The Flying Lizards (album)
The Flying Lizards is the 1979 self-titled debut album[3] by The Flying Lizards and was released on the Virgin Records label.[4]
The Flying Lizards | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 28 July 1979 | |||
Recorded | 1978 - 1979 | |||
Studio | Berry Street Studio and Brixton Academy additional recordings in NYC, Munich, Maidstone and in transit | |||
Length | 42:07 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Producer | David Cunningham | |||
The Flying Lizards chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
Smash Hits | 7½/10[2] |
Preceded by two surprise hit singles, the album reached No. 60 in the UK Album Chart.[5]
Background
Following the unexpected success of the group's 1979 singles—covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money"—David Cunningham and Deborah Evans were offered a deal with Virgin Records.[6] New material for the album featured improvisational musicians Steve Beresford and David Toop.[6]
The album encompasses "dub-style audio experiments" and "bent interpretations of pop music constructs."[6] Critic Simon Reynolds called it "an exercise in pop absurdism" which included "a Brecht-Weill cover, Sanskrit chants, found sounds, and unlikely instrumental textures" alongside "Cunningham's penchant for excessive studio processing and daft effects."[7]
Chart performance
The album charted in the UK for 3 weeks from 16 February 1980 peaking at No. 60,[8] and in New Zealand for 5 weeks peaking at No. 28.[9]
Track list
1979 release
All tracks by David Cunningham except as noted
- "Der Song von Mandelay" (titled "Mandelay Song" on UK release) - 2:27 (Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill)
- "Her Story" - 4:37 (Dave Solomon, David Cunningham, General-Strike, Vivien Goldman)
- "TV" - 3:51 (David Cunningham, Deborah Evans-Stickland, General-Strike)
- "Russia" - 6:11
- "Summertime Blues" - 3:09 (Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart)
- "Money (That's What I Want)" - 5:52 (Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford)
- "The Flood" - 4:57
- "Trouble" - 2:46
- "Events During Flood" - 3:25
- "The Window" - 4:52 (Vivien Goldman)
Bonus tracks on 1995 CD
11. "All Guitars" - 2:41 ("Sunmmertime Blues" single B-side)
12. "Tube" - 5:09 (instrumental remix of "TV" - B side of "TV" single)
13. "Money (That's What I Want)" - 2:32 (single edit)
General Strike are David Toop and Steve Beresford, who also made the album Danger In Paradise with David Cunningham in the years 1979-1982[10]
Personnel
- David Cunningham
- David Toop
- Steve Beresford
- Michael Upton
- Deborah Evans-Stickland
- Vivien Goldman
- Julian Marshall
References
- "The Flying Lizards" album cover
- The Flying Lizards at AllMusic
- Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (February 7–20): 31.
- Discogs - the Flying Lizards cassette 1979, Virgin (CS 13137) US
- Discogs - the Flying Lizards vinyl promo 1979, Virgin (VA13137) US
- http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/flying%20lizards/
- Deming, Mark. "The Flying Lizards – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
- Reynolds, Simon (2005). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Penguin. p. 188.
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(help) - http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/flying%20lizards/
- http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=The+Flying+Lizards&titel=The+Flying+Lizards&cat=a
- staubgold - Danger In Paradise