Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Slow Children / Mad About Town (DOWNLOAD)

UPDATE (12/228/15): Most excited to report that Slow Children have begun recording a new album due for release in 2016! A preview and an unreleased gem from '82 are streaming now HERE.


I've been yammering on about the wonderful singer/songwriter Pal Shazar and her former band with Andrew Chinich, Slow Children, for the past few weeks. Because the duo's two early '80s albums were never issued on compact disc, I've decided to host my self-made digital files for a limited time for fans looking for these out-of-print gems, "Slow Children" and "Mad About Town." This zip file also includes alternate versions and b-sides. Enjoy ...


  • Previously: My Best Pal
  • 31 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Wow...good sound, great job remaking the vinyl to digital files....
    zip-file downloaded without any complications...
    im very thankful for you spending time and effort for a complete
    stranger, this way..
    i wish i could repay your kindness ...

    best regards
    -sebastian from Malmö in Sweden

    Anonymous said...

    I wanted to thank you for taking the time to create this excellent collection. I also purchased a CDR (from another source) of the British version of "President Am I?" (slightly different from the US version, which is represented here) and the extended remixes of "Vanessa Vacillating" and "Unplugging the Vacuum", which are also great. Slow Children just define "Quirky" and also define what New Wave was REALLY all about. (Sorry folks, ABC, as much as I like them, are NOT New Wave!) Thank you again!

    Anonymous said...

    After a long time looking for these songs.... this brings tears.

    Anonymous said...

    I can't thank you enough for taking the time to upload this. Long story long, I was in school in Texas in the early 80s, spending the majority of my time going to clubs/concerts and listening to as much music as I could get my hands on.

    A friend of mine was dating a girl whose brother had an incredible stereo system (I can still picture the Nakamichi Dragon and Denon Turntable in my head) as well as a great collection of albums. I gave my friend as many blank tapes as I could gather up at the time (maybe 5) and asked him to record as much as he could. He was able to copy three albums before he was caught and banned from touching the stereo again. He didn't write the names of the albums down but I really didn't care as it was just "some great music". At one point another friend recognized one of the songs playing in my car ("President Am I" I believe) and mentioned the name of the group but overtime I forgot it. Eventually someone broke into my car for the umteenth time (a regular occurance in Dallas/Deep Ellum) and helped themselves to my stereo and tapes and books and everything else I swore I would never leave in my car again, the last time it happened. Soon those tapes were replaced with other music and life moved on, sort of...

    One song that never quite got out of my head was "Late Night Transatlantic". Something about that song (or many "things" after a few drinks) really appealed to me and the tune would continue to pop into my head long after I left college (20+ years).

    Finally about 6 months ago I decided to make a passive attempt at finding out who it was and buy a copy of the album. I figured I could remember some of the lyrics but unfortunately no one had posted them (why would they?) on Google. As my obsession with the song grew, I started doing more and more research on Google. Eventually I found Wikipedia's excellent listing of just about every album put out, categorized by year. Starting with 1980, if I didn't recognize the album, I would click on it and try to find an audio clip. This took me a couple of weeks as I would check every album out. I finally made it to Slow Children (1981) and found a clip of "Staring At The Ceiling" and immediately recognized the bass and singer's voice. A wave of relief came over me. A little more research helped me find that the album I had had was "Mad About Town".

    I suppose I should really consider myself lucky as I stumbled across your site the same day (today) that I discovered the name of the group with a simple google search. Had you not posted all of the songs from their two albums, I'm not sure what I would have done as I now see that it hasn't been reissued on CD and the album is no longer available. I have been down that road many many times and I didn't feel like going down it yet another time only to find a dead end.

    To say Thanks is putting it very lightly, but thanks!

    James Armstrong said...

    Aw man! You don't know how long I've been looking for this! Slow Children was one of my all time favorite groups, and they've faded almost without a trace. Pal Shazar has gone on to record many other great stuff, but I've really been missing this! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Anonymous said...

    I've been trying to find digital versions of these albums forever. Thank you for leaving them up for so long.

    Anonymous said...

    Thanks so much for this. Files sound amazing. It's an election year... what can I say? I owe you a (sin) of Vodka.

    Anonymous said...

    I've been looking for this for over 20 years! Have the first album on vinyl but have tried to find CD/digital versions. Brings back a lot of memories. A very under-rated group. Sounds as good today as it did 25 years ago on KROQ! Thanks again!

    TRULY HEARTFELT PRODUCTIONS said...

    I just found this LP (still in original shrink wrap) earlier today at a Salvation Army thrift store, knew nothing about it - but the year, label, and song titles made it apparent it was a 'must buy'. Thanks for the digital version, I can check it out while I'm driving. Valuable information & great blog!

    Anonymous said...

    You are simply wonderful. I listen to XM Radio online and often have it tuned to 1st Wave. Richard Blade is one of the hosts and I listened to him for years on KROQ (graduated high school in 1983). I've always thought, why the heck doesn't he play some Slow Children?! SPECIFICALLY Vanessa Vascillating. I decided to to to YouTube and just rummage up an old video. Yep - no luck. I HAVE the LP of Mad About Town and thought I'd never again hear any Slow Children. Then I somehow found your blog and found your generous download. I absolutely can't thank you enough. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

    Lisa

    Robert Langdon said...

    Thanks SO much for posting the Slow Children albums. I listened to them nonstop in high school and was so glad to get them on digital. It was like running into a new friend again. I hadn't heard the b-sides, so that was a nice surprise too. Thanks for being so generous. You made one fan very happy!

    Anonymous said...

    Great stuff and sounds great, thanks. You wouldn't have Jules Shear's Demo-itis and Watchdog? I'd be forever indebt.

    TitaniumMan said...

    Slow Children ... F-en-a ... Wow, I can't believe it! I knew if I looked long enough someone would transfer LP to CD. Many thanks ... Wow.

    TitaniumMan

    BCR said...

    thanx for sharing this!

    Anonymous said...

    Wow ! Thank You for this amazing gift ! There was a time when Slow Children played on & on in my apartment as friends & I readied ourselves for a night of party hearty in those wild early 80's days. "Mad About Town" was the bestst album of 1982 !
    You have given me back some of the best moments of my life !
    Von

    Robert Langdon said...

    I was so thrilled to find these two albums posted. I have been looking for years for them on CD. They are two of my favorite from the decade. And what a surprise to get the singles too, which I hadn't heard. I have been telling people about Slow Children for years, and surprisingly very few have heard of them. Kenneth, we met once before at the Try State Magazine party (I'm the other Robert) and I've been wanting to feature Slow Children in the magazine as the "80s Band Worth Rediscovering." The feature was dropped from the printed mag, but I think I'm going to do a piece on them on the blog. Again, thanks so much for posting such a clean digitized version! --Bob

    Anonymous said...

    It gave me such a 'wow' feeling when i saw this download. I have the 2 albums for myself and i've made it digital some years ago (for myself only...!) The singles, 12" versions and rare songs I don't ever heard so I'm so glad with it!!
    Thanks very much, I'm a Dutch fan since the beginning in the eighties.

    The best regards from Marcel Segers from Almere, the Netherlands

    JamesK said...

    Allow me to add my many many thanks for this -- I ripped a CD from a well worn cassette recording of my vinyl LPs. Great quality.

    Anonymous said...

    I've been looking for Spring In Fialta for years. I thank you. My new wave collection is almost complete. Wow!

    Anonymous said...

    A couple of weeks ago me and my parents visited Rotterdam in the Netherlands...

    So I went to this nice record shop and looked through some 2nd hand vinyl. And there I saw such a fabulous cover! It was all black/white except the title of the LP. I fell in love with it because the back of the sleeve showed a hand with a mouth in it! Well, I never heard of the band called "Slow Children" but I was sure that they definitely must have done some pretty good music. I looked at the price and was shocked! With 11€ it was the most expensive record in the whole (tiny) store! And unfortunately I hadn't much money left. So I took a last wistful look at it and left the record shop...

    Now I'm back home and I searched on the Internet for Slow Cildren and... I found your site!

    Thank you very very much.
    You made me so happy!

    And one day, I will buy that LP, I swear ;)

    Thanks again!

    18-year-old student from Cologne

    Anonymous said...

    I owned the main two us albums when they first were sold and they have always been my third most popular band ever. I never knew of the alternate versions, so you have made me an incredibly happy fan with your efforts.
    I cannot thank you enough for the link from wiki to here.

    Anonymous said...

    Daniel from Andalucia (south spain)

    thank you for this gift. I don´t know how the first album got into my hands in my hometown, in vynil, of course, but it did, and now, can´t wait to download the second with bonus features.
    there´s a line of the lyrics that keeps popping in my head, and I don´t know what it means, it always sounded to me like an african language, and is this: ashka zevene (beautiful melody)

    RAR said...

    Thank you. Much appreciated. Brings back memories of long walks with these guys in the Walkman. ;)

    Anonymous said...

    Thanks loads for this opportunity. I enjoyed their music 30 yrs ago. (My albums are lost in storage with 1,998 others)

    Best regards,
    Giles, SF
    10-20-2011

    Anonymous said...

    AHHHH I am dancing with joy! I too have been looking for this album for eternity. I loved it so much I "borrowed" the cassette from a high school friend, don't know what happened to it. Found the album and had intentions of copying to CD and surprising friend. Unfortunately, living in Arizona it warped beyond recognition in storage. Searched and searched on internet for years to no avail. Just recently thought I would try again and wala found your site! THANK YOU for paying it forward... luckily friend is still speaking to me, I can wait to surprise her and we can reminisce :) so so happy

    Dan the Man said...

    Spring in Fialta by Slow Children, 1982

    I want a bicycle a motorcycle too
    so I can run around and keep off my feet
    i've grown too accustomed to the daily grind
    a sailboat docking in a vacant lot
    the chance to slip inside the automatic vent
    i'm breaking every promise to keep in line

    take me to your knee
    say you understand me
    give me everything i see

    the broken shutters off the shores of portugal
    spring in fialta staircase in swollen mist
    the crimea's breaking in my crowded mind
    i'm compiling a team to pull me out
    i feel the self-destruction planting the seed
    it's crawling and i can't bear the anxiety

    take me to your knee
    say you understand me
    give me everything i see

    so hard to keep desire intact
    i'm not content i can't hold back
    where can this leave me

    the rotten windowpanes the isolating blue
    seeking the atmosphere i sucked up in my youth
    i am completely free from danger
    there's no loneliness no loneliness

    blank piece of paper pastels crushing to the floor
    it's my intention just to sit and meet the truth
    no pretty pictures this time condescending to my mind

    take me to your knee
    say you understand me
    give me everything i see

    so hard to keep desire intact
    i'm not content i can't hold back
    where can this leave me

    Aldo said...

    I'm glad I found this (albeit nine years after-the-fact). I've missed this music so very much - good to hear it all again. Thanks! Aldo R.

    Slow Response said...

    Thanks for Slow Children! I don't think anyone mentioned that Pat is now married to singer/songwriter Jules Shear.

    Scott said...

    Any chance you could re-post the zip? It seems to be missing now... I still have my 12" vinyl, but would love to hear the b-sides & be able to listen to these in the car!

    Kenneth M. Walsh said...

    @Scott: I can't post it anymore but give me your email address and I went send it to you.

    Unknown said...

    Both of Slow Children's 1980's albums are now available on officially licensed CDs!

    https://www.rubellanremasters.com/slowchildren