Jackdaw with Crowbar is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

multi-media

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

band from

Leamington Spa Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington (), is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire, England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors, it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following ...

.Robb, John (2009) ''Death to Trad Rock'', Cherry Red Books, , p. 369 The band was formed in 1985, but consolidated in 1987, when signed to

Ron Johnson Records Ron Johnson Records was a UK independent record label based in Long Eaton operating between 1983 and 1988.Robb, John (2009) ''Death To Trad Rock'', Cherry Red Books, , p. 19, 383 The label contributed five tracks to the NME's C86 compilation. Ru ...

, until it went bust.

History

Jackdaw with Crowbar's original line-up was Timothy Ellis, Fergus Durrant, Dave Tibbats and Dan Morrison, with Adam Sindall, Steve Law and Fran Juckes making Super 8mm films which were always present in their live performances.Booth, Vachel (1987) "Clapperboard Clash! Jackdaw With Crowbar in Film Fun", ''Underground'', October 1987 (Issue 7), p. 26 This line-up released the band's first three records, ''Monarchy, Mayhem and Fishpaste'', ''Sink Sank Sunk'' and ''Hot Air''. The band contributed to the 1988 compilation album ''Take Five'' in aid of the charity

Shelter Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. Shelter may also refer to: Places * Port Shelter, Hong Kong * Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations * Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...

. In 1991, Jackdaw released ''Hanging In the Balance'', expanding the line-up with Tris King (formerly of

Bogshed Bogshed were an Indie band formed in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England, in 1985 by Phil Hartley (vocals), Mark McQuaid (guitar), Mike Bryson (bass) and Tristan King (drums). They released two albums, two EPs and two singles before splitting ...

and later of

A Witness A Witness are an English post-punk/indie rock band, who were originally active in the mid-1980s alternative music scene. Their first EP ''Loudhailer Songs'' and début album ''I am John's Pancreas'' brought them to the attention of BBC Radio 1 d ...

),Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 237 Andy Guthrie, Alan McCulloch (aka "Wak"), Andy Grimmer, Wilf Plum (

Dog Faced Hermans Dog Faced Hermans were a post-punk band that formed in Scotland in the mid 1980s and remained active through the mid 1990s. They emerged from the UK anarcho-punk scene with a guitar/bass/drums line-up, but also incorporated trumpet and other ...

) and Charley 'H' Bembridge (The Selecter). Jackdaw had two

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

sessions on 19 May 1987 and 4 October 1987. Jackdaw stopped touring around 1991 or 1992. In 2005, "Fuck America" was released on a compilation CD, ''Commercially Unfriendly: The Best Of British Underground'', on Gott Discs.Lee, Stewart (29 January 2006). "Various Artists: Commercially Unfriendly: The Best of the British Underground 1983–1989", ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'', p. 21. In 2007, Ellis and Sindall started working together and Jackdaw was re-hatched with Fergus Durrant joining soon after. With all new films and songs, Jackdaw released a new EP available from Hybrid Cuts. The 8mm films were replaced by lap tops and video projectors. Jackdaw received air play on

BBC Radio 6 BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available onl ...

in ''

Stuart Maconie Stuart Maconie (born 13 August 1961) is an English radio DJ and television presenter, writer, journalist, and critic working in the field of pop music and popular culture. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music where, alongside Mark ...

's Freak Zone'' and

Don Letts Donovan "Don" Letts (born 10 January 1956) is a British film director, disc jockey (DJ) and musician. Letts first came to prominence as the videographer for the Clash, directing several of their music videos. In 1984, Letts co-founded the band B ...

' show. Jackdaw with Crowbar, in 2018, entered into its third age continuing as a duo, known as Jackdaw with Crowbar, Because You're Worth It, with Ellis and Sindall.

Musical style

The band's musical style was described by the musician and writer John Robb as a combination of "spiky and dark guitar-driven blues and guitar-punk disco-filth". Discussing the first EP, ''Monarchy, Mayhem, and Fishpaste'', the writer John Corbett described the music as "a song sung through a bull horn ("Crow"), an accordion reggae-dub ("Fourth World"), a two-step featuring slide guitar reminiscent of Zoot Horn Rollo in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band ("The Night Albania Fell on Alabama")."Corbett, John (1994) ''Extended Play: Sounding Off from John Cage to Dr.Funkenstein'', Duke University Press, , p. 48 In Corbett's view, "the brief appearance of Jackdaw's records exemplifies the local-mode commodity at both its most appealing and its most politically volatile".

Discography

References

External links

* {{Authority control English indie rock groups Musical groups established in 1986 1986 establishments in England