Fad Gadget – a weird one and only the one record Incontinent  (1981).  My partner at the time, Louise, had this record and I really liked it.  It almost prefigured a lot of the techno sounds later in that decade, some great loud sharp drumming and incessantly niggling vocals.  A good but really strange album.

Fairground Attraction – Wow, just rarely does it happen but a band emerges and hits the big time with their debut album and single….and even rarer that they break up while recording their second record.  Formed in 1987, Number one single April 1988, band disbanded September 1989.  So sad because they were simply a brilliant band.  The voice of Eddi Reader (see R) which send shivers down your spine and the song-writing genius of Mark E. Nevin, the band emerged with a perfect sound of laid-back folk and jazz.  But it really was the songs which made them so brilliant. The melodies are joyful and mostly upbeat and the lyrics just take your breath away. Their sole real record ‘The First Of A Million Kisses’, had the hit single ‘Perfect’ but really almost all the songs are wonderful – ‘A Smile and a Whisper’, ‘Find My Love’ and ‘Clare’ really stand out from a very crowded field.   As the band broke up the record company released Ay Fond Kiss in 1990; this was a collection of B sides, most of which I had from the CD singles, but still it is lovely in its own way. Best are a live version of ‘Allelujiah’ and the title track – but it is all good.  So, the band split – Eddi Reader (see R) went on to a solo career which has stumbled along.  She also appeared in a brilliant BBC series about Country and Western singers in Glasgow; ‘You’re Cheatin’ Heart’ (see Y).  But what happened to those lost songs from the second album that never was.  Well in 2003 along came Kawasaki – a live album which featured many of the songs they started recording but never released.   Actually; a great album, half songs from first album and a lot of new stuff, which would have been on the album that never was.  A pity as the songs are great; a bit slower mostly and sadder if anything.  Best are ‘Broken By A Breeze’ and ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Whispers’.  I also of course have The Best of Fairground Attraction.  No surprises but a lovely record too.  What a pity they split…