Occultating

This discussion on the Go Betweens forum sums up The Distractions' modern day fan base... keen and eager to spread the word; perhaps slightly obsessive.  New converts have usually had their head turned at the extraordinary Factory Records single, Time Goes By So Slow, then go on to discover the album, its beauty and its limitations.  

skulldisco:

"The Distractions – Nobody’s Perfect.  Long-forgotten classic Manchester band from 1981.  I wish I still had the single they released on Factory Records, it's probably worth a small fortune.  Who would have thought Factory would have a power pop, '60s influenced band on their roster!  The album is on Island Records, my copy is pretty scratchy having been in transit so many times over the last 29 years or so."  

Jeff Whiteaker: 

"Kevin, I think Time Goes By So Slow is an incredible pop song, but I could never really warm up to their album."  

skulldisco:

"Jeff, I know where you are coming from.  It probably sounds a bit dated now to be honest, but I think the songs are of a high quality, it's the production that dates it.  It may be more up Randy's street, I’ll send him a couple of songs on the off chance he doesn’t already have them."  

Michael Bachman:

"Time Goes By So Slow is a great pop song.  I like the guitar break; it was almost heading into Tom Verlaine territory there for a second or two.  I must admit I've never heard of them.  Why wasn’t Nobody's Perfect ever released on CD?  Were the vinyl sales too small?"  

Randy Adams:

"I had never heard of The Distractions.  The end part of Time Goes By So Slow is when it starts to really happen for me.  Thanks for sending it, Kevin.  In your mail you'll find the answer to your question about the other song you sent.  Michael, my observation is that a lot of small-selling things released in the early '80s – shortly before the introduction of CDs – never saw CD release.  Most of them were now just yesterday's news but not old enough to be revived and if they weren't earlier releases by artists enjoying continuing success they disappeared."  

Note the discussion about Occultation label-mates, The Wild Swans' Revolutionary Spirit, later in the thread.  Also mentioned is The Fall's Extrictate, which featured none other than Martin Bramah, returning founder member of The Fall and now leader of Factory Star.  To complete the Occultation links, the Go Betweens themselves are name-checked on Jonathan Beckett's beautiful EP, She's a Vampire.