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Shoulda Made It

Bryan Burnett | 19:42 UK time, Friday, 24 June 2011

On Monday night's programme 2 hours of songs that never got anywhere from artists that hardly anyone has heard of. Mmmmmm doesn't sound that appealing when you put it like that but what I'm looking for is you to champion the artists that you thought were going to be huge but for one reason or another never made it big. My list of songs that should have got to No 1 is topped by Horse and Careful and must also include The Bible with Graceland. There are many examples for instance I always thought Scotland's own Davy Scott could hold his own alongside more successful singer songwriters. Let's have your suggestions of the acts who should have had wider recognition.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Dancing Queen - The Yayhoos - One of Dan Baird's Post-Satellites projects
    Hitting Where It Hurts - Webb Wilder - Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard, grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em!

  • Comment number 2.

    RIP the worlds greatest ever detective.
    We should have a Columbo theme.


  • Comment number 3.

    An old raincoat won't let you down / Rod Stewart
    Bright eye / Art Garfunkel
    Looking for clues / Robert palmer

  • Comment number 4.

    Have a cigar / Pink Floyd

    Who sang Just one more thing?

  • Comment number 5.

    Re- somewhere on the blog, or the programme.... in my dog's defence - I didn't set up a FB account for him. That is entirely the work of my oldest. He was in a strange place at the time. Muttley has more FB friends than I do, so - go figure... ;o)

  • Comment number 6.


    Drat, Drat and Double Drat!

  • Comment number 7.


    "He was in a strange place at the time."


    Fife?


    >8-D

  • Comment number 8.

    i don't know how or exactly when i stumbled upon these two.
    sometimes on listening you want to give them a good shake and told to lighten up...

    then they produced theses 3 gems which in a normal universe would probably still be sitting at

    #1 .............'nothing like a song'............sublime exquisite intelligent tuneful and a piano in the middle that could be lifted from a beethoven, hadyn,brahms score......

    #2..............'if you fall'..............the sound for mid-summer...........light bright tuneful and good for tap tapping the feet. nice one.

    #3 .........'sea of doubt'........kick off the shoes, settle down, draw the curtains, dim the lights pour yersel' a good stiff drink and enjoy......mellow with a bit of depth.......like a good island malt right enough.

    so eat yer hearts out katie, ms swift, brittany pears,avril 'shouty' lavigne and anybody else out there who couldnae tie the bootlaces of..............

    ................................................azure ray


    cheers frae the dale

  • Comment number 9.

    Completely off topic....

    Emdy headin for Hampden next Saturday night?

    DC

  • Comment number 10.

    Solitary Man?

  • Comment number 11.

    Top of my list of acts who should have made it are the Bible and indeed Boo Hewerdine solo. There is a 25 year reunion gig in Sept and I will be suprised if it's not best gig of the year. Funny thing is I will see Graceland as I'm popping on plane next day to that very destination...hopefully.

    The Bible - Graceland

    Boo Hewerdine - Last Cigarette

  • Comment number 12.

    I hope the Mississippi River is shining like a National guitar.

  • Comment number 13.

    It's bound to be!

  • Comment number 14.

    Previously @ #42

    Thank you on behalf of the "sceptic" & absolutely, they are!

    Often requested, regularly ignored by the totalitarian marzipan layer @ Ö÷²¥´óÐã's Radio Scotland...

    SKA on speed,
    Headline ~ Knock The Bald Head.
    Great atmosphere, dark, melancholy, and mysterious,
    Wall Of Voodoo ~ Of The West

  • Comment number 15.

  • Comment number 16.

    A great set!











    BTW What's the consensus on Mark Radcliffe... is he intentionally attempting to adopt / develop / present in a John Peel stylee?
    If so he ought to show a greater degree of respect!

  • Comment number 17.

    A taxing gig for U2.

  • Comment number 18.

    Aye, some festival where freedom of speech was crushed!

  • Comment number 19.

    #9

    DC,

    I am...going to a surprise birthday party...I said


    #12

    Glen,

    Delta.


    #15

    Norrie,


























































































  • Comment number 20.

    #19

    Even on tiptoe Norrie could not see the Delta from Memphis.

  • Comment number 21.

    Off to see

  • Comment number 22.

    Back in 1987 I used to hear this incredible song with a great vocal on the tranny but could never catch who it was. Eventually i found it was Cry Before Dawn and Gone forever. They were a really good irish Band who made a couple of great albums before changing their name to The Swans and making an even better album. I think they had some success in their homeland but sunk without trace over here.
    They should have been massive.

    / Cry Before Dawn


    And talking of that era, there was another great band on the go called Shine who had a brilliant drummer. I've often wondered what happened to him.

  • Comment number 23.

    #20

    He's not going on a River Boat?

  • Comment number 24.

    #21

    Nice lassie, but she blows her own trumpet.

  • Comment number 25.

    #22 - Paolo - They were playing at Finsbury Park last weekend.

    :o)

  • Comment number 26.

    #25 well howzabout that then. I didn't even know they'd reformed

  • Comment number 27.


    Dominique Rijpma van Hulst (Do - sounds like dough) has a voice like chocolate. I first heard her on a local radio station in Dumfries & Galloway while driving home after a weekend in England. She was singing a cover version of Bryan Adams' Heaven which almost had me in tears. Not good if you're driving on the unlit section of the M74 at night!

    My research reveals that all of her singles charted in Holland while only one was a global hit. She did the vocal on Heaven by DJ Sammy and Yanou. This is not the version I want to hear.

    My request can be found on her eponymous album Do

    Heaven (Candlelight Mix) - Do

    :o)

  • Comment number 28.

    Nearly forgot for Monday Ra Bears ~

    Fine Aberdonians!

  • Comment number 29.

    Shoulda made it...

    Scintillatingly good Edinburgh band, the now defunct Dead Beat Club's EP "Butterflies" has 3 out of 4 tracks that should be AOR and Americana playlist staples (and the 4th track is excellent as well, but too long for radio play).

    Bryan, give "Circa 1985" or "Everything Turns to You" (or both) a play and remind all of us who partied at DBC gigs of old how good they were, and show everyone else what they've missed.

    Sure-footed writing + killer arrangements + a band that really gels (you can hear how much fun they have playing together) = pure audio bliss.

    All is not quite lost; main man Andy Tucker is still active around here with Tucker & the Scattered Family, as is co-vocalist Shona Brodie with local band The Elements. Us DBC fans can still hope……

  • Comment number 30.

    #22 #25

    Last time i was at Finsbury Park was last summer en route to Emirates Stadium!!


    But thanks for that PP ... He still wont play anything...


    Will he?



    Vic would

    ;0)

  • Comment number 31.

    Shoulda made it - part 2

    Amplifico were ferociously good; I mean, how can a band that good not make it?

    Here on the Edinburgh scene we could see how good they were; KT knew too and pushed them as hard as she could and Vic, who knows a good thing when he hears it, played them and played them and played them.

    Sony heard them, signed them, they moved to London and Sony did….nothing. Sigh.

    From their superb body of work how about "The Comedy Stops Here" from their album "See Heart See Muscle" as an example of just how good Amplifico were.

    Thankfully, frontgirl Donna Maciocia is still gigging and still producing high class music round these parts, so all is not lost.

    But it would be good to hear Amplifico again.

  • Comment number 32.

    Happy birthday Scotch
    Happy birthday juliefromedinburghsdaughter
    Happy birthday mum

  • Comment number 33.

    The Lost Sould Band had some cracking material and were a great live band:

    The Lost Soul Band - YOu're Lovely To Me

  • Comment number 34.

    Happy birthday Scotch
    Happy birthday juliefromedinburghsdaughter
    Happy birthday paolopablomum
    Happy birthday chrisisaak
    Happy birthday mickjonesoftheclash

  • Comment number 35.

    #22

    Reminded me of the pride of the Northeast (England) circa '82/3.
    A colleague who's husband came from that area was full about this band, so much so she gave me a copy of their first LP. I didn't wish to appear ungrateful & was gracious in receipt BUT I couldn't/didn't buy into them. The LP is still in the collection but only ever saw the stylus once or twice.
    Glad they didn't go all the way, Danceclass ~ You Talk My Head Off

  • Comment number 36.

    What are the chances of any of these records being found?

  • Comment number 37.

    #36

    I was just thinking the same thing - I've a few suggestions but don't imagine they'll be immediately available.

    Time to look out the cd's, get Sister Margaret on the job with the Banana loaves and form an orderly queue with the F***book hoardes at Pacific Quay reception...

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 38.

    Relax lads, I can provide the vinyl to cover my shouts.

  • Comment number 39.

    Since we've all got the records ourselves, why don't we just play them at home and catch up with the show on Tuesday when we will be riveted by music about Wimbledon?

  • Comment number 40.

    #16
    I`m a big, big Radcliffe fan, MadMetro. I`m sure he has a lot of respect for Peel as he often cites him as a big influence. They used to work together covering Glastonbury if I`m not mistaken.
    I recommend his book `Thank You For The Days`, its a very entertaining read.



    Of course not as entertaining as `Snap, Crackle and Pop-A Life on the Breakfast Table` by Dave Lee Travis.

  • Comment number 41.

    You can't be serious! Not another anything goes theme with the likes of...
    "Love" Song, "Smash" It Up, "White Line" Fever, Green Green "Grass" Of Ö÷²¥´óÐã, Jumping Jack "Flash" (Dunlop Flash Tennis Shoes), Up On The "Roof", "Court" Of THe Crimson King

  • Comment number 42.

    #40

    His reaction to Aung San Suu Kyi made Bono seem self-effacing but he was Pipe Smoker of the Year in 1982.

    #41

    You forgot You Gotta Serve Somebody and Return to Sender.

  • Comment number 43.

    #40

    Adam, That I'm certain sure of but the issue of respect is with regard to you the viewer not Peel... is he so devoid of presentation skills as to being unable to develop his own or has some Beeb Exec. tasked him with assuming the tried & tested crusty mantle?

  • Comment number 44.

    #41 White Lines, Tennis Chris Rea, Let it be, the deuce by Kiss, anything by Stawbrrry Switchblade, Cream by Prince

  • Comment number 45.

    #43

    And I thought he was only introducing pop groups.

  • Comment number 46.

    Sunday lunch at well known city centre steak place. Jazz trio plays moondance.
    Ah says imelda there's that Michael Buble song.



    I'm seeing my lawyer in the morning

  • Comment number 47.

    #45

    Me to... old before his time I'd say.

  • Comment number 48.

    'Brilliant Mind' by Furniture

    'Tasty Fish' by the Other Two

  • Comment number 49.


    Thank y'all for the kind wishes. I'm gonna have to stop lying about my age. Instead, I'll lie about my granddaughter's age.

    >8-D



    MONDAY


    Many moons ago, when I was stepping out with a gal from the English capital, (Souff London, innit!), we would go to the Half Moon pub in Putney and listen to The Hamsters. If you like the blues, you'll love these guys. Some original material, but mostly covers. Probably the best Thames Delta Blues-Band you'll ever hear in a Putney pub!

    When I contacted Carol (the aforesaid gal) to ask if she had a particular favourite, she replied "Tell them to play anything. They're all first class!"

    So, there you have it.

    Anything at all from - The Hamsters


    P.S. The Hamsters will be playing at BOX in Sauchiehall Street on July 23rd. I recommend them unreservedly.

  • Comment number 50.

    How many SIM cards you get for your birthday Scotch?

    DC

  • Comment number 51.

    *sigh*

    There you go again; judging the rest of us by your standards.......















    >8-D

  • Comment number 52.

    Happy birthday, SG, JfE'sd.

    "artistic differences" sometimes get in the way of a band getting very far. Seems to be the case for
    The Seahorses who had a couple of crackers, then went....their separate ways Blinded By The Sun or something.
    I also thought their nearly namesakes
    The Shirehorses Now I Know Where I'm Going could have gone further. Happy to give Mark Radcliff a biggsy-up. Far too good for Radio 1. And not in the least bit a poor copy of Peel. He already has his own established identity without needing to resort to that. He may, unfortunately, have given Chris Moyles too many ideas, though. Now that is one "broadcaster" whose popularity I can't fathom.

  • Comment number 53.

    Happy Birthday, SG

    The Unwinding Hours got a rave review in The Herald and I think the album's a stunner. It's innovative, melodic and classy. And as far as I know it sunk pretty much without trace

    Tightrope - The Unwinding Hours

  • Comment number 54.

    Happy Birthday, Mr Git!

    This is also a test - i wrote a post and lost it in the blogosphere - hasn't turned up here!




    Happy Birthday, SG.


  • Comment number 55.

    I guess it must have been too long....

    Can we please hear Shine?

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 56.

    Kool and the Gang were great at Glastonbury - turned Beyonce off.

  • Comment number 57.

    I agree Glen, never would have imagined I would like them but did.

  • Comment number 58.

    My friend has pointed out an error in my post:

    Lucky Jim - You're Lovely To Me (not Lost Sould Band)

  • Comment number 59.

    #49

    I've got The Hamsters' album Pet Sounds (seriously) Ten Years of Rodent Rock. They used to play at the Colne Blues Festival.

  • Comment number 60.

    #59

    Glen,

    Now we know where to find you on July 23rd.! At £12.50 a skull, much better value than your tickets for TAKE THAT!


    >8-D

  • Comment number 61.

    I'm regretting that Robbie Williams tattoo already. Luckily only my proctologist will ever see it.

  • Comment number 62.

    #56 totally agree. Reminds me of an earth wind and fire tv concert many many moons ago. They had kinda passed me by to that point as had all music with a hint of funk but watching that concert was as Henri would put it, a penne arabiatta moment.

  • Comment number 63.

    I always thought that The Big Dish deserved more success than they got.

    J.O'B.

  • Comment number 64.

    - The Romantics - I enjoyed this cheeky power pop in Ringo's show last week



  • Comment number 65.

    I feel duty bound to second Norrie's Lost Soul Band/Lucky Jim request seeing as they're from Penicuik and were a couple of years below me at school. Gordon's cousin is a neighbour of mine.

    'You're Lovely To Me' was indeed a Gordon Grahame solo effort as Lucky Jim...it was used in a bread advert a couple of years ago.

    So there you go!

  • Comment number 66.

    Monday:

    'Shape of things to come' - The Headboys


    Why this group didn't go further beats me

    DC

  • Comment number 67.

    #66 I remember that. A good tune. Never heard anything else of them.

    Perhaps if you're the headboy that's as far as you go!

  • Comment number 68.

    I don't normally buy CD singles but one I loved and did buy was 'THE WAY' by FASTBALL. It got to number 21 in the UK charts in 1998 and the band haven't had another UK chart appearance. It was Number 1 in America though. They've since been minorly successful in the US. The single was Grammy-nominated and is extremely radio-friendly. I thought it would be one of those songs that would bob-up every Summer but I've never heard it played on radio since!

    Fastball - 'The Way'

  • Comment number 69.

    Lost talent Paul Quinn:

    Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point

  • Comment number 70.

    #67 Bass player George Boyter went to the same school as me. He wasn't the Head Boy!

  • Comment number 71.

    Kevin McDermott should be an international superstar. It's a complete injustice that his songwriting has not reached a wider audience.

    Kevin McDermott Orchestra - Healing At The Harbour

  • Comment number 72.

    #63 Agree completely RJ. I love Steven Lindsay's voice!

    Anything by The Big Dish

    or

    Steven Lindsay - Kite

  • Comment number 73.

    I could never understand why JJ Gilmour was not a world beater super star anything by him would be great please Bryan.

    or maybe something by The Lorelei who having been kicking about for years and just need our help to lift them to the next level mybe play Love is blind ?

  • Comment number 74.

    Big Dish, Steven Lindsay, Kevin mcDermott, Love and Money, Bathers, River Detectives.....

  • Comment number 75.

    #66
    Pittenweem band wur they no, DC?


    Belated birthday greetings, senhor Git!


    Seconds for The Romantics

  • Comment number 76.

    #75 a bit o an exaggeration surely? By your argument, The Rolling Stones was fae Cellardyke because Ian Stewart's granny wis a Dyker.







    Mind you, I can see a tourism opportunity here............

  • Comment number 77.

    Really looking forward to this show. There were loads of fantastic Scottish bands around in the late 80s & early 90s who should have been huge, but weren't - actually you could do this theme just for Scottish based bands. How about some of
    Win - Shampoo Tears
    The River Detectives - Chains
    The Indian Givers - Hatcheck Girl
    His Latest Flame - America Blue
    Whiteout - Jackie's Racing
    The Big Dish - European Rain
    Jerry Burns - Pale Red
    Millions Like Us / John O'Kane - The Dance Goes On
    Ruby Blue - The Quiet Mind
    Slide - Why Is It A Crime?

    Or those who kept on for many years with only minor chart hits, but had a fairly large localised following, but never really made it big
    Love and Money - Jocelyn Square
    The Silencers - Scottish Rain
    The Pearlfishers - Bedroom on the Seine
    Kevin McDermott - Where we were meant to be

  • Comment number 78.


    Not only Scottish bands as well.
    I've always felt that
    My Life Story - 12 Reasons Why I Love Her
    should have been a much bigger hit than it was and in fact they put out a lot of great singles which should have been hits.

    Martyn Joseph - Dolphins Make Me Cry
    should also have been massive and despite his strong religious following he has enough talent to be big on the standard market as well.

    Add to that bands like 10000 Maniacs and the Go-Betweens, who had reasonable sized followings, but never ever troubled the singles charts.

    Is that enough? As I say, I'm really looking forward to this show...

  • Comment number 79.

    seconds for Kevin McDermott

    and

    JJ Gilmour - If You Don't Give Me Love

    no relation, jinkk, by any chance??....:0)

  • Comment number 80.

    - David Lindley & El Rayo X
    - Eire Apparent






  • Comment number 81.

    Earlier on this thread there was a discussion about influential DJ's and I suppose many up and coming and nearly bands were inextricably linked - giving credit where it's due - to John Peel, although being honest I had some issues with Peely.

    Here's a few he played that deserved to become better known:

    My Radio Sounds Different In The Dark - The Would Be's (I've redesignated them The Should Have Been's)

    Roadshow - Head hands And Feet (you'll love this, Bryan)

    I am not Willing - Moby Grape

    Love and Money,obviously, but they do get airplay on GIO whilst James Grant's solo work is scandalously overlooked and deserves to be heard.

    This Could Be The Day - James Grant

    A band who I think desrve to be massive are The Leisure Society - their version of Gary Numand's Cars is superb.

    The range of Scottish nearly bands is awesome - but I'd like to highlight

    Shine - anything
    The River Detectives - Saturday Night Sunday Morning
    Miss America - The Big Dish

    Many of these 80's Scottish bands were around the Berkeley St Recording Studio (now in Lancefield St) and still run by Steven Cheyne, surley one of the pillars of the Scottish music scene.

    regardez youse

    henri
    Also, I have an album by a hair metal band called Autograph which I still think is fabulous - after such a promising start - zilch... Turn Up The Radio folks who like this kind of thing will find this is the kind of thing they like - but this is truly epic - those up on the genre will know this to be a bit of an anthem.

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 82.

    Is tonight where I post all my obscure requests..?

    * Fat and Frantic - Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head
    * Fat and Frantic - Brian
    Thrash Skiffle For The Win!

    Or failing that
    * The Humpff Family - Love Death Divorce Prison Alcohol Rivers and Trains

  • Comment number 83.

    Oh and I forgot, I thought Terry Hall of the Specials would become a superstar but it didn't quite happen - his solo work is much ignored but I rather like his middle of the road crooning, a la Andy Williams- it's true!

    Ultra Modern Nursery Rhymes - Terry Hall

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 84.

    #14

    Ska! Yeah!

    * Bodysnatchers -

    evolved into a good chunk of the Belle-Stars, while Rhoda Dakar went on to sing with The Specials AKA after the Terry Hall split.

  • Comment number 85.

    Coming out of the sixties, if anyone looked as though they would go on to a superstar career, jack bruce would certainly have been up there.

    The truth is jack is much more interested in the music than the stardom and has made music for it's own sake rather than accept the more usual commerical mores that were expected of him after cream.

    Once more, from "Songs For A Tailor" - Tickets To Waterfalls - Jack Bruce

    This has as much chance of being in the library as anything else - so we might just hear it!

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 86.

    and talking of John Peel bands:

    Zion Youth - Dreadzone - should have been massive - this is from 2nd Light - one of Peels ten favourite albums of all time.

    regardez youse

    henri

    ps - it's reggae - so we won't be hearing it.

  • Comment number 87.

    Mark E Niven eventually left the music business. Who'd have thought that when Perfect was number 1 in the charts.Of course he went to work with Morrissiey, so maybe that had something to do with it.

    Anything except Perfect, by Fairground Attraction

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 88.

    Anything but Fairground Attraction

  • Comment number 89.

    #79 ha no unfortunately no relation to the great. Jinky Gilmour or jinky Johnstone either x

  • Comment number 90.

    Are you sure that the Midge Ure request wasn't actually for Under a Spielberg Moon, which was Andy Tucker's 2009 Burnsong winning composition?

    And speaking of Andy Tucker, see post #23 re Dead Beat Club above.

  • Comment number 91.

    Mark E Niven eventually left the music business. Who'd have thought that when Perfect was number 1 in the charts.Of course he went to work with Morrissiey, so maybe that had something to do with it.
    .................................................................................................................
    Ha! - as a massive Morrissey fan I can confirm that some of the Moz-Nevin stuff was amongst the weakest of his career - probably bad chemistry.

    I remembered hearing 'Strawberries in my Garden' by the Dentists a few years ago and wondering how that never became a hit...

    And a lot of Lloyd Cole's solo stuff stands up now even though it never troubled the scorers at the time...



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