Blogging at the intersection of urban studies and popular music

Leonard Nevarez
M+M – "Black Stations/White Stations" b/w "Xoa Oho" (WAKE 7)

M+M – “Black Stations/White Stations” b/w “Xoa Oho” (WAKE 7)

“Black Stations/White Stations” b/w “Xoa Oho” Current/RCA Records WAKE 7 (Canada) Released in February 1984 Produced by Daniel Lanois, Mark Gane and Martha Johnson Exhausted by keeping a group of full-time members together, Martha Johnson and Mark Gane informed Jocelyne Lanois and Nick Kent after the final concert of the Danseparc tour (at Toronto’s Ontario...
Martha and the Muffins – "Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing" b/w "I'm No Good at Conversation" (WAKE 4)

Martha and the Muffins – “Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing” b/w “I’m No Good at Conversation” (WAKE 4)

“Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing (Edited)” b/w “I’m No Good at Conversation” Current/RCA Records WAKE 4 (Canada) Released probably in spring or summer 1983 Produced by Daniel Lanois with Mark Gane and Martha Johnson Were you maybe disappointed by Martha and the Muffins’ use of album cuts for both sides of their previous two...
Martha and the Muffins – "World Without Borders" b/w "Boys in the Bushes" (WAKE 2)

Martha and the Muffins – “World Without Borders” b/w “Boys in the Bushes” (WAKE 2)

“World Without Borders” b/w “Boys in the Bushes” Current/RCA Records WAKE 2 (Canada) Released probably in winter or spring 1983 Produced by Daniel Lanois with Mark Gane and Martha Johnson Martha and the Muffins released two more album tracks for the second single to promote Danseparc. Opening with two thumps on the drums, “World Without...
Martha and the Muffins – "Danseparc (Everyday It's Tomorrow)" b/w "Whatever Happened to Radio Valve Road" (WAKE 1)

Martha and the Muffins – “Danseparc (Everyday It’s Tomorrow)” b/w “Whatever Happened to Radio Valve Road” (WAKE 1)

“Danseparc (Everyday It’s Tomorrow)” b/w “Whatever Happened to Radio Valve Road” Current/RCA Records WAKE 1 (Canada) Released in January 1983 Produced by Daniel Lanois with Mark Gane and Martha Johnson In 1982, Martha and the Muffins were freed from Virgin Records (though not yet Virgin Music, the publishing division) and handed back control of their...
Martha and the Muffins – "Swimming" b/w "Little Sounds (Excerpts)" (VS 1136)

Martha and the Muffins – “Swimming” b/w “Little Sounds (Excerpts)” (VS 1136)

“Swimming” b/w “Little Sounds (Excerpts)” Virgin Records VS 1136 (Canada) Released probably in January 1982 Produced by Martha and the Muffins and Daniel Lanois The DinDisc imprimatur is gone: Virgin’s boutique indie label had folded by this time, and all its artists under contract were transferred to the parent company. Meanwhile, Canada’s Polygram division was...
Martha and the Muffins – "One Day in Paris" b/w "Women Around the World at Work" (104.209)

Martha and the Muffins – “One Day in Paris” b/w “Women Around the World at Work” (104.209)

Licensing this single to Germany’s Ariola label must have been a quick matter for DinDisc/Virgin, if the cheap design reproduced on both sides of the sleeve cover is any indication. Superimposed over a generic photo of the Eiffel Tower is a promo portrait of the defunct Martha and the Muffins line-up — Martha Ladly, Carl...
Martha and the Muffins – "Women Around The World at Work" b/w "Twenty-Two in Cincinnati" (DIN 34)

Martha and the Muffins – “Women Around The World at Work” b/w “Twenty-Two in Cincinnati” (DIN 34)

“Women Around The World at Work” b/w “Twenty-Two in Cincinnati” DinDisc Records DIN 34 (UK) Released on August 28, 1981 Produced by Martha and the Muffins and Daniel Lanois In 1981, Martha and the Muffins were back in Canada for good; they wouldn’t have known it at this time, but they would only tour one...
Martha and the Muffins – "Was Ezo" b/w "Trance And Dance" (DIN 27)

Martha and the Muffins – “Was Ezo” b/w “Trance And Dance” (DIN 27)

“Was Ezo” b/w “Trance And Dance” DinDisc Records DIN 27 (UK) Released on October 30, 1980 Produced by Mike Howlett More than any other Martha and the Muffins single, this feels like the one that got away. Like every single they released in 1980 after “Echo Beach,” this made no impact on the British charts....
Martha and the Muffins – "Suburban Dream" b/w "Girl Fat" (DIN 21)

Martha and the Muffins – “Suburban Dream” b/w “Girl Fat” (DIN 21)

“Suburban Dream” b/w “Girl Fat” DinDisc Records DIN 21 (UK) Released August 29, 1980 Produced by Mike Howlett This is the second single that Martha and the Muffins issues in advance of their second album Trance and Dance. Upon its release, the lineup it features had already begun disintegrating with the departure of Martha Ladly...
Martha and the Muffins – "About Insomnia" b/w "1 4 6" (DIN 19)

Martha and the Muffins – “About Insomnia” b/w “1 4 6” (DIN 19)

“About Insomnia” b/w “1 4 6” DinDisc Records DIN 19 (UK) Released on July 4, 1980 Produced by Mike Howlett Things were moving rapidly for Martha and the Muffins by June 1980. Metro Music had spent six weeks in the UK album charts, so the Muffins’ label DinDisc/Virgin were preparing the debut album’s global release...
Martha and the Muffins – "Paint By Number Heart" b/w "Copacabana" (VS 1115)

Martha and the Muffins – “Paint By Number Heart” b/w “Copacabana” (VS 1115)

“Paint By Number Heart” b/w “Copacabana” Virgin/DinDisc Records VS 1115 (Canada) Released probably in summer 1980 Produced by Mike Howlett Like the rest of the world outside the UK, Martha and the Muffins’ home country Canada took longer to embrace “Echo Beach” for the simple reason that Virgin proposed a wait-and-see approach and delayed the...
Martha and the Muffins – "Saigon" b/w "Copacabana" (DIN 17)

Martha and the Muffins – “Saigon” b/w “Copacabana” (DIN 17)

“Saigon” b/w “Copacabana” DinDisc Records DIN 17 (UK) Released on April 11, 1980 Produced by Mike Howlett Woe betide the band choosing a follow-up single to “Echo Beach,” the unexpected smash hit for Martha and the Muffins and a commercial breakthrough for their label DinDisc as well. “Saigon” didn’t repeat that success, and the band...

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