studio a few weeks later to do the backing vocals on ‘Brian Rix‘)

Guy Van Steene took the crowded Aldershot Buzz Club photos – and Tim Paton took these top two – Aldershot and Camberley.

Danny with his shirt off playing my Framus semi acoustic guitar and also with his black polo neck on, playing his own Fender Precision bass (at the Camberley gig).

The Close Lobsters and the BMX Bandits – they both played The Buzz Club that year. Thanks once again to Tim Paton for those photos.

Danny and I also made a trip to Paris in early 1987, and visited the Louvre – including the Andy Warhol artwork. I took a photo of the Mona Lisa and got told off via their Tannoy system, as photos weren’t allowed – I love that my refection can be seen in the forbidden pic!

We supported The Pastels at the Edinburgh gig but didn’t make the flyer.

It was the first night of the Scottish tour; below – Guy, Marie-Lou and Mark in Edinburgh. Mark Nemetz joined us on guitar when Rudy left in March 1987.

Danny in a kitchen and Kev in Perth, below.

Here are a few more flyers – supporting The Raw Herbs at the Green Man pub (Cool Trout Basement club night) in London.

A French radio playlist including us and other bands on Dreamworld.

We supported The Mighty Lemon Drops at the University of Surrey gig and played in Port Talbot, Wales (they booked lots of bands who had played Glastonbury, including us)

You can read about 1987 in more detail here. It really was a fantastic year, there’s loads more there, including the Happy Mondays Buzz Club gig and more.

Bluetrain ‘Under The Hammer’ tracks recorded in that wonderful year, 1987. You can hear the e.p. on all the usual digital platforms, including Spotify and Bandcamp.

Thanks!