I’ve had a soft spot for Deacon Blue since I heard a few tracks included on an industry-only promo sampler tape that a friend of a friend got me a copy of.
The tape had ‘Chocolate Girl’, ‘Raintown’ and ‘Ragman’ on it if memory serves me, that was enough to get me onboard and I’ve been on the ride ever since.
I’ve got all the albums on CD, but not on vinyl so this was a chance to listen to some of the tracks haven’t got access to on my big system (I’m looking at you ‘Your Town’, ‘Hang Your Head’ etc.)
This is the band’s greatest hits so all the songs you have heard on the radio are here plus some of the newer tracks that may have passed you by but are worth a listen like ‘The Hipsters’, ‘New House’ and ‘City Of Love’.
Down the years I’ve been lucky enough to see them live all over Liverpool, from relatively small gigs in The Royal Court to bigger shows in The Equestrian Centre at Aintree Racecourse and the Waterfront Festival in a big tent on the docks, to being on the second row at The Echo Arena.
I’ll be seeing them again in a couple of months when we catch the last night of the All The Old 45s Tour in Glasgow’s SECC enormo-dome. Cannot wait!
If you fancy a copy it is available on traditional black vinyl or in this fetching yellow/pink combo from £37 all over the place.
Tracks To Try: Any of them.