As an (early) fan of The La's, I would like to ask your attention for this compilation of BBC radio recordings.
I think it was sometime in 1988 that I first saw a video clip (probably MTV) of this Liverpool band, Way Out. It was love at first hear, and I was even more excited to hear some other songs a few weeks later on radio. Including Calling All, the favorite song of their hardcore fans. Then there was some silence and I almost forgot about them, when they came with an album release in 1990. Their one and only album release is, in my opinion, the best britpop album. Oasis, Blur, Charlatans, etc. are all very nice, and I do love that all as well, but The La's is playing a higher league.
The interesting part is, that the band was not at all happy with the album (one of the reasons why the release was so late, they were never happy enough, it was just not perfect). And the early hardcore fans were not happy either, how on earth could Calling All be not on this album??? Nevertheless, it is still a great album, which deserves the acclaim it gets. During the years '87 to '90 they a couple of BBC sessions, which are compiled together on the release mentioned in the title of this thread. These radio sessions are most interesting to listen to, it shows their development and growth. More detailed info about this release and the mystic history of the La's at pitchfork:
They reunited again a couple of years ago and did a concert or two, and rumour has it, that Mavers and Co. want to release a new album sometime soon ...
To come to close: If you like Oasis, Blur or britpop in general and you have not heard about the La's (other than maybe their hit single There She Goes), go get that studio album release and, even better, get this BBC session compilation!
Forgot to mention: I saw them live in 1990, in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The concert was horrible - they all seemed drunk and/or stoned - and they broke up shortly after ... well, these BBC sessions surely sound a lot different and better than at that particular concert.
