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Occultation Recordings are thrilled to be taking pre-orders of the Nobody's Perfect 40th anniversary double CD and LP reissue that is being released officially on 20th March 2020 in conjunction with Man In The Moon Records.
Pre-ordering now means that your order will be sent to you as soon as they are received from the manufacturers, several weeks before the official release date. As a thank you for your support (and patience), initial copies ordered from Occultation will come with extra content:
- Initial CD orders will come with an exclusive limited 5" laminated art print with a hot-foil effect.
- Initial LP orders will include the 5" print plus a poster.
- All orders come with an immediate download of the 14 tracks administered by Occultation (standalone download available at Bandcamp).
Order Nobody's Perfect from Occultation HERE. You can also pick up previous LPs and CDs in bundles that save you a fair bit.
Our friends at SuperDeluxeEdition are also offering similar, exclusive deals on this set as well as the other Distractions albums.
Track listing for the 2CD and LP versions are as follows:
CD1: "Nobody’s Perfect”, 1979-81
1. Waiting For Lorraine
2. Something for the Weekend
3. Boys cry (when no one can see them)
4. Sick and tired
5. Leave you to dream
6. Louise
7. Paracetamol Paralysis
8. (Stuck in a) Fantasy
9. Nothing
10. Wonder Girl
11. Still it doesn't ring
12. Untitled
13. Looking for a Ghost
14. Valerie
15. It doesn’t bother me
16. One Way Love
17. Something for the Weekend
18. What’s the use?
19. Twenty-Four Hours
20. Ghost of a Chance
21. Love is not for me
22. Leave me
CD2: "Ride Your Ideas Ragged”, 1978-80
1. Pillow Fight
2. Sick and tired
3. Still it doesn’t ring
4. Valerie
5. Doesn’t bother me
6. Nothing
7. Maybe it’s Love
8. Too Young
9. Time goes by so slow
10. Pillow Fight
11. It doesn’t bother me
12. One Way Love
13. Waiting For Lorraine
14. Something for the Weekend
15. Boys cry (when no one can see them)
16. Sick and tired
17. Leave you to dream
18. Louise
19. Paracetamol Paralysis
20. (Stuck in a) Fantasy
21. Nothing
22. Wonder Girl
23. Still it doesn't ring
24. Untitled
25. Looking for a Ghost
26. Valerie
LP: Nobody's Perfect 2020 remix
The LP version features CD2 tracks 13-26, i.e. the remixed version of the album.
Sign up to The Distractions mailing list HERE so you can be the first to pre-order Nobody's Perfect 2020 on 2xCD and LP, plus extra goodies and bundles from Occultation:
In the evening we went to the Funhouse at The Mayflower to see Joy Division play along with The Distractions, The Fall and Ludus at a gig entitled 'Stuff The Superstars'... tickets were £1.50. I thought Joy Division were excellent - they came on very early in the programme and I remember them sounding so much better and far more powerful live than on the album.
Everything about Joy Division seemed to stand out - Steven Morris's electronic drum sound... Peter Hook's low-slung bass driving the rhythm... Bernard's clanging guitar... and amazing baritone vocals and dancing from ian Curtis... this was new and special.
I had to be careful about the amount of pictures that I took as I only had a few frames left to photograph the rest of the gig - The Fall and The Distractions, who had just signed to Island Records, were bigger bands and I had to save some film for them. Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
* * *
From another interview with Paul Slattery: "There were some great bands on there – Ludus, The Fall, The Distractions were a really great pop band from Manchester, and Joy Division. I never knew whether Joy Division’s band of music would surpass The Distractions. I’d seen the Distractions a few times and I like that kind of pop music."
And on this audio interview with Paul Slattery: "The headliners of the night were The Distractions - Manchester pop band, The Distractions - who I loved. I thought they were fantastic."
* * *
On 26th Ocrober 1979, I'd been asked to do a photo session with The Distractions, backstage at the Electric Ballroom - Joy Division were headlining that evening.
Unknown Pleasures had already become a cult record and Joy Division's status and reputation had grown considerably since I had met them at Strawberry Studios three months earlier.
The place was really packed and the photographers had to fight their way to the front. I had about half a roll of film left I the camera, and after I finally managed to get a reasonable place in the crowd, I was able to take these images.
I didn't realise at the time that my pictures would be so poignant, and in many ways, moving.
This piece from Prof David Quantick appeared in April 2019's Record Collector magazine. A month or two later, it was announced that his wish would be granted!
PLEASE RELEASE ME
A new, regular look at albums crying out for reissue
The Distractions
Nobody's Perfect
(Island ILPS 9601, UK LP, 1980) £15
1980 was a cusp year for guitar music as punk and new wave finally gave way to post-punk, 2-Tone, and new romantics. Which may partly account for the lack of success of Manchester band The Distractions' Nobody's Perfect, one of the great lost pop albums of all time - that, and the fact that the band signed to Island roughly when U2 did; far from ideal timing. Despite strong reviews, Nobody's Perfect did nothing commercially, and the band lost one of its members (guitarist Steve Perrin), were dropped from the label, and sputtered out shortly after.
The Distractions were an odd mix. Described as "Buzzcocks [if they] had been on Motown", they boasted Pete Shelley-type melodies, lyrics and racing guitar, and the vocals of Mike Finney, one of the best pop-soul singers. They began their career with the brilliant EP You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That (which posited them as the Mancunian Ramones), briefly swerved onto Factory to make the revered Time Goes By So Slow single, and were then signed by Island.
Nobody's Perfect is one of those albums that creates its own world, from the wry title and matching front cover to the songs, which range from the skittering paranoia of Waiting For Lorraine to the choral doom of Looking For A Ghost. Brilliant songs of frustration and melancholy, the near-hit single, a cover of Eden Kane's Boys Cry, showcased Finney's voice but not the band's gift with guitars and melodies; at times this record could be the work of a very wired Searchers, so well does it combine its tuneful roots with the modern era. True, it suffers from a slight lack of oomph in its production, but turned up loud, it's glorious.
Still unavailable in any form (though there is talk of a crowd-funded release for all The Distractions' work), Nobody's Perfect could have been a forlorn tombstone, but Finney and Perrin reunited in 2012 and released two superb albums of middle-aged brilliance, The End Of The Pier and Kindly Leave The Stage. These, thankfully, are still in print.
David Quantick
This short piece was published on Pop Diggers last year under 'Nearly forgotten pop classics of the '80s' by Peter Jonsson. Since then, the retrospective referred to is now, of course, the 40th anniversary 2CD deluxe and LP reissue of Nobody's Perfect - the former containing 48 tracks. These are scheduled in 2020 as joint release by Man In The Moon Records and Occultation Records. Full details soon.
THE DISTRACTIONS
(Stuck In A) Fantasy
[Nobody’s Perfect track; Island, 1980]
Not long after the expectations of The Distractions’ marvelous – but at that time much overlooked – debut album Nobody’s Perfect [1980] failed to materialize, the group started to fall apart. Quite understandable, since Nobody’s Perfect displayed all hit album qualities you can imagine. It was even sweetened (to no avail) by a jangling cover of Eden Kane’s UK # 8 hit from 1964, Boys Cry, released as the first of two singles from the album.
Formed in 1975, The Distractions drew attention in their Manchester-area right from the start. They recorded some really good songs for minor companies before they were signed to Island Records in 1979; the punkier 12” EP You’re Not Going Out Dressed Like That [1978] and the pop pearl Time Goes By So Slow [1979]. Line-up changes just after the release of Nobody’s Perfect did not make things better, and they disbanded in 1981. Steve Perrin (guitar) and Mike Finney (song) constitutes the driving force behind the band and they re-united the band in the 1990’s and again, twenty years later, this time with new material on Occultation Records.
Despite their recent gigs in 2017, the last album is called Kindly Leave The Stage [2017]; giving a hint of where they think they are heading. Hopefully, successful crowd funding for the planned retrospect Parabolically Yours can make them change their minds.
Here's the rest of the great Brian Davies article in the Positive Reaction fanzine from 1979. The Distractions and X-O-Dus - soon to both be signed for single deals by Tony Wilson's Factory Records - play the Rock Against Racism gig at Manchester Polytechnic.
MANCHESTER POLY - TUESDAY 3rd Apr. 1979.
DISTRACTIONS / EXODUS / BLACKSTONE
ROCK AGAINST RACISM GIG
MANCHESTER HERO BRIAN DAVIES WAS THERE!!!
The group formed about two years ago, when (I think) lead singer Mike Finney and guitarist Steve Perrin put an advert in NME, and from this, they got another guitarist Adrian Wright. He brought with him ex-Purple Gang drummer Alec, who had just returned from America. After they hassled Pete Shelley for a bass player they got Pip Nicholls. Tony Davidson, owner of the wealthy TJM label saw them and asked them to record for him. Within a week they had been in the studios and recorded the four tracks which make up the EP: "Doesn't Bother Me", "Nothing", "Maybe It's Love" and "Too Young". It was Single of the Week in NME and almost received the same accolade in 'Sounds'. The future looks quite rosy for one of Manchester's brightest hopes, with a gig in London soon at either the Marquee or Music Machine. The EP was a one-off and the band had signed a production deal with Arrow for the next single, possibly the brilliant "Still It Doesn't Ring".
Anyway to the gig. Brilliant with a couple of reservations. The band write superb tunes, but tend to play everything at 100 mph. This tends to blur the subtleties hidden away in the music, but the band's overall competence virtually makes up for this.
The set was composed of 17 songs, all original apart from the Small Faces classic "Whattcha Gonna Do About It?". Unfortunately, the band had to curtail the set, due to the fact that time was running out, and there was another group to come on. Singer Mike looks like he would be more at home as a bank clerk, but he commands attention, in the middle of the stage and he has "one of those voices".
Similar to Jake Burns, in that it makes you think that he can't sing like that all the time, but he does. Other stand out songs were "Paracetamol Paralysis" (nice title), "Time Goes By So Slow", all of the EP apart from "Doesn't Bother Me", which they wouldn't play due to time restrictions, the new single, and the much requested "Valerie". As their manager said, "They're the best pop group in the country!". You know, I think he's right. They don't lack a sense of humour either, especially Steve: "This is an anti-in tune song"!
He says he is influenced by Velvet Underfround and the Bay City Rollers? I don't want to end with the usual "check 'em out" conclusion, but that's exactly what applies. They're a hard-working and extremely friendly band. CHECK 'EM OUT!!!
Went home happy, and missed Blackstone, sorry!
BRIAN DAVIES
NEXT MONTH!
Possibly another article on THE DITRACTIONS, V2 interview, NOT SENSIBLE, more gig reviews.
BRIAN in MANCHESTER!
Here's the first half of a terrific article by Brian Davies in the Irish fanzine, Positive Reaction. It covers the huge 1979 Rock Against Racism gig where The Distractions were joined by their soon-to-be-Factory Records label-mates, X-O-Dus. Thanks to Brian for the scans and permission to republish.
MANCHESTER POLY - TUESDAY 3rd Apr. 1979.
DISTRACTIONS / EXODUS / BLACKSTONE
ROCK AGAINST RACISM GIG
MANCHESTER HERO BRIAN DAVIES WAS THERE!!!
The original bill was THE ONLY ONES / ANGELIC UPSTARTS / ASWAD / and local reggae band EXODUS. The Only Ones pulled out (no idea why!), so did Aswad 'cos one of them had a nervous breakdown, and apparently because Aswad couldn't appear so Angelic Upstarts followed suit. At one stage THE FALL were supposed to appear but that was pure speculation on the organisers' behalf.
After their lengthy sound-check, watched by most of the multi-racial audience (reaching a peak of about 5,000-6,000), EXODUS appeared on stage at about 9pm. Theirs is a brand of totally unique reggae, the lead guitarist often employing out of date guitar-hero solos. But when they played straight-forward reggae they were great, the bass and drum meshing beautifully and the male singer had a really melodic and tuneful voice. The first number ("Racial Problems"?) was really good, the musicians in the group (two guitars, bass and drums) played alone for about five minutes and were then joined by a male and female singer. The next number "World In Action" was pretty ordinary but "English Black Boys" was really excellent.
I then left my brother who was impressed by the rest of the set, in search of a few words with THE DISTRACTIONS. This group will probably be a new name to most Irish readers but they have released one record, a twelve-inch on TJM Records, "You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That". The music is fast-pop, but that classification does not do them justice. I would say they write better pop tunes than Pete Shelley or Blondie (is there any higher praise?).
Anyway, after much messing, asking different people (hi Ann!), their manager (ex) took me to the dressing room, where I met the band and assorted girlfriends. Not really being prepared, I came away something patchy, so what I'll do is give you a brief history of the band, their future plans and a few other interesting items that came out of conversation!
The group formed about two years ago, when (I think) lead singer Mike Finney and guitarist Steve Perrin put an advert in NME, and from this, they got another guitarist Adrian Wright. He brought with him ex-Purple Gang drummer Alec, who had just returned from America. After they hassled Pete Shelley for a bass player they got Pip Nicholls. Tony Davidson, owner of the wealthy TJM label saw them and asked them to record for him. Within a week they had been in the studios and recorded the four tracks which make up the EP: "Doesn't Bother Me", "Nothing", "Maybe It's Love" and "Too Young". It was Single of the Week in NME and almost received the same accolade in 'Sounds'. The future looks quite rosy for one of Manchester's brightest hopes, with a gig in London soon at either the Marquee or Music Machine. The EP was a one-off and the band had signed a production deal with Arrow for the next single, possibly the brilliant "Still It Doesn't Ring".
(C) Brian Davies
To be continued
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