New box set chronicles early 80s Brit psychedelia

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Cherry Red have announced the release of Another Splash of Colour: New Psychedelia in Britain – 1980-85 for 29th April.

The 3-CD set builds upon the original various artists LP, A Splash Of Colour, which was issued by WEA at the start of 1982 and includes many of the scene’s major players: Mood Six, High Tide, Miles Over Matter, The Barracudas and The Times. All the tracks from that album now appear on CD for the very first time.

Transformed into a 64-track compendium spanning the years 1980-1985, from the roots of the psychedelic revival in post-punk and the mod revival through to the much-publicised London scene based around club nights like the Groovy Cellar and onto its second revival of sorts in 1984/85 with the early releases on Creation Records and the popularity of the Alice In Wonderland Club.

All the key artists are included, from Nick Nicely to the Liverpool contingent (Icicle Works, Julian Cope) to the Soft Boys and solo (Robyn Hitchcock, Kimberley Rew), the Whaam! Camp (TV Personalities, The Times, Direct Hits, Marble Staircase, Le Mat), early Creation Records tunes (the Revolving Paint Dream, the Jasmine Minks, Biff Bang Pow!) and the Psych scene’s eventual chart-toppers Doctor & The Medics (with a previously unreleased track).

Punk/new wave artists also turned their hands to making psych records: The UK Subs’ Charlie Harper, The Damned under the guise of Naz Nomad & The Nightmares (and Captain Sensible solo), Elvis Costello’s backing band The Attractions.

This deluxe clamshell package includes a 9,000-word sleeve-note by ex-NME journalist and author Neil Taylor. As well as boasting many rarities new to CD (The Third Eye, Firmament & The Elements, Pink Umbrellas, Magic Mushroom Band, etc.) some tracks are previously unissued.

Full tracklisting:

DISC ONE

1. The High Tide – Dancing In My Mind
2. Mood Six – Just Like A Dream
3. Miles Over Matter – Something’s Happening Here
4. Robyn Hitchcock – It’s A Mystic Trip
5. The Barracudas – Watching The World Go By
6. Nick Nicely – 49 Cigars
7. The Times – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape
8. The Attractions – Slow Patience
9. The Earwigs – Keep Your Voice Down
10. Charlie Harper – Night Of The Jackal
11. The Marble Staircase – The Long Weekend
12. Blue Orchids – Work
13. The Silence – Love Letters
14. Knox – Gigolo Aunt
15. The Chicaynes – Further Thoughts
16. The Vandells – I See Everything
17. Kimberly Rew – Stomping All Over The World
18. Delmontes – Don’t Cry Your Tears
19. The Monochrome Set – On The Thirteenth Day
20. Future Daze – Connect*
21. The Soft Boys – Only The Stones Remain
22. Firmament & The Elements – The Festival Of Frothy Muggament
23. The Von Trapp Family – No Reflexes

DISC TWO

1. Nick Nicely – Hilly Fields (1892)
2. The High Tide – Electric Blue
3. The Third Eye – Pass Myself
4. Miles Over Matter – Park My Car
5. Squire – No Time Tomorrow
6. The Marble Staircase – Still Dreaming
7. The Barracudas – Inside Mind
8. Deep Freeze Mice – A Red Light For The Greens
9. Paul Roland – Dr. Strange
10. Michael Moorcock’s Deep Fix – Brothel In Rosenstrasse
11. Cleaners From Venus – Wivenhoe Bells II
12. Scarlet Party – 101 Dam-Nations
13. Le Mat – Waltz Of The Fool
14. The Dream Factory – The Haze
15. The Legendary Pink Dots – Waving At The Aeroplanes
16. Modern Art – Fiction & Literature
17. The Jetset – And We Dance On
18. The Heartbeats – Forever
19. The Primevals – Where Are You?
20. Purple Hearts – Hazy Darkness…
21. Pink Umbrellas – Raspberry Rainbow
21. The TV Personalities – The Dream Inspires

DISC THREE

1. The Revolving Paint Dream – Flowers In The Sky
2. Naz Nomad & The Nightmares – I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
3. Julian Cope – Sunspots
4. The Jasmine Minks-  Mr. Magic
5. The Icicle Works – Nirvana
6. The Way Out – Do I Have To Be Here?
7. The Prisoners – Reaching My Head
8. Playn Jayn – In Your Eyes (Live)
9. The Dentists – Strawberries Are Growing In My Garden (And It’s Wintertime)
10. Doctor & The Medics – Barbara Can’t Dance (Demo)
11. Biff Bang Pow! – A Day Out With Jeremy Chester
12. Mood Six – Plastic Flowers (Psycho version)
13. Freight Train – Man’s Laughter
14. The Onlookers – You Know Everything
15. Direct Hits Doctor Ben
16. The Green Telescope – Two By Two
17. Magic Mushroom Band – Wide Eyed Electric
18. Brainiac Five – Endless River
19. Captain Sensible – The 4 Marys Go Go Dance All Night At The Groovy Cellar

Pre-order the set via Amazon UK here.