05
Feb

First things first. We have a new release! It is coming out on February 15 and it is a 10″! It is by the superb band Blind Terry from Sweden. It includes 6 songs that have never been released and finally see the light now! It is limited to 250 copies and it is a beauty if I may say so. You can preorder now on our website, www.cloudberryrecords.com and also on our Bandcamp! Enjoy!

So I return to the Blue House Records Bandcamp. After discovering the Tender Lugers, I know there are more goodies in there.

The goodies have names. And the first one I really like is called As Is. They have a collection of songs called “Heavy Big Pop” which sounds really interesting to me. 17 tracks in total, recorded in the 80s.

I learn that the band was formed by James Partridge on guitar and vocals, Paul Read on drums and vocals, Steve Mears on bass and vocals and Paul Taylor on guitar.

The band had stopped playing in 1989, on Thursday 16th of March of that year in Felixstowe. Where is that?

Felixstowe is a port town in Suffolk, England. The estimated population in 2017 was 24,521. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. Felixstowe is approximately 116 km northeast of London.

The songs on this collection are: “Take it From Me”, “Wherever You Go”, “Badlands”, “Hey! Judas!”, “World Full of Eyes”, “I Don’t Want To See You Again”, “Too Tough to Die”, “Say it Again”, “Faith”, “Storm Warning”, “Church of Comedies”, “Under Two Flags”, “Big Love”, “The Big Adventure”, “Black Sun”, “Wade into the Water” and “(If You’ve Seen the Light) Tell Me”.

One nice thing is that there are copies of this release on CD still available.

And then there’s more. There is a collection of demos called “Where Four Seas Meet” that has 21 songs. These are “Love is Here”, “I Feel For You”, “Be My Evangeline”, “(I Want To) Move (In With You)”, “Away From You”, “Time to Cry”, “Love Me”, “Forbidden”, “We Could Be Happy”, “I Can’t Trust Myself”, “Almost Summer”, “Drop It”, “Incredible”, “Boomerang”, “Round & Around”, “Take a Little While”, “If You Gotta Go, Go Tomorrow”, “Better than the Rest”, “Heart is Blue”, “Why Can’t I Touch It?” and “The Prettiest Girl in the World”.

Then something that confuses me. I read the band had their last hurray in 1989. But I see that the first seven songs were recorded in February of 1990. At Hammer Hi Tech Studios and produced by Martin Hawkes and James Harding. So that doesn’t make sense chronologically, right?

The songs “Forbidden” and ” We Could Be Happy” were recorded in 1989 in Westerfield. While the rest of tracks up to “Heart is Blue” were recorded on April 1990 also on Westerfield. “Why Can’t I Touch it?” was recorded in May 1990, live, in Christchurch Park in Ipswich. It is a cover of The Buzzcocks. The last track was never finished but it was rescued and mixed in 2001.

On this recordings the band had changed a bit, James Partridge was still on the band, but the rest had changed, we see Malcolm Hawkes on drums and vocals, Ross Geraghty on bass and vocals and Shane Kirk on guitar and vocals.

Then I find something great, live footage. As Is playing live at the Colchester Arts Centre in May 22nd 1990. The song available is “Away From You“. Then another video, 20+ minutes worth, of them playing at the Ipswich Corn Exchange on May 21, 1988. The songs played in this video are “Cry (Most of)”, “Faith”, “Under Two Flags”, “Wherever You Go”, “I Don’t Want to See You Again” and “Badlands (most of)”. And lastly another full gig, almost an hour worth, of the band playing in Grimsby on September 13, 1988. That time they played “Take it From Me”, “Wherever You Go”, “Your Way”, “Shadows”, “Fire Away”, “Faith”, “Badlands”, “Church of Comedies”, “I Don’t Want to See You Again”, “Real Life”, “I Don’t Mind” and “Wade into the Water”.

Another find is this Soundcloud by James Partridge where he shares more tracks of him. Just not sure to which bands they belong to. I know he also recorded as Partridge-Read with Paul Read.

Steve Mears and Shane Kirk had been in Gods Kitchen

And that’s all there is about them. But hopefully we’ll find more information soon. Songs sound great!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
As Is – Big Love

29
Jan

Went back to that flyer for The Timebox from November 1986. That flyer helped me discover the band Call Dr Bunny. There are many bands on there that I have never heard but also that I can’t find any recordings on the web. For example Escape From Burma who played with The Chesterf!elds on November 24th. On Discogs there is a demo tape listed that is categorized as indiepop. I am so curious.

On the other hand sometimes I am lucky, and I have found a trove of recordings by a band called Tender Lugers. They played on December 2nd  at The Timebox supporting The Pop Icons and The Psylons. I haven’t heard these bands either.

It is on Bandcamp, on an account set up by Blue House Records, that I find 31 tracks by Tender Lugers. It is a collection called “Closer to God“.

This collection includes the band’s releases. I notice on Discogs that the band released three records as well as appearing on 2 compilations.

The first release is the “Johnny Orgy” 12″ released in 1986 by Kick! Records (KIK 1). This EP had six songs, three on each side. “Get it While You Can”, “You’re So Cruel” and “Roadfucker” on the A side and “That’s Really Something”, “Licks” and “She Wants it Now”. This one was produced by James Partridge.

The music of the band can be indiepop at points but it can get rockier. I like the indiepop tracks a lot. They are nice. So yeah, listen with open mind, skip the ones you don’t like, enjoy the ones you do.

“Enjoy Yourself” is the band’s second EP. It came out in 1987 again on Kick! Records (KIK 2). This was probably the band’s own label. The songs on the record were “Enjoy Yourself” and “If I Were You” on the A side and “Teenage Cream” and “Closer to God” on the B side. This record was produed by Pete Dee.

Lastly the 12″ EP “Ugly Boy” came out on Rare Lad (R.L. 1) in 1988. “Junkie Fag Hag” and “I Wish I Was Lovely” appear on the A side and “What Good Will it Do” and “Why Should I?” are on the B side. This record was produced by Andy Boyce, Tracey Kelly and the band. Tracey Kelly also provided backing vocals while Andy Boyce played keyboards and backing vocals. The record was recorded at The Lodge, Clare, Suffolk.

On compilations they had “Don’t Talk About It” on the tape “Vicrub” which was released by the Venue for Ipswich Campaign (RUB001) in 1989. Then in 2011 their song “Junkie Fag Hag” was on the double CD comp “The Ugly Truth About Ipswich 1981-2011” released by Antigen Records and Corndog Records (Antigen 41, CORN 017).

On Bandcamp the collection is much larger. It includes the aforementioned songs but also “The Best Thing”, “Don’t Talk About It”, “C’mon Baby”, “Ramblin’ Man”, “I Wish I Was Lovely”, “Why Should I?”, “Candy Fuck Pig”, “Honestly Baby”, “My Best Friend”, “Country Honey” and “Dogshit Blues” from the band’s first demo from July 1987 that was produced by James Partridge.

Then tracks 12 to 17, “I Can’t Wait (For my Daddy to Die)”, “Thank God (He Didn’t Take Too Long)”, “Guts”, “Roadfucker”, “Dirty Muscle” and “She Wants it Now”, are from a demo recorded on 16-track in 1986 also produced by Partridge.

Then something interesting to me. Tracks 32 and 35 were a Peel Session. You can’t stream these songs unless you download the whole thing. The session dates from September 16, 1986 and was produced by Dale Griffin. The songs were “Johnny Joanne”, “Enjoy Yourself”, “A Little Protection” and “Teenage Cream”.

I try to find any names that may be in connection with the band. I find that of Bruce MacGregor from the band EMF. It seems he was part of The Suckers and The Blowers but also of Tender Lugers.

Another thing I notice on the web is that the band played at Dingwalls with Hurrah! and The Jack Rubies.

And that’s it…

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Tender Lugers – The Best Thing

22
Jan

First post I am writing since returning from my holidays. To get back into blogging I need to go back to my “origins”, to the time I remember with nostalgia, when I was discovering indiepop, those early 2000s.

A time where Swedish pop reigned supreme. Lots of great bands and labels. Mostly lo-fi bedroom pop which we found through the peer-to-peer program Soulseek. We made friends, we became fans. It was a good time.

There was a label called Bedroom Records then. I’ve written about some bands on it like Thehelpmeplease, Happy Go Lucky or Agent Simple. These were mainly guitar pop bands, today’s band Back in Judy’s Shack, it was more of an eletronic pop one.

On this label most, if not all, of its releases were CDRs. That was the format of the day. Very limited copies but we still would get physical releases with artwork.

Back in Judy’s Shack self-released mini-album came out in 2005 with the catalog number BED021. It had 7 songs, “Winter Days”, “Burning Cold”, “Breath”, “The Puff, The Drag, The Whiff”, “Silence”, “The Forest” and “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life”.

The songs had been written, produced, mixed, arranged and played by Johan Cederberg and Josefine Jinder.

Johan would be in other projects like Montauk and HNNY, as well as playing solo, while Josefine is more known as Little Jinder. She was also part of the fantastic Your Place or Mine, a band I hope I can interview someday (it is one of my favourite bands of that period).

Sam Carlshamre from Corduroy Utd. and the fantastic Jämna Plågor, who also contributed trombone to a song of Your Place or Mine, played trombone in the song “Burning Cold”. Andreas Wallgren, also known as [brus], wrote and sang the song “Breath”.

The art of the CD is credited to Helga Bärnarp.

This CDR would be repressed 3 years later, in 2008, by the US label Series Two (ST015). Same tracklist. 300 copies. Just different artwork.

The band would also appear on two compilations. On “Series Two Compilation Vol. 23” (ST51) from 2009 the band had “The Puff, The Drag, The Whiff” and on “Series Two Records Christmas Special” (ST89) of the same year they had “Footsteps in the Snow”.

Then they split of course and released more music with different projects I already mentioned. I wonder though where are they now? I’d be curious to know what their thoughts are looking back to those days of Back in Judy’s Shack. And of course, who wouldn’t, I am curious about the band’s name. Was Judy a real person?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Back in Judy’s Shack – The Puff, The Drag, The Whiff

15
Jan

Never heard of a guitar pop band from Kentucky.

I don’t know much about this U.S. state to be honest. Sure you can joke and say everyone knows KFC. But I am talking about music. Especially the type of music that interests me.

So I was surprised when I found that sometime in the 80s there was a four-piece called The Side that released a 7″ by themselves. An EP of four songs: “Jimmy” and “Burnt Pages” on the A side and “Watching the World” and “The Forgotten” on the B side.

Thanks to Youtube I have listened to just one of the tracks, “Watching the World”, which sounds great.

The uploader mentions that he thinks the band hailed from a town called Bowling Green. It looks like a very nice town. The biggest city, closer to it, is Nashville in Tennessee.

About the band we know a few details thanks to the back of the record sleeve.

It tells us that they were formed by Christian Breeding on bass and backing vocals, Scott Stewart on drums and backing vocals, Tommy Shriver on lead guitar and backing vocals and Robert Allen on guitar and lead vocals.

All of the songs were recorded and mixed at Midsouth Recording Studio in Woodburn, Kentucky. They were engineered by Stephen Webber and were mastered at Nashville Record Productions.

That’s all there is. Anyone can help me with more info about them? Anyone seen a copy of this record at all? Seems rare!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
The Side – Watching the World

08
Jan

December 1991. The Pop Club at the Bull & Gate.

It is Saturday the 14th and the bill has The Prime Movers with Disneyhood supporting. I have never heard any of these bands. 6 days later the club is hosting the Sarah Records Xmas Party and I would love to travel back in time to attend that.

But yes, I know Heavenly and all Sarah bands. I saw Heavenly last year. And it seems I will see them again this year now in New York City.

But what about these other bands playing the week before. Disneyhood? Strange name?

I do find on Soundcloud a bunch of recordings. They are of various quality. They had been uploaded 12 years ago by Steve Brooks who I assume was part of the band. There are no details about any of the songs or about the band. The sound of the band sounds like the early 90s though, so they must be the same band that played at The Pop Club.

Steve Brooks seems to be based in Seaford, UK. I’ve never heard of this place. Seems it is by the sea, in East Sussex. Close to Eastbourne and Newhaven. The Seven Sisters cliffs and Beachy Head are close by too.

Among the songs uploaded, there are five that are numbered, they may have come from the same demo tape? These are “Slight Return”, “Hitch Hiker”, “Amazing”, “Do it Again” and “Bonedive”.

Aside from those tracks, there are two more: “Turnaround” and “Unreal.”

The only other thing I find about them is that the band played at the North Wembley East Lane Flag in London on Friday February 8th of 1991 alongside The Lampards. This according to Sounds.

Who remembers this band? Did any well-known indiepop bands share gigs with them? Did they put out any records? Let me know on the comment box.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Disneyhood – Turnaround

02
Jan

Happy New Year!

Hope this year is a good one for everyone. With lots of great music to discover!

When I saw a flyer of The Cube Club at the Bull & Gate club showing the gigs for the month of November in 1990 I started looking for some of the bands that I had never heard before.

Dan Dares Dog was the first band I was able to find some music of theirs. But they were too punkish for my taste. The next band I found music was The Waiting Sound, and it was a very good shoegaze track!

On this flyer it shows The Waiting Sound supported Life With Patrick and The Cherry Blades on November 13 of 1990. But did you know they actually released a record?

I didn’t!

It came out in 1990 on a label called Energy-Vent (EV001). Was this their own label? It probably was. It is the only release listed for this label on Discogs.

The record included just two songs, “Give Her Tomorrow” on the A side and “Astounding” on the B side.

We know that the band was formed by Wayne Kennedy on vocals, Chris Conklin on guitar and backing vocals, Dean Lewis on guitar, Karl Mault on bass and Pete Martin on drums, backing vocals and sitar.

The engineer for the record was Gavin Bearsby-Lewis while the songs were produced by the band and Adrian Borland of The Sound. Wow, really cool!

Looking at what the band members had done after or before I find out that Chris Conklin was on 8 Storey Window, Axiom and Radiation. There is a Pete Martin that is a well known house/trance music producer, but I am not sure if it is the same Pete Martin.

Other than that release I know there was a demo which I believe was called “Where’s Sharon Tate”.

On Youtube I find that Wayne Kennedy had uploaded some songs, a year ago. He is going solo these days and has recorded 5 songs.

The last thing I find is an issue of January 26, 1991 of Music Week. On it there is a mention of the band where it confirms that the label was their own. They compare Wayne’s vocals to Julian Cope and the sound of the band to Ride and My Bloody Valentine.

And that’s all my friends. Now, who can let me listen to their demo tape? Very curious!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
The Waiting Sound – Give Her Tomorrow

11
Dec

In 2021 there was a retrospective album by The Telephone Boxes on Detour Records (DRLP088) that I missed. I feel bad about it. My record buying habits have decreased considerably since becoming a dad.

It is hard to keep up. But I think this record is one I would definitely want to have. I should keep my eyes peeled. Maybe I’ll be lucky sometimes.

The first time I heard about this band was thanks to an interview I did with Pete Brickley of the wonderful band The Wallflowers. Before being in The Wallflowers he had been in The Telephone Boxes. This is what he told me:

I left The Telephone Boxes, shortly after our support slot on the first Smiths tour to start a solo career but was persuaded by Warner Chapell to take a band name (from page 1 issue 1 of Spiderman).

Telephone Boxes were utterly amazing (the Smiths invited us on their first tour and paid our expenses and a modest wage)we sounded like a cross between The Fall & an ice cream van. We recorded four demos for various record companies,every Smiths gig, and lots of home tapes. Maybe we can release some of it one day.

The Telephone Boxes was formed in 1982 by Pete Brickley (vocals, guitar), Charlie Allen (bass, backing vocals), Adam Wood (guitar, backing vocals) and Patrick Hunt (drums, and he would continue working with Pete on The Wallflowers). The band would be active until 1985. Also worth noting that on the song “Theme from Interpol” the drummer was Mark “Sparky” Davies.

Previously Patrick had been in Aztec Camera. Pete Brickley was on The Mystery Girls and The Xtensions. Adam Wood had also been in The Mystery Girls as well as in Frankenstein’s Baby, The Company and The Famous Men.

The record that Detour released in 2021 included a plethora of songs. It was an LP and CD combo. The songs on the LP are repeated on the CD, but the compact disc includes 12 more songs. These are: “Lazy Time”, “Language of the Land”, “Little White Lies”, “You’re the One”, “I Don’t Like to Repeat Myself (Live)”, “Thank You”, “Theme from Interpol”, “Please Yourself”, “Hallelujah I Was Born”, “One Day”, “Now That We’re Friends”, “A Twist of Fate”, “Love Was Here (Live)”, “STYLE”, “Affection”, “I Read a Book”, “Good Fortune”, “Boomerang Jack”, “Camouflage”, “A Great Big River”, “Down and Out”, “Everybody’s Fool”, “Broken Up”, “Living in Trees”, “Deadbeat (Live)” and “Relatively Speaking”. The songs were written sometimes by Pete and others by Adam.

This record was very limited sadly. 150 copies in black vinyl and 100 on red. The album includes their demos as well as live tracks from their Smiths tour.

On my blog I find another mention about the Telephone Boxes. It is on the post about the band Ala Pana Fuzo. There I wrote: “There’s an interesting bio on last.fm written by Ian Miller himself. Among the many interesting facts written, he mentions that they often played on the same bill with Peter Brickley, from the Telephone Boxes and the more known Wallflowers as he was also from Slough. They were also very close to signing to a major label but it didn’t happen.”

A post on The Guardian tells us a little bit more about Peter and The Telephone Boxes: “The Wallflowers were the creation of Peter Brickley (who always styled himself Peter d Brickley). He’d come to the attention of Marr via his previous band, the Telephone Boxes, who had supported the Smiths. It’s possible he didn’t have the Stakhanovite work ethic required to make a success of a music career: his RIckenbacker guitar was backed with a large sticker with the word “acid” written in block capitals; he played more often with Slough’s jokey country band the Company than he did with his own group.”

I start to wonder why did I miss this. I haven’t heard all the songs on the record. Just a few and they are fantastic. I’m pissed. Only now, 2 years after the fact I am seeing my mistake. And happily all the songs are on Soundcloud. Sure, not the same as playing the real thing, but this is nice too!

What else is there to say about them? Well yes, they played at many places including, at the Nelson Mandela Hall  and London King’s College (both with Hurrah! and Felt), at the Leicester De Montfort Hall, the Warwick University Arts Centre and Reading University (with The Smiths), at Dingwalls (with The Smiths and The Daintees), at the Lyceum in the Strand (with The Smiths, Billy Bragg and The Redskins), at Libertys (with Death Pop), at the ICA (with The Room and The Red Guitars), at the Windsor Arts Centre (with The Smashing and Death Pop), Mothers Wardrobe in Slough, Studio One and at The Rock Garden among others.

Lastly on Youtube there are two videos, titled “The Last Twist Part #1” and “The Last Twist Part #2“. Check them out!

I lost touch with Pete Brickley since I interviewed him ages ago. So yeah, would love to reconnect, maybe find out more about this wonderful band. Also hoping for a reissue someday! Anyone remember them?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
The Telephone Boxes – Language of the Land

07
Dec

Just a heads up that the last day to order records from Cloudberry will be on Sunday. After that I won’t be able to mail any orders until mid January.

I’ll continue blogging during this time though, I will have the computer with me.

Also keep an eye for an early release early next year by the label, our first 10″! By a beloved Swedish band! Very exciting!

I’m going back in time. Down memory lane as they say. Remember NYC Popfest 2007. That was my first Popfest. Seems like a long time. But I have vivid memories. I can still recall the Bunnygrunt gig in Coney Island. Or chatting with Duglas before the BMX Bandits played. Good times.

There are gigs I dont remember. I am sure I saw Affair D’Coeur but I can’t recall the gig. I remember their name very well though, and now and then it crosses my mind. I should have written about them before. I know I want to remember. Was it a full-fledged band? For some reason I think it was a duo. It is hazy.

They were from NYC. I think that’s right. And I remember they played at The Delancey. That night when I first saw The Baskervilles who at the time were among my favourite bands. I was impressed. The Secret History played that night too. I didn’t know Mike Grace yet. I was impressed by his band and giddy to see ex-My Favourite people on stage.

One detail I remember clearly about Affair D’Coeur was the photo/avatar they had on Myspace. A cartoon pigeon. That doesn’t show up anymore. There is still a Myspace but of course that doesn’t work.

There should be some songs in there. At least their names. “Don’t Tell Me”, “Heart on Demand” and “Oh No December” appear to me. Can you find anymore? They don’t play for sure. Click on music and you get a broken page.

A brief bio I find says they were from Brooklyn. That they recorded their tracks either on or using a Tascam 414 MK II. That they were a bedroom pop band. A lo-fi indiepop band.

Discogs only lists a compilation appearance. It is on CDR I have never heard about, “Loose Sips Sink Ships” released by Indieskys Records (ISY 001). Not sure what year it was. Four songs were included: “Long Drive AKA To My Friends”, “Do You Wanna Go With Me?”, “Heart on Demand” and “Port of Call”. I’m not familiar with the other bands on it.

Other than this I know the band played a gig on March 24 of 2007, before the Popfest. It was at 29 Wythe St. in Williamsburg along The Manhattan Love Suicides, Titus Andronicus, Fellows and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Just two months before the Popfest.

Perhaps the best find is that there was a video made for the song “What I Need“. Other videos on this account has songs by a band called MiamiBeachNY… maybe one of the members was involved in this band.

I can’t find names. I can’t find other songs. But clearly they made an impression on me. I remember them and have been wondering what happened to this band. It’s been about 15 years since I heard them. It’s been fun to at least listen to one of their tracks again.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Affair D’Coeur – What I Need

04
Dec

Today we travel to Brisbane, Australia. Home of The Go-Betweens. But also many other good bands. Here is one I didn’t know about, that I just discovered, Modern Poets.

In 1989 they were making their debut with the release of a 7″ on Big Noise Records (M.P-1230NIT) which probably was their own label. This record had two songs, “Understanding Mary” on the A side and “Redsun” on the B side. It was recorded at Vibrafeel Studios in their hometown and was co-produced by the band and Michael Borkowski.

In 1991 the band would release a cassette album titled “Politics, Poetry and…”. It was put out by Big Noise Records (MP 223740) and was again recorded at Vibrafeel Studios and mastered by Jim Baker at Willowtree Studios.

The album had the following songs, “She Says”, “Ethic of Love”, “Rock Strength”, “Crushed”, “Understanding Mary” and “Driving” on the A side and “Big Slide”, “Planet Go to Rest”, “Fall from Grace”, “Forest Fire”, “Everything is Fine”, “Epiphany” and “This Burning Town” on the flipside.

We learn too that the band was formed by Jonathon Sargeant on vocals, Ben Thomson on bass, Timothy Hills on strings and Philip Neil on drums. Timothy was the one who wrote the music.

Other than these two releases we know that their song “Red Sun” appeared on “Triple M FM 104 Homegrown” LP compilation released by Wheatley Records (TWOHG 004) in 1990.

Then I find a Facebook page for the band. Here I learn that the band started in 1983.

I find there a video of the band playing the song “Feel the Light“. On that same account by Timothy Hills, there are more videos of them, for example the band practicing at Oxley Hall in the Gap in 1985. Recording at Star Sound after Winning the Triple MM Homegrown in 1988. Or live on Channel Seven on a Saturday morning. And what about a fun short video after an interview?

There’s a video for “Everything is Fine” too.

Then I find that the band reunited for a gig on October 4th, 2014.

And lastly on Yotube I find the band’s song “Fear of the Fall” being played live at the Festival Hall in Brisbane in 1985. There is no live footage though. But can check the song.

Another little detail I find is that these days Tim, Jonathon and Phil  make music with a project called Dolby System.

Good stuff, right?

What do you all remember about the Modern Poets? Did they play live much? Did they release any other records?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Modern Poets – Understanding Mary

27
Nov

Have you heard of a Bristol 80s band called Hope Springs?

I didn’t know about them. Quite surprised. They had a good sound, and quality songs.

9 of their songs were published as a digital album by Bristol Archive Records in 2020. These are available on different streaming platforms. I found Youtube the best to listen to them.

The songs are “Nat Kat”, “Perfect Day”, “Take”, “Higher than Love”, “Song & Dance”, “The Love Mine”, “Tears Disappear”, “Wild Weird Climes” and “Confetti”.

The songs seem to date from 1989 and we know that the band was formed by Andrew Garrett on vocals, Pat Lewington on guitar and backing vocals, David Crossland on bass, Cindy Baldwin on keyboards and backing vocals and Dave Jones on drums.

I search a little bit and find a Facebook page for them that was set up in 2017.

There I find that the band came from the ashes of another band called Under the Orange. How did that band sound like? Which members were on that band? It seems it was the same band with the aaddition of Pat Lewington.

There are two scans of reviews they got. Both are from a magazine called Rhythm, on the April 1989 edition they praise the band a lot and then on March 1990 edition there is a mention that Hope Springs was selected as the best demo band for that month.

We also know that the band played the usual venues in Bristol including The Fleece, The Bridge and The Tropic. In London they played at the Rock Garden and the Mean Fiddler.

In total the band recorded 3 demo sessions. Cindy left after the second one and the band split after the third.

Anyone know anything else about them?

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Listen
Hope Springs – Wild Weird Climes