WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.020 Have you ever experienced the end of an era right 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:05.219 at the exact moment you were handed a celebration 00:00:05.219 --> 00:00:07.960 of its beginnings? Oh, wow. That is that's a 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:11.099 very specific feeling. Right. It's bizarre. I 00:00:11.099 --> 00:00:13.640 mean, just imagine standing there holding this 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:16.460 literal monument to how a great journey started, 00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:18.879 but simultaneously being told that the journey 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:21.579 is permanently over. Yeah. Talk about emotional 00:00:21.579 --> 00:00:24.760 whiplash. Totally. So today we are doing a deep 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:28.000 dive into this incredibly bizarre collision of 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.219 Hello and Goodbye. We're looking at the source 00:00:30.219 --> 00:00:32.840 material surrounding the 2008 compilation album 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:35.880 which is simply titled Singles by the Sheffield 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:38.439 indie rock band The Long Blondes. A fantastic 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:40.719 record by the way. It really is and our mission 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:43.600 today is to figure out this paradox like how 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.799 can a single piece of plastic serve as both a 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.460 gritty triumphant origin story and a sudden heartbreaking 00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:52.060 eulogy. It's a fascinating paradox to unpack. 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:54.399 And what makes this deep dive so compelling is 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:57.039 how much it relies on the physical reality of 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:59.719 media. Yeah, the actual objects. Exactly. I mean, 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:02.179 we live in a world of endless, invisible digital 00:01:02.179 --> 00:01:05.659 streaming now, right? But physical media, a CD, 00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:09.480 a piece of vinyl, a printed booklet, it has this 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:13.959 almost magical ability to freeze the messy, sweaty 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:16.260 reality of a creative journey right in time. 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:18.719 Like a time capsule. Yes, a perfect time capsule. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:21.400 And in the case of this specific album, the physical 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:24.180 object itself carries a narrative weight that 00:01:24.180 --> 00:01:26.939 totally eclipses the music pressed onto the disc. 00:01:27.060 --> 00:01:29.560 OK, so to really... Wait, let's look at the timeline. 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:33.019 The album's singles drops on October 20, 2008. 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:35.400 Right. It's released by a label called Angular 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:38.540 Records, and it's a 12 -track collection, but 00:01:38.540 --> 00:01:41.599 the music itself isn't new for 2008. No, not 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:43.760 at all. It gathers up all these scattered singles 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:45.879 the band released before they hit the big time. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:48.439 Specifically, before they signed a major deal 00:01:48.439 --> 00:01:51.359 with Rough Trade Records back in April 2006. 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:53.519 Which was a huge deal for them at the time. Right. 00:01:53.689 --> 00:01:56.870 So musically, it's a look backward at their scrappy 00:01:56.870 --> 00:01:59.590 early days. And critics absolutely loved it, 00:01:59.590 --> 00:02:01.390 by the way. They really did. We're talking Art 00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:04.109 Rocker magazine, naming it the 25th best album 00:02:04.109 --> 00:02:07.859 of 2008. NME gave it an 8 out of 10. Pitchfork 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:10.800 gave it a solid 7 .4. Plus, you know, there were 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:13.139 glowing reviews from the BBC and the quietest. 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.500 Which is actually quite rare, if you think about 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:17.560 it. Yeah. Yeah. Let's think about that critical 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:20.180 reception for a second. Usually, when a band 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:22.860 releases a compilation of old material, music 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:24.780 critics kind of dismiss it. Well, for sure. They 00:02:24.780 --> 00:02:27.419 call it filler. Exactly. They scored a 5 out 00:02:27.419 --> 00:02:30.419 of 10 and call it redundant. The fact that singles 00:02:30.419 --> 00:02:32.620 scored so highly across the board tells you that 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:34.919 the raw material, these early independent tracks, 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:39.020 it was undeniably vital. It held up. It held 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:41.840 up perfectly. It wasn't just filler. It was a 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.419 cohesive documentation of a band finding its 00:02:44.419 --> 00:02:47.060 voice. But while the critical acclaim is great 00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:49.939 context, it's just the surface layer. Right. 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:53.280 The real story is the timing. The true narrative 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:55.300 tension of this album, the thing that makes it 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:58.340 a piece of music history, is exactly that, the 00:02:58.340 --> 00:03:00.199 timing of its arrival. Okay, here's where it 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:03.180 gets really interesting. This compilation, which 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:05.439 is entirely designed to celebrate their early 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.620 beginnings, was released on the exact same day 00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:11.819 the band completely dissolved. Yep. October 20th, 00:03:11.819 --> 00:03:14.479 2008. The release date of the record and the 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:16.979 death date of the band are identical. It's just 00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:19.560 wild. It is. And if that isn't dramatic enough, 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:21.680 the band didn't just put out a press release 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:25.120 online. The physical inlay of the album like 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:27.659 the actual paper book tucked inside the CD jewel 00:03:27.659 --> 00:03:30.259 case contained the official news of their breakup. 00:03:30.539 --> 00:03:33.379 The irony is just staggering. It's like receiving 00:03:33.379 --> 00:03:35.840 a beautifully wrapped anniversary present. And 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:37.780 when you open the card inside, it's a breakup 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:39.879 letter. That is the perfect way to describe it. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.060 What's fascinating here is the psychology of 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:45.219 a fan experiencing that in 2008. Yeah, put us 00:03:45.219 --> 00:03:47.379 in their shoes. Okay, so you go down to the local 00:03:47.379 --> 00:03:49.979 record store, you buy this new CD, and you're 00:03:49.979 --> 00:03:52.979 thrilled to revisit the gritty, upbeat tracks 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:54.659 that made you fall in love with the band years 00:03:54.659 --> 00:03:57.370 ago. You're excited. Right. You tear off the 00:03:57.370 --> 00:03:59.669 plastic wrap, pop open the plastic case, and 00:03:59.669 --> 00:04:02.189 pull out the liner notes. You're expecting to 00:04:02.189 --> 00:04:05.210 read some fun, nostalgic anecdotes about their 00:04:05.210 --> 00:04:07.810 early gigs in Sheffield. Right. Maybe some behind 00:04:07.810 --> 00:04:10.650 -the -scenes studio photos. Exactly. Instead, 00:04:10.909 --> 00:04:13.129 you're reading a dissolution announcement. The 00:04:13.129 --> 00:04:15.990 band is dead. I just can't even imagine the shock 00:04:15.990 --> 00:04:17.910 of that. You're literally holding the object 00:04:17.910 --> 00:04:20.680 you bought to support them. while reading that 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:23.120 there's nothing left to support. It entirely 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:26.360 transforms the listener's experience. It forces 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:29.759 you to process the band's birth and death simultaneously. 00:04:29.939 --> 00:04:33.199 At the exact same moment? Yes. Suddenly, every 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:36.220 energetic, danceable indie rock track playing 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:39.040 through your speakers is colored by the immediate 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:41.199 knowledge that the collective entity that created 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:44.800 them no longer exists. Wow. The paper inlay acts 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:47.480 as a tombstone, while the audio disc acts as 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.250 a birth certificate. trapped together in the 00:04:50.250 --> 00:04:53.170 exact same plastic case. The tombstone and the 00:04:53.170 --> 00:04:55.790 birth certificate side by side. I love that image. 00:04:55.870 --> 00:04:58.250 It's quite something. It really is. Yeah. But 00:04:58.250 --> 00:05:00.389 to really understand why this breakup announcement 00:05:00.389 --> 00:05:03.050 hit so hard, you have to look at the blood, sweat, 00:05:03.189 --> 00:05:05.149 and tears it took to build the band in the first 00:05:05.149 --> 00:05:07.769 place. Absolutely. The hustle was real. The birth 00:05:07.769 --> 00:05:10.089 certificate half of this album is actually a 00:05:10.089 --> 00:05:13.379 physical map of their independent hustle. But 00:05:13.379 --> 00:05:14.939 okay, let's unpack this for a second. Let me 00:05:14.939 --> 00:05:17.959 put back good when I hear the phrase Compilation 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:20.420 album released the day a band breaks up. Mm -hmm. 00:05:20.680 --> 00:05:24.120 My cynical brain immediately thinks Cash grab. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.040 Oh, of course. That's the natural assumption, 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:30.639 right? Isn't a compilation usually just a lazy 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.540 cash grab by a record label to recycle old songs 00:05:33.540 --> 00:05:36.259 Printing a new cover slapping old tracks on a 00:05:36.259 --> 00:05:38.959 disc and charging the fans again. It's a very 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:41.449 fair suspicion But if we connect this to the 00:05:41.449 --> 00:05:43.949 bigger picture of the mid -2000s indie music 00:05:43.949 --> 00:05:46.930 scene, we see why that assumption completely 00:05:46.930 --> 00:05:49.569 falls apart here. Okay, lay it on me. Well, a 00:05:49.569 --> 00:05:52.189 compilation is only a lazy cash grab if the original 00:05:52.189 --> 00:05:54.709 songs are already easily accessible to the public. 00:05:55.009 --> 00:05:57.800 Ah, I see where you're going. Right. Before the 00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:00.680 Long Blondes signed to Rough Trade in 2006, their 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.639 music wasn't sitting neatly on some digital streaming 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:06.600 platform. Spotify didn't exist like it does now. 00:06:06.699 --> 00:06:08.279 You couldn't just search for them on your phone. 00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:11.879 Exactly. They were operating in a fiercely underground 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:15.699 DIY scene, putting out incredibly limited physical 00:06:15.699 --> 00:06:19.120 releases across a patchwork of tiny independent 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.699 labels. Tracking those original songs down as 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:23.819 a casual fan must have been a nightmare. It was 00:06:23.819 --> 00:06:26.860 a monumental, almost impossible task. Okay, make 00:06:26.860 --> 00:06:28.879 that make sense for me. How scattered are we 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:31.500 talking? Deeply scattered, and across highly 00:06:31.500 --> 00:06:34.660 specific, obscure formats, let's actually trace 00:06:34.660 --> 00:06:36.860 the vinyl trail this album collects. Let's do 00:06:36.860 --> 00:06:39.399 it. Their earliest tracks, New Idols and Long 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:42.079 Blonde, were originally released by a tiny label 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:44.920 called the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation. 00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:48.079 What a name, the Sheffield Phonographic Corporation. 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:50.319 Very pretentious, very indie, and they didn't 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:52.879 just press it on standard black vinyl, they released 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.699 it as a double A side on bubblegum pink vinyl. 00:06:55.850 --> 00:06:57.970 Hold on, Bubble Gum Pink. For those of us who 00:06:57.970 --> 00:07:00.810 aren't massive vinyl collectors, what is the 00:07:00.810 --> 00:07:03.470 strategic point of a double A -side? Or pressing 00:07:03.470 --> 00:07:06.459 it on pink plastic? Why go through all that trouble? 00:07:06.860 --> 00:07:09.660 It's brilliant grassroots marketing. First, the 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:12.220 pink vinyl makes it a highly coveted physical 00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:15.920 object. Oh, it stands out. Exactly. If a DJ or 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.019 a fan is flipping through a crate of hundreds 00:07:19.019 --> 00:07:22.199 of black records, that bright bubblegum pink 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:25.040 disc instantly grabs their attention. It's a 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:27.300 collector's item by design. That makes total 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:29.939 sense. And the double A side thing. Right. Releasing 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:32.540 it as a double A side is a massive statement 00:07:32.540 --> 00:07:34.920 of confidence. In a traditional release, you 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:37.279 have the A side, which is the hit single, and 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.680 the B side, which is usually a throwaway track 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:42.120 or filler. Like the B team. Yeah. By declaring 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:44.279 it a double A side, the band is telling the listener, 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:46.680 both of these songs are lead singles. We don't 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.680 write filler. So they're planting a flag right 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:51.360 out of the gate. Exactly. And the hustle didn't 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:54.420 stop there. That track, Long Blonde, was also 00:07:54.420 --> 00:07:56.439 featured on something called a split seven inch 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:58.420 record with a band called The Boyfriends. The 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:01.139 Boyfriends, OK. And this was released by another 00:08:01.139 --> 00:08:03.959 underground label named Filthy Little Ain. Angels, 00:08:04.660 --> 00:08:07.100 and the record also featured another Long Blondes 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:12.110 track called Autonomy Boy. That sounds less like 00:08:12.110 --> 00:08:14.529 a traditional career ladder and more like couch 00:08:14.529 --> 00:08:16.290 surfing. Couch surfing is the perfect way to 00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:18.670 put it. Like they were literally sharing the 00:08:18.670 --> 00:08:21.629 rent on a piece of plastic with another band 00:08:21.629 --> 00:08:23.910 to get their music out there. That is precisely 00:08:23.910 --> 00:08:27.149 what it is. A split seven inch is the ultimate 00:08:27.149 --> 00:08:30.449 scrappy collaborative indie move. Because pressing 00:08:30.449 --> 00:08:34.009 vinyl is expensive. Extremely expensive. If you're 00:08:34.009 --> 00:08:36.610 an unsigned band with no money, you find another 00:08:36.610 --> 00:08:38.889 band you like, you pool your limited funds together, 00:08:38.889 --> 00:08:41.039 and you take one side of the while they take 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.100 the other. That's so smart. It cuts the cost 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:45.139 in half and it means your music automatically 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:47.720 reaches their fan base and vice versa. It's pure 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:51.440 survival mechanics. The Sheffield Phonographic 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:55.399 Corporation. Filthy little angels. Just hearing 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:57.360 those label names tells you everything you need 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.080 to know about the DIY underground they were navigating. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:03.320 And the map keeps going. They eventually moved 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:06.840 to Angular Records, which is the label that ultimately 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:08.740 put out the singles compilation we're talking 00:09:08.740 --> 00:09:10.620 about today. OK. So they stayed with them for 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:12.840 a bit. Yeah. During their early stint with Angular, 00:09:12.940 --> 00:09:15.840 they released the single Giddy Stratospheres. 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:18.940 But a single in that era rarely came alone. It 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:21.360 had B -sides. Right. It was backed by two other 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:24.639 rare tracks, Poly and Darts. Then they released 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:28.440 another single, Appropriation, by any other name. 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:32.019 Which was backed by, my heart is out of bounds 00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:34.659 and lust in the movies. So the catalog is just 00:09:34.659 --> 00:09:36.559 multiplying across all these different physical 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.000 disks. Yep, getting harder and harder to track 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:41.399 down. And from what I understand, they didn't 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:43.539 even keep this contained to the UK, right? They 00:09:43.539 --> 00:09:45.779 were trying to break internationally using these 00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:48.700 exact same physical tactics. Yes, and that required 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:51.120 yet another format change. Of course it did. 00:09:51.230 --> 00:09:53.529 That track, Giddy Stratospheres, got picked up 00:09:53.529 --> 00:09:55.889 for a US release through an American label called 00:09:55.889 --> 00:09:58.309 What's Your Rupture? What's Your Rupture? I love 00:09:58.309 --> 00:10:00.669 these names. They're great. But instead of a 00:10:00.669 --> 00:10:03.250 seven inch record, they released it as a 12 inch. 00:10:03.450 --> 00:10:06.570 It featured the original three UK tracks, Giddy 00:10:06.570 --> 00:10:10.149 Stratospheres, Polly and Darts, but then bolted 00:10:10.149 --> 00:10:12.710 Autonomy Boy onto the track list for the American 00:10:12.710 --> 00:10:16.470 audience. OK, pause. Why a 12 inch? Isn't that 00:10:16.470 --> 00:10:19.629 usually reserved for full albums? Why put four 00:10:19.629 --> 00:10:22.649 songs on a massive record? It's a DJ tactic. 00:10:22.710 --> 00:10:25.070 Oh really? Yeah. A 12 -inch single has wider 00:10:25.070 --> 00:10:27.529 grooves than a 7 -inch, which means the audio 00:10:27.529 --> 00:10:30.169 can be mastered significantly louder and with 00:10:30.169 --> 00:10:32.490 much deeper bass. Oh, I had no idea about that. 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:35.039 It makes a huge difference. Giddy Stratospheres 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.940 was a very danceable, energetic indie pop track. 00:10:38.379 --> 00:10:40.519 By pressing it on a 12 inch, they were ensuring 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:42.980 that when a club DJ in New York City played it, 00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:45.559 it would absolutely pound through the club's 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.080 sound system. That is so incredibly smart. But 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:49.600 listening to you lay all this out, it sounds 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:51.759 like an absolute nightmare for a fan trying to 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:53.759 actually own all their music. A total nightmare. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:56.360 Like you're buying a pink vinyl from one label, 00:10:56.840 --> 00:10:58.779 you're splitting rent on a seven inch from another, 00:10:59.070 --> 00:11:01.710 picking up standard records from angular and 00:11:01.710 --> 00:11:04.690 then paying import fees for a loud 12 inch from 00:11:04.690 --> 00:11:06.970 the US just to get a different combination of 00:11:06.970 --> 00:11:09.250 b -sides. Which is exactly why the cash grab 00:11:09.250 --> 00:11:12.299 theory is totally debunked. I see that now. By 00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:15.779 doing the detective work, tracking down these 00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:18.820 rare B -sides like darts and lust in the movies, 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:21.779 and putting them into one easily accessible track 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:24.799 list, Angular Records wasn't being lazy. They 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.840 were doing everyone a favor. Exactly. They were 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:29.600 providing a vital public service for the fans. 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:33.419 They built a cohesive archive out of a very messy 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:36.159 history. And the final piece of that pre -rough 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.299 trade puzzle really highlights their upward trajectory. 00:11:39.580 --> 00:11:41.639 Compilation includes the single separated by 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:44.360 Motorways, which was backed by Big Infatuation. 00:11:44.940 --> 00:11:47.159 And that particular release came out on Good 00:11:47.159 --> 00:11:49.580 and Evil Records. Which is a crucial detail because 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.320 Good and Evil Records was run by Paul Epworth. 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.000 Right, Paul Epworth. He's a massive, Grammy -winning 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.659 producer. So you can literally trace their footsteps 00:11:56.659 --> 00:12:00.600 through this compilation. They start at the Sheffield 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:03.870 Phonographic Corporation. jump to Filthy Little 00:12:03.870 --> 00:12:07.649 Angels, move to Angular Records, cross the ocean 00:12:07.649 --> 00:12:10.529 to What's Your Rupture, and finally land with 00:12:10.529 --> 00:12:12.929 Paul Epworth at Good and Evil. It's a progression. 00:12:13.149 --> 00:12:16.149 It really is. It's a physical, vinyl map of a 00:12:16.149 --> 00:12:18.669 band grinding their way up the indie ladder, 00:12:18.750 --> 00:12:21.289 label by tiny label, until they finally prove 00:12:21.289 --> 00:12:23.490 themselves enough to land that major record deal. 00:12:23.730 --> 00:12:26.779 It is the literal sound of ambition. As you listen 00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:28.759 to the compilation, you can hear them testing 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.019 the waters, building your network, and figuring 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:33.259 out exactly who they are as an artistic unit. 00:12:33.460 --> 00:12:35.899 You can hear them growing up. Exactly. And that 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:38.720 perfectly sets up the actual creative choices 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.019 the band made for this 2008 release. Because 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:42.539 they were involved, right? Very involved. They 00:12:42.539 --> 00:12:44.899 didn't just passively hand over the master tapes 00:12:44.899 --> 00:12:47.419 to the label and walk away. Even as the band 00:12:47.419 --> 00:12:50.460 was falling apart, they made highly specific, 00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:53.000 deliberate choices about what went on to this 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:55.919 compilation. And those choices reveal their core 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:58.779 artistic DNA. This is the part that genuinely 00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:02.379 fascinates me because this compilation is absolutely 00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:05.559 dripping with their DIY ethos. Let's start with 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:07.919 the visual presentation. Instead. They didn't 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:11.019 hire a slick graphic design firm to create a 00:13:11.019 --> 00:13:13.879 polished retrospective album cover. The cover 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.990 artwork for singles is an actual painting. done 00:13:16.990 --> 00:13:19.129 by the band's lead singer, Kate Jackson. Which 00:13:19.129 --> 00:13:21.710 is just a radical act of defiance in the music 00:13:21.710 --> 00:13:24.250 industry. Right. Usually when a band signs to 00:13:24.250 --> 00:13:27.049 a larger label or puts out a definitive compilation, 00:13:27.769 --> 00:13:31.269 the corporate PR machine steps in to meticulously 00:13:31.269 --> 00:13:33.690 style their image. They want it to look pristine. 00:13:34.090 --> 00:13:36.759 Exactly. By insisting on using the lead singer's 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:39.779 own painting, they are completely rejecting that 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:42.419 corporate packaging. It establishes an incredibly 00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:45.200 intimate, handcrafted relationship with the listener. 00:13:45.419 --> 00:13:47.659 Like they're speaking directly to you. Yes. You 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:49.539 aren't looking at a marketing department's mood 00:13:49.539 --> 00:13:51.419 board. You are looking at the lead singer's own 00:13:51.419 --> 00:13:53.820 brushstrokes. It sets the tone before you even 00:13:53.820 --> 00:13:56.480 hear the music. And they extended that intimacy 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:58.519 to the actual contents of the booklet, too. They 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.360 really packed it full of stuff. They did. They 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.450 included rare information. early pictures, old 00:14:04.450 --> 00:14:06.690 interviews. They even gave the fans something 00:14:06.690 --> 00:14:09.690 completely new by including track 12, a song 00:14:09.690 --> 00:14:12.250 called Peterborough, which had been entirely 00:14:12.250 --> 00:14:15.129 unreleased until this compilation. A real hidden 00:14:15.129 --> 00:14:17.590 gem. Yeah. They wanted the listener to feel like 00:14:17.590 --> 00:14:20.769 they were getting a backstage pass to those early 00:14:20.769 --> 00:14:23.169 gritty Sheffield days. And you really see that 00:14:23.169 --> 00:14:25.230 collective collaborative spirit when you look 00:14:25.230 --> 00:14:28.210 at how the band actually operated. The Long Blondes 00:14:28.210 --> 00:14:30.750 were not just a charismatic front person and 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:33.529 a hired backing band. No. They were a real unit. 00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:35.990 They were a highly integrated machine. You had 00:14:35.990 --> 00:14:38.690 Emma Chaplin on guitars, keyboards, and vocals, 00:14:39.210 --> 00:14:41.970 Rene Hollis playing bass and singing, Screech 00:14:41.970 --> 00:14:44.070 Louder on the drums. Great name, Screech Louder. 00:14:44.090 --> 00:14:46.710 A fantastic name. And then you have this brilliant 00:14:46.710 --> 00:14:49.789 dynamic between Dorian Cox and Kate Jackson. 00:14:50.330 --> 00:14:52.509 Yeah, the division of labor there is so deeply 00:14:52.509 --> 00:14:55.470 indicative of a true indie collective. Dorian 00:14:55.470 --> 00:14:57.730 Cox was playing guitars, handling keyboards, 00:14:58.250 --> 00:15:00.269 singing, and he wrote the majority of the lyrics. 00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:02.779 But the lyric writing wasn't just his isolated 00:15:02.779 --> 00:15:06.000 domain. Kate Jackson, who again is painting the 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.820 cover art, also wrote the lyrics. for tracks 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:12.080 10, 11, and 12. Which are separated by Motorways, 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:15.720 Big Infatuation, and that unreleased track, Peterborough. 00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:18.379 Exactly. And it gets even more intertwined because 00:15:18.379 --> 00:15:20.200 she and Dorian actually co -wrote the lyrics 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.980 together for tracks six and eight, which are 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:25.279 Darts and My Heart is Out of Bounds. That shared 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.879 lyricism is critical. It creates the signature 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:30.419 dual perspective narrative of their music. It 00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:32.919 wasn't just one person's diary. No, it wasn't 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:35.620 one ego dictating the message. It was a shared 00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:38.940 vision. And frankly, knowing how deeply intertwined 00:15:38.940 --> 00:15:41.720 they were sharing vocals co -writing lyrics painting 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:44.559 covers together it makes the dissolution of the 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:47.000 band even more jarring because they were so connected 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:49.220 right they built this entire world together from 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:51.600 the ground up starting with that pink vinyl and 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.419 then abruptly that collective engine just stops 00:15:54.419 --> 00:15:57.440 it just stops which brings me to the specific 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.600 creative choice that I think perfectly sums up 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:02.639 their entire mindset let's talk about track 10 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:05.100 separated by motorways oh this is a great detail 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:07.500 Now, we mentioned earlier that this was their 00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:09.700 final single before signing the big deal, and 00:16:09.700 --> 00:16:12.399 it had a proper polished release. The Paul Epworth 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:15.919 era. Right. But for this 2008 compilation, which, 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:17.559 let's remember, is their final statement to the 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:21.500 world, they actively chose not to use the polished 00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:24.960 single version. Which is wild. It's crazy. Instead, 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.320 they dug into the archives and opted to include 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:30.440 an alternate version. It's a raw demo recorded 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:33.320 by a producer named Alan Smith. It is a staggering 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:36.600 choice. Right. Swapping the polished radio -ready 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.820 single for the rough demo is like a famous director 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:42.779 releasing their final masterpiece, but choosing 00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:46.029 to show the audience their messy coffee -stained 00:16:46.029 --> 00:16:48.809 storyboards instead of the final CGI movie scene. 00:16:48.990 --> 00:16:51.149 That's a perfect analogy. Why would an artist 00:16:51.149 --> 00:16:53.350 do that? I mean, most bands want to be remembered 00:16:53.350 --> 00:16:55.889 at their absolute slickest, sounding like million 00:16:55.889 --> 00:16:58.090 -dollar rock stars. This raises an important 00:16:58.090 --> 00:17:00.389 question though. They do, but that's exactly 00:17:00.389 --> 00:17:02.490 why the Long Blondes rejected it. Because it 00:17:02.490 --> 00:17:05.160 wasn't really them. By intentionally choosing 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:08.259 Alan Smith's rough demo over the polished studio 00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:11.500 track, they are diving deep into the psychology 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:14.599 of artistic identity. They are choosing a flaw 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:17.359 over perfection as a massive statement of who 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.779 they are. A statement of authenticity. Exactly. 00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:23.079 They are planting a flag and saying, we value 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.299 raw authenticity over studio magic. They knew 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:28.960 this compilation was their final bow and they 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.900 wanted to ensure they were remembered for their 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:34.240 DIY garage rock. roots. They wanted people to 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.640 remember the sweat. Yeah. They're telling the 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:38.940 listener before the major labels, before the 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:41.980 big studios, this is who we really were. The 00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:44.500 demo is the true sound of the garage. It is a 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:46.960 celebration of the garage, not the arena. And 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:48.839 I think that's why this album works so well, 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.519 despite the heartbreak attached to it. Yeah, 00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:52.579 it's a very honest record. So what does this 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:54.460 all mean? Let's bring this all together. We started 00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:57.019 this deep dive looking at a bizarre paradox. 00:17:57.700 --> 00:18:00.420 A hello and a goodbye wrapped in the same package. 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:03.299 And we've unpacked an incredible mechanical journey. 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:05.619 A journey across a lot of physical media. So 00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:08.579 much media. Singles isn't just a 12 -track indie 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:12.480 rock record. It is a literal, physical time capsule. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.339 It charts a band's grueling rise from obscure 00:18:15.339 --> 00:18:18.619 pink vinyls and shared 7 -inch records to major 00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:22.190 label deals. The whole arc. Yeah. It highlights 00:18:22.190 --> 00:18:24.950 their absolute insistence on authenticity, you 00:18:24.950 --> 00:18:27.569 know, choosing raw demos and hand -painted covers 00:18:27.569 --> 00:18:30.970 over corporate polish. And most importantly, 00:18:31.170 --> 00:18:34.190 it serves as a final bittersweet farewell to 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:36.329 the fans who took that journey with them. It 00:18:36.329 --> 00:18:38.569 is an artifact that demands to be understood 00:18:38.569 --> 00:18:40.809 in its full context. I mean, the music is great, 00:18:41.029 --> 00:18:43.410 but the story encoded into the physical release 00:18:43.410 --> 00:18:46.029 is what makes it legendary. Exactly. And I think 00:18:46.029 --> 00:18:49.190 there's a huge universal takeaway here for you 00:18:49.190 --> 00:18:50.900 listening right now. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. 00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:52.700 Think about your own life. Think about your own 00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:54.480 career, your creative project, or even just your 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.700 relationships. Often, it is those messy, independent, 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:00.920 early stages. The moments when you were couchsurfing, 00:19:01.099 --> 00:19:02.859 figuring things out, collaborating with friends, 00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:05.079 maybe stumbling a bit, but keeping it totally 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.160 authentic. Those are the moments that end up 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:09.039 being the most defining. Yeah, the foundation. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.019 Right. Those rough, unpolished beginnings are 00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:14.220 worth preserving because they are the truest 00:19:14.220 --> 00:19:16.740 reflection of who you are before the world comes 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:18.619 in and tries to polish your edges. I couldn't 00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:20.960 agree more. The rough drafts are often where 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:23.539 the real magic lives. Definitely. And to build 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:25.480 on that idea, I want to leave you with something 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:28.039 to ponder long after this deep dive ends. Let's 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:30.740 hear it. If you had to compile a singles album 00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:34.000 of your own life's early, raw demos right before 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.420 a major life shift, what rough edges would be 00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:39.700 on your track list? And what would be your own 00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:43.319 personal bubblegum pink vinyl moment, that weird, 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:45.900 specific, ambitious thing you did to make yourself 00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:48.140 stand out before anyone even knew your name? 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:51.059 Oh man, what a fantastic question to chew on. 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:54.339 Have you ever experienced the end of an era right 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:56.400 as you were handed a celebration of its beginnings? 00:19:57.129 --> 00:19:59.369 Next time you do, maybe you'll appreciate the 00:19:59.369 --> 00:20:01.609 beauty of holding the birth certificate and the 00:20:01.609 --> 00:20:03.549 tombstone at the exact same time.