Pop Song 89

Trust Me #39 - Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

Should we talk about the weather?

Should we talk about the government?

So asks Michael Stipe on Pop Song 89, from R.E.M.'s seminal Green album, a song that still sounds fresh and vital all these years down the line. And after revisiting it lately I had to laugh at the two genius questions asked in the hook. 

I was fortunate enough to spend 2-weeks in Portugal recently. I phoned my Mum back in Scotland regularly and she was always moaning about the weather - more so than the government!

And then ... chaos ... what a f**king mess the country is in. Should we talk about the government? Yeah we should because they are a shambles, an embarrassment and something has to change.

Hopefully that change will come in the form of independence for Scotland. We're sick of Westminster, sick of the Tories who just don't give a f**k about people, they don't care and that was sadly evidenced right at the top and very prominently by Boris Johnson.

It's not just our government. The world is overheating and there seems to be no urgency from governments across the globe in relation to the climate crisis. Action could be too late. We need to talk about both - seriously!

Back to music, my saviour, my escapism. Probably yours too if you're reading this.

Pop Song 89 bursts into life with an urgent rhythm guitar over Motown-esque beats, before Peter Buck starts what sounds like a complicated but playful guitar riff. Then Michael Stipe is in with a verse that sounds like it could be a chorus. 

Hello, I saw you, I know you, I knew you

I think I can remember you name, name

Hello, I'm sorry I lost myself

I think I thought you were someone else

And then it's into the aforementioned chorus, the 1st verse is repeated and then the chorus. So, very quickly, you find yourself singing the song. The repetition, the hello intro, the catchy chorus, the guitar riff ... it works so well. 

This all happens within 90-seconds, there is then an instrumental that leads back to Buck's riff, then a verse, chorus and 30-second outro.

R.E.M were remarkably prolific through the 80's and 90's. 6 albums in the 80's, starting with their debut Murmur in 1983, bookended by Green. And then they smashed the 90's with Automatic For The People in 1991 through to Up in 1998.

Anyway, I'm pretty fed up talking about the government. Lets talk about the weather!

REM Pop Song 89 official video

REM Pop Song 89 live on The Late Show 1989

A list of all previous songs I've blogged about in my Trust Me feature are listed below, along with links to each blog.

I've also collated them all into a playlist on Spotify that you can find by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me , or you can CLICK HERE

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

Record Store Day

Record Store Day started back in 2007 when 700 independent American record stores decided to come together to celebrate their unique culture. The UK quickly followed and 2015 is the 8th year of Record Store Day in the UK.

I've visited some fantastic record stores around the world on my travels; UK favourites would be Glasgow's own Monorail and Manchester's Piccadilly Records. My sister also took me to an incredible shop in Edinburgh called Backbeat Records that is proper old school, perfect for crate digging - packed to the rafters with all kinds of incredible stuff. You might not be able to find what you are looking for - but ask the owner and he'll know what nook, cranny or box to look in. You'll definitely find something!

Internationally I have been in some sensational stores in New York City, Lucky Records in Rejkjavik,  some crackers in Australia - especially one in Freemantle and some beauties in Argentina where you literally had to dust the records down.

Backbeat Records in Edinburgh

Of course many independent record stores have closed down - I spent many happy hours as a teenager trawling round Browser's in Lanark and Impulse Records in Motherwell and Hamilton. All now sadly closed. Unknown Pleasures in St Andrews was also an old favourite.

The main aim of Record Store Day is to shine a spotlight on independent record stores and on vinyl. In some ways it seems to be working; vinyl sales continue to increase year on year. Stores were closing at a worryingly fast rate, however that seems to have slowed and almost stalled.

Missing Records in Glasgow is still around. Back in the 1990's, when it was around the corner from its current location and then in Wellington Street, it was a store largely responsible for a huge amount of my record collection. I must have visited Missing 2 or 3 times a week for a number of years; buying new releases, discovering old music and raiding the second hand section with every spare few pounds I had.

I remember, as a teenager still at school, pondering over whether to buy Goldmine by James or Out Of Time by REM as I could only afford one (I chose James).

I remember running from work at 5pm down to Missing to spend 15 or 20-minutes browsing before catching the train back to Carluke.

I remember raiding Tower Records closing down sale and getting 4 copies of the Nirvana/Jesus Lizard split 7-inch and trading 2 of them for Teenage Fanclub's debut 7-inch Everything Flows from Missing Records - the song that this blog is named after.

I remember the smell of the vinyl, the protective sleeves, the classic Missing bag and I remember buying some fantastic records - sometimes because I was searching for them, sometimes cause I liked the look of the sleeve, or maybe I had read something about that album/single, or maybe the staff were playing something I liked the sound of - like Stereolab.

Segundo by Juana Molina - an album I bought because of the sleeve (music good too!)

Bit less risky than Juana Molina - but another album I bought due to the sleeve

Missing was important. It was (and is) incredibly near Central Station, yet it was just out of the way enough to be different, to be the kind of place you had to know about. No-one really stumbled across anything down that part of the city. It's kind of like the bit in High Fidelity when Rob is describing his store - just right!

The classic 'I will now sell 5 copies of the Three EP's by the Beta Band' scene

Mixed Up Records in Otago Lane was a favourite of mine for a number of years when I had my flat in Dennistoun. The kind of record shop I could never walk into and come away empty handed.

Oxfam Music in Byres Road is another fantastic store in Glasgow that I still visit when I am up the West End. I got to know the manager Andrew when I volunteered for Oxfam and I remember being amazed when he took me down to the basement to show me all the stuff they were sifting through to decide what to sell, what was worth a bit and what was worthless. They had some incredible stuff and  I made a mental note that it would be a great setting for a band photo/sleeve and later took Sonny Marvello there when I started managing them. One of my all-time great second hand buys was the white 12-inch of Rez by Underworld for £6.99 in Oxfam Music. I think I was so pleased that I gave them a tenner - obviously pre kids when I had some spare money!

Sonny Marvello photo shoot in the Oxfam Music basement

FOPP has also played a vital role in my musical education and in stocking my record and CD collection. The original store in Byres Road is still magical; a cool location, rammed with all kinds of brilliant music and many of it at fantastic prices.

Love Music (formerly Avalanche Records) around the corner from Queen Street Station was a favourite of mine when I stayed in Dennistoun. Very handy on a walk home if the sun was shining or if I was in the mood. It is still going strong and is very active in promoting Scottish independent and DIY music.

Monorail is my favourite these days. There is something soothing about walking in and seeing Dep who worked in Missing Records all those years ago when I was first buying records in Glasgow. And the fact that Stephen from The Pastels might be working behind the counter is still a bit of a thrill to the indie kid in me (and I'm sure I am not the only one!).

The conversation in Monorail is great. I love wandering in (usually on a Monday before 5-a-sides if I have time and money) and checking out the music being played and listening to what the staff are talking about - International Airport, Vic Goddard, Edwyn Collins, how well the new Mogwai release is doing...

The staff in Monorail are always happy to help. I remember going in after reading an article in Uncut about a brilliant rereleased album of guitar pop. I couldn't remember the band name or album though! With a bit of questioning Stephen managed to decipher that it was East Village and their Drop Out album!

Monorail, like the old Missing, is just perfectly placed. Central, but just out the way of everything else. It also has the café bar for beers, food and the odd gig.

Monorail Records - right place, right vibe, right staff - just so right

 

I started this blog without a real purpose, I really just wanted to reminisce about my enjoyment of record stores. I've had hundreds (if not thousands) of Record Store Days through my life; I've gone on my own, with my wife, with my eldest daughter, with friends....I've gone in knowing what I wanted, I've gone out after spending a lot more than I intended!

 

Any day could be a record store day for me and for you. This Saturday I'll be heading into Monorail with my friend Dave for a few beers, some music and some records. You can't get a much better day than that really....