The Bitter Springs are 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 ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

group from the

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

suburb of

Teddington Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long m ...

. The band evolved from Last Party, who had formed in 1985, with the name changing in 1996. The band have released two albums as Last Party, and six as The Bitter Springs and also played with

Vic Godard Vic Godard (born Victor John Napper) is an English singer-songwriter formerly of the punk group Subway Sect. He is now also a solo performer, while continuing to appear with various incarnations of Subway Sect. Biography Born Victor John Napper ...

Subway Sect Subway Sect were one of the first British punk bands. Although their commercial success was limited by the small amount of recorded material they released, they have been credited as highly influential on the Postcard Records scene and the indi ...

, on and off for nine years.

History

Last Party formed in 1985, although their history stretches back to the band No Trains At The Bay, which the members formed at school in 1978, and who had a song called "The Last Party". One of their earliest gigs was in support of The Sound, their original drummer Steve Infield being a housemate of The Sound's bass player Graham Bailey.Clarkson, John (2007)
Bitter Springs : Interview
, ''Penny Black Music'', 7 January 2007 They released their debut album on their own Harvey label the following year. They were the support act at

The Stone Roses The Stone Roses were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...

' first London gig, at the Greyhound in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

, and were favourites with

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 ...

, recording two sessions for his

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

show, one in 1987 and a second in 1989.McFadden, Lee (2006)
IN PROFILE: The Bitter Springs
", '' The Morning Star'', 7 January 2006Last Party
at the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

's ''Keeping it Peel'' site In 1995, the band members at the time (singer Simon Rivers, bass player Daniel Ashkenazy, Kim Ashford, and Neil Palmer) decided on a new name, The Bitter Springs, changing their name "in the hope that journalists who had ignored the Last Party would give us another listen". The debut release under this new name, the ''Addison Brothers'' EP, featured

, and the Bitter Springs enjoyed a long association with Godard, acting as his backing band, the Subway Sect, for nine years, also contributing to studio recordings including Godard's ''Blackpool'' album, where Godard and the Bitter Springs provide musical backing to lyrics by

Irvine Welsh Irvine Welsh (born 27 September 1958) is a Scottish novelist, playwright and short story writer. His 1993 novel '' Trainspotting'' was made into a film of the same name. He has also written plays and screenplays, and directed several short fil ...

. The Bitter Springs themselves have released six studio albums, including ''Benny Hill's Wardrobe'', which was "album of the month" in ''

MOJO Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

'' and rated at 4.5 out of 5 by ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'',Sladeckova, Olga (2003)
Bitter Springs : Interview with Simon Rivers
, ''Penny Black Music'', 12 October 2003 the latest being ''That Sentimental Slush'' in 2006, described as "an , exuberant bomb blast of an album".McFadden, Lee (2006)
Life's auteurs - ALBUM: The Bitter Springs - That Sentimental Slush
, '' The Morning Star'', 18 February 2006 McFadden, Lee (2006)
Exploding with raw emotion - ALBUM: The Bitter Springs - Poor Trace
, '' The Morning Star'', 3 November 2006 Clarkson, John (2006)
Bitter Springs : That Sentimental Slush
, ''Penny Black Music'', 22 October 2006 '' Allmusic's'' Stewart Mason described the album as "entirely typical of the band's output, showing both their strengths and weaknesses", and noted Rivers' "wry sense of humor and an eye for romantic futility".Mason, Stewart " The Bitter Springs ''That sentimental Slush'' Review, ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'', Macrovision Corporation Lyricist and singer Simon Rivers has also performed solo, the first time in 2007 supporting

The Band of Holy Joy The Band of Holy Joy are an English band formed in New Cross, London, and initially active between 1984 and 1993, releasing several albums. In 1992, they abbreviated their name to Holy Joy. They reformed in 2002, under their original name, releas ...

.Palmer, Neil (2007)
Simon Rivers : 12 Bar Club, London, 1/5/2007
, ''Penny Black Music'', 15 April 2007

Discography

Singles

As Last Party

*"Mr. Hurst" (1987) Harvey *"Tree Shada" (1987) Idol *"Damp" (1998) Idol *"Die In a Spy Ring" (1989) Idol *"Black Leather Sheets" (1992) Bilberry *"Creature Lake" (1993) Harvey *"UCIT" (1994) Dishy *''Contrast Split Single Club Vol.2'' (1994) Contrast (track: "Fix Me") *"Selective Memory" (1995) Dishy

As The Bitter Springs

*''Addison Brothers'' EP (1996) Vespertine *"Absence Makes the Hair Grow Blonder" (1997) Trade 2 *"It's Business" (1997)

Wurlitzer Jukebox The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

*''Barbara'' EP (1998) Dishy *"A Good Provider" (1998) Debut - joint single with

Esposito Esposito () is a common Italian surname. It ranks fourth among the most widespread surnames in Italy. It originates from the Campania region, most specifically, in the Naples area. Etymology and history Etymology, Etymologically, this surname i ...

*"Manners, Pianos, Mouthorgans" (1998) Amberley *''Stop The World'' EP (2001) Acuarela *''Poor Trace'' EP (2006) Harvey *''Firm Family Favourites'' EP (2006) Harvey *"And Even Now" (2009) - digital download *"My Life as a Dog in a Pigsty" (2010) - digital download *"TV Tears" (2010) - digital download *"Gary Glitter Fan Convention" (2011) - digital download *"Snowflakes in June" (2011) - digital download *"Something Good Together/Portrait Of A Marriage" (2015) - 7" Acuarela Records *"The Hounslow Solicitors" (2015) - digital download

Albums

As Last Party

*''Porky's Range'' (1986) Harvey *''Love Handles'' (1990) Harvey *''Cacophony on Port Hampton - Singles and Rarities 1985 - 1995'' (2008) (digital download only)

As The Bitter Springs

*''From The Parish of Arthritis'' (1997) Dishy *''Five Die Filming This Lazy Lark'' (1998) Vespertine *''Benny Hill's Wardrobe'' (1999) Vespertine *''The Best Bakers on the Island - El Grande Espanol'' (2000) Acuarela (compilation of Last Party and Bitter Springs tracks) *''The Suburban Crimes of Every Happiness'' (2001) Dishy *''That Sentimental Slush'' (2006) Harvey *''Everyone's Cup of Tea'' (2013) Harvey *''Cuttlefish And Love's Remains'' (2015) Harvey

Compilation appearances

*''

Les Inrockuptibles ''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though every issue in ...

'' - French Magazine CD - "Hell's Angel" *''Les Inrockuptibles'' - French Magazine CD - "Christmas #1"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bitter Springs English rock music groups Musical groups established in 1985 1985 establishments in England