Pele were ill served by Polydor records (not the first time that had happened to a band). It will forever puzzle me that no-one at that company thought to suggest them to The Wonder Stuff as at least possible touring partners. We were blissfully unaware of them and when those two entities finally collided in the early 2000’s a lasting bond/friendship/appreciation society was formed.

“This Time Next Year” should have been their 3rd album but was lost to history when Pele were dropped by the Polydor group. It finally got a release in early 2023 when the excellent independent Kitchen Disco Records, who these days release Ian Prowse’s solo records, finally issued it. 

In much the same way I feel about Amsterdam’s album “The Curse” (see tomorrow pop kids !)”This Time Next year” feels like a step on the road to somewhere else. “Bye Bye John” was seemingly recycled into “You’re A Phoney” on Amsterdam’s album “The Journey” a few years later which seems to have happened to more than one song in here, like I suspected a step to someplace else. The overall sound here points toward to what Ian Prowse would develop with Amsterdam 5 or 6 years later.

This Time Next Year - https://youtu.be/UA9Dk2Jzaps?si=cNxlCrIZuE3pN30b

Pele’s 2nd album was originally released in December 1993, this version I have is a 2018 25th Anniversary release. It will forever stun me that I hadn’t heard them before the mid 2000’s. The opening four songs are all absolute belters, “Beside The Fields”, “Don’t Worship Me”, “Hey America” and particularly “Fat Black Heart (Natural Born Enemy)” are songs anyone would be proud of and many would give up a limb to have written. They convincingly demonstrate what a great songwriter Ian Prowse is. Considering it’s 30 years old now “Fat Black Heart…” is as relevant today as it was back then

“How can you close your eyes to the pain, Of someone's loss helping your gain

Greed and jealousy apart, What beats in your fat black heart”

and finishing on the almost spoken lines “As far as I’m concerned the rich should not even be spoken to, These are your natural born enemies” #fuckthetories indeed.

“Understanding Sadness” is an utterly beautiful ballad, the closing title track is another Republican anthem we should all take to heart. We’ve seen Ian Prowse play countless times in recent years and he’s still playing the Celtic rave-up that is “Name And Number”. How did this record/band/songwriter go so under the radar for all that time ?

But never fear there’s still time to get on board the good ship Prowsey. He’s still making great records, we’ll get into some of those shortly, and he’s touring the UK in March 2024 (tickets for his Shrewsbury show available from the White Rabbit Records Facebook page BTW). Jump in anywhere, Pele, Amsterdam or his solo records, they’re all great. And if you find that you don’t get it then maybe check your pulse and see a doctor…

Fat Black Heart (Natural Born Enemy) - https://youtu.be/C_sSY-4Csuk

I’ve only discovered Pele in relatively recent years. I first encountered Ian Prowse nearly 20 years ago when his then band, Amsterdam, opened for The Wonder Stuff at Wolverhampton Civic Hall and it’s been an unfolding story ever since. Considering Pele were signed to the same record label group as the band I was working for in the early 90’s and both bands were making music not a million miles different from each other I still can’t fathom out why our paths didn’t cross much earlier but here we are.

I may have said this here before but…Ian Prowse has gotta be Liverpools best kept secret. A songwriter every bit as talented as Liverpools greats (I happily include him in a list featuring Elvis Costello, Ian’s McCulloch, McNabb and Broudie among many others) and a band leader of great skill, to see the full 10+ piece Celtic-Soul juggernaut that is Pele/Amsterdam (the lines between the two bands have become very blurred over the years) in full flow is something to behold. Pele were a big live draw in the early 90’s and with songs like these it’s no surprise. Pele had tunes as big as Liverpool (“Fair Blows The Wind For France”) and more social commentary/conscience than many a Punk Rocker (“Raid The Palace”). 

It has always struck me since discovering these records over the last 15 years or so that their record company (yes that’s ultimately you Polydor) must have been working extra specially hard too ensure this album was as ignored as it was at the time. I was working for a band on the same label and knew nothing about them ! “Fireworks” was released in 1992 to almost universal apathy, except in South Africa where single “Megalomania” was a number one hit at the time of the cultural boycott. To hear Prowsey tell the story of how he wrestled with his conscience over whether or not to go promote his number one single (he didn’t of course) tells you a lot about the person Ian Prowse is. 

Thankfully time has been kind to Pele and these songs. Ian Prowse is reaping some reward for these records that should have been his back in the 90’s. I’ll keep banging this drum but if you have not yet been seduced by the music of Ian Prowse you are really missing out on something. 

Fair Blows The Wind For France - https://youtu.be/ARZJulLzVIQ