Tag: I.R.S. Records
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Klark Kent, Klark Kent, 1980 on I.R.S. Records
Debut solo album from Klark Kent, a psuedonym for Stewart Copeland of The Police. Released on 10-inch vinyl but with a 12″ die-cut sleeve so that it fits alongside full-size LPs. Not sure why the name is misspelled on the label as Klerk Kant—maybe copyright issues with the owners of Clark Kent aka Superman? But…
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Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & The Cooked, 1988 on IRS Records / MCA
This was the second Fine Young Cannibals album following their self-titled debut. Roland Gift on vocals with the rhythm section of Andy Cox and David Steele (formerly of The Beat aka The English Beat). Many of the songs on the LP had already appeared on film soundtracks including three from the Barry Levinson film Tin…
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The English Beat, What is Beat?, 1983 on I.R.S. Records
This is the North American version of this release (as evidenced by the “English”) which collected a number of singles, remixes, and live tracks as well as a number of tracks from the first three English Beat albums, serving as a kind of “best of” in the US. There’s a 2xLP version with a different…
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The English Beat, Special Beat Service, 1982 on IRS
On this release the spine uses the name “The Beat” but uses “The English Beat” on the cover and labels so as not to conflict with Paul Collin’s The Beat. This was their third LP and last under the original configuration – they’d show up later as The Beat featuring Ranking Roger and then The…
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Timbuk 3, Greetings From Timbuk 3, 1986 on I.R.S. Records
Debut album from Pat MacDonald and Barbara Koyman MacDonald, the husband and wife duo better known as Timbuk 3 (sometimes written Timbuk3), featuring their most well known single “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.” Such great songwriting on this and all their albums – people sometimes think of them as a one-hit wonder…
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Wall of Voodoo, The Ugly Americans in Australia, 1988 on I.R.S. Records
Live Wall of Voodoo recorded on their 1987 tour in Australia, primarily at The Palace in Melbourne. The cover painting is by Robert Williams (aka Robt. Wms.). This was their last output on I.R.S. and basically the end of their label support – after this things were self-released or reissues. My copy—via Vinyl Destination in…
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The Alarm, Change, 1989 on I.R.S. Records
We recently lost Mike Peters of The Alarm, after a 30 year battle with cancer. He also had a lengthy solo career following the band’s breakup in the early 90s, and founded the Love Hope Strength Foundation. This album was their penultimate with the original lineup, and has NID YN CYMRU AR WERTH carved into…
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Wall of Voodoo, Dark Continent, 1981 on I.R.S. Records
This was the debut album for Wall of Voodoo, before the big hit “Mexican Radio” which was on their follow-up Call of the West. In addition to the immensely talented Stan Ridgway (credited here as “Stanard Ridgway”) the band here includes Bruce Moreland, Joe Nanini, Marc Moreland, and Chas Gray. A live version of “Back…
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Fleshtones, Roman Gods, 1981 on IRS Records
Debut album from Queens New York’s own The Fleshtones (credited as just Fleshtones here). This included the song – “Shadow-line (to J. Conrad)” – that was included in Urgh, a Music War!. Artwork by Carl Grasso. Produced by Richard Mazda and recorded (mostly) in New York at Skyline Studios. I.R.S. was one of my favorite…
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Fleshtones, Up Front, 1980 on I.R.S. Records
First EP Fleshtones issued, before the release of Roman Gods. Fleshtones were Bill Milhizer, Jan Marek Pakulski, Keith Streng, and Peter Zaremba. Miles Copeland signed them to IRS Records, and got them on Urgh! A Music War. Zaremba may be better known to some as the host of I.R.S. Records Presents the Cutting Edge on…
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R.E.M., Dead Letter Office, 1987 on IRS Records
Divded into a “Post” side and a “Script” side, this was one of my favorite R.E.M. releases of the 80s, with the unofficial subtitle from the rear cover: “We do sountracks, a virtuous compost, Being a Compendium Of Oddities Collared and B-sides compiled.” “Voice of Harold” was a completely different vocal improvised over the track…
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Let’s Active, Cypress, 1984 on IRS Records
Mitch Easter, Faye Hunter, and Sara Romweber’s debut full-length as Let’s Active, following after the Afoot EP. My copy is UK pressing – “A & M Records Ltd are the exclusive licensees for the UK. Made in England” on the label – but still has the IRS logo. Hunter and Romweber would both move on…
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The Alarm, Standards, 1990 on IRS
Compilation from IRS records in 1990 – most of the songs you’d expect from their earlier LPs, plus A New South Wales and Happy Christmas (War is Over). My copy is a UK pressing I picked up at Academy Records in NYC. Rare that I buy an LP just for one or two songs where…
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Go Go’s, Vacation, 1982 on I.R.S. Records
This was the sophomore release, following Beauty and the Beat. Lead off single “Vacation” was an unavoidable hit that summer. Cowriting credit on “He’s So Strange” to Leonard Phillips from The Dickies and Catie Curtis – otherwise Carlisle, Caffey, Schock, Wiedlin, Valentine. Found my copy at Vinyl Destination in Lowell MA.
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Go-Gos, Talk Show, 1984 on I.R.S. Records
Third and final LP of their glorious 80s run, with Head Over Heels and Turn To You. Found my copy at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell.
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Let’s Active, Afoot, 1983 on I.R.S. Records.
Let’s Active, Afoot, 1983 on I.R.S. Records. Mitch Easter may be more famous for his production work with R.E.M. and others, but Let’s Active was also a great band. Their first gig was opening for R.E.M. at the 688 Club in Atlanta in 1981
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Ranking Roger, Radical Departure, 1988 on I.R.S. Records
Ranking Roger, Radical Departure, 1988 on I.R.S. Records First solo album from Roger Charley (1963-2019) aka Ranking Roger, who was part of the English Beat (or just The Beat, as they are known in the UK) and General Public. via Light of Day Records in Jamaica Plain
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Various Artists, Live! for Life, 1986 on I.R.S. Records.
Various Artists, Live! for Life, 1986 on I.R.S. Records. Benefit album for the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver- executive producer Miles Copeland (brother of Stewart and Ian, founder of IRS Records). Great mid-80s (mostly) live compilation – not a single concert but a collection of unreleased tracks via Soundtracks, Beverly MA