Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume III – 1986

Here’s Volume 3 of the Strait Tapes and I believe the last in the series but we’ve had a few surprises in this series so I will will say I think it is the final one. Again we have quite a few unreleased tracks to enjoy. I didn’t do a count but I think this one has the most examples of secular bands of Christians. Anyway it’s another fantastic offering and we should give credit the the gang over at Strait Magazine for putting together such a great series of tapes. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did.

1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – Released on their 1987 album The 77’s
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – Released on their 1985 album Reassembly
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – Released on his 1990 album Love Will Find A Way
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – still unreleased
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – Released on their 1984 album A System Of Grooves
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – Released on his 1986 album Charlie Peacock
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – Released on their 1987 album Trade Secret
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – still unreleased
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – still unreleased
10 – Vector – America – Released on their 1984 album Please Stand By
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – Released her 1986 album
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – Gag track as intro to next track
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – Released on his 1986 album Knowledge & Innocence
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – Released on his 1979 album Dancing In The Dragon’s Jaws
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – Released on his 1988 album Lost Horizon
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – still unreleased
17 – First Strike – Power – Released on their 1987 album Crank It Up!
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – still unreleased

Tracklist
1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – 3:25
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – 3:07
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – 4:31
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – 3:28
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – 2:16
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – 4:28
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – 3:42
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – 3:12
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – 2:01
10 – Vector – America – 4:05
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – 4:07
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – 0:44
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – 3:17
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – 3:27
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – 4:03
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – 4:13
17 – First Strike – Power – 4:51
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – 3:13

Jump The Nile – Like The Cruel Sea – 1984

This was the only release we got from Jump The Nile. This band showed up on a compilation album called Strait Tracks so I hunted down their 7″. The band was Annie McCaig from Nutshell, Simon Humphrey from Dance People, Nick Battle from Sporting Life/After The Fire, and Jeff Hammer from The Teardrop Explodes. This is a rather eclectic group but they actually really work well together. Unfortunately this self released 45 was it from them but I bet there is a demo out there somewhere that they shopped around. I hope we are able to get our hands on it.

Tracklist
A – Like The Cruel Sea – 4:00
B – Wire – 3:43

Credits
Backing Vocals – Annie McCaig
Programmed By [Programming], Percussion, Producer – Simon Humphrey
Vocals, Bass, Guitar [Guitars] – Nick Battle
Vocals, Keyboards, Programmed By [Programming] – Jeff Hammer

Companies, etc.
Marketed By – Precision Records & Tapes Limited

Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume I

This is a rather odd one. The Strait Tapes were a series of at least 3 cassettes published by Strait which was the Greenbelt Newspaper that came out Bi Monthly in the 80’s. How they got the rights to these songs is completely baffling but they did and they put out these great cassettes. This is the first one of this series. It is a mix of stuff we know and stuff we don’t. No one is too sure what year this cassette came out as the tracks themselves are from all over but the best guess is 1985. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did. There are some really rare unreleased tracks here a couple B sides so this is a real special compilation. I look forward to finding the next 2 cassettes in this series.

Larry Norman – If You Don’t Love the Lord (1986 Rehearsal 4 Reality/different version)
Robin Lane – Hard Cover (1984 Heart Connection EP)
Steve Turner – I Looked Down (1982 - City Without Love)
Philip Bailey – The Wonders of His Love (1984 The Wonders Of His Love)
Jump the Nile – Innocence Abroad (unreleased, band only had one 7")
Ring of Fire – Brave Men Cry (unreleased, no info on band)
Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark (1976 In the Falling Dark)
Maria Muldaur – There's Going To Be The Devil To Pay (1983 Sweet and Slow)
Randy Stonehill – Everything But Love (1985 Stonehill EP)
Press Any Key – Whisper On The Wind (1987 - Whisper On The Wind, different mix)
Garth Hewitt – Red Hot and Cooking (1982 B-side of The Hungry Wind single)
Interface – Memories (1984 Released as an A side single)

Tracklist
1 – Larry Norman – If You Don’t Love the Lord
2 – Robin Lane – Hard Cover
3 – Steve Turner – I Looked Down
4 – Philip Bailey – The Wonders of His Love
5 – Jump the Nile – Innocence Abroad
6 – Ring of Fire – Brave Men Cry
7 – Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark
8 – Maria Muldaur – There’s Going To Be The Devil To Pay
9 – Randy Stonehill – Everything But Love
10 – Press Any Key – Whisper On The Wind
11 – Garth Hewitt – Red Hot and Cooking
12 – Interface – Memories