Something That I Said - Ruts Virgin Records Released 31st August 1979
In a few days time Ruts DC are to begin their UK Tour to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the release of the Ruts debut album The Crack. They will be playing the album in sequence and probably a bunch of great classic Ruts tunes as well as Ruts DC songs.
Seeing as that's about to happen I thought I would post 'Something That I Said' as today's Tidy Tune. Also below is a link to listen afresh to the debut album 'The Crack', as well as the Ruts with Henry Rollins performing two classic tunes live and Ruts DC performing the Ruts debut single 'In A Rut' acoustically. Enjoy.
The Crack - The Ruts Virgin Records Produced by Mick Glossop Released 29th September 1979 UK Chart #16
The Crack Full Album with Bonus Tracks
Side 1
Side 2
Personnel
Ruts Malcolm Owen - vocals Paul Fox - guitar, organ, backing vocals John "Segs" Jennings - bass guitar, piano on "Jah War", backing vocals Dave Ruffy - drums, backing vocals Additional Personnel Richard Mannah - backing vocals on "S.U.S" and "Criminal Mind" Mick Glossop - synthesizer on "It Was Cold" Gary Barnacle - saxophone Luke Tunney - trumpet
1990 Reissue on LP and CD included Bonus Tracks
B6 Give Youth A Chance 3:07 B7 I Ain't Sofisticated 2:16 B8 The Crack 5:49
2016 A Picture Disc Reissue was released
The Tracklisting was the same as the Original 1979 Release.
(I have posted about this album a couple of times in the past few years but as a number of the links on those posts are dead I thought I'd revisit the album and update with some additional artwork etc. - Doug, S4L)
(L to R: Paul Fox (RIP), Segs Jennings, Malcom Owen (RIP), and Dave Ruffy)
I wrote this on a previous post on the album and I still think this way about the album:
"The Ruts debut album The Crack takes me right back to my teenage years in South East London, Forest Hill to be precise (I was 16 years old when it was released). It makes me think about many of the friends who I used to hang about with - the Forest Hill Punks. Some of them I know are still around, and like me have grown up, got married etc. Others I have no idea about, except the ones who are no longer with us.
Listening to the album makes me think not just about good times but bad times as well because there's lots of stuff going on lyrically that made an impact upon our young lives - the attitude of the cops toward us (Sus and Jah War), the violence of the age (Something That I Said), the bleakness (It Was Cold), the addictions (Criminal Mind), the betrayals (Backbiter), and the smell of danger (Out of Order).
It makes me remember hanging around Counterpoint Records in Forest Hill listening to the latest music when some of us should have been at school, or day trips, when we bunked off school, to go up to the Portobello Road and hang around Virgin Records' Offices hoping to scrounge new posters, badges etc of our favourite bands on that label (Skids, Sex Pistols, The Members and The Ruts).
When I hear it now I don't, to quote that great Pete Shelley song, wish "I was sixteen again". Time has moved on but a lot of stuff that happened in those days shaped who I am today and that's fact.
But listening to the album also makes me think of the band who made it. Segs and Ruffy lived in Forest Hill at the time and I reckon that they are still one of the best Rhythm Sections around, only Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are better! In 2016 they are still playing many of these songs but also writing and performing new ones with Ruts DC. It makes me think of guitarist Paul Fox who was one of the most exceptional around. People always talk about the sounds that a guitarist like The Edge makes when he plays but Foxy was able to make some incredible noise without even a third of the technology that U2 have at their disposal. Sadly Foxy is no longer with us having passed away after a battle with cancer in 2007. Also it makes me think of Malcom, the volatile frontman who tragically died of a heroin overdose in July 1980 aged 26, ten months after the release of this album. It was a life snuffed out far too young! It makes me think about what could have been.
Finally it's an album that makes me remember that life goes on, inspite of all that I went through, what this band went through, there is still a life to be lived.
There's not a poor track on it and from start to finish you enter a world where Punk and Reggae meet on a level playing field and this wonderful sound just blows your mind. You feel the anger, the discrimination, and perfectly understand the violence conveyed because it was exactly what your life was like at the time and was clearly what was going on in society at the time."
**************
The Crack is still one of my favourite debut albums 38 years on. The combination of Punk and Reggae was something that was not done to jump on any bandwagon and follow the likes of The Clash etc. It was part of the make up of the group and the things that they drew influence from.
My favourite tracks on the album aside from the singles are S.U.S., It Was Cold, Savage Circle and Criminal Mind. Human Punk was a live recording and you can listen to the full show from the Marquee in 1979 on the link below.
The singles that were featured on it were all brilliant (including Jah War! - Charles Shaar Murray writing for the NME had said in a review of it that it was "Possibly the most unimaginatively earnest piece of white reggae ever" - maybe I should ask him if he knew what the song was inspired by and whether he was aware of the links between The Ruts and Misty in Roots down there in Southall and the violence that had been unleashed on them at the hands of the Metropolitan Police's SPG in April 1979! I thought his review was overly harsh). It was great seeing Babylon's Burning reach the Top Ten (peaking at #7) yet disappointing that the other two singles didn't do as well.
The B-Sides of the singles were also pretty tidy. Society (B-Side of Babylon's Burning) is just a totally in your face assualt speaking of how we are being watched and information being gathered on us - this was 1979, just think how it is in 2017!
"Our media controlled by hate You've been programmed, it's far too late The first time that you open your eyes They plug you into all their lies"
- Society
Give Youth a Chance (B-Side of Something That I Said) was originally called Black Man's Pinch (see John Peel Session link below).
I Ain't Sofisticated (B-Side of Jah War) always gives me a chuckle with it's little dig at Education! Though not keen on the use of the C word on it!
The Crack - The Ruts Virgin Records Produced by Mick Glossop Released September 1979 UK Chart #16
Personnel
Ruts Malcolm Owen - vocals Paul Fox - guitar, organ, backing vocals John "Segs" Jennings - bass guitar, piano on "Jah War", backing vocals Dave Ruffy - drums, backing vocals
Additional Personnel Richard Mannah - backing vocals on "S.U.S" and "Criminal Mind" Mick Glossop - synthesizer on "It Was Cold" Gary Barnacle - saxophone Luke Tunney - trumpet
I had thought of writing a whole new piece on The Crack album and went back to remind myself what I'd written last time I spotlighted it here on the blog. After a quick read I thought to myself that I didn't think I can better it, so in the good fashion of TV let me state for the record that this is a repeat pretty much with a few tweaks here and there.
The choice of the Ruts album The Crack today takes me right back to my teenage years in South East London, Forest Hill to be precise (I was 16 years old when it was released). It makes me think about many of the friends who I used to hang about with - the Forest Hill Punks. Some of them I know are still around, and like me have grown up, got married etc. Others I have no idea about, except the ones who are no longer with us.
Listening to the album makes me think not just about good times but bad times as well because there's lots of stuff going on lyrically that made an impact upon our young lives - the attitude of the cops toward us (Sus and Jah War), the violence of the age (Something That I Said), the bleakness (It Was Cold), the addictions (Criminal Mind), the betrayals (Backbiter), and the smell of danger (Out of Order).
It makes me remember hanging around Counterpoint Records in Forest Hill listening to the latest music when some of us should have been at school, or day trips, when we bunked off school, to go up to the Portobello Road and hang around Virgin Records' Offices hoping to scrounge new posters, badges etc of our favourite bands on that label (Skids, Sex Pistols, The Members and the Ruts).
When I hear it now I don't, to quote that great Pete Shelley song, wish "I was sixteen again". Time has moved on but a lot of stuff that happened in those days shaped who I am today and that's fact.
But listening to the album also makes me think of the band who made it. Segs and Ruffy lived in Forest Hill at the time and I reckon that they are still one of the best Rhythm Sections around, only Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are better! In 2016 they are still playing many of these songs but also writing and performing new ones with Ruts DC. It makes me think of guitarist Paul Fox who was one of the most exceptional around, people always talk about the sounds that a guitarist like The Edge makes when he plays but Foxy was able to make some incredible noise without even a third of the technology that U2 have at their disposal. Sadly Foxy is no longer with us having passed away after a battle with cancer in 2007. Also it makes me think of Malcom, the volatile frontman who tragically died of a heroin overdose in July 1980 aged 26, ten months after the release of this album. It was a life snuffed out far too young! It makes me think about what could have been.
Finally it's an album that makes me remember that life goes on, inspite of all that I went through, what this band went through, there is still a life to be lived.
There's not a poor track on it and from start to finish you enter a world where Punk and Reggae meet on a level playing field and this wonderful sound just blows your mind. You feel the anger, the discrimination, and perfectly understand the violence conveyed because it was exactly what your life was like at the time and was clearly what was going on in society at the time.
Ruts DC have this past month released a brand new album and it's well worth checking out. You can catch my thoughts on it and watch some live footage of the band in action as well as some new Promo Videos HERE.
Following up a massive Top Ten single in Babylon's Burning was never going to be an easy matter and as a foretaste of the up and coming Debut Album The Crack, Ruts released the most excellent Something That I Said.
Something That I Said had previously been recorded for the band's second John Peel Session recorded on the 14 May 1979. You can have a listen to the full session here. This third single (and second for Virgin) doesn't often get the kudos I think it deserves and that's why it's a cool thing to include it as part of the 45RPM Series.
The B-Side, Give Youth A Chance was originally titled Black Man's Pinch and was part of the Debut Session for John Peel in January 1979. A lot of people always go on about how great The Clash were when it came to the use of Reggae in their songs and rightly so but personally I think the Ruts were so much better at it than Strummer and Co. The band had a genuine affection for Reggae and no doubt hanging out with the likes of Misty in Roots improved their playing of it and made it sound quite natural, whereas with The Clash sometimes it comes across a bit forced! I'll probably get a few fans of The Clash give me grief for that, but I think I am in a position to say it as I am also a fan of them!
Anyway, don't get too caught up in the whole issue of who played Reggae the best and miss out on what was a cracking single.
Personnel Malcolm Owen - vocals Paul Fox - guitar John "Segs" Jennings - bass Dave Ruffy - drums Gary Barnacle - saxophone on "Love in Vain" Bill Barnacle - trumpet on "Love in Vain"
The Second album from the Ruts was probably not the one they had intended to release. They had been recording for a second album earlier in the year of 1980, not sure how many tracks they had recorded but there was a few songs kicking about as they had recorded three new ones for John Peel in their third and final session (hear the full session by clicking the link at the bottom of the page) in February (including the first version of what would become the last single released by the band whilst Malcom was still alive - Staring at the Rude Boys).
In August 1980 the band would release the final Ruts single, West One (Shine On Me) - a song I contend that is worthy of being considered their best! (Yes I know, Babylon's Burning, In A Rut...)
The Grin and Bear It album was basically a compilation of singles and B-Sides, two tracks from their final Peel Session and some live material recorded in Paris for the French TV show Chorus (Click here to see the full performance).
The band would continue on as Ruts DC until 1983 releasing a couple of albums and singles and then they came together again on 16th July 2007 to play a benefit show for guitarist Paul Fox (who had been diagnosed with Cancer) and who sadly passed away 21st October the same year. Henry Rollins took vocal duties for the show and did a mighty fine job as well.
A year after the show Ruts DC were back recording for an album that saw the light of day finally in 2013 - Listen to Rhythm Collision Vol. 2 Here! And they have been hitting the road with Leigh Heggarty on guitar (and doing a mighty fine job if I may say so), Segs still on the bass and taking lead vocal duties, and Ruffy on the drums. They are on tour at this moment - Click here for a performance from 2014 and click here for their Strummercamp performance from earlier this year. It's great that they are keeping the memory of the music of the Ruts alive, but it's also brilliant they are not resting on their laurels as they continue to write and perform new material also.
Third and final John Peel Session
Recorded 11th February 1980
Broadcast 18th February 1980
This was the rebroadcast of the session from 21st April 1980.
A Sentimental Album? Mmm...Not 100% sure about this because to be sentimental often means that emotionally you are attached to something, someone but it's not necessarily always based on facts! (Well at least according to a few dictionaries I consulted).
I prefer the term Nostalgia or Nostalgic, which made me think of the words of Pete Shelly, that great Romantic Poet from Lancashire, who wrote a song called Nostalgia for Buzzcocks second album Love Bites, and it was covered by the label mates of the band whose album I've chosen today Penetration on their debut album Moving Targets.
"Sometimes there's a song in my brain And I feel that my heart knows the refrain I guess it's just the music that brings on nostalgia For an age yet to come"
The choice of The Ruts album The Crack takes me right back to my teenage years in South East London, Forest Hill to be precise. It makes me think about many of the friends who I used to hang about with - the Forest Hill Punks. Some of them I know are still around, and like me have grown up, got married etc. Others I have no idea about, except the ones who are no longer with us.
Listening to the album makes me think not just about good times but bad times as well because there's lots of stuff going on lyrically that made an impact upon our young lives - the attitude of the cops toward us (Sus and Jah War), the violence of the age (Something That I Said), the bleakness (It Was Cold), the addictions (Criminal Mind), the betrayals (Backbiter), and the smell of danger (Out of Order).
It makes me remember hanging around Counterpoint Records in Forest Hill listening to the latest music when some of us should have been at school, or day trips, when we bunked off school, to go up to the Portobello Road and hang around Virgin Records' Offices hoping to scrounge new posters, badges etc of our favourite bands on that label (The Skids, The Members and The Ruts).
When I hear it now I don't, to quote another great Pete Shelly song, wish "I was sixteen again". Time has moved on but a lot of stuff that happened shaped who I am today and that's fact.
But listening to the album also makes me think of the band who made it. Segs and Ruffy lived in Forest Hill and I reckon that they are still one of the best Rhythm Sections around, only Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are better! In 2015 they are still playing some of these songs but also writing new and performing new ones also with The Ruts DC. It makes me think of guitarist Paul Fox who was one of the most exceptional around, people always talk about the sounds that a guitarist like The Edge makes when he plays but Foxy was able to make some incredible noise without even a third of the technology that U2 have at their disposal. Sadly Foxy is no longer with us having passed away after a battle with cancer in 2007. Also it makes me think of Malcom, the volatile frontman who tragically died of a heroin overdose in July 1980 aged 26, ten months after the release of this album. It was a life snuffed out far too young! It makes me think about what could have been.
Finally it's an album that makes me remember that life goes on, inspite of all that I went through, what this band went through, there is still a life to be lived.
The Crack - The Ruts
Virgin Records
Produced by Mick Glossop
Released September 1979
UK Chart #16
Personnel
The Ruts Malcolm Owen - vocals Paul Fox - guitar, organ, backing vocals John "Segs" Jennings - bass guitar, piano on "Jah War", backing vocals Dave Ruffy - drums, backing vocals
Additional Personnel Richard Mannah - backing vocals on "S.U.S" and "Criminal Mind" Mick Glossop - synthesizer on "It Was Cold" Gary Barnacle - saxophone Luke Tunney - trumpet
Thirty Five Years ago today Malcom Owen, lead vocalist of The Ruts passed away, he was only 26 years old. The best way of remembering him is not to spotlight his addiction to heroin but to turn towards the music that he made with The Ruts between 1977-80.
In my mind The Ruts were one of the best live bands around in the late 70's. Dave Ruffy and Segs Jennings provided a pulsating rhythm track that drew upon the energy of punk and the the deep cool vibes of reggae. Paul Fox
added guitar that was so off the charts at times that you wondered if
he had just stepped out of the future and was bringing back sounds that
were quite alien to our ears and that would frame the sound of rock
guitar for years to come, and Malcom Owen of course added the passion with lyrics and an intense vocal
performance. Put together it was one of the most amazing sounds ever.
Love in Vain. (B-Side to Staring at the Rude Boys)
There has been a lot of interest in The Ruts and Ruts DC down through the years (and rightly so!) and a new book has recently been published telling their story. You can get it from here.
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