Friday! Weekend is here at last! I just want to remind you that the Den Baron 7″s are available, so do get your copies! And the Dayflower 7″ is  now in the process of being pressed! Exciting times for the label!

Also we have a new offer on the website. We have 5 records that are now 10 years old, 5 7″s released in 2009! So we are letting you pick 3 out of 5, any 3 you want out of these 5 (Play People, Hari and Aino, Signed Papercuts, Socialist Leisure Party and The Parallelograms) for a very low price including shipping. For US orders the price is $15 and for international orders it is $28. Hope you take advantage of it to complete your collection!

Finds for the weekend? Sure thing.

For Tracy Hyde: one of my favourite bands from Japan is back and will be releasing their 3rd album on the label P-Vine. It will be titled “New Young City” and there is a sort of trailer on Youtube to promote the album. This trailer consists of small clips of the songs on the record. In total the album will include 16 tracks and will be out on September 4th. The band will also be touring to promote the album and will be playing not just in Japan but also in Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and more! Why not the US?!

The Korova Milk Bar: this is amazing! It seems Disques Blue Very will be releasing the pre-Johnny Dee band as a 2 song flexi and 7 track CDR. It will be limited to 250 copies. I hope I can manage to get one for myself. The opening track of the flexi is called “Rain Girls & Gentle Girls” and sounds ace.

Poppel: this Belgian band that surprised me last year will be releasing the album “Make Sense” on September 20th. The record will be released by the Spanish label Meritorio Records and will include 12 songs. At the moment we can preview one of the songs from the Turnhout-based band, “Listen”. And, pardon the pun, I urge you to listen.

2D Foil: this band with weird name comes from Beijing, China. Will they be releasing this 5 song EP on Boring Productions? That’s a good question. The songs on “:-) Foil” EP are dreamy and sweet. I think it would fit nicely in the Chinese label, though it does seem like a label called Letter Records has put it out. But is it only in digital format?

Japanese Heart Software: a one girl band from Melbourne who have just released a tape called “Lonely Hearts” and whose songs are terrific lo-fi pop gems. Who is she? She is called Nat Chippy and has recorded 5 songs for this release, which seems to be her first. Has she been in bands? Melbourne has an exciting scene, I think it is fair to ask. In any case, check it out, especially the track “Something” which is pure lo-fi guitar bliss.

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Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is a holiday in some countries. Easter Monday in the Western Christian liturgical calendar is the second day of Eastertide and analogously in the Byzantine Rite is the second day of Bright Week.

Maidenhead. The 80s. That’s the setting for Easter Monday. A band who happens to be terribly obscure. A band who released just the one 7″. A 7″ that had many versions though.

The self-titled 7″ had three songs, “Rain” on the A side and “Children of the Harvest” and “Independence Day” on the B side. Released on their own and christening their label Easter Monday as well. This 7″ came out in 1989 and had the catalog number T.T.W.W. 001. Will I find a copy for myself?

We know that the band was a four-piece formed by Chris Phillips on vocals, Gus Evans on guitar, Adam C. Hodgson on drums and Stevie J on bass. I can’t find any other bands they might have been. Was this the only band they ever played in? That is hard to believe!

The 7″ with the black and white sleeve was limited to 500 copies and it says it came on an oversized plastic bag. It also features a photo of the band on the front, some snapshots of them on the back and then another cool photo of the band posing in front of a sign of Lloyds’ Old Holborn Blended Virginia. Then on one of the A side label and an illustration of the Statue of Liberty on the B side label. Now, 46 of these 500 copies, the first 46, came with a red and white sleeve. Why?

There are no compilation appearances listed. There is nothing else on the web it seems.

So that’s all really. I will need to ask you, my indiepop friends, to help me figure out this band! Who remembers them?

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Listen
Easter Monday – Independence Day

Thanks to everyone who have pre-ordered the Dayflower 7″! The masters should be sent to the pressing plant any day now, just need to organize myself, and then it is just a matter of waiting. Waiting for the records to arrive! Of course in the meantime there is the process of writing and getting the inserts printed, and that is a cool part of the process. Then the records arrive, and then it is time to dress them in polybags and get the inserts inside the jackets. Then ready to be mailed. This is much fun. And I can’t wait for it.

Now new finds? Of course.

Cattle: the great Japanese band is back and will be releasing their debut album “Sweet Dream, Tender Light and Your Memory” on September 4th!! There are going to be 10 songs on this album and we can preview the first one called “Shooting Star” on Youtube! The fine Testcard Reecords is releasing it.

Fern Murphy: this Indianapolis band have a new EP out called “Gringo Love” and it is a great introduction to their quality dreampop. The EP contains 5 tracks and I find it intriguing why they called their EP and one of their songs “Gringo Love”. Curious.

Superdrone: another shoegazey kind of band, but this time from Southampton in the UK. Their latest is the album “Starcade” that was released digitally last June. A 10 song shimmery and dreamy guitar pop album that is thoroughly enjoyable.

The Reds, Pinks and Purples: and finally the Califonia band will be releasing an album! It will be called “Anxiety Art” and it is coming out on our friend Javi’s label Pretty Olivia, all the way from Alicante in Spain. The album will include 14 of the already classic jingle jangly tracks the band has been showing us on their Bandcamp for years now. At the moment you can preview the first 4 on the album on the label’s Bandcamp as well as preordering the vinyl version of it!

Airhockey: lastly a band from Miami!! Wow, when I lived there I think there was only one good pop band, Little Beard, then there was nothing else. So I am happy to discover a new band that likes these sort of sounds! Their latest track is called “Hidden by the Sun” and it is a fine slice of dreampop. The band is formed by Melanie Sarria on bass, Sebastian Hidalgo on vocals, guitar and synth, Mike Diaz on guitar and synth and John Olin on drums.

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Many years ago, way too many I got in touch with the wonderful The Ammonites. Remember them? They put out a split flexi on Waterbomb! Records (Splat 001) in 1990 alongside a band called Paintbox. This flexi came alongside the fifth issue of the Waterbomb! fanzine. Does this sound a bell to you? I wonder. The Ammonites of course released a 7″ and appeared on many compilations. But what about Paintbox? I must say that I’m totally clueless about them. So today, after a long long time, I return to that flexi, see what I can find about them!

Paintbox appeared first on the single sided flexi with the song “Hatebomb”. The Ammonites were to appear second with “Missing You”. The cool thing was that the flexi came with an insert and thanks to that we know that the band was formed by Dean Morbey, Matthew Smith, Hilary Jeffery, Edward Dickens, Simon Glenister and Dan Preece. Dean Morbey wrote the song. The song was recorded at the Music Shop in Kidderminster and was engineered by Snowy. It is also noted that the band hailed from Kidderminster too. First time I hear of this place!

Kidderminster is a town in Worcestershire, England, 27 km south-west of Birmingham and 24 km north of Worcester. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 55,530. The town is twinned with Husum, Germany.

That same year the band contributed the song “Opus 10″, again penned by Dean Morbey, to the flexi 7” compilation “Four Bands Four Songs” (WINDMILL ONE) that came out on Windmill Records from Cheshire. Yes, the same label that put out in 1988 the “Corrupt Postman” tape that has been mentioned so many times on the blog in the past. And don’t worry, I’ll get back to it again in a second.

This flexi was double sided, which is a cool thing you’ll agree. On the A side we’d find The Fat Tulips and The Applicants while on the B side there was The Haywains (whose Paul Towler did the artwork for the record) and Paintbox.

So as I said, returning to “Corrupt Postman”, Paintbox also contributed a song to this classic tape. It was the one titled “Who’s Got the Money” and it appears as the twelfth track on the A side. And as many of you know, there was a sort of similar version of the tape that was re-released by Elefant Records from Spain in 1990 called “Hacia la Luz” (ER-5). This time though, this same song, appeared as the sixth track on the B side.

I look on Discogs for the band members, if they had been involved in any other bands. I could only find info about Hilary Jeffery. It seems he is a trombonist and composer in the fields of improvised electronic and contemporary music. He had played in the Band of Holy Joy, Chora(s)san, Kreepa, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation and many more. But what about the others?

Then I stumble upon a Soundcloud where the song “Hatebomb” has been uploaded. The user which seems to be based in Manchester comments that this was the band he was in in the 90s. He has other songs but they are quite different. They are mainly electronic. Who is behind this account? Is it Dean Morbey?

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Listen
Paintbox – Hatebomb

Thanks so much to Etta for the interview! I wrote about The Avocados many years ago, and then was even able to find a copy of their wonderful one and only 7″, but since then I never got to know any other details about the band. So I am very thankful to Etta, the vocalist of The Avocados, to answer all my questions and finally know a little more about this short-lived London band! If you are a fan of sweet and punky female fronted early 80s pop, this is a must-read!

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

You are welcome and thanks for being interested! I am very well and life is good here in Bath, Somerset. I don’t make music anymore, but often sing around the house. The nearest I come to making music is writing lyrics for children’s songs. I’ve written lots over the years ( I work in children’s publishing), but leave the musical part to people more talented than myself.

++ 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 first memory of loving music is dancing with all my brothers and sisters while my dad played (or mimed playing) to our pianola (an old Victorian device that played a piano automatically when you pedalled – the music was punched out on great rolls of paper. My favourite song for this was The Sun Has Got His Hat On – I was around two years old. I learned the piano for a while when I was around seven, but lacked the concentration and was not very good at it. My voice has always been my instrument. At home, I listened to all sorts of things: my dad’s old jazz 78s (Fats Waller was a favourite and Scott Joplin), my older brother’s records (Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, David Bowie) and my sister’s (Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Don Mclean, Jon Denver). The first single I ever bought was Wig Wam Bam by The Sweet. As I got older, I loved The Buzzcocks, Elvis Costello, The Jam, The Clash, Gang of Four, The Fall and loads of post punk type stuff. I also like girl groups and was thrilled to discover Dolly Mixture with their new wave take on The Shangri-Las. I also listened to Dusty Springfield and lots of other female vocalists and developed a love of jazz, listening to Ella Fitzgerald (who I was lucky enough to see live) , Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Nina Simone. So very eclectic tastes!

++ Had you been in other bands before The Avocados? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

I should explain that The Avocados was never really a band – we formed just for that one single. It was a spin-off from a band called The 49 Americans  https://www.discogs.com/artist/397805-The-49-Americans which was very experimental and involved lots of people. We decided to make a single and I had written I Never Knew a couple of years earlier when I was around fifteen with a friend, Oisin Little (who was the only Avocado not in The 49 Americans, but was in a band called Push (where Seal started out – my brother Ed was the original singer) http://www.pushband.com/about.html and then The Weather Profits. David Toop and Steve Beresford were a big part of The 49 Americans and produced The Avocados as General Strike https://www.beatport.com/artist/general-strike-steve-beresford-and-david-toop/691851 They also played with The Slits and The Flying Lizards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk Else played drums for The 49 Americans and The Avocados. She was a very dear friend of mine, but sadly died at the age of just twenty three when she took her own life after suffering from mental ill health.

++ Where were you from originally?

I am from North London, near Camden Town.

++ How was your town at the time of The Avocados? 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?

Camden Town was where it was all happening! I used to go to The Dublin Castle every Friday night and see this new little band playing in a pub – Madness! Other venues were the Hope and Anchor in Islington, The Music Machine and Electric Ballroom in Camden and, of course, Dingwalls. There was always something going on. Being a fan of Dolly Mixture, I stumbled across U2 playing their first gig in England in The Moonlight Club (at a pub in West Hampstead) – they were the support act. My favourite record store was called Honky Tonk and was nearby in Kentish Town. Camden Lock was also a great place to find music. The 49 Americans used to hang out at The LMC (London Musicians Collective) where there was always something new and experimental happening.

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

We practised at people houses – my parents house and various places.

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

Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, Avocados were an unusual thing (hard to imagine now) and I had recently discovered them and thought them the most delicious thing in the world. So we named the band after them!

++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band? You were telling me you were huge fans of Dolly Mixture then?

We wanted The Avocados to have a naive, poppy sound  (not too hard for the sixteen-year-old me). I loved Dolly Mixture because they combined girl group Motown sound with a punky edge and I guess that’s what I had in mind. Else’s unique drum sound gave the song a quirky edge that I loved.

++ The 7″ was released by Choo Choo Train Records. I was wondering who were they? Who was behind this label? Was it yourselves?

Choo Choo Train Records was set up by Andrew Brenner (known as Giblet) – he was the brains behind it all!

++ I was also wondering about the artwork of the 7″, who made it? And why the shrimps on it? I understand the half avocado of course!

At the time, I was working at Marvel Comics (UK) and I was surrounded by lovely, creative people. The artist and designer was my friend, Rahid Khan. He drew the image and designed the cover. I loved eating avocado and prawns and Rahid thought it would be funny if the band were all prawn characters. I am he one sitting in the Avocado.

++ I really like the song “I Never Knew”, was wondering if you could tell me the story behind this wonderful pop song?

I wrote this when I was fifteen. It reflects my teenage insecurities – I never really believed that anyone could love someone as monstrous as me and so didn’t trust anyone who said they did. It’s the old Groucho Marx thing of not wanting to belong to any club that would have me as a member. I wrote the song in a more lucid moment when I thought perhaps somebody had loved me after all – but it was too late by then, hence the lament!

++ If you were to choose your favorite Avocados song, which one would that be and why?

There were only two (the a and b sides) and I like them both, but I Never Knew means more to me. John Peel once played the b side!

++ Are there more recordings by the band? Any unreleased tracks?

No, nothing more.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many?

No gigs at all.

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

After The 49 Americans and The Avocados, I started to sing more jazz and sand in a band called Take It! Mostly though, I concentrated on my career in children’s media and being a mother (from the age of 22).

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

As mentioned above, Steve Beresford and David Toop continued making music and Oisin was in Push and then The Weather Profits.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

No. There was a reunion of The 49 Americans a few years ago, but sadly, I was not invited to it. I have lost touch with most people.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

John Peel played the single once or twice.

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

I think it was reviewed in the music press, but I don’t remember too clearly – it was a long time ago!

++ What about from fanzines?

I can’t remember!

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

It was very good fun – I just remember really enjoying the whole experience.

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

I don’t have too many hobbies, but have always worked in children’s publishing and television – something I still love doing. I have a lovely husband and three wonderful sons who are all musical in their own ways.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Music is for everyone and everyone should find the music in themselves.  In the words of Mama Cass: ‘But you’ve gotta make your own kind of music, Sing your own special song, Make your own kind of music, Even if nobody else sings along.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZVIHHET85Y

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Listen
The Avocados – I Never Knew

Okay! this weekend I added pre-order button on the Cloudberry website for the next 7″ in our catalog, “Sweet Georgia Gazes” by Dayflower. I also have added it to the label’s Bandcamp! I will be sending the masters to the pressing plant this week so hopefully within the next 3 months I should have the records at home. I am hoping for an early October release. Very excited, and I hope you are too!

Dottie: the Austin, Texas, shoegaze band will be releasing on August 9th a mini-album with 7 songs called “Part”. At the moment we can preview only one of the songs, “Sill”, which is dreamy and sweet. Hopefully we’ll get to listen to the rest of tracks in the near future.

The Royal Landscaping Society: “Clean” is the song Matinée Recordings has picked to promote the upcoming compilation by the Seville based band called “Means of Production”. This song is fantastic of course, as everything they do, and it should be included in this 16-track comp that should be out soon and then it will be followed by a 7″ with brand new songs. Can’t wait!

Mirrorlakes: there is a new release on Dismantled Records from Jakarta and that’s always good news. It is a two song digital single by Mirrorlakes, “Three Songs” and “Kosong”. There is even a video for the first track which I suggest checking out! Good stuff.

The Lousy Pop Group: the German label Entes Anomicos will be releasing a 7″ single by the Indonesian band soon! We can preview one of the tracks that will be included, “When I’m With You” which sounds great! I definitely would want of copy of this jangly gem!

The Fisherman and his Soul: our friend Sebastian Voss is back with a new song called “Let Everything You Do Be Done in Love (Song for Johan)” which sounds really nice. The song will be part of the upcoming EP titled “Disco//Voss” which will be out on August 1st!

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Time to go to the US! Who knows any details about a band called The Love In?

I do know that the band released one 12″ back in 1987. I don’t have a copy of it though I’ve been able to hear a few of their songs on the web and they are lovely jingle jangly tracks. It came out on Out There Records (OUT THERE 011) and Love Chain Records. And the first questions arise. Who were behind these labels? Where were they based?

The 12″ was a nice mini album with 6 songs, 3 on each side. The A side had “Late as Usual”, “Young Mr. Jones” and “On the Reds” while the B side had “Freedom Now”, “Dad’s So Jealous of Youth” and “Home for the Holidays”. The songs were remixed and mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering. This is a mastering studios in Hollywood, California. It was founded in 1984. We know the band is credited to the band, the songs were recorded by Adamo and remixed and mastered by Chris Bellman. The photography on the sleeve is credited to Jeffrey Bender.

The band was formed by Tom Sheppard on guitar and vocals, Scott Kellems on drums and Kurt Stake on bass and vocals. The songwriters for the songs were Stake and Sheppard and the record even comes with a lyric sheet. The sleeve also confirms that the band was based in Hollywood, California.

Discogs also lists a demo tape that had four songs: “Home for the Holidays”, “The Beet Club”, “Jamie & I Were in the Bathroom” and “Freedom Now”. It has no release date though.

I know the great blog Wilfully Obscure posted about them back in 2013. I am late to the party as always but it doesn’t matter. Let’s say this is a “refresh” sort of post. Bring back this band to memory. From that post I see that Tom Sheppard has worked making songs and writing for TV shows. He worked on Pinky and the Brain for example! And also on Annoying Orange which was on Cartoon Network. He performed too the song “Go to the Light” which he wrote for the Showtime movie “The Medicine Show”.

Another interesting tidbit is that on the 12″, him and Kurt Stake would switch vocals all the time. Also that they played gigs with many bands from the Los Angeles and Ocean Country scene like No Doubt, Let’s Go Bowling, Donkey Show, Gherkin Raucous, Pat Smear and many more.

Then I find a 1987 article on the LA Times! Wow really! Here I learn that the band originally hailed from Costa Mesa, California. Here it mentions too that Sheppard graduated with a bachelor’s degree in film from the University of Southern California.

Then another blog, from France, called Disques Obscurs also wrote about them. Here it mentions that Kurt Stake had been in a punk/mod/Paisley Underground band called The Jetz that was formed in 1979. Scott Kellems had played drums in the first EP the band put out and eventually joined them. You can actually listen to some songs of The Jetz here. Scott has been involvede too with other bands like Shattered Faith and Dischords.

Not much more information on the web though there is a Facebook page, last updated in 2014 where you can be a fan.

That’s quite some information, right? But I would love to hear that demo tape. Was it the only demo tape they recorded? Are there more unreleased songs?! And did they continue making music after the band split? Why did they split? Many questions which I hope get answered sometime!

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Listen
The Love In – Late As Usual

My post got deleted and I wrote it again! And I hope I did it better because I am very excited. You see yesterday I announced a new 7″ release on Cloudberry, our 47th! It is by Leicester band Dayflower and it includes two songs! The A side is called “Sweet Georgia Gazes” and is really really good. You can check it out on Soundcloud at the moment. The B side is called “Daisy Age” and I like it as much! The art was created by Japanese illustrator Risa Konishi. In the following weeks I will be announcing pre-order button and also adding it to our Bandcamp. Just keep an eye here on the blog, our Facebook or our new instagram for news. The 7″ should be out sometime this fall!

Play People: our Derby friends are finally releasing their debut album “What a Life”! It includes 13 poppy tracks that no one should miss. The album is only available digitally so far, though I am crossing fingers it gets a proper release. Also just heads up that I still have copies of their 7″ that Cloudberry released some years ago.

Cariño: I really wanted to catch the Madrid band last weekend when I was there. But there was no luck. They were touring the north, Bilbao I think. I really like their music you see. And their latest video is not exception. Do check it out, it is for the superb “:(“!

Ether Feels: The Japanese shoegaze band also has a new video. It is for their newest song titled “Kowloon Sunset” which I believe is not part of any releases yet. Sounds good!

Spool: Don’t know anything about them, but found their video for the song “Blooming in the Morning” that is part of their self-titled album on the Twee Lovers Club facebook group. It sounds nice. The album is being released by the Japanese label Testcard Records.

The Pooh Sticks: Optic Nerve is releasing a boxset of 5 7″s for 50 pounds plus shipping. I have ordered it but I must say it is very pricey. I know their releases are great, very nicely packaged. But hey, I do nice packaging too I think, and I sell mine for 7 dollars plus shipping. I should reconsider the prices maybe? In any case this is a great release I think and it will be available November 22nd.

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And it has also been a while since a Greek band was featured. So let me fix that today.

I was introduced to the band Sound Devise thanks to the wonderful and now legendary compilation “Try a Little Sunshine” (pop-99) that Pop Art Records released in 1999. This compilation was for many an introduction to Greek indiepop as it showed us the beauty of One Night Suzan, Next Time Passions, The Crooner and more. On this CD we would find Sound Devise and their song “This Micro”.

The second time I came face to face with the band was two years ago, thanks to the Make Me Happy label and their labour of love in bringing back Greek indiepop. Their first release was a compilation featuring many of the bands from the halcyon days and it was called “A Sparkle from the Past” (MMH001). On this compilation the band appeared with the track “Come Together”.

So far two songs. This is not enough I think. Well today I discovered a third song on Youtube which I thought sounded great, “Flowers in Your Mouth”. This song was included in three compilations in the 90s. The first was the 1994 double cassette comp “Breeze 4” that Alphyen Viwit label from Germany. The other one dates from 1997 and was a Greek compilation released by DRG Records (DRG 001) that was called “Sub Collection No 2”. The last one was also from 1997 and was called “Girls Re-Write Rock” (Voice 002) that the Voice magazine released with their second issue.

The band would appear as I am now discovering in many more compilations. The bulk of their releases were appearances on compilations I must say. The first ones seems to date from 1992. They would contribute the song “It’s Not True” to the compilation LP “Random Relations Part 2” that was released by the Greek label Elfish (elf004). Their cover of “All Cats are Gray” would appear on the “second part” of these compilations,  “Random Relations Part 2” (elf009), that same year.

Then in 1993 they appeared on the compilation “Weapons of Happiness” that was released on tape by the Greek fanzine The World of Suzie Wong. They contributed the song “Come Together”.

In 1995 they would appear on Bliss Aquamarine’s tape “Magenta” (BLISS 019) with two songs, “Utopia” and “This Micro”.

Lastly in 1996 the band contributed the song “Manifesto” to the CD and LP compilation “Act Up – …Εν Τούτω Νίκα” released by FM Records (FM 396). It sees though that for this compilation the band had changed the spelling of their name to Sound Device. Device with a C?

Discogs has two compilations where the band appeared as well but they don’thave a release date. The first is that their song “Peace in Mind” was included in the French tape compilation “Plouf” that came along Les Tartines fanzine. And the other one was the “A Glittering Christmas” tape that had two of their songs, “All Cats are Grey” (which is a cover of The Cure) and “Follow”. This tape was released by the Italian label Shiny Sunset which I tried to interview in the past with no luck. Wish I knew more about both of these to be honest as they used to be involved with great bands.

The interesting thing though is that Discogs does have one proper release listed for the band, so it wasn’t all just compilations. A self-titled and self-released tape was put out in 1991. It included 5 songs. The A side had “It’s Not True”, “Follow” and “Come Together” while the B side had “A Falling Drop” and “All Cats are Grey”. Now was there perhaps another tape later on by the band with the other songs I’ve mentioned?

It doesn’t look like it so far. We do know though who the band members were. George Kapolas was on bass, Chris Tsarmadas on guitar, Thanos Prunarus on keyboards and Polina Toll on vocals. I do believe though on some songs Goergia Gounari was the vocalist. Perhaps there was a change of vocalists? Sometimes I do find in credits the name of Andreas Papadopoulos on drums and Lambros Papageorgiou on backing vocals too.

Looking then at any other projects they might have been involved I find that Thanos Prunarus had been in the band Area. And the only other person that had connections with Sound Devise that seems to be listed in another band is Labros Papageorgiou who was also on the band Inner Wish.

I keep looking and I see some comments on a blogspot mentioning that the band was actually formed by George Christopoulos on guitar. Why was his name not listed on Discogs? I wonder. Chris and George would later be on the band Dr. Vodkatini which I heard about before when I interviewed Kissamatic Lovebubbles. Another comment in this post mentions that Polina is an editor of “Tatiana” which I asume is a magazine?

Something curious that I find on the web is that Thanos is behind the Baba Au Rhum bar in Athens and he has hosted also the inaugural Athens Rum Festival. You can read about it and other details about his life on this article by Mixology.

So that’s about all I could find about the band. I am sure I have a few Greek readers so I am hoping they can help me out find out more about the band. I think they were quite distinct as they had female vocals while most of their Greek peers didn’t. I wonder if it they only released that tape. There must have been something else, right? And also I wonder what are they up to these days? Who remembers them?

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Listen
Sound Devise – Flowers in Your Mouth

I am back now from vacations in Spain. I am exhausted. So this will be a short post. I had prepared the lost band part before leaving but the discoveries are all from yesterday, looking for something worth sharing. Will share some of my trip memories later this week I hope!

The Moon and Back – One Small Step for Global Pop: this is the name of a compilation Jerv and his label WIAIWYA has released digitally and also on CD. It includes so many songs, by many great names. We see songs by The Popguns, Fever Dream, Jeanines, Pam Berry and more!

The Catherines: “Just a Matter of Time Until I Cringe” is the name of the latest song by the Hamburg popsters. They have released it as a digital single on Bandcamp and have the song “It’s Really Good!” as a B side. As always this is good stuff!

Mick Trouble: this is an album I need and it is called “Its the Mick Trouble LP”. And yes it seems it is only available on vinyl, no CD. It has 12 songs which are influenced by the TVPs. That’s a good thing. At the same time it sounds very original. And that is a good thing as well. I suggest ordering soon as the first copies will come with a limited flexi!

The Popguns: the classic Brighton band has a new EP titled “Carrying the Fire” with 5 brand new songs. The idea behind this record is a “Space Operetta” as the EP’s name come from the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins autobiography. The EP is released digitally by Matinée on the 19th.

The BV’s: One of the best albums this year has been “Cartography” by our friends The BV’s. The duo, half English, half German, have just put together a video for a song included in that album, “Catapult” and of course I had to share it with everyone. Because the song is great! and the video too, with footage of many of their roadtrips!

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Back in 1998 a Swedish band from Malmö made a splash in the Swedish national radio with the song “I Cry Because of You, Argentina”. A play on words of the famous “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”. This band was Chocolate Barry. A mystery at the time, and a mystery now.

The band was formed by brothers John and Fredrik and Marco Manieri. We know a bit about Marco these days as he has produced many bands like The Ark, Melody Club, The Mo, Marit Bergman and has remixed big names as The Cardigans, The Corrs or even Roxette. In bands, aside from Chocolate Barry he was in Trig.  But what about John and Fredrik? John was the main force of the band, right?

I say that because in 2010 he resurrected the band and played just by himself a few gigs, starting with one at the “På Besök” club in February 27 of that year. I remember this club that was run by Krister, having had the luck to DJ once there. A small tour followed that gig and in 2011 the band stopped for good.  Among these gigs I found that he even played London alongside the great Mr. Wright at the Baby Honey club on April 9th, 2010. That same month, on the 30th, he supported Firefox AK at club Debaser in his city. He also opened for Momus in Malmö in early 2011

But back in the late 90s and early 2000s the band did release some records but never played live. That was the interesting part of this 2010 comeback, this time around there were no new records but played live. I wonder why the substantial change in approach for the band. Also it was just John then.

The first appearance by the band seems to have been “Belfast Boy” on a compilation called “The Red Album: A Mancunian Fantasy”. I doubt it was the same band as first it says it is a Manchester compilation and then on the credits we see the last names Harris, Colton and Smith. So probably not.

For me, the one that is for sure to be the band’s first appearance was the 1993 flexi “Swings Sweetly” that was released by Uppåtneråtvadsomhelst (002) that year in September. This label of course is the one responsible for the Cookie Noise Tower tape compilations. Two tracks recorded at Studio Revolver were included, “The Passion of Spain” and the most wonderful “I Cry Because of You Argentina”. On the insert included they kind of mention that they are the 90s answer to The Monochrome Set, the Beach Boys, Chris Montez, Simon Turner…

Then in 1994 the band appeared with the song “Everyday Bonaparte” on the compilation “Second Half” that the Swedish tape label Records from the Cookie Nose Tower (uppåtneråtvadsomhelst 003) released. This seems more likely that it was our band, it was a Swedish compilation in the end.

So, if it was the same Chocolate Barry as the first compilation I mentioned, then in 1995 they contributed a song to a Spanish compilation called “It’s Only Football ‘but I Like It” that came with the Zona de Obras magazine.  Then the band contributed the song “Georgie, The Belfast Boy”. But again, I have my doubts it is the same Chocolate Barry. I wonder if anyone could let me know if I’m right or wrong about this.

In 1995 the band would contribute a song to “Prego! 95 – The Menu of Trattoria Vol.2” (PSCR-5395). This I believe is our Swedish band as it is an indiepop label releasing them. Here the band contributes the song “World of Cakes” and they appear alongside top bands like Blueboy, Cloudberry Jam or Bridge.

In 1997 the band would appear on a terrific compilation album called “Tambourine Studios Volume Two” released by Vibrafon Records (VIBRCD39). Indeed the band recorded their songs at this studio, and on this top compilation where they appear alongside The Cardigans, Eggstone and Saint Etienne they contributed their classic “I Cry Because of You, Argentina”.

The year after, the San Francisco label Radio Khartoum who always loved these sort of sounds picked them up to contribute the song “Passion” to the compilation mini CD “The Flight of Everson K (19fps Vol.1)” (khz198). That same year the band was part of the “Mama, Take Me Home to Malmö” compilation that Vibrafon (VIBRCD48) released as a soundtrack for the movie “Blådårar”. Their song “München ’79” was included in it.

Then came Benno, the very fine label and fanzine. In 1999 they released a compilation 7″ called “Benno Presents Volume 2” that included their song “Gay Girl”. This was how I first listened to Chocolate Barry after finding a copy of this record in a store in Stockholm many years ago.

The Spanish labels Sinedin Music (SM-004) and Inane Records released in 1999 a compilation packed with amazing tracks and bands called “The Unheard Pleasures of Inane – Somewhere in Europe, 1972 Vol.1”. It is a terrific selection of bands and the artwork was done by our good friend Grego Soria from Annika Records. This CD came alongside, for free, the Factory (no.22) magazine. The band once again contributed their track “I Cry Because of You, Argentina”.

Radio Khartoum never forgot them. In the year 2000 the band was included with their song “Hell” in the compilation “The Stations of Abandoned Days (18fps Vol. 3)” (khz300). Benno as well repeated and included them in the CD comp “An Unfinished Retrospective” with the track “Gay Girl”.

In 2001 the band would sign to Mini Tenor Records from France. There they would release their debut album “Cucumber Trees and Ice Cold Lemonade” (lux05) which included 12 songs, “Gin and Tonic”, “Her Worldwide Search”, “Franckfurt-Firenze”, “Always Too Late (Springtime)”, “Popmusic Crazy”, “Gay Girl”, “I Got the Devil”, “The Passion of Spain”, “I Cry Because of You Argentina”, “Spacerock”, “Redirecting My Career” and “Munich ’79”.

Then a 7″ (lux11) was released too by the same label to promote the album. TheA side had “Popmusic Crazy” while the B side had “Prais-Roubaix (servais Knaven Remix)”.

Lastly, the label that was the most important to them, Mini Tenor Records, included their track “Popmusic Crazy” on the CD compilation “Have You Ever Loved?” in 2001.

There is another release listed on Discogs though, a CDR compilation called “Live at Taj Mahal” which seems to be demos and alternate versions of their songs. I would love to hear this album one day. They included 14 tracks on this and I wonder if this was sold perhaps at their 2010 tour? The songs being “Gin & Tonic”, “Worldwide”, “Frankfurt-Firenze”, “Springtime”, “Popmusic”, “Gay Girl”, “I Got the Devil”, “Passion of Spain”, “I Cry Because”, “Spacerock”, “Redirecting My Career”, “Munich ’79”, “Civediamo” and “Everyday Bonaparte”. It seems the song titles were hand written and because of that they appear shortened.

We know they hailed from the small suburb of Bunkeflostrand in Malmö. There is also a mention that they had a 22 track cassette compilation that was offered through the indiepop-list. That the label Riviera was supposed to release their “Greatest Hits Vol. 1” But for some reason it never happened. Mini Tenor came to release the album.

That’s all I could find so far. So I’m hoping my friends from Sweden, from Malmö which are not a few, will help me find out more about this great band! Who remembers them?

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Listen
Chocolate Barry – I Cry Because of You Argentina

Thanks so much to Chantelle from the lovely The Duglasettes! I wrote about them on the blog just before leaving on vacations and she was very kind to get in touch and answer all my questions! I was always very curious about The Duglasettes, who released only two songs and were a tribute band to the superb BMX Bandits! It is time them to unveil the mystery about them!

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

Hello there! Thank you for still remembering The Duglasettes and interviewing me. I’m superfine thank you. I hope you are too.

No music making for me at the moment.

++ 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 first musical memory is singing along to the Boney M song ‘Daddy Cool’ in the garden when I was three years old. The 70s were a great time musically, and most of my early childhood memories have an amazing 70s pop soundtrack, just all the stuff that was on the radio at the time. I always liked dancing and singing.  I was also (and still am) obsessed with TV theme tunes, Hong Kong Phooey being a favourite, it’s fan-riffic!

I never really had the patience to learn an instrument (still don’t). I can just about smash out a few chords on a guitar under duress.

Growing up, my dad loved Jim Reeves and the more easy listening end of country and western music as well as the immaculate doo-wop of the Platters; my mum liked rock ‘n’ roll (Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino), so I was educated in that sort of stuff early on. I was lucky enough to be the youngest of five, so all my siblings started buying records before me, and I learned early on what I liked. My sister bought You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever by Orange Juice on cassette when I was 9 and I liked the dolphins on the cover, so I started listening to it and was hooked on that jangly indie-pop sound from then on really. I was obsessed with pop music in all its forms though and would spend breaks at school making up dance routines to songs and pretending I was George Michael (Wham!) or Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode). Thinking about it, I had a distinct lack of female role models in those early years.

++ Had you been in other bands before The Duglasettes? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

I had an imaginary band at school, but not a proper one. Despite my love of music, I’m the least musically talented person in the world, ever. Tim Owen, who played on the first Duglasette song, was uber talented and like Roy Castle seemed to be able to pick up any instrument and play it. He played in a band called Graham’s Crayon with his brother Jof (now of the Boy Least Likely To and Legends of Country). Graham’s Crayon were superb. I’m pretty certain there’ll still be a tape somewhere of their stuff. Funny, melodic, eclectic and wonderful. Jof is a natural songwriter. Buy all his records!

I had the honour of making the second Duglasette song with the legendary Will Bourton of Cee Bee Beaumont fame, another super talented guy. Buy his records also.

I don’t think Linda White was in any other bands, but I may be wrong.

++ Where were you from originally?

That’s always complicated to answer as my dad was in the army and we moved around a lot. I met Tim Owen when I was at school in brutalist dream town Aylesbury. I met Will Bourton and Linda White when I moved to London after I left school.

++ How was your town at the time of The Duglasettes? 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?

Apart from Graham’s Crayon, I didn’t know any other local bands and I was too young to go to the pub at the time. However, Aylesbury had the most magical record shop, Oven Ready Records, that saved my life. I spent a lot of time in there talking to teenage crush and super lovely guy Mark Bradley. And dicking around listening to and buying records.

When I moved to London (aged 17), I was flung in at the deep end gig going wise. It was heaven!

++ When and how did the band start? What inspired you to start a tribute band of the BMX Bandits?

Like most things in my life, it started as a daydream and me being jammy enough to know the loveliest people. In this case the adorable Richard Coulthard and the wonderful Colin Babb of seminal fanzine Waaaah!. They told me they were putting out a compilation CD and said if I could provide a song they’d include it on it. And that’s how Bellshill’s Son came about. I was a BMX Bandits superfan (still am) and had made up the song already, I just contacted genius Tim as I knew he had instruments and a 4 track that we could record the song on, and it was as simple as that.

++ How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

Me and Tim met at school, we were both into good music and we made each other laugh.

Me, Linda and Will met through going to gigs in London and mutual friends.

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

No creative process really, just me dicking about. I just made up different lyrics to another band’s tune and then sent the lyrics and a recording of the other band’s tune to either Tim or Will and said ‘I want it to sound like this’ and they just knocked out amazing music that I sang over. No practice required.

++ Even if it is obvious, what’s the story behind the band’s name?

I had a massive crush on heart throb Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits and our original song was about him (and the tune plagiarised from his band), I also loved 60s girl bands like the Ronettes so it made sense to call us the duglasettes.

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

BMX Bandits and other twee indie-pop stuff for the first tune. Napalm death, Riot Grrrl and Beastie Boys for the second song.

++ If you were to choose your favourite BMX Bandits album and songs, or a top five, what would they be?

My favourite BMX Bandits LP is definitely BMX Bandits Forever. I still can’t stop listening to it 2 years on. Favourite songs are:

1. It’s Time
2. Saveoursmiles
3. Love Me ‘Til My Heart Stops
4. But Tonight
5. All Around The World

++ And I have to ask, what did Duglas think of the band? And how many times have you seen the BMX Bandits?

I think he liked us.

When I lived in London I saw the BMX Bandits every time they played, which was quite a lot – I lost count of how many. I’ve not seen them in years now though and it’s certainly a big bucket list item of mine to see them again.

++ The two songs you released were on Bring on Bull Records. How did you end up working with this label? 

I was lucky enough to be friends with Richard and Colin of Waaaah! / Bring on Bull. They were great people and ace times.

++ The only release was a split flexi with the BMX Bandits. I was wondering about the art for this record. Who took care of that part?

I think that was Richard Coulthard. He was the mastermind behind everything really. An unsung genius of a man.

++ The song on this flexi is “Love Machine” and is quite a punkier song than the other song I know of yours. Why the difference of styles?

It kind of reflected the extremes of my personality when I was younger really. I was either full on ROAR! LOOK AT ME! or timid, quiet and shy. There was no in between. I’ve calmed down a bit now and the two extremes have melded a bit. But I still have eclectic tastes, especially in music.

++ The other song being of course “Belshill’s Son” which appeared on the compilation “The Waaaaaah! CD”. This CD features so many great bands from the period. I was wondering that if you felt part of a scene then?

Yes, absolutely. I moved to London when I was 17 and it could have so easily been a disaster, but I was lucky enough to be part of the tiny indiepop scene of the time, which was very friendly and supportive. You’d see all the same people at gigs and we all got to know each other. Waaaaah! Even organised picnics and coach trips. We had some very good times.

++ Aside from these two songs, are there any other recordings by the band?

No. The two songs were recorded to order. There were no rehearsals or other recordings or anything.

++ I really like the song “Belshill’s Son”, if it is not much to ask, what’s the story behind this song? 

There’s not much of a story really. Just me having a teenage crush making up songs and daydreaming.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Duglasettes song song, which one would that be and why?

That’s like asking a mother to choose her favourite child! I like them both. But at a push I prefer love machine because it still amuses me.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? 

No, we were supposed to support the Suncharms in Luton or somewhere at one point but it kind of fell through because I had no band, no songs, no instruments and no means of transport to get there. We were probably the crappiest band in the world.

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

As a gig goer it’s hard to beat a BMX Bandit gig. And for the real die hard duglasette fans out there you can spot me in the BMX Bandits video of Kylie’s Got a Crush On Us (1:03) stagediving at a gig.

++ And were there any bad ones?

No, none. No gig is bad when there are friends there.

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

I moved away from London and the cheeky, jubilant joie de vivre I had when I was younger left me for a bit. I lost interest in most things for a while to be honest. So no more music and no more bands. I’ve rediscovered my joie de vivre now though, so never say never!

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

Yes, Tim plays on some of the Legends of Country songs. And Will is one of those super talented people who’s in loads off bands – Blood Sausage, Cee Bee Beaumont, the McTells to name but a few.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

You writing about us has provoked much joyous joking about it. So who knows?

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

I think we were mentioned in a BMX Bandits interview once.

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

We had a review in the NME which said ‘The Duglasettes amuse no one but themselves’. I took this as a massive compliment.

++ What about from fanzines?

I was pleasantly surprised at how well our jokey exploits were received. And how many people remember us. Thank you everyone.

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

Being on a split flexi with the BMX Bandits of course!

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

I’m obsessed with circuit training, weight lifting and dogs.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you for reading this interview.

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Listen
The Duglasettes – Belshill’s Son

Last post for about two weeks! I will be back to posting on July 17th. Also all orders placed between today and the 16th won’t be mailed until the 17th. Sorry about that! The thing is I will be on holidays in Spain! Very very excited! Not much indiepop though in this trip as I haven’t seen any good concerts while I am there but I am really excited to see many friends!

Den Baron: aside from the 7″ that we have just released that no one should miss, the German project has a bunch of new songs to stream. 11 of them! They are collected together as the album “The Story So Far…” and the good news, other than they sound fantastic, is that this album will be released on CD by the Indonesian label Shiny Happy Records! One not to miss!

Los Bonsáis: what a pretty pretty video. The band from Asturias (yes the same place I will be visiting starting Friday) have just released a video for their song “No Es Para Tanto”. This song is part of “Hinoki” the latest album by the duo based in the city of Gijón. Lovely song too!

Las Densas: this band from Neuquen, Argentina, has a mini-album called “N ♡ T” out now in digital format only I believe. Mostly influenced by punk pop we find half of the songs to be quite poppish, and even jangly, and the other half much slower and with heavier guitars. You know which ones I like best of course.

Violentenne: this 80s shoegazy band from Ottawa, Canada’s capital, sounds really good! Their latest will be a 5 song EP called “Phantom Youth” which will be released on August 30th. We can preview the opening track, “Frozen Heart” which is hauntingly beautiful, with shimmering guitars and female vocals!

Jetstream Pony: and lastly one of my favourite contemporary bands, Brighton’s finest Jetstream Pony! They have a new song, in demo format, and it sounds ace! It is titled “Mitte” and it brings memories of my travels to Berlin of course. Now, when will this be released properly? Soon I hope! It deserves a 7″ of course!
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From Oslo, Norway, I’ll tell you a bit today about the obscure 90s band The Release Party. The bit I can find on the web, hoping of course that later on someone will be able to fill in the blanks!

Tona Gulpinar on guitar and vocals, Line Susann Berg on bass, Steinar Buholm on drums, Pål Lind on guitar and the legendary Tøre Sorensen aka. Bartleby of The Tables on guitar formed the band. They would release two 7″s and one album during their time.

The first 7″ came out in 1991 on the best label from Norway, Perfect Pop Records (POP 3). Their debut had two songs, “Don’t Say it Again” on the A side and “Pink Bubblegum” on the B side. The first written by Tona while the second by Line. Both songs were recorded at Endless Studios in Oslo, produced and engineer by Eystein Hopland (who had been in Bio-Logic, Ex Lex, Sister Rain among other bands). The jacket photo on the cover was taken by Maya Glaser and the one on the inserts was taken by Paal A. The record came with a postcard in various colours with credits, lyrics and contact info. It also came with an actual pink bubblegum that came inside the polybag.

Two years after the band was to release their self-titled debut album on Perfect Pop (POP10) and also on the German label Little Teddy Recordings (BiTe005). Perfect Pop released the CD while the German label released it on vinyl LP. The tracklist was the same on both records, 13 songs that on the vinyl version was divided like this. The A side had “Post Party”, “Done by Mirrors”, “In Her Brand New Shoes”, “Lovely”, “Turn Away” and “He’ll Be Daydreaming”. The B side had “Land of the Fog”, “Poor, Little You”, “Watch Me Capture You”, “My Only Song”, “Too Young to Be a Bitch”, “Parachute Song” and “Don’t Say it Again”. The vinyl version was first limited to 300 copies on black vinyl and stencil hand sprayed cover. After these 300 copies were sold Little Teddy repressed 200 more copies.

The art as mentioned was different on both CD and vinyl. The CD has a very cool art, with illustrations of the headshots of the band members in red and black colours. It was designed by Tone Lise Skomsvold. Again the tracks were recorded in Endless Sound and I noticed that the drummer was now Johnny instead of Steinar who actually is credited for photography in the record. Then I see that Bartleby is not listed anymore on guitar. Instead I see Geir Holtbakk (who was in The Time Lodgers). The songs were mixed by Ulv Knudsen (from Betong Hysteria, Feel, Sister Rain, and many more bands).

Lasty in 1996 the band released the “Right Here Right Now” (POP23) single. This 7″. with its sleeve of a blue flower had the title song on the A side and “Follow Me” on the B side.

The band appeared on more than a few compilations. The first dating from 1992 on Mermaid Records’ “He Didn’t Even Draw a Fish on My Shower Curtain” CD (MIRABELL 001). On this comp the band had the song “Parachute Jumping From the Sky”. This compilation was a fake tribute album to the Hungarian “beat poetess” named Eleine D. Jezús.

That same year the band contributed the song “Why Aren’t You Mine?” on the “Nova 92” CD comp released by Radio Nova Records (003). This was a compilation of live recordings from the NOVA Festival that was held on the 8th and 9th of May, 1992, at Kampen Verksted in Oslo, Norway. I found out that this song was actually a cover of The Chills’ “Wet Blanket”.

The German label Mermaid Records was to include them again on a compilation in 1992. The CD comp “Mermaid Employee of the Month: Gustav Sackmüller” (MIRABELL 685) had the song “Parachute Jumping From the Sky”. Yes, the same song as the previous Mermaid comp. Odd no? Well, no. This release was a boxset that included the previous compilation plus a 6 track tape with extra songs, a test pressing and a bootleg. This boxset is quite rare. Only 50 copies were made.

The Norwegian label Rock Furore released “Rock Furore” (RFCD7) a compilation that had the song “Lovely” by The Release Party. This 1993 compilation also included The Wedding Present.

In 1995 they would appear on “A Perfect Pop Compilation 1991-1994” (POP20) with three songs, “Don’t Say it Again”, “Done by Mirrors” and “The Return of the King Bees”. This last one, written by Geir Holtbakk, was previously unreleased. In 2001, Perfect Pop would include their song “Right Here Right Now” on the compilation “Bestrummed! Perfect Pop 1995-2001” (POP40).

I look at the band members on Discogs. I find that Line Susann Berg was originally from the town of Bodø. Bodø is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Bodø (which is also the capital of Nordland county). The municipality of Bodø is located just north of the Arctic Circle and the town of Bodø is the largest urban area and town in Nordland county, and the second-largest town in North Norway.

Then we know that Pål Lind was on groups like Peder Pung & De Kåte and Politisk Hjærnesvikt A/S. Steinar Buholm, also known as Birdeye, was in The Tables, The Time Lodgers, Sister Rain and Monsters of Doom who I have featured on the blog before. Tona doesn’t seem to have been involved in other bands but did backing vocals in the Astroburger “Stand On It” album

I google a lot but can’t find much. I do find an Archive.org bio of the band. I think it comes from a page called Cryptic Times, but I’m not 100% sure. It mentions here that the band played their first show just four days after forming, doing covers of The Pastels and The Chills.

Not much more information about them on the web. Happily I do own their album which I’ve played many times. I think it is great. I wonder though if I’ll get to find more information about them. I don’t think I’ve interviewed a Norwegian band before? If they get in touch could this be the first time?

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Listen
The Release Party – Don’t Say It Again

Thanks so much to Chris Munday for the interview! I wrote about the West London band Accent on the blog some time ago and Chris got in touch and was willing to tell me a bit more about the great band he was in in the early 80s! If you have never heard about them, it is time to discover them!

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

My pleasure thank you for asking me to do this interview, I’m doing ok thank you still doing a little bit of songwriting with a friend from my last ever band Salad not the band of the same name that stole our name that featured a certain MTV presenter lol, just ideas.

++ 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 first music memories my Mum and Dad had a band in the 60s no one famous and I remember seeing them play and really growing up in that environment so music was always playing, I’m self taught started playing drums around 16, I always remember hearing on the radio the song “Woodstock” and “Killing Me Softly” sticks in my mind bands like 10cc and just general chart stuff early 70s then I got into Rock then the punk bands Stiff Little Fingers, The Motors, The Damned.

++ Had you been in other bands before Accent? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?

My first band I was in were called Mayhem really fast punk band around 1979,then Les Verbal Screamers,Then Fear we used to be The Meteors regular support act in London,not sure what bands the other guys were in before Accent and there is a live Fear recording from 1981 as a support act to the Meteors at the 100 club in Oxford street but I don’t have a copy sadly although its out there somewhere.

++ Where were you from originally, West London?

Yes I was born in Paddington lived in Notting Hill gate through the 60s then the 70s in Harrow North West London.

++ How was your town at the time of Accent? 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?

Harrow and surrounding area has produced quite a few artist over the years Elton John was from Pinner, Simon Le Bon Duran Duran, Iain Baker Jesus Jones and Jamie Stewart, The Cult bass player, went to the same school as me. There was a venue called the Roxborough pub many punk bands played there including Gothic punk band Ritual. Jamie Stewart’s first band before he joined Deathcult then The Cult. Record shop called Sellenby in South Harrow still going but in Ruislip now was my local.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process? Is it true you joined the band through an advert in a music paper?

Accent started in 1981 Brian and Mick formed the band, I joined in 1982 I took over from John Webb who was drummer at the time who was Gary Numan’s foster brother he left and played saxophone for a while in his touring band,we also had Guitarist Robin Yates who joined at the same time as me he played Keyboard on the single, I saw the advert in a music paper and went for the audition and got the job.

At the same time that I joined Accent in 1982, Robin Yates joined. Robin had taken over from a guitarist with the name Dave. Sorry I don’t remember his second name. And then Robin was replaced a few months before we recorded “We Are Lost” with Steve Flynn.

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

We used to rehearse at first in a School in Hounslow then at Survival studio in Acton West London Brian was the main guy for all the arrangement with Mick adding the music but we all threw in ideas.

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

Mainly The Jam and The Police various punk bands but the Jam were the main influence.

++ You only released one 7″ in 1984. It was on a label called Motion Records. Tell me a bit about the label. Who were behind it? Was it yourselves?

Yes Motion Records was a self financed label that Brian created to put the single out.

++ The 7″ had two songs, “We Are Lost” and “(Intro) Blue & Royal Line”. Both were recorded at Abbey Road Studios and were produced by Tony Clark. How was that experience? Was it the first time going to a proper studio?

It was an a real experience the studio and working with Tony Clark was amazing his knowledge of music is incredible he worked with The Beatles was engineer on 2 Paul Mcartney and Wings albums his work with John Lennon Stevie Wonder so working with Tony was brilliant.we had all been in studio before doing various bits.

++ What about before this 7″? Did you have any other recordings? Perhaps demo tapes?

There are demos from a studio in Euston and a live Albums worth of material we recorded in Manchester Square of which only Brian has a copy in fact i spoke to Tony 2 days ago and he wants to get that copy and put it out if he makes contact with Brian.

++ Were there any compilation appearances by the band?

No.

++ And are there many more unreleased tracks by the band? Have you ever thought of putting together some sort of retrospective?

No unreleased tracks.

++ If you were to choose your favorite Accent song, which one would that be and why?

Blue and Royal Line and Northern British Solders Son melodic tracks loved playing them and If only which was really catchy song.

++ What about gigs? Did you play many? How was the gig at Stamford Bridge?

As a band we played 50 or so gigs, I never played Stamford Bridge I had 3 months out the band before returning this was for personal reasons a few months after we did “We Are Lost”.

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

Kings Head Casual beat club but my favorites was the Greyhound Fulham and Rock Garden.

++ And were there any bad ones?

Can’t remember bad gigs.

++ You also were involved with a club called the Casual Beat club. What was that about?

The Casual Beat Club was upstairs of the Kings Head, Fulham.

++ When and why did Accent stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?

Can’t remember exactly I left then soon after band split not sure reason why, I went on to form Salad with Martin Collison and Mick Lewis and Mick and Brian started Turquoise Blue.

++ Has there ever been a reunion? Or talks of playing again together?

Yes reunion was talked about but only if we ever found Brian and if Mick still was up for it I definitely would do in fact 3 years ago I was speaking through social media to Peter Hooton The Farm singer and he thought we had reformed and offered us a support at the O2 which would of been amazing if we had been back together I have talked with Tony Clark about this also it all depends on Mick and Brian the interest is definitely there.

++ Did you get much attention from the radio?

No radio play at all.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention? You were on the cover of Sounds once, right? How did that happen?

We got a press interest we got a 2 page spread in sounds just after we recorded We Are Lost which i done Mick has a copy still of us then a couple of months later during my 3 months out the front cover.through Garry Bushell editor of sounds.

++ Then not so long ago there was a documentary called “Casuals” were Accent was featured. Were you in this film? Have you seen it? What do you think?

The song was featured and Mick is in it and Garry Bushell I have not seen it but Cass Pennant did send me a copy a few years back.

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

Recording the single “We Are Lost”.

++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have? Are you a Chelsea fan?

Queens Park Rangers. Hobbies wise not really any but my family and Christian faith are my life now.

++ Anything else you’d like to add?

I enjoyed my 3 and a bit years less 3 months lol in Accent I was a bit gutted I must admit having done all the recordings and playing on the single to miss out on the cover shoot and most of the press photos have been of the band during my 3 months out of the band but that was then, my faith has replaced any disappointment I had then. Looking forward to that runion gig though if it ever happens.

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Listen
Accent – We Are Lost

This is a short week for the blog as there will be posts today and Wednesday. Then on Thursday I am going on holidays to Spain. I will be back on Tuesday the 16th, so Wednesday the 17th will be the day posts will resume.

This also means, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I can bring records to Spain if anyone is interested. Just let me know.

And secondly orders for Den Baron have already started shipping. The release date is June 30 as the insert in the 7″ has it, but as it is a Sunday we have agreed to “officially” say it is July 1st. Though it is a June release for sure.

Anyways, here are some new tracks from over the weekend.

Blush Response/Warm: there is this new digital split by the Adelaide, Australia, band Blush Response and the New Paltz, NY, band Warm on Bandcamp. This is catered to the shoegazing fans here. There are two songs by each band, Blush Response contributes “Weightless” and “Sweet Respite” (this one being the best of the split) and Warm has “Moonweed” and “OUTLAW69”.

LIPS: the Falmouth, UK, band is back with a summer song just in time to get prepared for their debut at Indietracks. How exciting! The song is aptly titled “In Summer” and it is pure indiepop bliss.

Miedo: the band from Madrid has just published a promo video for their song “Pánico Por Nada”. The video is very DIY, maybe even done by the band. Where was it filmed? Somewhere close to the Spanish capital? What I like the best is the song itself, it is just a sweet little song. Maybe I can find some record of theirs while I am Spain?

Marcos y Molduras: this is my first time listening to this Spanish band who has put together a promo video for their song “La de Parks” which sounds great! I wonder if the song is about the TV series “Parks and Recreation”? Could it be? In any case I hope this gets released in physical format. And when are they playing live? You know I’ll be in Madrid on the 13th, could be cool to catch a band that day.

The Buildings: here is a tape album called “Cell-O-Phane” from this band from the Philippines, I believe. I think this is a reissue, but I could be wrong. The album is being released by a Singapore record label called Middle Class Cigars who in the past released the very fine band Sobs. There are 12 songs that sound very nice, with female vocals, that remind me a lot of the bands Shelflife used to release back in the day. Cool!

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Here’s another record I’m after, Shame’s “Real Tears” 7″. I have to say -once again- that I know barely anything about it. I know I love the song “Real Tears” and should be enough for anyone, but I want to know more. I wonder if I’ll be able to find any interesting details. Googling for “shame” won’t be easy.

The 7″ was released in 1985 by the Welsh indie label Fierce Recordings, well known for putting out the Pooh Sticks. This label was based in Swansea and started releasing records that same year, 1985. That is interesting. Aside from a Charles Manson album and a couple of unofficial 7″s by The Jesus and Mary Chain, the only other band released that year was Shame, which was the third release on the label (FRIGHT 003), even though on the matrix it is etched “004”. Maybe it was a mistake at the pressing plant.

The songs were “Real Tears” as the A side and “40 Hanover Street” as the A2 side. Yes, it was single-sided. Discogs mentions that the record came with a small sample of “Dylan Sweat”. What does that mean? I believe it was a postcard but hopefully someone can confirm.

The back sleeve says that the songs were recorded on September 11th 1985 at The Bunker. The songs were produced and engineered by Michael Powles. We know that the band was formed by Patricia “Trish” Griffiths on bass and vocals, Andrew “Griff” Griffiths on drums and Stephen “Haggis” Harris on guitar and vocals. A temporary recruit called Dano played extra piano on the re-recorded “Real Tears”.

I say re-recorded because the band had recorded 3 songs in a Cardiff studio. One of them was “Real Tears”. This must have been sort of a demo to send to labels, I’m assuming. “40 Hanover Street” was recorded in this session. The re-recorded version of “Real Tears” was actually recorded in Swansea. Now it is pretty obvious they were from Wales. Where in Wales? That I couldn’t say. I thought perhaps “40 Hanover Street” was a clue, but I could only find that address in Liverpool. But no, I find out they hailed from Swansea.

After the release of the 7″ Stephen would leave the band to join Zodiac & Mindwarp. But then in 1987 the band would reappear with Andrew and Patricia (were they siblings?). Joining them would be Steve Mitchell from Fierce Recordings and also the Pooh Sticks and Paul Leigh. Not sure if this lineup recorded anything.

But that’s not all as it turns out the band appears on the compilation “The Sound of Leamington Spa Vol. 8” that Firestation Records (FST155) released last year, 2018. They contributed the song “Real Tears”. But the good thing here is that there is a small bio on the booklet! Great I’ll find out some more info about them?

Swansea, Wales: Haggis (vocals/guitar) and Griff (drums) had fought the punk wars together as 13-year olds in local sensation The Autonomes, and both continued to be central to anything and everything happening on the post-punk scene. In 1985, with the addition of Trish (bass/vocals), they formed Shame. Immediately, the trio recorded three songs in Cardiff, though from that session only the instrumental “40 Hanover Street” survived to make it onto the single released later that year. The song intended as the A-side, “Real Tears”, subsequently re-recorded for the single in a basement studio in Swansea (with extra piano played by temporary recruit Dano), was a product of Haggis’ obsession with the movie “Christane F”: in his head, the song was a doomed version of heroin inBerlin, but the reality was surely more out of-control Gee’s Linctus in the doledrum that was Swansea’s bleak Portmead estate. The third song recorded by the group, “Emily Jayne’, is presumed lost. Shame effectively split by the end of the year when Haggis left Swansea for the an international A-list life in the rock’n’roll fast lane (look him up!); Griff and Trish played in a revised no-Haggis version of Shame which existed briefly in 1987. Since then, Trish has sadly died, but Griff continues to wear a tall, purple, mirrored pilgrim hat around town: if you see him ask him about those months when Prefab Sprout’s “Steve McQueen” and a blue powder-blu Hofner Verithin promised to be the key to everything.

And that’s all. I wonder if they had more recordings? I would also love to hear the third song, “Emily Jayne”, that was on that cassette demo. Who remembers them?

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Listen
Shame – Rea Tears