The Australian indiepop family tree is such an affliction of incestuous relationships. If you try to trace it, during the 90s, names like Bart Cummings, Mia Schoen and Andrew Withycombe, are repeated many times. Everyone has played together at a certain moment and everyone has helped each other making this scene flourish. I was unaware Super Falling Star was part of the Melbourne revolving door scene till Saturday when Teresa asked me if I knew them.

To be honest, I knew I had a record by them but I couldn’t remember what the Searchlight 7″ sounded like. I didn’t recall when was the last time I played it. Strange. Because for music I do have good memory, for other things, not really. But, what I do remember was that I got it when Drive-In Records made a huge sale, 25 7″s just for the postage price. What a deal, right? But then, at that time, I didn’t have a turntable. And the question immediately arose, maybe I had never played it?

If so, Saturday was the first time I played it and it was love at first sight. Teresa had already gave me a taster. She sent me “Love is Blue”, which is such a fantastic song. For the collectors inside us, this song appeared on the Melbourne Holiday 7″ and the Clover Club CD, both on Clover Records from Japan, both compilations. Time for me to get those? Indeed. But, back to this wonderful 7″, that I’m sure you can find dead cheap in many stores, it has a stunning B side! No wonder why Teresa made it clear to me before playing it, “Closer to the Sun is my favourite Super Falling Star song, I couldn’t care less for the A sides”.

And it’s true, both Searchlight and Full, the two songs on the A side, get eclipsed by the precious and uplifting Closer to the Sun. Why had I missed such a lush song? And it was here, in my room!

Super Falling Star started in 1993, when Vicky Barker and Rod McQueen placed an ad at their local music shop looking for a female guitarist. Not female, but a guitarist, Ian Finlay gave them a call, taking the risk of being turned down. He got on board. The band was soon completed when Julia Caluzzi joined them to play drums. After nine months Rod and Vicky called it quits, though they did participate in the recording of the first release by the band, the Someday single. This one appeared on 1994 on Quiddity Records. The B sides are Falling Girl and Shipwrecked.

After four years, in 1998, the band releases some new stuff, this time on Drive-In Records (which was run by Mike Babb, who also ran Quiddity, so more or less, the same thing). Now it was Natasha Dragun in charge of vocals and, with her, they released the “Searchlight” 7″ that I’ve been praising and also a split 7″ with Detroit’s Fuxa. A new band on my list to check out, though Detroit does bias me, “Detroit Rock City” anyone? On these recordings is Andrew Withycombe who joins to play bass. Maybe you know him from Hydroplane, the Cat’s Miaow and Huon? Such a jet set star!

There was one last release under this formation, it was the single “Dead Letters” on Basingtoke’s Roisin Recordings. The B side is “The Fading Light”. The date was 2000. After releasing this single, changes happened. On 2001 Emily Fullerton and James Dean (who plays on Tugboat, the Australian band, not the Canadian one) joined the band to replace Julia and Andrew, respectively. That was the last time we heard from Super Falling Star. And even though there hasn’t been an official break up, I would guess the band is over now. But maybe not? Anyone has any news?

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Super Falling Star – Closer to the Sun

During the early 90s there was a considerable amount of small American pop bands on both coasts. They didn’t send and promote their stuff on the BBC. Some of them got played on the infamous college radio across the country, but that doesn’t matter as none of them made it big. College radio were all about making you big or not. As expected not many remember these bands today and there’s nothing similar as The Leamington Spa series for them. Most probably a compilation of this kind won’t ever happen as music sales keep sinking but also because it is almost impossible to find any information about them online.

Citrus Groove was one of these bands. They were a bit luckier though, they got a 7″ out on Marineville Records from Brighton, England. This is from where I’ve ripped the brilliant Mesmerized, a hypnotic guitar pop song with traces of psychedelia. The B side was the bouncier Merry Go Round. A very fine record on Andy Parker’s stable. This was their second single. The first one was “Hit the Ground / Beautiful Thing” which was the first release on Honeychain Records. They had a CD-EP later on this same label called “Sunswayed” and it included 7 songs (2 of them are the singles A sides). I haven’t got around the Honeychain releases yet. I will make a wild guess that the label was run by the band, as it seems they were their whole catalog. The label was based in Los Angeles, California. Most probably, the band was based too in this sprawling metropolis; which was home of Aberdeen, Poastal and The Summer Hits. Seems there was a thriving scene maybe a bit similar to today’s Yay! Records scene?

Citrus Groove was Gordon on vocals and guitar, John on guitar, James on vocals and bass and Phil on drums. Any other information would be appreciated as always. I can’t even find a photo of them to post!

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Citrus Groove – Mesmerized

I find Sunday nights the best time to listen to music, especially vinyl. I rip them to mp3s, clean them a bit, there are no hurries. I have a beer. I have some pizza. I turn off the cell phone. A chess game against Emma, which for unknown reasons ends up as a draw. Around 7:30 p.m. I have my senses bright and acute. And when I play this song, it comes drilling through my brain. What a wonderful noise I say.

Today being noisy is the status quo. Especially if you come from the Pitchfork confetti-plumped Brooklyn. I wonder if the hipsters would rejoice if they listen this wonderful ramshackling, noisy and dreamy band. Most probably they won’t. This is too pure for them, they need some music critic filtering, they need some artsy haircut, they need some comfort zone, tell them that it is the RIGHT thing to like.

I wonder what happened to this band. Their first 7″ was Grip / Frances and was released on the Fluff label. If my memory doesn’t play tricks on me, the Leicester label released the first Boyracer 7″. Also they released Hood and a band I haven’t heard but always been curious about, Liechtenstein Girls. I’m pretty sure there was a split flexi with Boyracer and Hula Hoop also. More info, of course, would be appreciated. The insert of the single doesn’t give that much information either:

honey one is grip and frances. the players are stuart on skins, neil on strings and gogs on a fuzzy lump of wood. seagate studios housed the noise, stuart and chris processed it, we re-invented it. thanks to the foreman, paedo strangetrouser and the ones who haven’t loved or loved us. this vice will not release until I release myself and as soon as I can do that you’ll be free as well. you forgot you were an atheist. stay beautiful norm. bee.

Their second single appeared on Lust Recordings (home of the Lavender Faction and St. James Infirmary). It was a 7″ with a giraffe on the cover. It was a four track EP that included the songs Sunrise, Stunned, Happy Sunday Stories and Ignite. I still haven’t got around to get or listen this one.

Twee.net doesn’t list their third release. It was another 7″ and it was released on Fluff Records again. This one included the songs Demand Better Protection and Cradle. This release seems to be the rarest one to find. And they also contributed, with a cover version of James’ “Come Home”, on the tape compilation Bobby Stokes Salutes The Fall Of Manchester. This was released on  the exquisite Ambition Records.

And I believe this is it. I ask to the whole wide web, is there anyone out there?

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Aspidistra – Grip

“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