“Arbroath’s finest” I read Mike Innes from They Go Boom! say that. The topic was bands that you know and everyone else doesn’t. He might be right. I’ve only heard one of their songs, and it’s bloody gorgeous!! Even though the recording quality is bad, “Thorns”, is a jangle gem. I have never been able to find more songs, or even find any more information about the whereabouts of the band today. It’s like if they’ve fall off the face of the Earth!

The only piece of information I have, is actually from the fanzine that came with the “Positively Teenage” tape. As you may know, this is almost mythological stuff!, maybe one of the BEST tapes of that era, compiled by This Almighty Pop! factotum Stephen Maughan. And the Sohfas were there, and now they are nowhere.

This is what it says:
Wendy writes most of the songs then the rest of the band try to learn them. And they end up totally different from what they were. Wendy and Susan are sisters. John and Susan are living together, Gordon’s just kind of there and writes some songs. We all come from Arbroath nearly, though John and Susan live in Dundee, our newest song is called 24 Hours and is really good. (this bit was written by John who is the drummer and wears glasses).

It also states that they were releasing a new demo. I wonder how it sounded. I bet it was great. Any more info would be appreciated. Would be lovely to get in touch!

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Sohfas – Thorns

Two months ago I finally sent my compilation to Jessel. It was up there in his Myspace for two weeks. Jessel’s Mix Tapes have become very well known in indiepop world, especially among us that love obscure indiepop from the 80s. So it was really great to see my mix up there almost after a year since he asked me to do one! But the best part of it all is that I managed to rip songs from vinyl for the first time with this great USB turntable I’ve got. The first track I ripped was “Please Don’t Lie to Me” from the Kensingtons, which I included in that compilation I called “Tales from a Dufflebag”.

Today I decided to rescue the other B side from the Hope Corner EP. It’s called “Intercity Baby ‘94″ and what a gem of a song it is. On top of that I always liked train themed songs, even more if they sing “now I see my choo choo train coming” and then they throw some sha la las. Glorious! I just wonder what happened to this band! I can’t believe that this was their only release ever. Maybe there was more? No info on the web. Not even on Twee.net. Bummer!

The Hope Corner EP is great, and it’s greatness relies mostly in these two gorgeous B sides with chiming guitars over a drum machine that evoke the timelessness of Sarah acts. It’s no surprise that this record was recorded in Somerset, quite close to Bristol!

The 7″ was released on Meller Welle (MEL 11) on 1995. Any more info on this duo would be appreciated!

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The Kensingtons – Intercity Baby ‘94

It’s been a lazy Sunday morning and I’ve been reading some old fanzines. Going through them I started wondering about The Bedflowers. Fanzine writers say that they were going to be the next Siddeleys. Their demo tape was really appreciated at the time. I haven’t had the chance to listen to that tape. Maybe Peter Twee.net has it? But now he is traveling all around Mexico.

I read Richard’s Waaaaaah number 3. He has been to a gig of The Bedflowers. Nine minutes and nine songs. Janice asks for more vocals and promises to do better. Two songs later and the crowd notices: “they’re playing the same set again!”. Eighteen minutes and they’ve finished the gig, playing twice their same set.

The Bedflowers was a duo: Janice White and Danny Moran and they were from the Manchester area. Their demo tape I’m looking for was released by Bop Cassettes. I know that label! They released the early stuff from The Man of Delmonte (one of my favourites!). The demo was called “Songs: Summer 1990″ and included three songs, “Madly in Love with 25 People”, “You’re Not Blonde and Stupid, But Nobody’s Perfect” and “I’m So Cool”. The other only song I know, the one I’ve heard, is “My Ex-Lovers Address” that came on “The Waaaaaah! CD”. Which is indeed a great tune but it seems that the sound of the band had changed by this time. From what I read, their early stuff was more similar to The Fat Tulips or Screeming Custard! That sounds like heaven to me!

On Bubbyworld, Richard Waaaaaah says that the band recorded a 12″ that was never released. Could that be true? I would love to interview them and learn more from them. If you know if they are around please let me know. I’m dead curious about them. So many great reviews, great songs, and then just disappearing to dust?

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The Bedflowers- My Ex-Lovers Address

The history of C86 is still full of forgotten bands and singles. Stacks of great 7″s waiting to be discovered. Maybe a Japanese or two are aware of them; you know how they are. Okay, back to the title of the post. Yes, I am from Peru. You knew that? but this time I’m not writing about the hipsters back home. They are called ‘arties’ in Lima, they abound. They flock the district of Barranco and dress at Neo Mutatis. Im sure the word hipster wouldn’t mean much there. I’m writing today about a Welsh band that was called Peruvian Hipsters. Coincidence or not, I love their only single. Being Peruvian I find it ironic. I can’t imagine any hipsters back in 80s Lima. During those years there was a big post punk scene in the bleak city and terrorism was everywhere… being flashy, being hipster.. that wasn’t happening. Today as I said, the story is different.

The band formed by Nigel Buckland, Ashley Evans, Phillip Holt and Jeff Hughes only recorded this 7″ on Freak Medicine Recordings (first time I hear about this label!). The A side is “Tony Hadley”… you say who? the real Tony Hadley was the main guy from Spandau Ballet. The B side was It Doesn’t Happen Everyday. What happened to them after? Why didn’t they record more songs? Why are they not more known if Tony Hadley is such a phenomenal slice of guitar pop? So many questions to ask the band from the Rhondda valley. I wonder if one day I could ask them this questions and more. Especially asking them… why Peruvian Hipsters?! and hey! have you ever been to Peru? Right now the country is GREAT! We even get indiepop bands go and play… I’ve heard Acid House Kings are next!

…and I wonder when I’ll be back.

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Peruvian Hipsters – Tony Hadley