Aghast! An early La's demo tape

[edwardjames]

A friend of mine showed me a tape recently that was given to him by Mike Badger. It is an early La's demo called Aghast. Does anyone know much about it? He was on the Liverpool music scene in the 80's and knew Mike (he has a credit on on of the Onset albums) but didnt want to say too much to me (a huge la's fan) due to the fact that he didnt want the tape getting onto the net because Viper records are re-issuing the songs.

Anyway, it has Mike's address at the time (aigburth road), a track by Roy G Biv called the Time I grew Forever, a version of looking glass called tell me, a different version of money in your talk and trees and plants, down at the space rocketry and more which I cannot remember off the top of my head. The artwork was a yellow papered photocopy with a face formed out of the letter AGHAST.

There were a couple more songs on there which are to my knowledge unreleased. The heart knows was one (featuring steel drum). I listened to the tape and the quality is pretty good with only a bit of tape hiss. the original quality of the recordings is obviously amateur .

Can anyone tell me more?

Thanks

[Syl]

Roy G Biv turned up on one of the early compilation albums. A Secret Liverpool or the other one, I don't have details handy, not at the normal PC, on a laptop elsewhere.

It would be interesting to hear Looking Glass.

[Neil83]

Sounds pretty interesting. 'Aghast' is certainly a new one on me. As is 'The Heart Knows'. Could just be alternate titles for songs we've already heard though.

Yeah Roy G Biv was a pseudonym used by Badger on the Secret Liverpool comp. It being an anagram of the colours of the spectrum red/orange/green/blue/indigo/violet.

I'd like to see Viper put one more Lost La's volume out actually. The Picket demos in particular could do with an 'official' release.

[edwardjames]

I will get you more details when i have the chance. will post tracklisting and copy of tape cover along with details on The Heart Knows. I have every reason to believe its genuine as my friend (and his brother) have strong links with Mike Badger

[Neil83]

Good one ed. Look forward to seeing the scan. Those early art designs by Badger usually have a nice charm to them.

e.g.




Do you actually know Viper are putting any of these songs out? If not stick 'em up somewhere I say. It's not as if there gonna have massive commercial potential anyway.

[allbymyself91]

Any news on this edward?

[edwardjames]

Update is...

After having a good think about what to do with this I emailed viper records where i was put in touch with Paul Hemmings. In turn he put me in touch with Mike Badger and they requested I send them a copy, which I did. They thanked me for not putting it on the net and said there were no plans to release it commercially (although as the existence is now know, they may be persuaded).

Because good friends and even greater friends of friends were involved I was reluctant to post them so I have taken it to the source and as a previous poster mentions, it would be good to see one more lost las. Those kitchen tapes are out there, plus the songs on aghast and more...

Thanks for posting back to me as it helped me make my mind up. Sorry I didnt send em out!

The friend involved was jon cousins, (on myspace) who used to play in Orphiuchus, his brother is Simon who played in the onset (the onset are now on myspace too with simon in charge and him and mike badger posts stuff on youtube) and i am on myspace as thekeepsmusic. Mike has posted on our comments section because of this and hear my music!

So that, until another lost las comes out, it the end of this particular tale

[Syl]

Will you post a scan of the sleeve?

[Rod Cow]

Thing is with those tapes in the possesion of or originally from Hemmings or Badger the song titles are seemingly not working titles but their best guess at the name of the track (When The Might Become The Meekest [not Meakest] and 'Caught Red Handed' which was 'What Do You Do' written by Badger but misnamed on Hemmings' copy.
So if you imagine that Liberty Ship was on one of those tapes compiled early on (say mid '86) then Christ alone knows what they would have guessed it was called.

I would wager that Looking Glass is the well known 'Four Track Demo' which has been traded/given away since forever but what do I know.

I don't think there's a huge possibility of a 'Lost La's Three' coming,so why are the B/H team thanking the tape holder for not leaking this stuff?

They've got some double standards,them fella's,although I'm might pleased that Viper gave us a chance to hear a few demos that we might not have heard (but probably would have in inferior quality)

That's my 20p worth for what it's worth.(About 20p)

The Moo-er