Jane Aire & The Belvederes

Sadly overlooked in the re-issue stakes is Jane Aire, with the grand total of one song available on CD (the glorious 'Yankee Wheels' on a Stiff Records compilation). I liked Jane (real name Jane Ashley) back in the day and , now that I have a magic vinyl-to-digital record player, thought I would hunt for her records. My collection became complete last week and I now have a new CD in my collection: 'The Complete Jane Aire & The Belvederes'.

As far as I know, Jane released five singles, one album and featured on the 'Akron' compilation album. She was a protege of Liam Sternberg and 'the Belvederes' don't seem to have existed other than in name at first but, when she came to London the role was filled by a band called the Edge (made up of Lu Edmonds, Jon Moss, Gavin Povey and Glyn Havard). Other famous names associated with Jane are Kirsty MacColl and Rachel Sweet who provided backing vocals on her album (Rachel also featured on the 'Akron' album).

When I Was Young/I'm An Actress ('Akron', 1978)

Both songs are on the 'Akron' compilation album, famous or infamous for it's "scratch'n'sniff" tyre on the cover. Both songs stand out (along with Rachel Sweet's tracks) as being proper songs rather than the semi-experimental nature of some of the other tracks. I've always liked them. They're relatively raw pop-punk in a USA-stylee. The album has never been released on CD as far as I know but I bought the vinyl at the time.

Yankee Wheels/Nasty... Nice (1978)

This was Jane's first single and 'Yankee Wheels' has the honour of featuring on a Stiff compilation CD. I lurve the chugging chorus as she bellows out the title and the slightly out-of-time vocals but I've no idea what the song is actually about (and I don't really care). 'Nasty... Nice' is less poppy and more in keeping with the experimental style of the 'Akron' album with Jane in shrieking mood. I like both tracks, bought the single back then and played it a lot.

Call Me Every Night/Lazy Boy (1979)

Jane moved from Stiff to Virgin and this single was obviously meant to break her in the UK being a picture disc (the latest trend in records). A lot more poppy and commercial, almost touching on the power-pop sound created in the early 80s by Kim Wilde and others. 'Lazy Boy' is a bit moodier and uses horns for emphasis in the chorus (another sign that money was invested on this single). I don't recall it charting but I suspect it was meant to keep Jane in the light until the album was released. I bought the single.

Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache/Life After You (1979)

A single with two tracks from the album, presumably issued to promote the album. I don't have the single.

Jane Aire & The Belvederes (1979)

A 10-track album released by Virgin and produced by Liam Sternberg that I didn't buy at the time, quite possibly because I didn't know it existed (I certainly don't recall it). The sound and songs are very different to her work the previous year, far more commercial and targeted at the young punky-pop/power-pop market (which it seems to anticipate).

It tries out various musical styles, touching on a sort of Motown/Northern Soul feel to some tracks, straight out-and-out pop, a couple of tracks even seem to anticipate the 'power ballad' style that emerged later in the '80s. 'No More Cherry Icing' sounds like the Go-Gos would sound a few years later (which must be the Sternberg influence).

Listening to it for the first time 28 years after it was released and I have to say it's not bad at all! It has aged a bit but no more so that many other bands at the time. I'm sure the sound would be fuller if it was re-mastered and issued on CD. I'd buy it.

I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten/Heat Of The City (1982)

Jane was quiet for a few years and then issued this single on the Stiff label. It's an interesting single and I'm intrigued by the choice of title song. After only a few seconds of listening it shrieks "1980s" at you, with that tell-tale electronic drum-beat/drum-clash without any resonance (as the CD producer commented). More interesting is the 'B' side which was co-written by Jane and has a white-boy reggae rhythm going on in the background.

So, that's the discography. 'The Complete Jane Aire & The Belvederes' tracklisting is:

When I Was Young
I'm An Actress
Yankee Wheels
Nasty... Nice
Call Me Every Night
Lazy Boy
Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache
No More Cherry Icing
Driving
When You Can't Be Loved

Take It To The Next Wave
Duke Of Love
Come See About Me
Life After You
Wind Up
Love Is A Fire
I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
Heat Of The City

Transfer to CD and production/engineering credits are awarded to Chris Voisey of Voisey Enterprises Inc.

I've got no idea what happened to Jane and she doesn't feature very often in internet searches or have many photos online that aren't record sleeves. I'll add the poor quality photo on the right which is from the inside sleeve of the 'Akron' album. According to one source she married a Boomtown Rat. Where is she now, I wonder? If you know, I'd love to hear. And if you know of any other records please tell me.

Thank you, Jane, for the music I loved when I was a teenager and thank you again for my more recent quest to collect your records.