The origin of Zoo Records is probably known the world over, so prepare your-self for a plethora of artists that have become legendary. Formed in Liverpool in 1978 by Bill Drummond and David Balfe (Keyboards in the Teardrops Explodes) to release a 12” single by Drummond’s perennially struggling band, Big In Japan (From Y to Z And Never Again). Zoo would only release two albums and a handful of singles by the likes of the Teardrop Explodes, Echo & The Bunnymen and Lori & The Chameleons. Inside we're informed that the music had been taken from a play To the Shores of Lake Placid which ran from August 24 1978 to February 21 1981 with "all titles performed by the Original Cast". Society For Cutting Up Men (SCUM) by Big In Japan opens (shown in a photo with a young Ian Broudie lying against a giant Teddy), followed by Drummond's other band Those Naughty Lumps with Iggy Pop's Jacket (issued as a single in January 1979). Next up we have the Teardrop Explodes with their original version of When I Dream, a couple of tracks by Echo & The Bunnymen and to close side one a couple of real gems in the Lori & the Chameleons single Lonely Spy and the Turquoise Swimming Pools (featuring Troy Tate) previously unreleased track The Wind. Side two begins with Whopper and Dalek I Love You and more from the Turquoise Swimming Pools, Teardrop Explodes, Big In Japan and Echo & the Bunnymen.
Ripped from a slightly crackly vinyl album to MP3
Side A Highlights
Big In Japan – "Society For Cutting Up Men"
Those Naughty Lumps – "Iggy Pop's Jacket"
Echo & The Bunnymen – "Pictures On My Wall"
Lori and the Chameleons – "The Lonely Spy"
Side B Highlights
Dalek (I Love You) – "A Suicide"
Lori & The Chameleons – "Touch" (Version/Excerpt)
The Teardrop Explodes – "Camera, Camera"
Echo & The Bunnymen – "Villiers Terrace"
For the full tracklist, credits, and release information, please refer to Discogs

super interesting comp,Thanx from Argentina.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Anonymous from Argentina
DeleteThank you soooooo much for this! I have been looking for a digital version of this compilation for literally years! I had it on vinyl many year ago, but got rid of my record collection when I moved house. This was the only album in my collection I really regretted selling.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet there's more here for you to explore and re-experience Unknown because this is one of the best compilations ever
DeleteGreat compilation. Found a copy of this a long time ago, but can't do the ripping from vinyl thing. Thanks a lot for posting this!
ReplyDeleteThanks Charles
DeleteTwo great finds in 10 mins!! Wanna Buy A Bridge and To The Shores of Lake Placid - thank you
ReplyDeleteThanks *so* much! Had been looking for this on vinyl for a while, found it while out shopping today for a very reasonable price and now, courtesy of your site, have a copy for my iPod for my work commute. Kudos! // k_d
ReplyDeletefantastic comp, thank you
ReplyDeleteYou're having a good hard look at the early 80's Liverpool scene there Sylvian...Enjoy
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