MOG

23rd part of my ongoing look at the music that made liverpool great. liverpool bands have produced some of the best music ever, every week i’m going to post a song/video from a group or singer from liverpool some popular and some not so popular this week it’s The La's

The La's (1984-91) feat; Chris Sharrock (drms),Lee Mavers (voc,gtr), Mike Badger (gtr,voc) , John Power (bass). Signed to Go Discs & the well known There She Goes took an age to make the charts. Many line up changes after 1986 incl Paul Hemmings (gtr), Ian Templeton (drms), Barry Sutton. To be precise La's, the band never called themselves The La's that was promoters / record companies etc. Formed in St Helens in the spring of 1984 by songwriters Lee Mavers, and Mike Badger (ex Kindergarden Paintset, later Onset), with the addition of John Timson (Drums). A very rare recording of this set up with the track Don’t Like Hanging exists on the long deleted compilation LP 'A Secret Liverpool'. The sound was beefed up with the addition of John Power (Later formed Cast) (bass) and Paul Hemmings. Power and Badger apparently took an instant dislike to each other, this was resolved with the swift departure of Badger, who later took to painting. This second line up gigged regularly in Liverpool, particularly at The Pen & Wig in Harrington St. They attracted the attention of a number of record A&R men and subsequently signed with Go! Discs at the start of 1997. The first release, a 7' & 12' single 'Way Out / Endless' arrived in October 1987 but did little to alert the world. John Timson departed and was replaced by Mark Birchall (ex Rafique, Lloyd Collection), then Chris Sharrock (ex Icicle Works) before a follow up 'There She Goes / Come In, Come Out' was released in November 1988, this made the charts, but peaked at # 59, before dropping away. Undaunted recording of the first album continued, with a two tracks 'Timeless Melody / Clean Prophet' being proposed as the third single. A release date of May 1989 was set in addition to a catalogue number being given, however the single was withdrawn and never released. During the protracted album recording Chris Sharrock left to be replaced by Barry Sutton, while John Power departed to be replaced by James Joyce. The rapid turn around of band members being often put down to Mavers almost pathological attention to detail, with endless re-recordings of tracks, this also began to worry Go! Discs as they were footing the rapidly rising bill. In an effort to recoup some money Go! Discs finally released 'Timeless Melody' in May 1989. Friction with the label continued until things came to a head when Go! Discs took the recordings and released them as the album 'The La's' in October 1990. Also at this time they released a new version of 'There She Goes / Freedom Song'. Both the album and the single were highly praised and performed well with the single reaching # 13 in the UK national charts, and the album making the top 30; as a side its arguable that the success of 'There She Goes' was in fact due to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Not due the fact that The La's were flag waving Tories, but that at this time Thatcher was ousted as the Conservative Party leader and the news media picked up on the song title and used to accompany numerous soundbites. The success of the album prompted tours of America and Japan during 1991. Whilst the band were (Feb 1991) away Go! Discs issued a further single, both tracks 'Feelin / Doledrum' being taken from the album. The single didn't match the success of 'There She Goes' but did reach #43 in the UK chart. Almost immediately and without explanation the group disbanded / lengthy holiday, Go! Discs did however release 'There She Goes' in America, peaking at #49 on the Billboard chart

The La's - Interview and Timeless Melody(Much Music 91) If only the world could see me I promise I'd send the word away

The La's - Feelin'

Oh my lord I can't take no more

Posted on 06/23/2007