Kraftwerk – The Model (12″ EMI 5207) (1981)

“But people will know it’s a three-year old single. We’ll never get away with it–we’re trying to move forward here.”

Ralf Hütter was worried. Market research indicated the British public’s preference for new single “Computer Love”‘s b-side, Man Machine album track and 1978 German single,”The Model”. Some at EMI (UK) boardroom level were suggesting re-releasing the single with “The Model” on the a-side.

“But what about the iconography, if you use the Man Machine colour scheme and typography for this single, the public will be confused. We’ll trying to push Computer World, remember?”

“Just put the words ‘the model’ on the Computer World computer screen, no-one’ll know the difference,” piped up a junior executive helpfully.

“I like your thinking,” said the chairman, turning to face the junior executive in his executive swivel chair. “Call up the art department and make it so.”

“It’s not right aesthetically ,” argued Hütter, a note of panic rising in his voice. “And besides, it’s not even that good a song. I mean the rhetorical point about models being vacuous maneaters in love with themselves and the camera isn’t exactly groundbreaking, is it? The melody, such as it is, is banal and the way it’s sung is pretty obvious, too, all ennui and monotone.”

“You know, you’re right,” the chairman smiled malevolently. “We shouldn’t re-release this on grounds both artistic and aesthetic. But, Hütter, we are re-releasing it. Someday you’ll thank me. But if it makes you feel better, the record’s label will still show ‘Computer Love’ as the a-side and ‘The Model’ as the flip with the corresponding matrix numbers on the dead wax.”

In February 1982, ”The Model” became Kraftwerk’s only UK number one–indeed, their only chart topper anywhere. Kraftwerk were able to buy a few more bells and whistles for Kling Klang and Ralf Hütter sent the EMI executive a fruit basket with a humble Danke note.

The Freeman String Symphoniser featuring Ken Freeman – Electronic Philharmonic (1973) (Ad-Rhythm ARPS-8004)

I swore to myself that, if this Ken Freeman was shite, it would be the last silly sythesiser record I would buy. Well, it is shite: pop songs and a few hokey originals with a live rhythm section and the melodic swoosh of the titular ”string symphoniser“, not very spacey or interesting.

However, it’s worth something relatively substantial, at least according to Vinyl Searcher, so perhaps I’ll sell it on and buy just one more silly synthesiser Lp. It was only £1 at Age UK in Hythe, after all.

Jordan Fields Presents Moments In Dub (Mo’ Wax MWR 155LP) (2002)

Electronical disco/house album driving down a similar freeway to the one Etienne d’Crecy frequents. The kick counts four, handclaps on the even numbers, mellow synths and soul-y vocal samples wash over to pleasing, almost poingnant effect. At time of issue I’m guessing it was played in Next stores, but not Gap (on one hand) or Urban Outfitters (on the other); you know, hip enough, but not so hip it hurts.

Though thrifted by me two weeks ago in Folkestone, someone once paid the bargain basement price of £2.99 for this at the late lamented Richards Records (in Ashford or Canterbury).

Nia – Blackalicious (Mo’ Wax)

I got this double Lp at a great boot fair near St. Michael’s Mount.  The tracks sound kind of unfinished to me, but good enough in a background music, trip hop way.