Day 97.

So as I told everyone in a previous post the first demo tape of the Macguffins was found. We wanted to include these songs on the CD but they wouldn’t fit. So we decided to make some 3″CDs (as the ones we do at Cloudberry since the start of the label) with the songs from that first demo. These 3″CDs will be limited though, so when the pre-order button is up I’ll remind everyone so you don’t miss these 3 great songs!

Now the music.

Thibault: I don’t know if I like or not this track called “Centrelink” by Thibault. I think I do, but it is a bit different. It is pop. It is indiepop. It has very particular vocals. High-pitched. The instrumentation is great. I think I just need to listen to it over and over to get used to it. This song will be released on a 7″ on Australia’s Chapter Music on September 4th.

Valentina Way: this 60s sounding London band does sound great. They have three songs up on their Souncloud: “Julia Misbehaves (Nancy lead vocal – extended)”, “Julia Misbehaves” and “Sebastian” and they are a treat to my ears. I hope this gets released soon, this is the kind of 60s influenced music that I like, much better than the many 60s influenced pop Elefant has been releasing the past decade (with the exception of the superb The School). Please Elefant, look here.

NewCastle: a band from Piriápolis, Uruguay. That is a first for sure! Their latest song is called “Skates” and it is quite a fun track. There is not much info about them, but the band members go under the enigmatic names Marseille, Newcastle, Zaragoza and Berlin, sort of like the Money Heist series!

Je Suis Animal: my Norwegian friends are not back. No, the news are not that great. BUT they have uploaded to Bandcamp 3 songs. One of them being the one that came out in the 7″ we released, “Painted in My Face”, and also a demo version of their classic “Sparkle Spit” and an unreleased track called “Forglemmegel”.

Secret Shine: and this one is a good one by the legendary Bristol band. It is a new song called “Ember” and it is terrific. When was the last time I saw them live? Was it at Indietracks? Then it has been many years now. Or was it in NYC? I think it must have been NYC. In any case I miss the idea of being able to travel or see them at home. And I hope they release a record soon too!

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I remember playing Hanky and Panky’s “He’s the Queen” quite a lot back in the mid 2000s. I never got round to get a copy of the CD though, it was the days of Soulseek and I played just the MP3s. Today on a nostalgia trip I went to look for a copy on Discogs and noticed it has never been sold there. Ever. Surprising!

According to Discogs the band only put out one release, the “He’s the Queen” album. I kind of remember seeing demos and more tracks online. But my memory is fuzzy. Maybe I’ll find something online. Maybe someone remembers. The one thing I remember about them were the vocals. They were quite something. Female but kid-like, very particular. Kind of the UK band Screeming Custard!

The album I mentioned was released in 2005 by the label Mechanismo Records (MEC001). It looks as it was the only release the label put out, so it might be the band’s own label, a self-release. The front sleeve has a little girl photo playing drums. It had 9 songs total, “Kindergarten”, “Hurray!”, “Traffic”, “Love You”, “Superhero Jake”, “Ha Ha Ha Ha!”, “Slowmotion Dance”, “Simulator” and “Dance and Sing”.

They did appear on a few compilations. Most notably on two Labrador Records ones. The first was in 2004, in “The Sound of Young Sweden Volume 4” (LAB065). On these series of compilations that discovered new bands from Sweden the band appeared with two songs, “Hurray!” and “Ha Ha Ha Ha!” alongside other very fine bands like Caroline Soul, The Sorayas or South Ambulance. Then in 2007 when Labrador released its 100th release, the “A Complete History of Popular Music” boxset (LAB100) they would include the song “Hurray!” in the 3rd CD.

“Hurray!” would also be included in a 2005 compilation called “Pophopp 2005” that was released by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter alongside their Friday supplement På Stan. Here I find a little clue, the song is credited to a F. Ewaldsson.

Thanks to that I find the band on Popfakta. Here the album is listed as a demo CD and we get the names of the band members:
Fredrik Ewaldsson on guitar
Carolina Ewaldsson on vocals
Erik Aspegren on drums

Then Fredrik is credited for engineering and producing. Mastering is credited to Philip Granquist while the photograph was taken by Morten Monnike-Hald.

They don’t seem to have been in other bands. The only other thing I found on the web was a very positive review on a blog called Livet ät Hårt.

Then it seems the band disappeared into thin air. Did they play live at all? Where they in any other bands? I do find a Fredrik Ewaldsson that makes music though it seems to be playing piano. Is it the same Fredrik? Who’d know?

Whatever happened to Hanky and Panky?!

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Listen
Hanky and Panky – Simulator

Day 95. The big news today is that the Macguffins CD is going to press this week! That is super exciting. On Wednesday I’ll tell you some more details as there will be a surprise with this release!

And here’s the new music from over the weekend!

Suburban Living: this fine dreampop project from Philadelphia has a new track out on Bandcamp. It is called “Indigo Kids” and it sounds great. This is the 3rd single out from the “How to Be Human” album that will be out on August 28 on Egghunt Records.

The Orange Peels: the classic California band fronted by Allen Clapp will be back very soon with an album. In the meantime the band has posted three new versions of the song “Everybody’s Gone”. They are a 4-track demo, a previously unreleased California version and the 2020 remastered version.

Nah…: one of the albums I am looking the most this year is Nah…’s debut on Shelflife Records. The self-titled album will include 12 songs and will be released on vinyl (no CD?). At this moment we can preview three of the tracks, “Perfect Game”, “Apple Blossoms” and “Under the Radar”. Classic indiepop just how we like it!

Saturnshine: back to California, this time to sunny San Diego. This cool duo formed by Christian Mesiano and Melodie Mesiano have put together a wonderful EP called “All the Time in the World”. It has 5 songs of boy/girl vocals, sweet melodies and dreamy vibes. Very cool find!

Angvstia Pop: “Amor y Ansiedad” is the album by this Argentinean duo formed by Row Vinoyporkerias and Fran Fracaso. This is bedroom pop. The recordings are lo-fi, very lo-fi. But they are fun. And that’s what matters!

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Sumpfloch Records from Germany. What did they release? Just stuff that Ken Steen was involved with. Does that mean it was his own label? I want to think that is the case. But I can’t confirm that. Either him or my German friends will do. Sumpfloch released just two bands, both of them with Ken as I said, Fluffy Pillows and Space Kelly. I want to research the first one today.

The first ever release was a 7″ with three songs. This EP was called “Say Hi!” (SUMPF 01) and was released in 1993. I am happy to say I have not just one copy, but two I believe. It is sort of limited as only 500 copies were pressed. And it is a very fine record, so if you can get a hold of it, do it. The A side had two songs, “Say Hi to You” and “An Der Waterkant”. The B side had “Untitled”.

On this 7″ the band was formed by Ken Steen on guitar and vocals, Barbara Schulz on drums, percussion and backing vocals, Lutz on guitar and Tim on bass and doublebass. All tracks were written by Ken and were arranged by the band. It was recorded and mixed by Meike R. at Steilshoop Tonstudios in Hamburg in October of 1993. Then on the sleeve there are a bunch of thank yous and I recognize many names like Mind the Gap, Ulli, Jörg and Steinpilz Tonträger as well as Ken’s other band Space Kelly.

After this 7″, the year after, 1994, the band released an 8 song mini-album “No Pop No Stars”. This came out too on Sumpfloch (SUMPF C01). The songs on this CD were “Bleeding (Instr.)”, “Summer”, “Alone”, “I Could Never Ever Imagine”, “This Means War”, “A Role in Your Life”, “Nehmen & Geven” and “Quiet & Peaceful (Karstadt Reisebüro-version)”. The songs were recorded and mixed at Musikaufnahme Beethoven except the last track which was recorded at Sumpfloch Records Office on August/September 1994. The producer was Gerrit Herlyn who had been part in so many terrific bands like Jesterbells, Knabenkraut or Red Letter Day. The songs were mastered by Recording Service Halvé in Hamburg. Fair to say then that the band hailed from Hamburg? I think so.

The art for the record is credited to Ute Herrndorff, Call Me Cat and Hello Gestaltungsservice.

Aside from these two releases the band would appear on two tape compilations. The first was on the Blam-a-Bit compilation “Hat Das Schaf Die Blume Gefressen Oder Nicht?” (BLAM 003) from 1990 with the song “Mein Mädchen”. This might be the earliest recording I am aware by them. The second comp appearance was on the classic “Frischer Morgentau” tape released by Steinpilz Tonträger (STEIN 1) in 1993. There they contributed perhaps there most known song “Say Hi to You”.

And then the trail stops. No more info about the band. I read on a Japanese site that Ken decided to go solo in the mid-90s and concentrate on Space Kelly. It seems Fluffy Pillows didn’t sell well according to that interview. But that’s it. I do have more than a few questions. For example are there more recordings? When did the band start? Whatever happened to the other members?

German friends, let us know!

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Listen
Fluffy Pillows – Say Hi to You

Day 92.

Okay! Got the Macguffins photos and should be updating the art and liner notes this weekend and then we should be set. Also starting working on a new 7″! News on that very soon! 2020 has to see some Cloudberry releases!

Now, here are some good finds to check over the weekend.

BMX Bandits: the banditos are re-releasing their “My Chain” album that was originally released many years ago on Rev-Ola on CD. This time around the album will be released on vinyl by Interval from Glasgow, UK. It is coming out on June 5th and it is limited to 400 copies. It comes with an inner sleeve with extensive notes and behind the scene photographs.

No Invierno: Francisco Undurraga from Santiago, Chile, is behind this cool sounding jangly bedroom pop band. Their first release is the “Momentos” EP which is now on Bandcamp comprising of 5 heartfelt songs.

Dead Famous People: this one is a must have for me. It is the return of the classic Auckland band, who released music too while living in the UK back in the late 80s. Dons Savage who fronts this band, was also in the early Saint Etienne. So there’s everything going on here to make this a spacial album. Indeed, “Harry” as the album is titled, will be released on August 9 on vinyl and CD. There are 10 songs and you can preview two of them, “Looking at Girls” and “Dead Bird’s Eye”!

Solina: Lunar Discos from Seville, Spain, has brought back the band Solina to the digital era. The band who released their first EP in 2004 is now on Bandcamp with all four songs that were on that fine release as well as a cover of “Lips Like Sugar” by Echo & the Bunnymen that they had contributed to a 2014 compilation. Oh the memories…

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Feline Jive got together some time in 1985. Barb Wilson (vocals & keyboards), Phil Byford (guitars) and Dave Robson (bass & Guitar) all former members of the Brighton punk band The Lillettes and later April & the Fools, were joined by Karen Dash who supplied vocal harmonies.
After the demise of The Lillettes in 1980, Barb and Phil had continued to write and record together and Phil and Dave regularly got together to jam and trade musical ideas. They played together as April & the Fools with Ken Hogg on drums until morphing into Feline Jive when Ken left the band. Both of these bands featured tracks on the Brighton punk Vaultage albums “Vaultage 78” and “Vaultage 80” on Attrix Records.
Barb wrote most of the lyrics, while Phil and Dave wrote the bulk of the music with Karen helping out on arrangements. The band spent around eight months rehearsing and building a set before doing their first gig in Brighton at the Zap Club. Barb and Karen’s vocal harmonies gave the band a distinctive vocal sound. Barb had always been keen to put out a record independently and in 1986 she put up the money for the band to record an EP at Cherry Studios in Croydon. Geoff Ancell, formed drummer with Eye to Eye and The Piranhas (mk2), learned the drum parts to two songs, “Kiss ‘n Tell” and “Silent Times”, only a few days before the session was due to being. The third track on the EP, “Blue Dawn”, had previously been just a loose jam. But having recorded the first two tracks there was studio time to spare and engineer Andy Dalby liked the song and so it was recorded in more or less one take. In getting the EP out, the band followed the example of their former home-grown Brighton record label Attrix and had 1000 copies pressed at the same Orlake cutting plant. It was mastered at Abbey Road – the closest the band ever came to the big time.
Distribution proved difficult, with local record shops unwilling to take more than a handful of copies at a time but somehow at least 900 made their way into the public domain. In those days it was very hard to get an unsigned band any radio time. One well known BBC Radio 1 DJ, when asked by Barb how an ‘indie’ band could get their record played onhis show, was told “send me a line of coke”.
Desillusioned with this side of the mainstream music business and barely a year after their release of the record, with day jobs and other commutments to honour, Feline Jive called it a day.

This good biography of the Brighton band Feline Jive was writte by Phil Byford, their guitar played, back in 2008. It was included in the bookled that accompanied “The Sound of Leamingon Spa Vol. 7” that came along the Firestation Records’ boxset “Still Mad at Me? (15 years of Firestation Records 1988-2013)” (FST100) released in 2013. The band had contributed the song “Blue Dawn” to this compilation.

The EP they mention was released in 1986, on their own label, Massic Records (MR.1). “Kiss ‘n Tell” was on the A side while “Silent Times” and “Blue Dawn” were on the B side. The artwork is credited to Dave & Phil for the sleeve and to Madeleine for the labels.

Aside from this info other details I found on the web included that Phil Byford also goes by the name Punkdaddy and has appeared on some releases with that name. And lastly Geoff Ansell had also been involved in the alternative country band The Blue Hearts.

Not much more info on the web but I definitely would love to find out at least if they had more recordings. Though you know me, I probably will have many more questions!

Who remembers them?!

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Listen
Feline Jive – Kiss N’ Tell

Day 90. Okay. Three months now. How much longer?

New music for a Wednesday.

Mashmellow: so used to listening shoegaze from Russia that this band formed by Masha Shurygina and Egor Berdnikov is quite a fresh air. Much poppier and colorful than their peers, the Moscow duo have quite a nice arsenal of songs in their Bandcamp. Their latest is an EP titled “Someday Club” which we can preview two of their songs, “Share It” and “Heaven is You”

Stomp Talk Modstone: this terrific Japanese band has two new songs, “Timeline” and “Lucky” on Bandcamp. Sadly it is only a digital release but I hope a label will pick them up. They make some beautiful pop music with swirling guitars and dreamy and moody melodies. Check them out!

Superocean: now we cross the Pacific and head to Portland, Oregon. A dreampop band too, but a bit different. Much more luminous and bright in their intentions, but with great results as well. Their latest track is “Julia I’m Alive” which is really good.

Found Space: and we stay in Portland to check the song “Don’t Let it Go” by Mahera Smalley who goes under the moniker Found Space. This is the first song by the band on Bandcamp, and there is very little information about it. We know though that it sounds very good! And that’s good enough for me to recommend it!

The National Honor Society: “Be Gone (alternate version)” is an alternate take to the song that was recorded during the “Glory” sessions. The band has decided to release this track to raise funds for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

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Now I want to head to Australia because I want to know about the Sydney band The Rose Mary’s. Kind of late I must say, I bought the one and only 7″ they released many years ago. I believe in Sweden or Germany. I can’t remember now. I would think it was in Germany, in one of the many stores Uwe from Firestation Records took me in Berlin. That was my first trip to Germany and Sweden (and Europe too!) and I remember it with nostalgia. I got a bunch of very fine records then and 12 years after (!) I am re-listening and rediscovering. And of course I want to find out more about them.

As I said The Rose Mary’s released just one 7″. It happened in 1990 on the fine Australian label Half A Cow Records (MOO-02). This label, for those who are not aware was founded by Nic Dalton (from Love Positions, The Plunderers, Godstar, Sneeze and more) and Miles Ferguson. This label would release many classic Aussie indie records.

The 7″ had just two songs, “Freedom Riders” on the A side and “You Can Talk Now” on the B side. I also know that the band was formed by Gina Monaco on bass, Dale Thomas on drums, Patrick Hallam on guitar and Lisa Partington on vocals. We know too that the songs were produced by Nic Dalton and engineered by John Hesse. They were recorded at Powerhouse Studio on the 5 and 6 of July of 1990. The photos on the sleeve are credited to Emily Oquist. What else?

Well the band members had been in other bands of course. Gina Monaco had been also in Lawnsmell, Stitchface and lately in Chinese Burns Unit. And of course Lisa Partington was later in the fabulous Snow Leopards who I still think I should dedicate a post to them.

Something interesting that I read on Discogs is that the band started in 1989 and when they released their single, at their launch party at the Landsowne Hotel the band split up. Crazy! Why?! I would love to know the reason why. It also mentions that Dale Thomas went to become a model in New York and Patrick Hallam went to make furniture in the desert.

Many years later, 25, the band would appear with “Freedom Riders” on a compilation CD “Half a Cow 25 – Doing it for the Kinds since 1990!” (Promoo25th). This CD wasn’t for sale but was pressed just for promotion purposes.

But that’s not all. It seems the band has uploaded both songs of the 7″ to a Bandcamp. Which is great if you want to have a taste of their music. Sadly there is no other information here. Would be also great to know if they recorded more songs. Maybe they could upload that as well? I’d be thrilled to hear more songs by them!

Sadly that’s it about them on the web. I really hoped to find more information. Sometimes with Australian bands I am able to stumble upon PDFs of fanzines with some good information. Not this time. I hope then my Australian friends can help shed some light about this short-lived but terrific jangly band!

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Listen
The Rosemary’s – Freedom Riders

Day 88. Days continue to be similar. Though I think we are making progress now with the Macguffins release. You know we found three more songs and we weren’t sure how to release them. I think I have an idea now and we are moving forward. I should be sending the album to press soon. Also at last we are working on a new 7″. And that is very exciting. Will have news soon!

Now, this weekend I did listen to music. Some good finds here:

Airhockey: the best Miami band of these times have released a new song called “Try”. The lyrics are quite simple that is true, but the music and the atmosphere it creates work really well. It is a bittersweet dreampop song, and one can only wonder when are they releasing an album!

The Umbrella Puzzles: More new songs by Ryan Marquez new project. Today he brings us an original song, “Do What You Can”, and a cover version of the wonderful Hopkirk & Lee’s “Summershine”. They are really lovely both. And hey, maybe it is a good idea to follow his advice, use headphones for optimum listening pleasure!

Useless Youth: the Mexico City combo formed by Yak, Pepe, Ian and Emiliano are back with another jangly song called “Witches”. This song was actually written for their 2018 album “Cities” but in the end wasn’t included. Now they have remastered it and released it as a very fine digital single!

Torres Satélite: looks as this is just a digital release on Discos de Kirlian. 7 songs of wonderful Spanish pop recorded between April and May this year. The band is formed by María de la Vega y Santiago Pérez and these are their first songs!

The Death of Pop: and another fine release on Discos de Kirlian is the new track by Angus James and Oliver James, The Death of Pop! The new song is called “The House That We Built” and it will be part of the forthcoming album “Seconds”.

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Remember I wrote some time ago about the Scottish band Kick Reaction? The band had released a 7″ back in 1986. If you don’t I suggest you check that post as I write a bit about them. Among the things I mention is that before they were called Kick Reaction the band was actually known as Moroccan Coco. But was it that way? Did they share the same members? Let’s find out!

Moroccan Coco only released one 7″. It was released in 1983 and if we consider that Kick Reaction was already recording songs in 1985, then the band couldn’t have lasted more than 2 years.

This 7″ was released by Steam Radio (SR 001). It is the only release by the label so it is safe to assume it was a privately pressed record. The songs included were “One Day” on the A side and “Steam Radio” on the B side.

So far I’ve only listened the A side, “One Day”, a fine Postcard-influenced track. It is very good! According to Discogs the songs were written by Peter Lyons. Both tracks ended up being recorded during the autumn of 1983 at Arch Studios in Glasgow (I am now familiar with this Studios as on the Baby Lemonade compilation we included a few demos recorded at this same place.

According to Discogs there is a misspelling on the label, appearing as Morrocan Coco, two Rs and one C, and Coco written with silver pen. They mention too that there are copies where the word Coco doesn’t even appear.

We know too that the sleeve was designed by Kretin and La Rhone.

The other name we know was involved in Moroccan Coco was that of Jim Mitchell, their manager. I wrote this on my previous post:

Lastly another user says that he played with Stuart Macarthur before Peter Lyon joined. I am guessing he means Stuart Thorn? Them two tried to get Peter Lyons to sing in their band but it seems he refused as he was trying to get his band called The Usherettes off the ground. Then nothing happened for a while until this guy left to study in Motherwell and Peter and Stuart joined forces forming Moroccan Coco with Jim Mitchell as their manager. Moroccan Coco would only release the one single, “One Day/Steam Radio”. Then they changed names to Kick Reaction.

On Discogs there is also a mention that the single was reviewed by the Deadbeat Fanzine (issue #24). Here they mention the band hailed from the Hamilton area. I was able to track down that review, which is from a gig they shared with Strawberry Tarts and Entertainment:

Moroccan Coco looked a bit unhappy at the small turn out as they took the climb on stage. Arriving there however they realised the full potential of the evening. With no pressure ‘to impress’ they did! They played like the solid music machine they are. I said in my review of their new single “Steam Radio” that it was good music for the sakes, but and for the good. Mike Read and Steve Wright, imagine a song for both! The Sunday Post should’ve got a metion somewhere along the lines too but, “Steam Radio…. vintage stories are his specialty… he’s a sucker for sentimentality…. a man of emotions… one of those people who care about keeping old traditions everyday and everywhere…” sums the song up I’d say.
Pete Lyons (vocals and guitar) will probably sue if I write anymore but I like this single tons! The backing singer was as good live if not tops compared to the record and along was the flip “One Day” made this journey really necessary! The rest of their set (apparently cut short) was good and it’s a great feeling of relief liking an evening like this when all music is new noise to the ears!

Not much more information about them on the web. Shame indeed. But I am hoping that at some point we’ll be able to find out more about this terrific Scottish band, hopefully find out that they recorded a trove of songs because I’d love to listen to them! And interview them too, that’d be ace!

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Listen
Moroccan Coco – One Day

Day 85. Closer and closer to 3 months. Music is here to keep us entertained, distracted. That’s a good thing.

The B-Team: there are two 6 from their live set list from 1986. They are “Quit Dreaming” and “Salamander” and they are really good! It is really exciting to see so many new gems being unearthed by Paul Rosendale!

Cinéma Lumière: what a lovely song is “Love”. This is the latest from the indiepop band based in Manila. Our friend Xavier Emas is the one leading group of pop music alchemists and I can’t wait to listen to more tracks by them!

Electric Lo Fi Seresta: the Rio de Janeiro project formed by Guilherme Almeida is back with a new EP called “The Gash Dance”. It has 4 songs and is available now digitally. These songs are also a preview of the forthcoming full album “Songs From Hypnagogic Cave”.

The Caraway: Our friends of The Caraway are going to re-release their songs on vinyl thanks to the Blue-Very label in Japan! This is very exciting news for fans of the music of Osamu Shimada. 10 songs and only limited to 100 copies. Hopefully it doesn’t sell out soon, I already spent my budget for the next two weeks! It is a must have.

Aiko el Grupo: this fun Spanish band has just released a new digital single on Elefant Records and it is called “Truchita (Nunca Volveré!!!)”. It is very nice I think and would be great to see it released properly in the future. Youthful, fun, punk-spirit, on this one!

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This will probably be once again a very short post. I am trying to find out information about a very obscure band called Green Romance. And I honestly think there’s nothing on the web about them, so I am asking for your help.

They appear curiously enough on a compilation tape that has a green sleeve, the fantastic and legendary “Frischer Morgentau” compilation that was released on the German label Steinpilz Tonträger (STEIN 1) in 1993. They contributed a nice jangly track named “Rain Keeps Falling’, a very indiepop title indeed.

And the sound of the band is very indiepop too, very early 90s indiepop. Jangly and sweet. I can’t tell where the band is from, but I would actually guess they are German singing in English. Something that confuses me is that on the sleeve bands are broken up. There is a German side and the International Side. Green Romance appears in the International side alongside Venus Peter or Les Chaplinn’s. But there are German bands on this side too like Fluffy Pillows or Die Wurzelsepps. The main difference is that they are singing in English. So it may totally be that Green Romance were German.

I know the tape came with a 16 page booklet with information about the bands on it. I don’t own it. So I can’t say. Once Peter Twee.net, when visiting him in Bremen, offered me a tape but I didn’t take it (I don’t like tapes, but nowadays I really regret not taking this tape!). But I don’t think he had the booklets with the bands information.

This tape is wonderful, it includes top bands like Die Fünf Freunde, The Almanacs, Acid House Kings, The Pearly Gatecrashers and many more. So you know there’s quality here.

Now I really hope someone can tell me anything about them. I would LOVE to hear more stuff by them!

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Listen
Green Romance – Rain Keeps Falling

Day 83.

As always the indiepopworld keeps providing us with music. Good music.

Victorian Tin: the fantastic Swedish band formed by Erik Bergqvist and Christian Gustafsson have a new song up on their Bandcamp. It is actually a song they had written back in 1998 and now they have partly re-recorded. It is great to see them back in top form!

Hater: I would have seen them supporting The Radio Dept. last April if things would have been normal. Oh well. Tough luck. Maybe next year. The Swedish band has put together a new video with footage taken from the Prelinger Archives. The songs is called “Sift” and it is quite nice.

Slowly: this German shoegaze band is to release an album called “Reveal” on the 12th. The special version of the release on 12″ vinyl is now sold out, but the standard is still available. There are 10 finely crafted songs in the vein of Slowdive or the Daysleepers.

Teen Idle: from Asbury Park, in New Jersey, comes this band formed by Sara Barry, Max Connery and Danny Murray. They have just released a digital single called “In the Morning”  which doesn’t seem to be available physically. Maybe it will be included later in an album or something.

Sleuth: and the best release in this review is the 7-song album “Gold” by the Vancouver band Sleuth. By far. The album is available in tape on Lost Sound Tapes and on CD on Jigsaw Records. It has been a while since we heard from these jangle wizards and so I am very happy to see my friends Jasper and Julian back in top shape!

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I return to Japan, to that country that keeps providing me new obscure bands and songs. Maybe they are not that obscure, but for me the Japanese scene of the 90s is a treasure box that I am not that familiar. And so, I am lucky to keep finding gems there!

I discovered Candy Eyes through their song “Red Bike” that was included in the CD compilation “Television Personalities From Japan, Too” that A Trumpet Trumpet Records (TT006) released in 1992. I have actually written about this comp before, when I wrote about another band that appeared on it, The Spotnick Candy.

But happily that is not everything they put out. There was more. 1993 being their most prolific year.

They would contribute the songs “いつも恋してるなんて嘘” and “Blue Shirts Afternoon” to another Japanese compilation, “Let’s Muc Out On Sound”. This one was released on tape, limited to 100 copies, by Loose Sound (LSCT-001). The question is then, was this their own label perhaps? I ask because this same label would release “Me Japanese Boy” (LSCT-002), a 12 song album on cassette by Candy Eyes.

Also limited to 100 copies, the A side had “Winter, Windy, Wednesday”, “Red Bike (It’s as My Best Friend)”, ” 海沿いのポストまで”, “Siesta”, “The Boutique Monster” and “Perfect Sunday Pt. 1” while the B side had “Blue Shirts Afternoon”, “Summer Dazzling Light”, “Motorcycle Teenage”, “Water Down Orange Juice”, “Sonic-Bang Ladybird” and “Perfect Sunday Pt. 2”. I haven’t heard any of them, so if anyone can help I’d be very very grateful!

Then Discogs lists some demo tapes I believe called “Candy Eyes Cassette”. They have three volumes. Number 3, 4 and 5. Were there more? Was there a 1 and 2? I would like to find out. In any case we know volume 3 had “Winter, Windy Wednesday” and “Summer Dazzling Light”, volume 4 had “Blue Shirts Afternoon (Japanese Ver.)” and “Perfect Sunday”, and volume 5 had “Red Bike (It’s as My Best Friend)” and “The Boutique Monster”.

The very fine Behavior Saviour label would include them, in 1994, on the CD comp “Come All Ye Faithful” (BS011). The band would contribute the song “Winter, Windy, Wednesday”. And then, many years later, in 2007, the band would have their song “Television’s Speed (Home demo ’95)” on the TKO New Music Corporation compilation “Boys (& Girls) Wonder Shibuya-K-Indie-Pop Collection Vol. 2” (TKOK 0002).

I do have a little more info. I know the band was formed by Dai Ogasawara on vocals and guitar, Norihide Takano on bass, Sachico Kimura on keyboards and Nobuo Osawa on drums.

Thanks to this info I was able to find a Soundcloud by Dai Ogasawara where he has a bunch of Candy Eyes tracks as well as from his other project Twangy Twangy,  But that’s not all, Dai has continued to be involved in indiepop as he has been running the very fine netlabel Ano(t)racks!

And then something cool, an interview with Dai on the Japan Times from 2012. Here he tells a bit about his work on the netlabel though not much about his involvement in Candy Eyes.

These are some good finds indeed! Now I would love to get in touch with Dai and the rest of the members of Candy Eyes. Would be great to interview them and find out more about them, about those early 90s in Japan too. And especially I’d love to hear that cassette album they released back in the day! What I have heard by them so far is brilliant!

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Listen
Candy Eyes – Red Bike

Day 81. Another week and getting closer to the 3 month mark of staying/working at home. No traveling. I miss going places so much.

Music is indeed one of the few things I enjoy the same way as always. So it is thrilling still to write this blog, to find new music, to share with everyone. So here we are again.

Slow Connection: I was looking for a Bandcamp or a Soundcloud for this Barcelona band but couldn’t find it. I only know of this song, “Mi Primavera”, which is on Youtube. It is not even a proper video but one using old footage and showing the song’s lyrics. The song is very nice though so it is totally worth sharing it!

Night Heron: the Boston band are releasing a CD album on the Subjangle label. It is actually an 18 song compilation of 13 older songs and also 5 new tracks, The album is out now and I highly recommend it. Very nice guitars and melodies.

Cathedral Bells: Cassadaga, Florida. Don’t know where that is. I lived in Miami for many years, so I am bit familiar with Florida. But Cassadaga, never heard of it. It seems it is between Orlando and Daytona Beach. Suburbia? Perhaps. Matthew Messore hails from there and he is the driving force behind this dreampop band that has just released a new excellent digital single called “Undertow”.

Laveda: the Albany, New York, band is back now finally with their album “What Happens After”. I have recommended the band a few times in the past months so it is great to see they are now releasing a 10 song album titled “What Happens After”. It is out now only for US fans in 12″ vinyl.

Night Hikes: I have championed this Seattle band in the past and so I want to do it again. They have a new song called “Raven” which is a bit different to previous favourites of mine like “Belltown” or “Avila”. This one is a bit darker and moodier but nonetheless very good!

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Another request came, this time from a US reader. He was asking about the legendary band James Dean Driving Experience. He told me that there is very little about them on the web. I find that hard to believe. Not that I have looked much about them in the past. I love their songs, but never really investigated their story. So now is a good time, right?

The London based band released four records during their existence in the late 80s. The first one being a single sided flexi, self-released (catalog JDDE-1), with Audrey Hepburn on the sleeve (she is credited as the “first screen goddess”). Two songs were going to be on this 1987 release, “World Weary & Wise” and “Oh, Grateful”. These two songs were recorded in AAA Studios in Islington and had Nick Gibbons on bass and drums, Philip Powell on bass and drums as well as designing the sleeve, and David Hopkins on guitar and Ian Gregg on acoustic guitar and vocals. Eric Pavlyak on piano and as the engineer for the recordings, Another thing we find on the sleeve is an address in Hanworth, Middlesex. Is that were the band was from?

Then in 1988 the band would release “Dean’s Eleventh Dream”. This was a 7″ on the Autumn Glow label (AUT 001). Was it their own label? Or who was behind it? Here there were three songs, “Dean’s Eleventh Dream” on the A side and “Tale of an Old Flame” and “Song to a Stranger” on the B side. The songs were again recorded at AAA Studios with the same lineup. Eric Pavlyak was once again the engineer. Philip did the sleeve and Vicky Richardson played violin. Vicky who would play violin on the McCarthy album “The Enraged Will Inherit the Earth” as well as being vocalist for the band Corduroy. Speaking of the sleeve, now the third screen goddess was Claudia Cardinale. Okay, so who was the 2nd? I need to find out. Was there a release in between?

One thing that I see is that some of the 7″s came with some promo inserts. There is one with some tour dates. Thanks to that we know the band played on August 19, 1988, at the Windsor Arts Centre, on the 20th at the White Horse in Belsize Park with Benny Profane and at the Camden Falcon on the 25th alongside This Poison! These were all London gigs. Then on August the 12 they played in Northfleet, Kent, at the Red Lion with The Corn Dollies, and a day later at the Medway Arts Centre in Chatham, Kent, with McCarthy and Thrilled Skinny.

That same year, 1988, they would contribute the song “Drop Dead Darling” to the classic compilation tape “Something’s Burning in Paradise” released by Subtle (001).

In 1989 they would release their first 12″, “Clearlake Revisited” (PLASS 013). This one came out on Plastic Head Records Limited which was a label based in Oxon. They have an extensive catalog but I must say I don’t think I am familiar with the bands. Are there any other indiepop bands here? Now the sleeve will feature Rita Hayworth as their fourth screen goddess.

The songs on this 12″ were “Clearlake Revisited” and “Oh, Grateful” on the A side and “Drop Dead Darling” and “Ballad of Bedford Town” on the AA side. Now we see that Vicky Richardson has joined the band according to credits. Also now Arthur Watts is the drummer instead of Philip Powell. The songs were recorded at The Glass Trap in Southall in May 1989 and were produced by the band and Graeme Tollitt. Graeme was also the engineer.

The song “Ballad of Bedford Town” would be included in 1989 on the tape “My Favourite Sunday Vol.1” (RODDY 004) released by the great Boshi label run by our friend Akiko.

Lastly in 1990 the band would sign to the famous Él Records and release the legendary “Sean Connery” 12″ (GPO 45T). The A side would feature “Sean Connery” and “Never Means Everything” while the B side had “Hicksville U.S.A.” and “World Weary and Wise”. Now the band would record at the well known Alaska Studios. I believe this is the moment in time that Cherry Red gets their rights (correct me if I am wrong) so seeing a retrospective compilation of their music would only happen if Cherry Red decides too. I really hope it happens someday. We need all of their songs together with nice liner notes. At least that’s a dream I have.

The produced for this album was Johnny Milton and he also did as engineer with assistant engineer Marcelo Zambelli. The sleeve now features their fifth screen goddess, Gina Lollobrigida.

So cool right? That aesthetic of always having one of their cinema heroes on the sleeve. They always kept that style, it was their trademark. That and their jangly and perfect songs. It is no surprise then that this year Optic Nerve Recordings reissued the 12″ as a 7″ (ON211) with the same tracklist.

There are two other compilation appearances. The first dates from 1993, it was on a CD compilation called “Bellissimo! Él Singles Part Two” released by Richmond Records (MONDE 12) where their song “Sean Connery” appears and the second one is the boxset “C90” (CDTRED802) that was released this year, 2020, by Cherry Red. Again they include “Sean Connery”.

Discogs has a few more details worth checking. Arthur Watts was originally from Gloucester and also played drums for The Assassins. Philip Powell on the other hand was part of the fantastic The Ruth Ellis Swing Band (who definitely deserve a post in this blog sometime).

Another thing we can’t miss is that there was a video made for their song “Clearlake Revisited“.

On the web I found that there was a fanzine called “Spasm: No: 1”, the one that came with the Cumbersome and Candie Maids flexi (both bands featured on the blog in the past) which had something written about James Dean Driving Experience. What? an article? an interview? I can’t tell. Maybe someone can help with that!

Another interesting bit of trivia was that Ian was working for Sainsburys around 2008 according to the Anorak Forum.

I also may have found what could have been their 2nd release. A tape called “Lonely Hearts XI versus the Rest of the World”. It appears listed on Twee.net and dates from January 1988. Maybe this is the one that had their second screen goddess? I saw what looks like a James Dean Driving Experience cassette on the web. It had, I think, Brigitte Bardot on the sleeve. Might this be the one that I am missing in this recount? And what songs were on this tape? I believe three, “Dean’s Eleventh Dream”, “Lonely Hearts XI Versus the Rest of the World” and “Drop Dead Darling”.

And honestly that’s really it. There’s nothing else about them on the web, no details, no nothing. The C90 compilation, in the liner notes, adds a few more details. One that Ian Gregg was once a guitarist for the great band Reserve. And that he returned at some point, after the band split, to his hometown of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. Yeah. That’s all.

Of course I want to know why weren’t there more releases. An album. Or more songs? Are there more? Demos perhaps? There are a few bands who can say that they released a string of perfect singles. JDDE is one of them. They deserve more love. A compilation is needed.

Who remembers them?

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Listen
James Dean Driving Experience – Sean Connery

Day 78. Friday.

The Airfields:  Well, I always dreamed of releasing these (some) of the songs that are part of the “Home is Always an Imaginary Place EP” on Bandcamp. I loved The Airfields and was lucky to release a 3″ back in the day. Their music was precious. Amazing really.  So here you’ll find two original songs and two covers (The Field Mice, My Bloody Valentine). Great to hear from the Toronto combo again.

Names for Pebbles: Another blast from the past on Bandcamp is this retrospective compilation by the New Haven, Connecticut, band. The bedroom pop project of Joey Maddalena released songs between 1993 and 1998 including 7″s on Motorway and Black Bean and Placenta. Here they are all (I hope). So definitely give it a check. I would love to interview them now that there is an easy way to contact them. So I’ll try that.

Herlights: this cool Russian project is back with a new digital single titled “Stockholm Syndrome”. Chiming guitars, elegant melodies, and very fuzzy, sort of hidden, vocals, make this a wonderful song.

Free Ice Cream: Rose Melberg fans from Atlanta Free Ice Cream have recorded a self-titled album and it is a lot of fun. There are 11 songs that pack DIY attitude, quirky lyrics, twee melodies and girl/boy vocals. Some songs are better than others, and some are hits in their own right like “Holland 1986”.

ユワ: this dreampop bedroom Japanese musician from Saitama is quite an interesting discovery. Especially the last song he has published titled “エンプティ・エイプリル” is quite good!

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I was remembering some cool bands from the time I started Cloudberry. Bands that I got in touch with and for a reason or another we never worked together. One that came to mind were The Bumblebees from Bristol.

At some point I think they were playing many of the cool indiepop gigs in London, Bristol, and probably other cities. I remember seeing them in posters and flyers alongside many bands that liked and many bands I would end up being friends with. But I wonder how I discovered them? Maybe because the fine Big Pink Cake club night invited them to their gigs in Bristol? Matthew had very good taste, so that could have been possible.

The Bumblebees wouldn’t be exactly classic jangly indiepop. They were the fun kind, with a punkish attitude. A bit of Tullycraft playfulness thrown in there. But I liked them. Though I don’t think I was ever lucky to see them play live.

As far as I know they only released one CDR. It is not even listed on Discogs, but I could find it on Bandcamp. It was self-titled and included four songs. Surprisingly you can still order a copy of it! Wow. Though it does look like a re-release of the original 2008 CDR. This new re-release was put out by a local label called Local Kid and features new art in 2010. How did the first version of this release look like? Who remembers?

The EP comes with four songs, “My Kaleidoscope”, “Fluffy Clouds of Joy”, “Internal World” and “Cool Science”.

The band was formed by Rosalind Glennie on vocals and keyboards, Ellis Jones on vocals and guitar and Daniel Howard on vocals and drums. The band started as such in November of 2007. Question then, had they been in other bands previously? A small bio on last.fm tells us that the band was actually working on a debut album that was to be released by Local Kid too. What happened to that?

The band also had a Myspace. That was how I contacted them most probably. There I find that the band had at least another song called “The Way”.

The only other place I found information was on a Twitter they used to run (last post dates from 2013). Here I found a bunch of notices of gigs mostly, at places like The Cube Cinema (Bristol), Fuel (Manchester), Wheatsheaf (Oxford), Buffalo Bar (London) and more. More importantly they played 2011 Indietracks.

And so Indietracks interviewed them that year. Thanks to that we know that the three members must have moved from Bristol as they say at that time, 2011, they were in Bristol, Oxford and Staines. And then something… it mentions that the band canceled their gig at Indietracks that year and were replaced by the Sock Puppets. What happened?!

It seems they disappeared. Were they involved in other bands afterwards? Did they finish recording that album? Are there at least any more songs recorded? Who would know? Maybe some Bristol indiepop fans? I look forward to hearing what happened to The Bumblebees!

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Listen
The Bumblebees – My Kaleidoscope

Last September I wrote about the great mod/powerpop band The B-Team! And just last week Paul Rosendale from the band got in touch with me! And even faster I sent the questions for the interview today, and he replied also today! Exciting! So without further ado, it is time to learn more about this terrific band that left just a few songs but how good are these songs, right?!

++ Hi Paul! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Hi Roque, I’m good thanks, I no longer play live (last live gig was in 2011) but would be up for it if I knew of a band that required a bass player and who wanted to recreate the authentic late 70s early 80s Mod/Powerpop sound. Still making music though, I currently produce music as backing for video productions.

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

My very first Music memory was Queens performance of Bohemian Rhapsody on TV. I was 9 years old at the time and music hadnt been a big part of my life before that, but I was blown away by something I had never heard the likes of before.

My first Instrument was in 1976, an old battered Columbus Bass Guitar in burgundy red.
Later on in 1981, I purchased a 1974 Gibson Grabber bass with sliding pickup. This was the instrument I played during my time in The B-Team.

I am totally self taught, I would play along by ear mainly to songs by The Jam or Dr Feelgood. Bruce Foxton being a big influence and John Entwistle an idol.

What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

After hearing Queen I started to explore music more, and through my parents records I picked up on Dr Feelgood —my dad had their first two albums, ‘Down by the Jetty’ and ‘Malpractice’ and R&B Blues became my first love. I started to listen to The Who, The Spencer Davis Group and a lot of 60s R&B. Then punk came along in 1976 —I loved the energy of punk but never got truly into it as I wanted more melody in the music I listened to. Then along came The Jam and thats when it all changed for me.

++ Had you been in other bands before The B-Team? Are there any recordings?

Yes. I formed a band with my cousin Mark. He had been playing in a band called The Gliders with Steve Moran (of Long Tall Shorty/The Rage). When the Gliders split, Steve joined LTS and I joined up with Mark and we formed a band called ‘Annex’ —It was all synthesizers with me on bass guitar —very OMD and not my thing really.

Annex were of the time really, early 80s sounding, very like Ochestral Manouvres in the Dark or Depeche Mode.

There was a Demo EP made with four tracks.
‘Looking at You’ – ‘Starshot’ –
‘Turn out the Lights’ – ‘Souvenir’
but I havent seen one for about 30 years.

++ Where were you from originally?

I was born in Edgware, Middlesex and lived in Enfield from 1970. All the members of The B-Team were from the Enfield area in Middlesex just outside London.

++ How was your town at the time of The B-Team? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?

There was a good little independent record shop called Backtrack Records who stocked all the vintage stuff and collectables, spent many a day in there. As for venues the best was The Fox Hotel. Steve Marriott (Small Faces), Wilko Johnson (Dr Feelgood), Geno Washington all featured as well as local bands such as The B-Team, The Way Out and XL.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

The B-Team were already going strong when I joined. I was playing for Annex and we had a support spot at a B-Team gig in Enfield, a week or so later I heard the B-Team were playing locally, I had enjoyed their sound, so I decided to see them again. To my surprise, when they took to the stage it was as a three piece with no bass player. I learned from a friend that Tony Vesey had left to form another band, so I approached Kelvin after the gig asking if they were looking for a bass player.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

Kelvin wrote all of the lyrics and we would just jam around the chord progressions he came up with, inputting our own ideas for each instrument until the songs just came together. Most of our rehearsals were done in The Haringey Centre near Tottenham in North London.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

It was decided before I joined, but from how I heard it, it was a play on the word ‘Beat’
—The B-Team sounds like ‘The Beat Team”

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?

We were all influenced by The Jam, however, other influences that crept into the sound came from 60s soul, Powerpop, Elvis Costello and Squeeze.

++ As far as I know you only released one 7″ back in 1985. I was wondering before this 7″, had you been recording already? Or was this the first time you were going to a proper studio?

Tony Vesey was the Bass player for the recording of All I Ever Wanted/Bad Day. I dont know if it was the first time for them at the time.

I had been in the Studio before, recording for Annex in 1982.

++ And how was the experience of recording at Empire Studio in Manor Park? Who produced it?

Again, that would be a question for those that were there. Tony recorded the bass but left the band before the single release, so I only ever played those songs live.

++ The “All I Ever Wanted” 7″ was released by the Diamond Record Corporation. Who were they and how did you end up working with them? Was it a good relationship?

They were an independent record label in London in the Mid 1980s. Mainly specialising in The Mod Revival happening in the UK at the time. They were run by a man called Martin Hampton who used to also promote gigs at The Fox Hotel. As well as The B-Team they recorded tracks by Long Tall Shorty, The Moment, The Scene, The Way Out and The Rage.

++ The record sleeve is interesting too. It was designed by the Artschool. Were they friends of yours or who were they? Was it their own idea the band logo?

The design was all done before I joined the band so cant help you on that one, sorry.

++ Then the band photos taken by Deborah Laight and Jo Baker, where were they taken? Do you remember?

This I can answer as Jo Baker was my partner and Deb Laight was Kelvins partner. The photos were taken at a place called Gentlemans Row in Enfield Town, Middlesex.

++ And how come both sides of the record are B sides? Was that a mistake?

No, it was not a mistake. It was a small joke that the name of the band was the B-Team so the songs were released as B-Sides.

++ Many years after you would get your two songs from the 7″ released on the “This is Mod Volume 3 – A Diamond Collection”. Did this create any new attention for the band?

Yes, a new generation of Mods discovered the band and also those that missed us first time around became aware of us. I was living in Spain when I discovered its release and on my return to the UK became aware of more people knowing who we were.

++ And what about in 2018 when you were included in the Japanese compilation “Ita Cemetry Gates Volume 3”?

I have heard that copies of the Diamond release of ‘All I Ever Wanted/Bad Day’ have been going to Japan for over £100 each, but that was before the release of this compilation.

++ I read that there used to be a live tape from a gig at the Wood Green in London 1986. Was this tape sold at gigs? Were there any other tapes by the band?

Yes, the tape was sold at subsequent gigs and I have been unable to trace a copy since losing mine in a move 20 years ago. I would dearly love to trace a copy if anybody has one.

++ Then was there a 2nd single? I read that “And All Because” was released by ASM Records. Is this true? What format was it in? How many copies were made?

The second single was ‘All Because (I Love You)’  a split single with another artist on the flipside. Again the matrix listed it as the B-Side (ASM001-B). It was released on 7″ vinyl by Main Feature Records, Marketed and Distributed by ASM records

++ Was there any interest by any labels in your music?

In 1985 Stiff records had an interest, turning up to some gigs at The Fox Hotel but nothing came of it and In 1986 John Weller had an interest in managing the band at one point.

++ And were there more songs recorded by the band aside from the 3 we’ve mentioned?

No. Just the three releases unfortunately.

++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “All I Ever Wanted”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?

That would have to be a question for Mr Kelvin Davis I’m afraid.

++ If you were to choose your favorite The B-Team song, which one would that be and why?

It was a song called ‘Helen Please’ from the live set. I came up with a Foxton inspired bass line that I loved playing live, I also liked the harmonies in the chorus and the whole 60s/Powerpop feel to the song.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

A lot in ’85/86. From Dingwalls, The Fulham Greyhound and The Rock Garden to The 100 club —which is probably the one remembered by most of the mod fraternity.

++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?

Supporting Steve Marriott’s packet of Three at The Fox was easily my most memorable gig. He had been an idol of mine since my discovery of The Small Faces as a 10-year old. The fact that it was my first live performance for The B-Team made it even more memorable.

After that first rehearsal when Steve had said “He’s in”, Kelvin gave me a tape of the B-Team full live set and said,
“You’re going to need to learn all these for the next gig.”
I replied “No problem, when is it?”
He said “Saturday, supporting Steve Marriott”.
..It was Tuesday.. I had three days to learn a whole new set and go into a live gig without rehearsals.

++ And were there any bad ones?

At RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire 1986.
I had to follow the band van up to the gig on a scooter and it rained heavily all the way up. I played the gig soaked through and then at 1am had to follow the van back home while it rained even harder.

++ When and why did The B-Team stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

I left the band in 1986 bought a house and started a family, I think they continued on for a short while after.
Kelvin started a project called ‘Screamboat’ who I rehearsed with a couple of times but never joined. Steve was also involved with them at some point. After separating from Jo I joined a band called Thirsty for a while in 1996 and then moved to Mallorca in 1999 where I had a solo show that I took around the island. On return to the UK I formed a covers band called The Retrobates and we played up until 2011. Unbelievably the last gig I played was back at RAF Wyton, the scene of my horror gig.

++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?

There was The Screamboat project for Kelvin and Steve still plays, he has been in a couple of bands, one of which I think was called ‘Wellah’.

++ Has there been any The B-Team reunion?

No. And none is planned. Sadly Doug passed away around 10 years ago while I was living in Mallorca.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio? TV?

Had record of the week on Capital Radio in London in 1986 but sadly it was the show between 4am and 6am so nobody really heard it.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

The local press gave us lots of coverage but nothing nationally.

++ What about from fanzines?

The band was interviewed for a modzine after the gig at the 100 club. Sadly it folded before going to press. The interview was passed to ‘In The Crowd’ —a mod fanzine, but I dont know if it ever got used.

++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?

I would say the gigs to promote the release of the first single. Playing at places like Dingwalls, The 100 club, The Rock Garden gave the band exposure to a much wider audience.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?

Its all music, music, music.

++ And lastly, you just put together a Bandcamp for the band as well as a Facebook group! Tell me a bit about them, and what sort of updates we’ll be able to see in the future?

I wanted to keep the memory of the band alive as I know there is still an interest in Mod/Mod Revival spreading over four generations from the 60s to the present day. I would love it if somebody came forward with a copy of the live tape so that I could remaster it and release it on Bandcamp as a live album. I would also like to collaborate with singer/songwriters on a project as I have unfinished studio tracks needing vocals.

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Listen
The B-Team – All I Ever Wanted