Tony Mansfield (New Musik) produced mock-soul from the best beehive in the biz next to Kate & Cindy; from the spoken intro, to the soaring brass and strings, it is the blend of Bacharach and Motown that should've translated into a much bigger hit than it did.
14 Jan 05 ·n-jeff: It was quite a hit in the UK if I recall correctly. This post has just filled my head with Images. Neasdon, the mentioned Beehives, spangly mini dresses, Tony mansfields mid 70's pop show on TV. Did Tony Mansfield really look like Pete Waterman, as my memory insists? 28 Mar 05 ·Mike: Tony Mansfield was/is a musical genius, as noted elsewhere in my recommenations. Not quite sure how he could have had a pop show on tv in the mid 70s, though...The big hit he had with Mari Wilson was "Just what I've always wanted". He looked a bit geeky...did Pete Waterman copy his look? I don't know... 15 Apr 05 ·rsfinla: Actually Tony Mansfield did not produce Baby It's True. I believe it was Tot Taylor that gave this song the big sound it deserved. 07 Dec 05 ·n-jeff: I've just remembered it was Mike Mansfield that had the TV show. It ws fun all the same.
And it was Mike Mansfield that looked like PW, at least in my mind. 12 May 09 ·geezer: Awise and truly awesome choice of obscure pop
It's a song about a suicide pact gone wrong. Amazing falsetto (and non-falsetto) vocals. Great glam production. Fantastic guitar solo at 1:40.
It's hard to choose just one track to recommend by this group, but I've settled for this one for now. 'Thank God it isn't Christmas' was a close runner up.
(weirdly, there are a few tracks by them that I would really rather never hear again in my life. Like 'Get in the swing'. Have you heard this track? I have serious trouble with it!)
18 Nov 06 ·Mike: Sparks have indeed produced some good and some extremely bad material. I may still own - somewhere - this LP, though the most-played track on it was always "This town ain't big enough..."
1974 - yes, an incredible year which also brought us such marvels as the Glitter Band's "Angel Face". 18 Nov 09 ·geezer: only Sparks could be comfortable with such subject matter there is humour in everything they do like Tryouts for the Human Race a song for sperm everywhere
An obscure b-side of an obscure one hit wonder from 1983! but thats where you find the treasure ,by digging.A band from the tail end of the mod revival of 79 ,a sixties pastiche played on synthesisers but an overwhelming Motown influence played and written in good faith with a lush melody that would have suited the lonely spy from any movie from 1967 onwards .An eighties version of sixties soul heard 25 years later when pop almost lives on its reference points makes this sound like the first of its kind .The other side, Heartache Avenue ,is also a little nugget and worth a listen too.These boys were also City Boy of 5 7 0 5 fame from 1978.
from Heartache Avenue The best of (Readt Steady Go) available on CD - Heartache Avenue The best of the Maisonettes
10 Mar 11 ·delicado: i have this 7" but I don't remember this. I know the fleetwoods' version if it's the same track. I once played in a covers band with the drummer from the Maisonettes! 11 Mar 11 ·geezer: dig it out and give it a spin its not the Fleetwoods versionbut it is good in a kind of nostalgic way from a time when i didnt have many records so the b side always got aplay by the way some brilliant recomendations Thanks
