Champion Doug Veitch - Not The Heart

Do you remember Champion Doug Veitch?  He achieved some prominence in the mid 1980s.  He also had a run of six consecutive NME singles of the week.  I believe this is a record.  One of them was this one....

Not The Heart b/w Guilt Edged

And what a marvellous thing it is.  Champion Doug Veitch styled himself the 'King of Caledonian Swing' which is probably underselling his oeuvre.  Each track was some sort of combination of dub, reggae, country, and Scottish Folk.  'Not The Heart' features of all these and a bit of yodelling for good measure.  I think part of what makes this tune so marvellous is the input of esteemed dub maestro Mad Professor at the production controls.  This one will put a smile on your face and quite probably get you skanking about the place.

I've got the 'Jumping Into Love' single too.  I'll be ripping that one sometime soon.  A much sought after vinyl compilation entitled 'The Original' was released by the wonderfully named Bongo Records in 1989.  Remarkably, at the time of writing, this album is available to buy on iTunes for £7.99. 

Hearing this single again - which has one of those covers that can be unfolded to make a Champion Doug Veitch poster - made me wonder whatever became of him.  After some intensive online research I can now reveal Champion Doug Veitch was born Douglas Veitch in 1960 in Hawick in Scotland. His music was, as mentioned, a trailblazing polycultural mix of dub, reggae, country, and Scottish folk music, years before such cross-cultural mixing became common pop currency.

In 1985, he co-founded the label DiscAfrique with his colleague Owen Elias, which was one of the first world music labels in the United Kingdom, releasing records by The Bhundu Boys, Orchestre Baobab and The Four Brothers amongst others.  In 1989, he released an album of Scottish dance music with his wife under the moniker Martin, Doug and Sara.

After drifting out of the music industry Veitch took a PhD in Woodland Management.  Recently he has returned to music, reuniting with Bhundu Boys guitarist Rise Kagona under the moniker Culture Clash.  The duo released the album 'Tanzwa Neku Tambura: We've Suffered Enough' in 2007. 

Now you know.

Meat Whiplash - Don't Slip Up

Today's seven inch vinyl rip is...

...not so much a one hit wonder as a one release wonder. Meat Whiplash were clearly inspired by Creation label mates The Jesus and Mary Chain.  Indeed Meat Whiplash were the opening act for The Jesus and Mary Chain at North London Polytechnic in 1985.  A bottle that was thrown on stage was tossed back into the crowd by one of Meat Whiplash, and that was the catalyst for a riot.  A riot that ended with a wrecked venue and injured punters.  They were from East Kilbride, Scotland, and were amongst the first bands to be signed to Creation Records.  The line-up was Paul McDermott (vocals), Stephen McLean (guitar), Edward Connelly (bass guitar) and Michael Kerr (drums). They took their name from a B-side track by The Fire Engines. They changed their name to The Motorcycle Boy when female singer Alex Taylor (previously of The Shop Assistants) joined the group in 1987.

"Don't Slip Up" spent 19 weeks in the UK Indie Chart, where it reached the #3 position following its release on 14 September 1985.  The cover star is none other than actor Robert Vaughn playing his role as one half of 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'.  My single has the customary hand folded cover inside a polythene bag.  Apparently it was Alan McGee and Bobby Gillespie who printed and folded the covers.

So what's it like?  Basically it's a blatant rip off of The Jesus and Mary Chain's early 'wall of noise' sound.  Still when that wall of noise includes a pretty nifty little pop tune trying to be heard, and an incessant buzzing guitar, then what's not to love?  

This single catalogue number is CRE020.  I bought quite a few of the early Creation Records singles.  Here's a list of them all.