Thanks again to Ian Nixon for this interview! I had written about The Shrew Kings some time ago and it was a band that I had been curious about for so long. Some readers had also asked me to find out more about them. Ian was part of the band, but not since the start. But he was kind enough to share his memories of the time he was in The Shrew Kings. Previously Ian had talked with me about his other superb bands The Clamheads and Borgnine!
++ Hi Ian! Thanks so much for yet another interview! So we talked about The Clamheads and Borgnine. In the timeline of bands you’ve been where dos The Shrew Kings fit?
I was 25 when I joined the Shrew Kings, I’d been in a few groups prior to that but nothing notable.
++ The Shrew Kings wasn’t really your group according to what you told me. So how did you end up joining them? When did that happen?
With another group I’d played support gigs with the Shrew Kings in London, we got to know them a bit, they were looking for a bass player so I applied.
++ Was there any overlapping between The Shrew Kings and The Clamheads?
No
++ Were you part of all of the band’s releases? I know you were for sure on the “Sad But True” 12″. But not sure about the other releases?
No, Sad But True was the first, then the Green Eyed Kid single.
++ And of course I have to ask how different to The Clamheads were The Shrew Kings? Sound-wise I find them different, but what about the creative process for example?
Totally different. The Shrew Kings operated like a collective, anyone could and did contribute songs, there were no limits, we’d try anything. Which sounds great but results can be variable.
++ Where did you usually practice?
A rehearsal studio in South London.
++ The Shrew Kings were based in London like The Clamheads, but I was wondering if they moved in the same circle? Did you play the same venues, had the same sort of fans, played with the same kind of bands? Or was it different?
We both played the London circuit but the fanbase was very different.
++ Who were the other band members in The Shrew Kings? Had they been involved in other bands?
Jef Harvey (singer) had released a single with a group called the VDUs, and had also been in King Kurt. Not sure about the others, but they were Bill Tidnam (singer), Mike Hughes (guitar), Eoin Shannon (drums), Noel Byde (guitar), then a bit later Clive Jackson (guitar, trumpet, whatever he could lay his hands on). Clive was probably the most talented of all, a true artist, also a very funny guy, he made me laugh so much.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
Don’t know, that was before I joined. It’s a great name, I always liked it.
++ Who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
Too diverse to say really, but let’s go with rockabilly, Bertolt Brecht, the Velvet Underground.
++ All of the band’s releases came out on Thin Sliced Records. Who were behind this label and how did you end up working with them?
A guy called Nick Corker ran the label. He was a friend from South London and had released the first King Kurt single which was quite successful, other releases less so.
++ Was there interest from any other labels?
Not that I remember.
++ Another thing that is quite unique about The Shrew Kings is their artwork. It has a very particular style. Who used to take care of that? Were some of you visual artists perhaps?
That was Jef, a very talented artist. I think art was as important as music to him.
++ One thing I notice is that the band released a few singles, a mini-album, a live-tape, but no album. Was there ever plans to do it? Are there more unreleased songs by the band?
The songs were there but we split before releasing an album.
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Losing my Cool”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
++ If you were to choose your favorite The Shrew Kings song, which one would that be and why?
Yes, a lot, almost all in London but also Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Bath, Bristol.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
Yes, a lot, almost all in London but also Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Bath, Bristol.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
For a while we ran a club in the Piano Bar in Soho, central London, there were some brilliant nights. It was an after-hours gay bar, various celebs used to hang out there. We put on comedians, cabaret, etc. That was really the closest we got to the vision of what the group should be, a slightly sleazy multi-media cultural event.
++ And were there any bad ones?
Almost certainly but it’s a blur. Every gig was an event, I’ll say that much.
++ When and why did The Shrew Kings stop making music?
Towards the end of 1987 we just ran out of steam.
++ The band recorded a radio session for Radio One. Were you part of that? Do you remember anything about it, I couldn’t find any information!
That was before I joined, four tracks on the Janice Long show. I think they were Losing my Cool, Bird has Flown, Dr Love and Sitting Here.
++ I think Janice Long also had “Play Brecht” as record of the week. Did the radio pay good attention to the band you’d say?
Not that I’m aware but it was before I joined.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
Yes we had a lot of good press, amazingly good really, probably better than we deserved if I’m honest.
++ What about fanzines?
There’s the interview in No Class, which is online. I don’t remember much else.
++ Looking back in retrospect, what would you say was the biggest highlight for your time in The Shrew Kings?
The club in Soho.
++ You are doing now a blog called “Every Gig I Ever Went To” where you remember every single gig you attended! That’s an amazing enterprise. What inspired you to do it? How much time do you dedicate to this project?
It’s a lockdown thing which got out of control. I started making a list of every gig I could remember, then my wife suggested I write a blog. I add to it every so often, when I have time. At the moment I’m still in 1977 so this could take a while!
++ Are you following the Euro 2020? how do you see England in the tournament?
Yes, enjoying it. England have a very talented young squad but so often it just doesn’t come together, very frustrating. Italy look good, great to see Wales doing well again.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
I hadn’t thought about the Shrew Kings much in recent years but writing this I feel quite fond memories, it was a good time. I’ll see if any of the others would like to add something.
Sad to learn that Nick Page, who produced Sad But True, died recently. He was endlessly supportive, a great musician and a very nice man’ + a link to this obituary: https://www.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
One Response to “:: The Shrew Kings”
Thanks for following up with these guys – I hope the other members come along and fill the picture in a bit more. Seems like they would be a blast to see live!