Record #0878: Something’s Missing / The Edge – THE ESCALATORS

Big Beat NS 86 (original), UK, March 1983
Words & Music by:  Side A – The Escalators; Side B – The Escalators
Musicians: Nigel Lewis (vocals, guitar), Bart Coles (vocals, bass), Mark Robertson (drums), Woodie Taylor (guitar)
Recording sessions: Produced by the Escalators and engineered by Glenn Skinner at Alvic Studios, London, UK in early 1983
Highest chart positions:  none

This is the first of the two singles the Escalators released. I’ve posted the successor here.

Alvic Studios was a prominent fixture in the British post-punk, indie pop, and underground rock scene during the early 1980s. It was known for its cozy, highly practical setup, allowing indie bands on strict budgets to record, mix, and master tracks with quick turnaround times.

The sessions were engineered by Glenn Skinner. Skinner was an experienced hand in the UK indie scene, going on to work with notable acts like The Nightingales, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Debbie Harry, Boy George and Killing Joke.

List price: The median price at discogs.com is 13,12 €. I found two copies sold in eBay for 20 € and 21 €, in the UK and in Germany correspondingly.

 

Record #0877: Monday / The Munsters – THE ESCALATORS

Big Beat NS 87 (original, 2^nd edition), UK, July 1983
Words & Music by:  Side A – Bart Coles; Side B – Jack Marshall (the label credits “Fine, Wilson, Herbert”)
Musicians: Nigel Lewis (guitar), Bart Coles (vocals, bass), Mark Robertson (drums), Woodie Taylor (guitar, drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by the Escalators at Alvic Studios, London, UK in 1983
Highest chart positions:  none

The single was released with a distinct illustrated picture sleeve designed by Technimedia, featuring photography by DC3/Waldo. Musically, it bridges the gap between early 80s neo-garage rock, 1960s revival, and psychobilly. Various pressings exist, including standard labels, picture labels, and highly sought-after white label test pressings.

The B-side of the single features a cover of "The Munsters Theme" from the 60’s TV-series “The Munsters”. Despite being the B-side, it is widely considered the standout track of the release and drove much of the single's initial indie popularity. The physical label on the vinyl credits the songwriting to "Fine, Wilson, & Herbert". This was an error by Big Beat Records; the song was written by Jack Marshall.

The band was formed in London in 1982 after Lewis and Robertson split from The Meteors following creative differences with frontman Paul Fenech. They released two singles and a studio album “Moving Staircases” in 1983 before they split due to internal friction. Lewis and Robertson moved on to form the Tall Boys.

Happy Halloween! 

List price: The median price at discogs.com is 11,57 €. I found 16 copies sold in eBay from 17 € to 27 €. One test pressing sold for 187 £ in the UK in May 2026.

 

Record #0876: Train In Vain (Stand By Me) / London Calling – THE CLASH

Memory Lane (Epic) 15 03088 (re-issue), USA, July 1982
Words & Music by:  Side A – Joe Strummer, Mick Jones; Side B – Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
Musicians: Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Topper Headon (drums), Mick Jones (lead guitar, backing vocals), Paul Simonon (bass)
Recording sessions: Produced by Guy Stevens at Wessex Sound Studios in London, UK in late 1981 and early 1982; Side A – in August 1979;Side B – in August and September 1979
Highest chart positions:  The re-issue didn’t chart. The original songs: Side A – US #23, Canada #62, New Zealand #26; Side B - UK #11, Australia #28, Ireland #16

This is a double A-sided re-issue of the single that was originally released in the States on 12. February 1980 (Epic 9-50851).

Although "London Calling" and "Train in Vain" are among The Clash's biggest hits, they entered the world in completely opposite ways. "London Calling" was the intentional, high-profile title track and lead single of the album. "Train in Vain," on the other hand, was written and recorded so late in the studio sessions that the album artwork had already been printed. As a result, it wasn't listed on the original tracklist, making it one of rock history's most famous "hidden tracks."

The haunting, static-filled guitar noise that cuts out right at the very end of "London Calling" was a complete accident. During the recording session, Mick Jones's guitar pickup broke down and began feeding back, mimicking a desperate Morse code distress signal. While the sound engineer wanted to stop the take, producer Guy Stevens insisted they keep rolling, recognizing that the eerie glitch perfectly fit the song's apocalyptic theme.

List price: I found no listed prices or sales records in my usual sources. My estimate for a VG+ copy is approximately €5.