England was ripe with excellent DIY post-punk and minimal synth gems, bands inspired by Factory Records, early Cure singles, etc. Some of my favorite 7”s (Obscure By Degrees, Persons Unknown etc.) were birthed from this era with the same aesthetic. So with that in mind, here’s another obscure gem from Towerbell Records, released in 1981. This is the one and only single from Language From Memory, who disappeared into the ether soon after recording this 7”. It’s a shame, as the a-side here truly kicks ass, one of the best undiscovered gems I’ve stumbled upon in recent times. Incisive guitars, Sad Lovers and Giants-esque string synths, and catchy, fist-pumping hooks abound. Power pop lovers will also enjoy the flip.
The band were from northern London, and played out quite often in the early 80s. As for their disappearance, I believe they changed names and continued on together. A fan who knew the band back then states that Nick Head played rhythm guitar on this single. The name may be familiar to some, as he also acted as producer/engineer for KMFDM and Exit 13.
This single is also proof that not all obscurities are out of budget, as there are tons of copies out there to be had for relatively cheap, even by discogs standards. Towerbell seemed to have some backing behind it, and a decently stacked roster, which was formed out of the disco era and included Shirley Bassey and Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) as well as a series of popular TV series compilations. I haven’t heard of much else from the label, so perhaps this single is an anomaly, but either way, aspiring collectors should have no problem finding a copy for themselves…
Language From Memory- Fortune 7”
1. Fortune
2. The Coat