Sunday, September 1, 2013

Baltimore Area Band 'Vigil' Cassette Share From Bill


Finally getting around to posting some of Bill's tapes, here's a band I recall from the WHFS days, but never really knew anything about them. The tune "Whistle In The Yard" was very familiar to me and I always dug it.
So, not really knowing who Vigil was, I popped in the tape and was blown away by the guitar driven powerpop type tunes I love so much...below is a word for word copy and paste from Bill Veneer's Music Blog.

12/09/2007

Homegrown Gothic: Vigil

One Baltimore-area band to almost hit it big in the 80s was Vigil; I think they were actually based in Glen Burnie.  The quartet of Jo Connor, Andy Reynolds, "X Factor" and Gregg Maizel had gained a local following under the moniker "Here Today," releasing a 12-inch single of "Whistle in the Yard," an enigmatic, gothic-tinged song that never quite resolves.  I saw Here Today at the Wax Museum in Southeast D.C.; that was a cool venue, with what is now called "stadium seating" but back then was just called "seating."  In its brief existence I got to see several great shows there: Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, Root Boy Slim, New Models, and Men Without Hats (eh...) to name a few.  Actually, I think that's all I saw there.  Here Today was the opening act the night I saw them, and I don't remember who the headliner was, but it was one of the bands I just listed.  As for Here Today, their Wikipedia entry says they
signed to CBS records, changed their name to Vigil and were promptly dropped. Vigil was quickly signed by Chrysalis Records and recorded their debut lp in glorious digital. It came out and sold enough copies to allow them to record another lp but only one track was officially released "Therapist" on the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 soundtrack. They recorded their eponymous debut album on Chrysalis Records in 1987. As of 2007 it is out of print.
Before the debut album came out there was a 12-inch single of "I Am Waiting."  That song is pretty good, but it was the first song on the B-side, "I Love You Equinox," that got played on WHFS and created a buzz.  When Jo Connor sings, "You can set your watch by her cycles 'cause she bleeds like clockwork," don't get grossed out, because it turns out he is singing about the moon, so it's OK, see?

Follow the link below to read more and follow the links for some YouTube videos and 12" single sample...
Thanks to both Bills!

http://burlveneer.typepad.com/blog/2007/12/homegrown-gothic-vigil.html

Side One: Until The Seasons, White Magic Spell, I Am Waiting, Gargoyles, I Love you Equinox 

Side Two: Whistle In The Yard, The Celiba Sea, The Garden, Born Again, The Benefit Of The Doubt



 

 

6 comments:

Let's Find H-Man A Wife said...

Fully recommend it. I saw them open for either REM or U2 way back when. They got plenty of air time on HFS

Camarillo Brillo said...

Bill,
I was blown away by this one! Just right in oh so many ways...great guitars, vocals, and lyrics!! Thanks again,
Jim

Anonymous said...

Jim (Kayaker),

I had this one on vinyl back in the day! I found it on youtube. Thanks for the posting this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDOuh5V1ucw

VanFan

Anonymous said...

Any chance of reviving the link? I have the Whistle 12" and would really like to hear the album.

Camarillo Brillo said...

new link
http://www6.zippyshare.com/v/98266806/file.html

Unknown said...

Love the band. Sitting here listening to the vinyl and did a search that took me here. Is Jo Connor performing these days?

What This Is All About

I've been collecting live music from various sources since the mid to late 70's. Radio shows, TV broadcasts, radio show pre-FM CD's and vinyl LP's and some trades. Most of the shows posted here, I recorded and ripped myself. I always had top of the line stereo equipment and cassette and open reel recorders for those on air broadcasts.

I've downloaded plenty of bootlegged concerts from various blogs. As a rule I will only post stuff from my collection and not what is already available out there.

I also post out of print CDs and LPs from my collection.
I will repost from my readers anything someone sends me as long as it is either out of print or something that's not from someone else's blog. If you want to share a link for a cool item on your blog, or someone else's, please feel free to post it in the comments........

Enjoy and please leave a comment and pass this blog along.

Can you believe that so many out there are starving for the old WHFS? Amazing!

If you leave a comment, how about using a nickname instead of Anonymous. At least make up something please. Thanks!

I have reconsidered my position...and will re-upload dead links, so long as you go to that particular post and make the request from the comments page...

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