The Cleaners From Venus - July EP

Ian Rushbury reviews The Cleaners From Venus's latest offering and it is on Bandcamp at "Name Your Price".


Martin Newell has a wide variety of hats, which he wears very well. For the “July” EP, he’s popped on the “Cleaners from Venus” hat, which I imagine looks a bit like that sawn-off top hat thing that David Crosby used to wear. It suits him.

There are just four tunes on “July”, but they’re all ace. Enough is as good as a feast, as my old dad used to say and I’m sure Newell would agree with him. The opening track, “Statues” (sadly not his version of the Husker Du tune – imagine what that would have sounded like) is one of those “how come no one has written this before?” songs.







It starts a bit like an outtake from “Mr Tambourine Man” but it has the unmistakeable scent of Wivenhoe about it. The lyrics are typically excellent. Any tune that starts with the couplet: “Now you dare to ask your rulers what they meant / It’s a paperchase of flaming discontent” is A.O.K. with me.

“Golden Lion of the Sun” is the kind of thing The Beatles would have recorded in 1966, if they had to make records in someone’s back-bedroom in Colchester. A nice, laid back latinesque groove, topped off by a lovely understated guitar solo. Where’s Ringo and his claves when you need him?







Track 3, “King Inglorious” showcases Newell’s command of language and easy way with a melody, which lift it from being merely “good” and nudge it into the “borderline great” category. The last track, the beautifully titled “Tricky Customer, Johnny Tomorrow” is – whisper it – an instrumental.

It sounds like the theme music to some long forgotten psychological crime drama, probably starring Edward Woodward. We really need to have a whip-round and get the London Symphony Orchestra to record this, because although it sounds great with Newell’s toybox synth, playing the string parts, the real thing would be astonishing. If they ever remake “The Prisoner”, they could do a lot worse than use this.







And just as you’re beginning to really enjoy it, it fades away. Newell has probably done a dozen projects since “July”, but let’s hope he revisits this type of thing soon. His “Cleaners from Venus” is my favourite Martin Newell hat. If only they did them in my size…







You can get this EP at Name Your Price here.


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I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2018 : 41-50

2018 has been a fantastic year for the type of music that we like. It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a Top 10 person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the first time last year, I did a Top 50, normally I just say what my favourite album of the year is. I've simply done it again, because those five posts of last year were so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

As I said the standard this year is incredibly high, so much so that I've extended the choice to 100 albums. There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the IDHAS Review if applicable.


No 41 : Cinderpop - Bricolage       IDHAS Review here.







No 42 : The Stan Laurels - Maybe      IDHAS Review here.






No 43 : The Supahip - The Two Sided Face      IDHAS Review here.






No 44 : Hurry- Every Little Thought 






No 45 : P. Hux - This Is The One      IDHAS Review here.

No 46 : Phil Yates And The Affiliates - Party Music!      IDHAS Review here.






No 47 : Dot Dash - Proto Retro      IDHAS Review here.






No 48 : William Duke - Quatro      IDHAS Review here.






No 49 : The Yancys - The End       IDHAS Review here.






No 50 : The Cleaners From Venus - Life In A Time Machine






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The Cleaners From Venus - Martin Newell's Jumble Sale

In last week's Xmas affair, I compared Brian Bordello to Martin Newell, I could give him no greater compliment. I've fawned and waxed lyrical about Newell on this very Blog here and here.  So here is a third wave of fanboy stuff.

The Cleaners From Venus tapes are what introduced me to all things Newell and I've relished every minute since. So a collection of Martin's Demos And Outtakes is something to feast on. 17 songs from 1975 to this year are present and these recordings enhance his reputation more.







I've often wondered how Newell would have fared with a label giving him some cash and backing his adventures. He'd certainly with the likes Of Robyn Hitchcock and not only as an Indie Andy Partridge. The Cleaners From Venus have always been Lords Of Lo-Fi. These songs sound wonderful, even as 4 Track recordings or in some case mono tape to tape. He makes a 4 Track sound like a much more modern recording device.

The earlier songs reveal a different side to the Greatest Living Englishman (TM). Ain't No Silicon Chip and My Rocking Days blend perfectly with the New Wave Pop of the time. There's also some wonderful solo at the Piano stuff, most notably the splendid Moonraking, which is like a chirped up Peter Skellern.







English Girl On A Horse is so Hitchcock and the Psych Pop Morrissey pastiche of The Luxury Of Misery is hilarious. She's Got Talent is another laidback joyous song, all sing-a-longa-Newell. A great slice of Sixties Pop.

It's the trademark Psych Pop that grabs you most though. This is what garners the most XTC comparisons, very Oranges And Lemons. Scarecrow Hair And Saucer-Eyed is all Orgone Box and this year's Red Guitars And Silver Tambourines shows that no talent has been lost over the years. It's simply wonderful Psych Pop.







A collection of Martin Newell demos is far superior to most's Best Ofs. The man really should have greater acclaim. I think I'll start to build a plinth in anticipation now. You can listen to and buy the album here.

The Stray Trolleys - Barricades And Angels

Martin Newell's short lived band in between Gypp and The Cleaners From Venus and their 1979 - 1980 recordings. Barricades And Angels gets a remaster and a Bonus Track, Mrs. Killer added. Newell is so wonderfully lo-fi, however the sound on these Octopus Studio Recordings was always pretty good and the remaster moves them on a pace.

The direction to The Cleaners From Venus is signposted, although these recordings sound more New Wave at times, rather than how beloved and rustic the great man became.





In keeping with the years in which they were recorded, a couple of the songs are reggae, even ska tinged, others such as No Static are Beat driven and Governors Only Daughter is wonderful Psych Pop.

The recordings were a marked step away from what Newell was doing with Gypp, quintessentially English. They are as great as you'd expect. The Governors Only Daughter stream below is from the unmastered album version as the new version isn't up on Bandcamp yet.





There's been a rash of Martin Newell related releases lately and the world is better for it. With no XTC or Andy Partridge to feed our habit, The Greatest Living Emglishman is the nearest thing.

You can buy the album and other fine Newell stuff here.

The Brotherhood Of Lizards - Lizardland : The Complete Works

Have no doubt that Martin Newell has a Rickenbacker and he doesn't play it very loudly, I dread to think how much money that I've spent on the great man. Solo Stuff, Cleaners From Venus, The Stray Trolleys, you name it................................I've even got the Gypp EP and this in it's two ingredients.

One thing I can say is that it will be quite expensive per watt and another is that I don't regret one penny spent. It's Lo-Fi Heaven, he rarely disappoints. His debut solo album "The Greatest Living Englishman" is in my Top 10 favourite albums, aptly produced by Andy Partridge. Partridge may be far more versatile, but Newell is far more charming.




As you can tell by the intro, I can talk about Martin Newell all day and will, but I'd better concentrate on the job in hand. In 1988, The Cleaners From Venus were coming to a natural end, it was largely Newell and Giles Smith anyway and Smith was heading for Journalism. Martin Newell teamed up with Multi Instrumentalist, Nelson and formed The Brotherhood Of Lizards.

The results of their endeavours are collated here. The self titled mini album, released on Newell's format of choice, the cassette and the full length Lizardland.

The sound was very much Cleaners From Venus, but there seemed more focus on that sound. Very sixties, mixing standard Psych Pop with regular jangle, treading on Dukes Of Stratosphear territory, although it could be said that Newell had put his flag on that hill first.




The duo got more press inches from the resulting tour than the music itself. Newell insisted on travelling to each gig by Bicycle and they became known as some sort of Eco Giggers. In 1990, Nelson got nabbed for his two decade stint with New Model Army and that was that. Martin Newell would move on to record his masterpiece.




I'm too biased to suggest you go hot foot to here and buy this, but please go and listen to it and make your own mind up. If you like Psych Pop, this will knock your socks off.