One week at Number One from w/e 19th March 1983
The early eighties indie charts show another unexpected burst of volatility which propels the weeks old "Fatman" back to the top of the chart for one week. Let's take a look at what's going on lower down, shall we?
New Entries
10. Action Pact - People EP (Fallout)
Peak position: 10
Hard-edged female fronted punk outfit from the modestly populated village of Stanwell in Surrey. "People" is all buzzsaw guitars playing descending chords while the rhythm section crunches behind them. It's all a little bit old hat by 1983's standards, but Action Pact were sharp enough to cut through the crowd despite that.
14. Disorder - Mental Disorder EP (Disorder)
Peak position: 14
21. Sisters Of Mercy - Anaconda (Merciful Release)
Peak position: 2
The Sisters finally begin to position themselves as major players with "Anaconda". Metronomic drum patters combine with fat basslines, squeaky guitar riffs and Eldritch's dramatic vocals which are the dominant force here. The band are able to sit back and cruise while he ghoulishly vaults, seduces and sneers away, shimmying up to chew the scenery at gallery level.
"Anaconda" put the group in a dominant position among the Goth set, which they would maintain until the plug was pulled on the project.
23. Urban Dogs - Limo Life (Fallout)
Peak position: 21
25. Wire - Crazy About Love (Rough Trade)
Peak position: 12
One of the most inexplicable - and largely forgotten - Wire releases of all time, "Crazy About Love" was a 16 minute improvised 1979 Peel Session track. It's not the absolute mess it might have been, with the group exerting an impressive control over some studio ongoings which sound in danger of sliding into disarray. Saxophones squawk and vocals occasionally snark through gritted teeth, but the jazzy pitter-patter of the drum kit and the certain foundations of the bassline stop everything from collapsing.
Some listeners and (allegedly) John Peel and his producer John Walters were unamused, but for all the anarchy offered this is still the closest the group sounded to the loosest, most unhinged examples of sixties psychedelia. Punk Floyd, if you will.
26. Emergency - Points Of View (Riot City)
Peak position: 26
If you're only going to release one single, you'd better make it sharp - and Manc punks Emergency certainly manage that here. "Points Of View" almost sounds like something the Good Vibrations label of Belfast might have put out five years before, bringing the anthems and bright melodies back to the underground.
27. The Reptiles - Reptiles For Tea (EP) (Volume)
Peak position: 22
For the full charts, please go to the UKMix Forums.
Number One In The National Charts
Bonnie Tyler: Total Eclipse of Heart (CBS)
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