Manchester's best kept music secret

"There is a lovely, lost Distractions song, 'Time Goes By So Slow', which sees the singer referring to Manchester as it was ("They put your statue up in Albert Square and all the people passing by just stare ... but Albert just won't do, I don't need him but you...").  It was a lyric not lost on Garvey, who could understand the use of landmarks to tell a tale of lost love."

Reluctant Heroes: The Story of Elbow, Mick Middles (2009).

(c) Music Room.

"C’era un gruppo chiamato Distractions, un gruppo straordinario – 'Time Goes By So Slow' e un singolo davvero notevole.  Alcuni di questi gruppo sono stati quasi come dei sogni, e quasi come se non fossero mai esistiti."

"There was a group called Distractions, a unique group - 'Time Goes By So Slow' a truly remarkable single.  Some of these groups were almost like dreams, and almost as if they never existed."

Totally wired. "Post-punk". Dietro le quinte, Simon Reynolds (2010).

"That is what remains so ironic; that in dysfunctioning, The Stone Roses almost... almost grasped the heights scaled by Led Zeppelin.  Undisputed greatness.  Then again, as one briefly celebrated Manchester band - The Distractions - once noted, nobody's perfect.  Not even the finest band that this fantastic city of Manchester has ever produced.  But they almost had it..."

Breaking into Heaven: The Rise and Fall of The Stone Roses, Mick Middles (1999).

Hidden Masters

We're delighted to bring you news of the long-awaited, comprehensive and fully-remastered Distractions retrospective, from Neil Storey at Hidden Masters:

THE DISTRACTIONS

 

During the Autumn of 2010, work began on another Hidden Masters project, centered around one of the truly great 'lost' Manchester bands of the early '80s – The Distractions.

 

If the name doesn't readily spring to mind, a brief aide-memoire: The Distractions' first releases were on the TJM label before they signed to Factory. One single later and Nick Stewart (the man who inked the pact with U2) signed them to Island.

 

The Distractions one and only album, Nobody's Perfect, was released to sales that failed to match the lavish critical praise heaped upon the band or the record. Thus, after the obligatory singles and weeks spent touring the length and breadth of Britain, they were promptly dropped (in favour of the Irish quartet) when label cutbacks dictated that an A&R choice had to be made between one and t'other.

 

The Distractions reappeared on Rough Trade and Bronze before grinding to a halt at no real fixed point in time during the middle of the decade.

And there the tale would probably have ended… were it not for Occultation's Nick Halliwell who reunited co-founders Steve Perrin (writer & guitars / by now a teacher in Auckland, NZ) and Mike Finney (singer of songs / a Customs Officer in Hull) at a studio in Liverpool during the summer of 2009.

  

Occultation released the resulting two EPs to rave critiques. The shell on the egg of Distractions #2 had been pierced and, although geographically challenged, vague plans were made to record a second album… 31 years after their first.

 

With better than anticipated sales of these two EPs coupled to renewed media interest in The Distractions as the backdrop, Hidden Masters began the research process that would lead to assembling a database of all known recordings. Because, other than their Factory single, none of The Distractions' material has ever been made digitally available or reissued in any form.

 

Meantime, those imprecise new-LP plans turned to reality during the Summer of 2011 when messrs Perrin and Finney tipped up at a small studio in Exeter armed with a clutch of new compositions. Accompanied by Halliwell (guitars), Arash Torabi (bass) and veteran drum-major Mike Kellie, the new Distractions album was recorded in four days.

 

Concurrently, the months of deep-archive research were bearing fruit; all of The Distractions key masters had been located. However, using the same methodology as for any Hidden Masters project, the complete audio-database also includes live recordings; demos, outtakes, different mixes and radio sessions – some of which only now exists on DAT, cassette or virgin vinyl.

 

Hidden Masters will shortly start the digitisation process of all found (at FX with Richard Whittaker as chief engineer) before embarking on the song selection process in collaboration with Mike Finney and Steve Perrin.

 

With the new Distractions' album being readied for release via Occultation in late Spring 2012, Hidden Masters plan to release the fully re-mastered retrospective to coincide.

 

Envisaged as a 2xCD set and currently untitled, it will include their one and only Island album – about which, the final line in Paul Morley's July 3rd 1980 lead review for the NME stated | This is heart beat music that bruises the soul.

© Neil Storey, 2010-2012.

The Great Indie Discography

From Martin Charles Strong's 2003 Great Indie Discography (with fellow Mancunians, The Smiths adorning) comes this history of The Distractions (complete with errors):

 (c) Google 2011. Google Books.

DISTRACTIONS

Formed:  Manchester, England... late 1977 by students MIKE FINNEY and STEVE PERRIN-BROWN, who had played several live gigs in the previous two years with the rhythm section of LAWRENCE TICKLE and TONY TRAP.  These originals were replaced by ADRIAN WRIGHT, PIP NICHOLLS and ALEC SIDEBOTTOM (former drummer with 60's combo, the PURPLE GANG), after their jubilee year resurrection.  During a hectic touring schedule supporting the likes of MAGAZINE, The BUZZCOCKS and just about every Mancunian New Wave act around at the time, The DISTRACTIONS signed a one-off deal with 'T.J.M.' and unveiled their debut EP, 'YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT DRESSED LIKE THAT', early in '79.  That year also saw the lads sign another one-off contract, this time to Tony Wilson's 'Factory', the results coming in the shape of the strongly melodic double-header, 'TIME GOES BY SO SLOW' / 'PILLOW TALK'.  At the turn of the decade, The DISTRACTIONS' critical stock had risen to the extent that 'Island' offered them an album deal.  Preceded by a re-recorded 'IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME' (originally from the debut EP) and a re-vamped version of (Eden Kane's 1964 Top 10 hit) 'BOYS CRY', 'NOBODY'S PERFECT' (1980) was surprisingly disappointing.  One further single for the independent 'That' outlet, 'AND THEN THERE'S', surfaced the following year, singer JULIE FINNEY replacing PERRIN-BROWN before their attention was diverted to other activities.

Album rating:  NOBODY'S PERFECT (*4)

MIKE FINNEY - vocals / STEVE PERRIN-BROWN - guitar / ADRIAN WRIGHT - guitar / PIP NICHOLLS - bass / ALEC SIDEBOTTOM - drums (ex-PURPLE GANG)

Mar 79.  (7" ep) (TJM 2) YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT DRESSED LIKE THAT EP - T.J.M.

- It doesn't bother me / Waiting for the rain / Do the.

Sep 79.  (7") (FAC 12) TIME GOES BY SO SLOW. / PILLOW FIGHT - Factory

Jan 80.  (7") (WIP6533)  IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. / ONE WAY LOVE - Island

Apr 80.  (7") (WIP 6568)  BOYS CRY. / PARACETAMOL PARALYSIS - Island

May 80.  (lp) (ILPS 9604)  NOBODY'S PERFECT - Island

- Waiting for Lorraine / Something for the weekend / Boys cry / Sick and tired / Leave you to dream / Louise / Paracetamol Paralysis / Fantasy / Nothing / Wonder girl / Untitled / Still it doesn't ring / Looking for a ghost / Valerie

Sep 80.  (7") (WIP 6650)  SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND / WHAT'S THE USE - Island

Apr 81.  (7") (THAT 1)  AND THEN THERE'S / 24 HOURS. / GHOST OF A CHANCE / LOVE IS NOT FOR ME - That

- JULIE FINNEY - vocals; repl. PERRIN-BROWN

- changed their moniker to FIRST CIRCLE, although there were no records

(c) The Great Indie Discography, Martin Charles Strong (2003).

(c) Google 2011. Google Books.

A teaser

The Distractions' new album will be with us in 2012 (along with the eagerly anticipated compilation - more on that soon).  In the meantime, there may be a taster in the form of some acoustic versions of album tracks.

"Girl of the Year"

A pop song in that great tradition, a song about you-know-what.  Louise, Valerie, Josephine, Nicole, or are The Distractions Waiting for Lorraine?  

"Too Late To Change"

A darker, more folksy number with driving rhythms from The Only One's drummer, Mike Kellie.

"Wise"

Destined to be a Distractions classic, this is a tear-jerker in the vein of Looking For A Ghost and Black Velvet.  Except this time it's written by part-time Distraction, Nick Halliwell, and the lyric includes a cameo from plucker Perrin to complement his friend Finnney's glorious lead.

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.

Toons

The Distractions played at Newcastle University on 17 May 1980 supported by The Members (actually listed as the "Dismembered"). There are some terrifically obscure song intros from Adrian committed to tape here. For example: "This one's about a Mexican who Steve met in a takeaway in Manchester - it's called Wonder Girl...  This is our new single. It's a song about the effect of plastic, glue and ice on the environment - it's an early ecology song.  It's called Boys Cry."  The encore is Sick And Tired, followed by a raucous version of the Velvet's Waiting For My Man and the impressive PA finishes by playing out with the new single, Boys Cry.  The set list reads as follows:

1.  It Doesn't Bother Me

2.  Something For The Weekend

3.  Something New

4.  Wonder Girl

5.  Boys Cry

6.  (Stuck In A) Fantasy

7.  Leave You To Dream

8.  Still It Doesn't Ring

9.  Time Goes By So Slow

10.  What's The Use

11.  Louise

12.  [Untitled]

13.  Waiting For Lorraine
- - - - -

14.  Sick And Tired

15.  Waiting For The Man

Song number three here is Something New, an unreleased track that will be new to those fans who didn't  get the chance to catch The Distractions live. It may appear next year in some form though...

Mystery video

There have been a couple of mentions of an alleged Time Goes By So Slow video that was filmed by Charles Salem in Albert Square (where else?). Sadly, Charlie doesn't recall filming this - but admits that doesn't mean it didn't happen!

We do know that Salem worked as Factory Records' video man during the time that The Distractions were associated  to Tony Wilson's label.  He worked with friend of The Distractions, Liz Naylor, on 'No City Fun'  with music by Joy Division.  'All Night Party' and 'Red Dress' were music videos by Salem featuring soundtracks from A Certain Ratio and Ludus, respectively.  These three videos were packaged together as FAC 9 [1].

Salem was supposed to work again with Liz Naylor in September 1979, in a video project entitled 'In Search of the Lost Chord', a "sojourn through the mathematics of Western tonal mathematics" with music supplied by Martin Hannett.  Unsurprisingly, this never happened due to "...misgivings on the part of Miss Naylor on the question of this all-pervading concept of 'product.' She wants to know when we're going to market toilet paper next.  Good question [1]."

Unfortunately, it's probably more likely that FAC toilet roll will turn up before footage of The Distractions in Albert Square with FAC 12 as the soundtrack...

Here's the original, beautiful, colour image of Albert Square by Andy Cooke that inspired Mark Cooper to take the shots which resulted in the artwork for The Distractions' two 2010 EPs, Black Velvet and Come Home. The below image is a rough mock-up of what became the Black Velvet EP sleeve.

(c) Andy Cooke (andy.cooke) at flickr.

1. http://news.cerysmaticfactory.info/2004_10_01_archive.html.