Tuesday 5 August 2014

The Piranhas - Space Invaders

The Piranhas were a Brighton based band formed in 1977. Described by many as a ska type punk band whose first claim to fame was when John peel played their excellent 'I Don't Want My Body' (I'll post that one later - the version on iTunes is not as good as either of the Sire (album and single) versions. They went onto much bigger fame with 'Tom Hark' and 'Zambezi'.

'Space Invaders' is a good fun, real catchy, new wave song about being addicted to the game of the same name. This song has sentimental value to me as I can remember personally being obsessed with Space Invaders. Everyone in the pub would lay there 10p (on the machine) waiting for their turn, and as many as possible in the pub would stand around you watching you dance in front of the machine as you tried to dodge those missiles. Hiding behind the defense and blasting holes through them to fire at the aliens, and getting to that final level when the aliens appeared directly above you. I got so good at it I could get the machine to go up to 999 and then back to zero again, making people waiting go mad. Sure it's nothing compared to today's games but in its day it was a classic.

The b-side is is a live version of 'Cheap 'n' Nasty' at the Marquee on July 1979.

So how many of you remember the original Space Invaders, or Donkey Kong? Leave a comment.

Band: The Piranhas
Label: Virgin
Year: 1979
Tracks:
1. Space Invaders
2.Cheap 'N' Nasty

Ripped from glorious scratched vinyl:


If you like then try out some more of the Piranhas:
The Piranhas
The Piranhas

14 comments:

jeffen said...

love the Piranhas Sire LP (none of which is on that damn CD of theirs) but I've never heard this track - thanks!

http://musicruinedmylife.blogspot.com/

Imposs1904 said...

I've got a Ruts live album download somewhere - Live at the Marquee, maybe? - where, before the Ruts kick off their set, Malcolm Owen praises the The Piranhas to the rafters along the lines of "Lets hear it for The Piranhas who just played. Best fucking band to ever support us." ;-)

Anonymous said...

I used to have this one Gary. Another great long lost gem you've pulled out of the hat there mate.

"I don't even wanna have sex again,until I've beat the Space Invaders"

Classic


Longy

Anonymous said...

Yeah, sure remember Space Invaders. Had a fovorite one in the hotel I used to stay in when in London, at Gloucester Road. You could sit and play with the game between your legs.

Punkzer0 said...

Hi jeffen, thanks for your comment, the Sire album is over on the Twilight Zone

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Darren, thanks for the comment, I like those little pieces of information. I never saw the Piranhas myself but I did see the Ruts many times. If Malcolm rated them live then they must have been good.

Punkzer0 said...

Cheers Longy, this got me dancing around the kitchen, so good memories all the way round.

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Robert, the one you played was a more modern version (what was it called), I loved that version as well.

Simon No Mates said...

I always remember 'Table' Invaders either didn't work or had split beer all over it... that's probably why they didn't work.
And, I always remember "Getting beaten up, it's part of growing up"... even before I really knew who The Piranhas actually were, and that they came from my hometown!

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Simon thanks for the comment. You are right they were always covered in beer, and also the controller was not as robust as the original,I always found at least one side was f*cked.

For those of you who don't know "Getting beat Up" is another excellent tracks fro the Piranhas Sire album.

Anonymous said...

Wow - this makes me melancholic.

We actually played "Space Invaders" a number of times as a cover doing performances in Belgium in our band "The pubers" throughout 1980. Single was imported and we all became instant fans.

Marc Dillen

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Marc thanks for commenting, and it must of been a great song to cover -lots of fun.

Putra said...

nice information, i like it. thanks for share

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Putra thanks for the thanks and glad you like it.