Birdland - Hollow Heart

[@lowmoon9025]

Still sounds absolutely amazing in 2022.

[@DylanPank71]

Saw them live in 1989 and they were pretty good, bought a t-shirt and the single and it looked like they were bound for big things, but really they torched their career with _that_ Patti Smith cover. I remember when The Chart Show (then playing on Saturday lunchtime) did the indie top ten they coyly retitled it *"Rock 'n' Roll ..."* Have to concur with the critics that they were a bit of a one trick pony, though.

[@robertmaune8557]

I saw them play Dingwalls in Camden Town by lucky accident. It may well have been their first London gig, a few months later they were at the much larger Electric Ballroom. This was without doubt one of the best shows I have ever seen: completely nuts from start to finish.

[@HuggyBear2000]

Saw them at the Roxy on Melrose ave, Los Angeles.

[@nekroscot]

Great band, Lee and I speak on occasions. And he is a very great ful man that people still enjoy them. They did what they set out to do. Make one great album then leave.

[@tassiered]

They played the uni at Hull in 89/90 and really tore the place down - one big mosh pit, they knew how to rock it.

[@sadowitz999]

And it was a great album The singles,bb sides and eps were brilliant too

[@HansJazz]

​@@sadowitz999 saw this clip on Dutch tv back in 1989 I think. Bought the 7" at Forever Changes record store in Amsterdam the after. Got most af their output including the 1 sided live LP and Kamikaze Kids bootleg. Still a great memorable band.

[@shedontanks]

I once saw one of them on the top deck of a number 6 bus in Birmingham back in around 1991. There was also a guy from the Sea Urchins a few rows behind him. That was one memorable bus ride!

[@MARKSMISCELLANEOUS]

This is still FUCKING EXCELLENT! What a track! 🤘🤘🤘

[@101merrick101]

thankyou soooo much for posting this. This is the only recorded track that captures the furious white hot kinetic energy of the band. Saw them live over and over (hitchhiked round England seeing them 13 times in 15 days when the album came out). No other band got that level of devotion cos no other band could give tyou as much the 10th night as the 1st. Such power and focus and volatile pace. Truly magnificent.

[@v00n2000]

I really miss the 89-93 era for music. I was lucky enough to be living in London and earning a good wage, so I'd go to 1 - 4 gigs a week. It was also the era of Shoegaze and I saw Ride, Slowdive, Catherine Wheel etc. who were all highly liminal and persuasive. It helped to get into the 'right state of mind' beforehand, of course.

[@andygrimshaw1431]

I remember seeing these guys for the first time at the duchess of york in leeds we then went on to see them at the warehouse in leeds sheffield uni (were we all got the free live album) and we had a scuffle with the surfing birds we then saw them in doncaster at a pub whose name i cant remember the surfing birds remembered us and left us alone and once more at the duchess in leeds when there star was on the wane loved them the aggression the songs the look the attitude the whole thing great times.

[@fooman65]

I got that free album too.

[@jettboy5265]

great band live and unstoppable once they got going .one play of this makes you want to smash everything to bits . long live this birdland

[@pelebonham]

we saw them when they came to japan in kawasaki. i remember it. it was fantastic moment!

[@charleshannam]

I remember hearing this on release and thinking that they would be massive. It would appear that I was mistaken. Shame.

[@tfel777]

Saw them at Junction 10 in Walsall, which was nice

[@realvilla]

Great record. Wish I'd seen them when I had the chance

[@gerrysmith3630]

Absolutely loved birdland...the whole experience was about seeing them live though...quality

[@zappasmoustache23]

absolutely, they were amazing live, when i saw them i though it was the re-birth of rock'n'roll. sadly i was wrong.

[@briancox9357]

Great live band

[@martinladley]

Aye - saw them in Middlesbrough....trying to think of the venue....big club across from Town Hall .....do remember my exuberance leading me to feel I was 'dancing' along with the lead singer. I can distinctry recall the fear in the eyes of the lead singer. Yes - they wanted to make one big splash and get the hell out. Brilliant live experience intensified by the relatively small crowds.. Mega City Four and Carter The Unstoppable would have been seen by an aggregate crowd of Twenty in 1988 Teesside. Thanks for the upload and comments. Must get back to the present.

[@andygrimshaw7464]

@@martinladley I went to that gig mate we drove up from leeds Boro were at home that night i remember was a great gig

[@richardtasker9728]

one of the best groups never to be recognized,up there with the Las etc.cracking songs

[@birdland1]

and to finish the best band ever! still makes me want to smash everything to a pulp! VIVA BIRDLAND!

[@dancingduade]

Remembering seeing this on the Chart Show - What "nice" haircuts we have there!

[@tassiered]

Saw them at Hull uni in the early 90s, they really rocked the place, one of my fave bands at the time, but they seemed to just die a death afterwards, real shame, but thanks for posting.

[@StripySox]

Grigsy Was at the same gig. Around about the same time I saw Curve there too.

[@PhilipDavies62]

Loving all the comments, seems like yesterday which is very scary. Went to see them once in TJ's (long may it RIP) in Newport with my mate Ed Long, my sister dropped us off as we couldn't drive. Absolutely crazy gig, not sure which was more scary - the band or hitting your head on the 'tree roots' (if you ever went there you would understand) of the venue. RIP both.

[@Martaine70]

Saw them live once after hearing them on the chart show and liking the singles, I thought they were really good. The free EP at the end of the gig was a nice bonus gift too.

[@TheKeeleyjwilson]

I got that freebie too!

[@LTmumph]

Saw 'em at Keele - all 16 minutes of it.

[@sambda]

I don't know what some people on here mean when they said the album wasn't up to much. I have just fished it out (on Lazy Records - whatever happened to them?) and there's some good stuff on there - Shoot You Down, Beat Me Like A Star, Everybody Needs Somebody, Cut An Exit, This Paradise/The End (?), White (?). Don't know the titles of some of those tracks as the tracklisting bears little resemblance to what's on the record!

[@SuspenduAuGaffa]

Yes, they were pretty boys, and yes, the guitar riff was basically lifted from "Staring at the Rude Boys", but after all that's said, this is still a glorious adrenaline rush of pop. Irresistible.

[@chrishamilton6405]

Their album was incredible. I remember there was so much buzz about them in the US about the time they were gonna release their album. Then nothing. They were supposed to be the next biggest british thing here in the US but it went nowhere. Sad because they wrote great songs, good musicians and they had great style and swag.

[@iabnatgeo]

I was at a gig in London when they gave out the Live EP. They were shithot.

[@dandunkle6400]

Great song from a horribly underrated band

[@svenstrange]

Great band, great song!!!!

[@billywoodface]

Hope your OK and happy Mr Rodgers! It Billy Wizard from long time ago in brum.

[@Djarra]

I have the white version of the album. Which is great except white print on white background is hard to see.

[@Mrpublicimagelimited]

None more white :P

[@DangerouslyCloseTV]

they were great live, saw them at the maze bar in sheffield.... a nasty streak in the midst of shoegaze and madchester. very unsung band!

[@lezmiz72]

one of my fave songs , got it on 7 " ( sugar blood on B side, just as good)

[@milky0ne]

My mate and me used to get into fights with them in a pub in Birmingham. I don't really know why. I actually quite liked their music

[@fooman65]

this was fuckin great, I saw them twice and they fucked off half way thru both times but got a one sided 12 inch live ep from one of the gigs, short lived is sometimes better.

[@vastariner]

Maybe come down Baby got the fever I ain't got the energy Maybe pull the lever On a hollow heart And a blinding white Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that I once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart Ooh hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I can feel her shaking Going down deeper Maybe I can save her Maybe I can keep her Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that i once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain On a hollow heart Ooh, hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain Maybe we'll be here again Maybe with a shallow touch And a hollow heart Hollow heart, hollow heart, hollow heart...

[@Spidergod]

top notch band

[@MonkeyTMG]

I reckon you're right there. This track has such a sharp edge to it - by the time the LP came out their records had such an awful production it didn't sound like them. Real shame.

[@svenstrange]

YEAHHHHH BIRDLAND.....XX

[@flemwad]

I seem to remember the NME saying they were going to be the next great thing, then I heard this single and thought it had a shelf life of about 3 plays. Wasn't far wrong. I should have sent my cv off to the New Morrisey Express....

[@sharonlee4773]

The Clash with lipstick.......................

[@OrangeFuzz123]

Great band...what happened?

[@mwill96]

I saw them in their pomp and when they became a disaster. Believe it or not they became a death metal band. A bad death metal band. For three EPs and an album they were the most exciting band around

[@seerauberjohnny]

Hey,nice one! i used to have a mini album of yours with a groove that went on forever,what was that one called again?

[@lhawkins1302]

knew this band well!!!

[@antiarmia1991]

Once Lazy Records folded any money the bands there had seemed to disappear too. Birdland tried for a comeback two or three years later but Lee dyed his hair black and replaced his drain pipe with a pair of baggy flares. Small wonder it failed! They also brought in a keyboard player as far as I remember. The album got a bad rap at the time because it wasn't as good as the singles and it's probably true they should never have replaced Paul Sampson as producer. Still think it's underrated though.

[@gavind9487]

Incendiary

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

Pal of mine saw them play Norwich when this was out. They came on, apparently did a song ot two & then trashed f*** out of their gear cos one of their instruments was out of tune.Bands just aren't that explosive these days

[@fooman65]

haha i saw em twice and they did that basically both times, second time everyone was on stage nicking the gear.

[@emmamickel]

Wish I'd seen them. The NME said they performed like spastics on speed.

[@martinladley]

....that was the fan''s...

[@seerauberjohnny]

anyone remember zodiac motel?

[@seerauberjohnny]

Yeah it does kind of remind you a little of Motown Junk,it was a great tune though and I still have the 12 " somewhere.I seem to recall that aside from the major label signing,another factor in their failing to make it was the Melody Maker laughing them out of town after they allegedly shat themselves in a hot air balloon!

[@mwill96]

Manics weren't the new Birdland... they never could better em at their best. Motown Junk was their best song.. and it is watered down Birdland

[@TheGrandmasterMan]

Quite honestly, it was all downhill for me with the Manics after Motown Junk....fucking great song.....typically, their career then went from strength to strength. Even more bizarre for a band who swore to make one album and then disband, in some art situationist statement. Money corrupts even the most moral.

[@suebugsbooo]

Grunge?... Punk?... Ah Alteitive I can't spell

[@lmnop12345100]

Not "Bird Land."

[@Normskiiii]

lmao at the internet thugs serious business

[@jettboy5265]

saw them later at the institute in brum after signing to a major and they were with out doubt and no beating around the bush total shit ..

[@johnmcglone-tj4tu]

This is a complete rip off of western promise : promised land.

[@vastariner]

Maybe come down Baby got the fever I ain't got the energy Maybe pull the lever On a hollow heart And a blinding white Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that I once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart Ooh hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I can feel her shaking Going down deeper Maybe I can save her Maybe I can keep her Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that i once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain On a hollow heart Ooh, hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain Maybe we'll be here again Maybe with a shallow touch And a hollow heart Hollow heart, hollow heart, hollow heart...

[@vastariner]

Maybe come down Baby got the fever I ain't got the energy Maybe pull the lever On a hollow heart And a blinding white Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that I once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart Ooh hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I can feel her shaking Going down deeper Maybe I can save her Maybe I can keep her Baby take a train Maybe dance in Birdland I ain't got the energy Maybe that i once had From a hollow heart And a blinding white I see you stand in a violent rain With a hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain On a hollow heart Ooh, hollow heart I see you stand in a violent rain Maybe we'll be here again Maybe with a shallow touch And a hollow heart Hollow heart, hollow heart, hollow heart...