A bit bittersweet to mention again the superb compilation tape “Everlasting Happiness” that my friend Andreas Hering put together back in 1991 when he was in his hometown of Worms, Germany. That tape is indeed a favourite as it included bands like Nine Steps to Ugly, the Ammonites, Spinning Wheels, The Mayfields, even Shine! who I released a retrospective CD. All of the bands and songs are really good. Many of them I have showcased in the blog. Today I want to write about the very obscure Baldwin’s Casuals who appear last in the tape, the 26th song, the 12th song on the B side.

The song they contributed was “She’s Out of My Mind”. It is an interesting song, it is not upbeat, it is mysterious, it is haunting. Is it a band? Is it just one person? Who would know. Sadly Andreas is not around to ask him. I wonder why I never did. So many questions, so many emails and answers through the years. What knowledge.

The recording is lo-fi. Sounds like a bedroom band of the 80s. Recorded on a 4-track? Possibly. There’s vocals and a guitar. That’s all.

I look for more information. There seems to be a band called Nearly Dan that play Steely Dan covers. But it says they were around in 1995 and played many Steely Dan songs even then. First I can’t see whoever is playing “She’s Out of My Mind” doing Steely Dan covers. Second the timeframe doesn’t match. The compilation tape “Everlasting Happiness” is from 1991. Baldwin’s Casuals would be late 80s or early 90s.

What about the curious name? Yeah I thought about that. It is related to the British TV programme Coronation Street: “Baldwin’s Casuals was a factory on Coronation Street which was in production as a denim factory from 1976 to 1989, when it was demolished for redevelopment work of that side of the street. The property was originally built in 1971 and used as a warehouse, the Mark Brittain Warehouse, but after a fire in 1975, the premises was refurbished and turned into a denim factory once Mike Baldwin, a London businessman bought it. “

Interesting name. Interesting band. I wonder if the band was from Scotland. Andreas loved Scotland, and I wouldn’t be surprised that he found them somehow on a demo tape, or had some connections to them.

Anyone have a clue?

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Listen
Baldwin’s Casuals – She’s Out of My Mind