The Stairs’ Four Maxi Singles

以前の記事 でも書いた通り、愛して止まない ステアーズ (The Stairs) と エドガー・サマータイム (Edgar Jones aka Edgar Summertyme)。その Stairs が 1991年〜1992年、唯一のアルバム Mexican R ‘N’ B 以外にリリースした 4枚のマキシシングル には、アルバム未収録曲が多く収録されているだけでなく、1960年代ガレージロックファンなら思わずニヤリとしてしまうカヴァー曲もあり、アルバム同様に聴き逃せません。幻のセカンドアルバムの音源を含むデモ音源集「Right In The Back Of Your Mind」も今年リリースされたことですし、是非 CD 化を!

As I mentioned in the past article, I love The Stairs and Edgar Jones (aka Edgar Summertyme) so much. The Stairs released four maxi singles in 1991-1992, as well as their only album. The maxi singles contains innevitable tracks which cannot be heard on the album. Also, they contains cover versions of very scarce 1960s garage rock bands. I sincerely hope all recordings by The Stairs will be reissued on CD! Now is the time, I believe, simply because Edgar Jones released his first solo album last year, and the album “Right In The Back Of Your Mind” is out now.

( . . . the rest of this article is currently available only in Japanese . . . )




[GODX-63 Front Cover]      [GODX-63 Back Cover]

Weed Bus / The Stairs
(Go! Disc GODX-63)

[GODX-63 Side-A]    [GODX-63 Side-B]

1991年にリリースされたデビューマキシシングル。全曲が CD版アルバム に収録されました (LP には “Weed Bus” を除き収録されていません)。なんといっても The Who を彷彿とさせる Weed Bus のストレートな格好良さよ。それをはるかに上回る極上のナンバーが B面冒頭の Flying MachineThe ByrdsStones が合体してパンクなガレージと化したとでもいいましょうか。理屈抜きにカッチョエー最高のナンバーです。

A-1: Weed Bus (Jones)
A-2: Take No Notice Of The World Outside (Jones)

B-1: Flying Machine (Jones)
B-2: When It All Goes Wrong (Jones)

Engineering by: Steve Towell.
Executive Producer: Alan Duffy.




[GODX-70 Front Cover]      [GODX-70 Back Cover]

Woman Gone And Say Goodbye / The Stairs
(Go! Disc GODX-70)

[GODX-70 Side-A]    [GODX-70 Side-B]

アルバムに先行してリリースされた2枚目のマキシシングル。タイトル曲を除き、本 EP でしか聴けません。 ここでの注目は A-2 You Don’t Love Me (You Don’t Care) と B-1 Russian Spy And I。前者は The Birds (Ron Wood が在籍したバンド) のバージョンを参考にしたと思われるカヴァー、後者は The Hunters (オランダのガレージバンド) のカヴァーで、ここはニヤリとさせられます。更に、ジャケットの裏には「USE EMITEX」をパロった「USE STAIRTEX」も印刷されており、これまたニヤリ。

A-1: Woman Gone And Say Goodbye (Jones)
A-2: You Don’t Love Me (You Don’t Care) (McDaniel)

B-1: Russian Spy And I (Javellin / Koelman)
B-2: Yes It Is It’s True (Jones)

Engineering by: Sir Steve Towell M.P.T.E.
Assisted by Vincent Bean.




[GODX-79 Front Cover]      [GODX-79 Back Cover]

Mary Joanna / The Stairs
(Go! Disc GODX-79)

[GODX-79 Side-A]    [GODX-79 Side-B]

アルバムにからのシングルカットという扱い (?) の、3枚目のマキシシングル。本盤でも、タイトル曲を除き本 EP でしか聴けません。B-1 I Can Only Give You EverythingVan Morrison 在籍時の Them のカヴァーバージョン。なお、本 EP 及びアルバムからは Jason が抜け、メンバーが 3人となっています。

A-1: Mary Joanna (Jones)
A-2: Mad Song (Jones)

B-1: I Can Give You Everything (Scott / Coulter)
B-2: Squashed Tomato Stomp (McDaniel)

Engineering by: Steve Towell.




[MIRAGE-040 Front Cover]      [MIRAGE-040 Back Cover]

Last Time Around / The Stairs
(Imaginary MIRAGE-040)

[MIRAGE-040 Side-A]    [MIRAGE-040 Side-B]

そして 4枚目にして最後のマキシシングル。全曲アルバム未収録です。タイトル曲である A-1 Last Time AroundDel-Vetts のカヴァーバージョン。とてつもない勢いで演奏されるこの曲はまさにガレージパンク! B-1 Mr. Joke Shop Owner も、前半はポップな感じですが、徐々に激しさを増していくのが圧巻。最後の自作曲 I Won’t Be Back Again も最高のガレージパンク。私が 1992年9月に心斎橋クワトロで体験した Stairs のライブの感触に最も近い (というより、ライブをそのまま封じ込めた様な怒涛の勢いが楽しめる) のがこの EP です。

A-1: Last Time Around (Delvetts)
A-2: No One Knows (Jones)

B-1: Mr. Joke Shop Owner (Lynn)
B-2: I Won’t Be Back Again (Jones)

Engineering by: Steve Towell (A-2, B-1, B-2) and Peg (A-1).
Recorded at Avid Studios, Liverpool (A-2, B-1, B-2) and in Tokyo, Japan (A-1).

7 thoughts on “The Stairs’ Four Maxi Singles

  1. Hey! A Stairs fan!! I am also a Stairs fan, from Hobart, Tasmania. I have started to put together a Wikipedia page on The Stairs. I have copies of most of The Stairs releases, but I don’t have a copy of ‘Last Time Around’ on vinyl. I have everything else on vinyl (7″ and 12″) and CD. I was wondering whether you would mind if I used the images on your site to add to the Wikipedia page content please?
    Steve Cooke.

  2. Hi Steve-san,
    For me, it’s okay for you to use my scan of the “Last Time Around” maxi on Wikipedia. However, you should be very careful about copyright issues – here is my own personal site and the issue is not so critical (I hope), but Wikipedia is a very widely accepted website and Wikipedia’s maintainers will be very strict and careful about copyright issues. I don’t know for sure but I’m afraid, FYI.

  3. Thankyou Shaolin.
    You are correct – copyright issues are a problem for Wikipedia. However, I understand that Fair Use is an accepted claim for use of copyright material – and in the case of album cover art, there is a specific copyright notice that is displayed with the image that indicates the image is covered by copyright, and is owned by the artist, the creator of the original work, or the publisher of the work. At least that appears to be the case for most cover art that I’ve seen on Wikipedia.
    May I also ask how you came to hear of The Stairs please?
    Steve Cooke

  4. > May I also ask how you came to hear of The Stairs please?
    Hmmm, as far as I remember I knew of the band maybe on a Japanese music magazine or something when they were very active. Then I got involved into their music, since at that time I loved to listen to garage and psyche music from the 1960s.
    Then the Stairs came to Japan on tour in 1992 – they did gigs in several cities including Osaka (where I lived around that time). Of course I went to a club and their live performance was so marvellous and fascinating. I still love their music, as well as Edgar Jones’ solo 🙂

  5. Have you guys heard the 2nd unreleased Stairs lp? Some of it was included on the Right in the Back Of your Mind lp, but different versions…?

  6. hi
    I search lyric from a acoustic track from a documentary of Arte TV “you’ll never walk alone”
    the track contents “doesn’t mean that I won’t see you again” or something like this “doesn’t mean…”
    Edgar sang alone at home…
    thank
    alain

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