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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Widely considered the first rap record, the Fatback Band buried King Tim III (Personality Jock) on the B-Side of You’re My Candy Sweet, alerting Sugarhill Records to hip-hop’s untapped potential. New blog: b-side.website/2025/09/19/k...

b-side.website

‘King Tim III (Personality Jock)’ | b-side book

Best known for their 1976 smash ‘(Do The) Spanish Hustle’, the Fatback Band were known for playing fast and loose with styles as

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Now 100 years young (!!!), Sentimental Me was just one of the many hits Ben Selvin scored under a deluge of aliases (this time, the Knickerbockers). Although technically a B-side, it landed right behind A-side Manhattan at the top of the US charts.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

The Zombies never quite lived up to their first hit, She’s Not There. Released #OTD 60 years ago, I Love You (fizzy B-side of Whenever You’re Ready) ran it close. It later became a global hit for San Jose’s People!, who spaffed the profits on Scientology.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

With no piano and no piercing holler, there was little audible evidence that Little Richard even appeared on Funk Proof (B-side of Try To Help Your Brother), released 50 years ago this month. But there’s no denying insidious groove of this blazing funk instrumental.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Surf-rockers Jackie & The Cedrics had a whale of a time thrashing through misfit hit Sukiyaki, when they needed a quick B-side for Scalping Party 30 years ago. Kyu Sakamoto’s original remains the only Japanese-language song to top the US charts.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Before he transformed into Slick Rick, British-born MC Ricky D showcased his storytelling skills on La-Di-Da-De, B-side of Doug E Fresh’s beatbox classic The Show, issued #OTD 40 years ago. His description of his Oil of Olay beauty regime is hard to top!

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Even the northern soul scene embraced Don’t You Pass Me By, Cleo Laine’s slippery take on an old Patti Page pop smart. Issued 60 years ago on the B-side of If We Live On Top Of A Mountain, it made the most of the first lady of British jazz’s four-octave range. R.I.P.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

The story of how John McKay and Kenny Morris left Siouxsie and the Banshees is not only the stuff of goth legend, it's etched into the grooves of scathing Happy House B-side Drop Dead/Celebration. New blog – b-side.website/2025/07/22/d...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Forever butchered by TV talent show wannabes, Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody – the B-side of Hung On You, released #OTD 60 years ago – was the hit no-one saw coming. Not least Phil Spector…

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Chuck Berry let pianist Johnny Johnson take the lead on his demo of Wee Wee Hours, hoping it would win him a deal with Chess. It worked, and became the B-side of first single Maybellene, issued 70 years ago this month.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Written to capitalise on their top-rated mid-60s Radio London show, Kenny and Cash’s Knees never reached the wider audience it was intended for, thanks to Decca deciding its throwaway flipside – literally titled The ‘B’ Side – should be the A-side. WTF! New blog – b-side.website/2025/07/01/k...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

The popularity of Jasper Carrott’s breakout hit Funky Moped, released #OTD 50 years ago, was due to its B-side. Magic Roundabout – presented as a stolen script from the stop-motion TV show – helped the Brummie comic court a wider audience.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Compromised by a competing cover from Cher, All I Really Want To Do – the Byrds follow-up to Mr Tambourine Man – faltered when it was issued #OTD 60 years ago. Many missed its class-above B-side I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better, a seamless synthesis of the Beatles and Dylan.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

The B-side of their final Motown hit (Forever Came Today), the Jackson 5 had a lingering affection for All I Do Is Think Of You, issued 50 years ago this month. A sitar-laced quiet storm ballad, boasting MJ’s most biting lead to date, they even promoted it over the A-side on Soul Train.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

The two-part single was something of a godsend to soul and funk acts in the 70s. Issued #OTD 50 years ago, both sides of the Isley Brothers’ Fight The Power brooked no argument, the added frisson of the B-side’s “Fight it!” chant just edging the battle.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Remixes had removed the need to record a discrete B-side by the early 90s. But not all were fillers! Issued #OTD 30 years ago, Kelly G’s skipping Bump-N-Go mix of Tina Moore’s Never Gonna Let You Go chimed with UK garage and later became an A-side smash.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Long lost Morgan McVey B-side Looking Good Diving With The Wild Buch had all the constituent parts of Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry's raps, chorus, "What is he like?" refrain, scratches and burbling synth riff – but the dynamic was somehow skewed... New blog: b-side.website/2025/05/21/l...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Issued 30 years ago this month, the “Lager, lager, lager…” refrain of Underworld B-Side Born Slippy .NUXX (flip of a breakbeat instrumental of almost the same name) became inescapable when Danny Boyle co-opted it for Trainspotting.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

A three-way trade-off between OC, Pharoahe Monch and Street Smartz’ in-house rap engine FT, Metal Thangz (shook B-side of Problemz) more than lived up to its billing. New blog: b-side.website/2025/04/28/m...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

With Noel Gallagher bellowing “We believe in one another” during its chorus, Acquiesce caught Oasis at peak fame and peak form, nonchalantly pushing out A-worthy fare on the B-side of Some Might Say. Issued #OTD 30 years ago.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

As its title hints, King Tubby’s mitts are all over Tubby’s Vengeance, his distinctive dub take on Vivian Jackson’s Jah Vengeance, released 50 years ago this month. It’s one of many great dub inversions of the man better known as Yabby You.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Atmospheric with a capital A, Red Planet Revisited (a free one-sided single with Do The Empty House) doubled down on Comsat Angels’ groovy sci-fi strangeness, over heavy-heavy drums. New blog: b-side.website/2025/04/14/r...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Canadian rocker Bryan Adams made his dishonourable intentions explicit with Diana (B-side of mega-hit Heaven) #OTD 40 years ago. A jaw-dropping paean to ‘the People’s Princess’ (“I just wanna lay ya!”) it openly dissed King Charles amid rumours of an affair.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

A rock’n’roll standard, predicated on a devastating riff on his homemade square guitar, I’m A Man was every bit as influential as its self-titled A-side. Mississippi bluesman Bo Diddley didn’t muck around, putting his two strongest songs on his debut single 70 years ago this month.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Hidden, uncredited, on the B-side of Mercury Rev’s first CD single Car Wash Hair is Untitled, a 30-minute bad acid comedown of scathing guitar loops and low sine waves, soured by repeated screams of “I want to be inside you”. New blog: b-side.website/2025/03/31/u...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Turning on a whispered half-rap about “bohemian boys and Brazilian girls”, Made Of Glass was far superior to A-side Giving You Up when Kyle Minogue released it #OTD 20 years ago. Both were created to boost sales of compilation Ultimate Kylie, following a cancer diagnosis.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Performed at New York’s Baseball Hall of Fame on a bat-shaped guitar, Centerfield’s broad appeal put Creedence Clearwater Revival songwriter John Fogerty back in the game. Its riff-based homage helped A-side Rock And Roll Girls into the US charts, 40 years ago this month.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Released #OTD 60 years ago, Who’ll Be The Next In Line was a passive-aggressive tune about broken hearts. The nagging, nervous flip of Ev’rybody’s Gonna Be Happy, it continued the Kinks tradition for B-sides often better than their A-sides (and later gained top billing in the States).

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Flipped by savvy radio DJs, US Marine Corps band The Essex topped the US charts in 1963 with Easier Said Than Done, a B-side inspired by the rhythm of a teletype machine. New blog: b-side.website/2025/03/17/e...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Issued #OTD 60 years ago, Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs’ Ain’t Gonna Move epitomised the scruffy garage rock the Animals and Rolling Stones were trying to capture. Great as it was, it was overshadowed by A-side Wooly Bully – a shock novelty hit about the Tijuana singer’s cat.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

John Lennon’s second stab at Move Over Ms. L – the only non-album B-side of his solo career – was rough and ready, imbued with the same off-the-cuff spirit as the A-side’s take on Ben E King’s soul standard Stand By Me. Issued #OTD 50 years ago, his drinking pal Keith Moon moved quickly to cover it.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

A game-changer that set the pop-disco template for the remainder of Hot Chocolate’s career, You Sexy Thing didn’t initially float the boat of super-producer Mickie Most. He made it B-side of Blue Night #OTD 50 years ago before having a change of heart.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

British DJs fell hook, line and sinker for Mantronix’s King Of The Beats, one of the first records to sample the Winstons’ Amen, Brother break. New blog: b-side.website/2025/03/03/k...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Viola Wills’ synthy, emotive take on Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now made waves on the Brighton gay scene when it was released 40 years ago. It gave a critical leg-up to A-side Dare To Dream, the Barry White backing singer’s second solo UK hit.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

The Shadows' B-side The Stranger (flip of Man Of Mystery) evoked a parched and lonesome cowboy surveying a desolate prairie with a look of heightening despair, as he pondered the big existential questions. New blog: b-side.website/2025/02/21/t...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

North Carolina songwriter Ben Folds didn’t delete the expletives with his uninhibited piano take on Dr Dre’s Bitches Ain’t Shit, B-side of the tender-hearted Landed. Released 20 years ago, it quickly became a live favourite. Wary of getting ‘cancelled’, Folds excised it from his sets in the 10s.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

A camp blast of outrageous doom pop that invited their fans to kiss rings and blades, Blood Money saw Sisters Of Mercy deliver on the raw promise of their early John Peel sessions. It was one of two strong flips on No Time To Cry, issued 40 years ago this month.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

The greatest song of hope was initially given B-side status. A Change Is Gonna Come apparently came to Sam Cooke fully-formed, following an altercation at a whites-only motel. That incident reprised itself with tragic consequences prior to its release, 60 years ago, on the flip of Shake.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Look forward to hosting a live reading from Corpse Flower by Johny Brown (Band of Holy Joy) at @housmansbookshop.bsky.social early next month. More info and FREE tickets available here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/johny-brow...

eventbrite.co.uk

Johny Brown – a live reading from CORPSE FLOWER

A very special live reading from Johny Brown’s new book CORPSE FLOWER

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

DMX and Ja Rule parlayed whole careers from their gravel-throated style, but Nine was ahead of them. Issued this month 30 years ago, Me, Myself And My Microphone (B-side of the fadeless Whutcha Want?) threatened to “smack you with a ball full of skills” over a heady Ahmad Jamal lift.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

There was a brutal impact to Killing Joke’s Pssyche (B-side of Wardance), whose pounding rhythmic blitz evoked the end of the world. First blog of 2025: b-side.website/2025/01/24/p...

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

An unlikely star, Phil Collins didn’t so much muscle in on Prince’s funk-pop territory as forcefully violate it on Sussudio. Released 40 years ago this month, its upbeat UK B-side, The Man With The Horn, was a bone of appeasement to long-suffering Genesis fans.

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Andy Cowan @vinylslam.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Long before the Kendrick/Drake beef, rap disses were often smuggled out on B-sides. Issued 30 years ago this month, Black Sheep were arguably shooting fish in a barrel with H.A.A (Here’s Another Asshole), a takedown of a desperate (MC) Hammer, but business is business.

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