Name: The Broadway Recording Sessions
Brand: The Direct Hits

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

OPT4042

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Colour

Blue

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Housed in Gatefold Sleeve. Includes A2 Poster and 3 Art Prints of Each Individual Band Member.

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2021-03-05

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

0604565470041

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Total Cap

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / blue

OPT4042CD

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0604565470058

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1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

The Direct Hits

Genre GB

New Wave / Post Punk

Label GB

Optic Nerve

Based in Preston in the North West of England, Optic Nerve Recordings is a reissue label specializing in releases from the 80's and 90's. With a passion for preserving and sharing music from these iconic decades, Optic Nerve brings back to life rare and forgotten gems for music enthusiasts to enjoy once again. From indie rock to new wave, their carefully curated collection showcases the diverse sounds that defined an era. Discover timeless classics and hidden treasures as you explore the extensive catalog of Optic Nerve Recordings.

Way back in 1982, Battersea based mod heroes The Direct Hits had released one single on Dan Treacy’s Whamm! record label, Modesty Blaise earlier in the year. This was singled out in the music press as not just one of your average Jam crash / bang /wallop mod revivalist tunes. Live gigs showed they had a mighty powerful set of catchy mod / pop tunes in the back pocket. Whamm! were struggling to provide the funds to record an album, the songs were too good not to commit to a full 12’ set, so the Direct Hits pooled their limited resources and self financed a very cheap one day recording session in a tiny studio in Tooting, South London called Broadway Sound.

Early on the morning of August 12th 1982 the band, comprising of Colin Swan, Geno Buckmaster, Brian Grover and their trusty roadie ‘Robbo’ assembled at the tiny studio to begin recording as many of their songs as they could get down on tape for the tiny budget they had scraped together. As most of the songs were already well rehearsed thanks to the band’s busy live schedule, the recording of the first nine songs on this disc were finished by mid afternoon without any problems. Throughout the late afternoon and early evening the band toiled over scant overdubs with limited keyboard facilities and a distinct lack of musical ability. The recordings immediately came to life however, when Colin Swan and Geno Buckmaster’s stage-honed tight harmonies were added, there was no time for vocal overdubs, and the mixing was completed by midnight. Tired and worn out, the band ventured out into the cold night air happy with the days work, clutching the precious reel to reel tape.

Two weeks later the band came back with a friend producing, and recorded the three final tracks featured on this album which have a more rounded slightly less raw sound. All three were completed in an afternoon. Almost two years later they re-recorded some of these songs, and along with a handful of new songs from the pen of Buckmaster and Swan, recorded their Blow Up debut album at Rendezvous Studios in Sydenham, South East London, released on Whaam! Records in August 1984. So what you have here are the roots of some of these great songs. A few didn’t make it to the first album those that did, as you will hear, stayed reasonably faithful to the original arrangements. The Broadway Recording Sessions take you right back to where it all started!

The Broadway Recording Sessions

Music GB