Strawberry Switchblade
Strawberry Switchblade were a Scottish pop duo formed in Glasgow in 1981 by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, best known for their song "Since Yesterday" from 1985, and their flamboyant clothing with bows and polka-dots. History Before being signed The punk movement expanded rapidly in the United Kingdom in 1976. At the time, Rose McDowall and Jill Bryson were part of the bohemian art scene who adored the New York Dolls and who followed Scottish punk band Nu-Sonics (later Orange Juice) during their career, with McDowall playing and recording with Paisley punk band The Poems. The group took their name from a proposed Orange Juice zine. The band's very first incarnation, an all-female 4 piece, recorded one demo at Glasgow's Hellfire Club and played a handful of gigs. Their friends, Janice Goodlett and Carole McGowan completed the line up on bass and drums respectively. Strawberry Switchblade played at a John Peel gig in Scotland, and he invited them to record a session for his BBC ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Since Yesterday
"Since Yesterday" is a song performed by Scottish synth-pop duo Strawberry Switchblade, the lead single from their self-titled album. It became their only major hit, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. Background and composition "Since Yesterday" (primarily written by Rose McDowall) was written during the early days of the band. The song was initially called "Dance" and was debuted at their live shows from 1981 to 1982. The only recording of "Dance" that survives is of a David Jensen BBC session the band did in October 1982, when they were still unsigned. While the musical structure stayed the same, the lyrics and vocal melody were extensively rewritten by McDowall when the duo recorded their debut album, and was eventually retitled "Since Yesterday". In 2015, McDowall revealed that the song is about nuclear war. Other interpretations included a theme of suicide. The track's opening fanfare came from the third movement of Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 – the Finale ~ ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Trees And Flowers
"Trees and Flowers" is a song performed by Scottish band Strawberry Switchblade. It was their debut single in 1983, and a subsequently released demo version has become one of their most popular tracks. Background and composition Despite the band's usual new wave indie pop style, "Trees and Flowers" is a reflective ballad in a folk-pop vein. Although band members Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall officially credited all songs to both of them equally, " Trees and Flowers" was written by Bryson on her own. In contrast to the gentle tune and soft vocal harmonies, the lyrics' main refrain is "I hate the trees and I hate the flowers, and I hate the buildings and the way they tower over me." They describe Bryson's agoraphobia, something that had affected her teenage years so severely that she had missed a year of school. The band recorded two sessions for BBC Radio 1 in October 1982. These were heard by David Balfe and Bill Drummond, who made contact and became their managers. The Pe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rose McDowall
Rose McDowall (née Porter; born 21 October 1959) is a Scottish musician who formed Strawberry Switchblade with Jill Bryson in 1981. History McDowall was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1959. Her first venture into music was in the Poems, an art-punk trio formed in 1978 with her then-husband Drew McDowall. She then formed Strawberry Switchblade in 1981 with Jill Bryson. After signing with Warner Bros. Records, they enjoyed chart success with their single " Since Yesterday" in 1984; however, later singles and an album did not sell as well as expected. This and internal problems led to an acrimonious split in 1986. For the next six years, McDowall was primarily a guest vocalist or "floating member" of several different alternative bands, particularly in the neofolk genre. She contributed backing or lead vocals for Coil, Current 93, Death in June, Felt, Alex Fergusson, Into a Circle, Megas, Nature and Organisation, Nurse with Wound, Ornamental, Psychic TV and Boyd Rice on ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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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 Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, Hip hop music, hip hop and Independent music, indie, while its sister station BBC Radio 1Xtra, 1Xtra plays Black music, Black contemporary music, including hip hop and Rhythm and blues, R&B. Radio 1 also runs two online streams, BBC Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Dance, dedicated to dance music, and BBC Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 1 Anthems, dedicated to throwback music; both are available to listen only on BBC Sounds. Radio 1 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM band, FM between and , Digital radio in the United Kingdom, digital radio, Digital television in the United Kingdom, digital TV and BBC Sounds. It was launched in 1967 to meet the demand for music generated by pirate radio stations, when the average age of the UK population ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aztec Camera
Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/ new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter and only consistent member. Established in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: '' High Land, Hard Rain'' (1983), ''Knife'' (1984), ''Love'' (1987), '' Stray'' (1990), '' Dreamland'' (1993) and '' Frestonia'' (1995). The band garnered popular success for the songs " Oblivious", " Somewhere in My Heart" and " Good Morning Britain" (a duet with former Clash guitarist Mick Jones). History Early years (1980–1983) Aztec Camera were formed in East Kilbride in 1980 by Roddy Frame and drummer David Mulholland after they had left the punk-inspired band Neutral Blue. Aztec Camera first appeared on a Glasgow cassette-only compilation of local unsigned bands on the Pungent Records label, affiliated with the ''Fumes'' fanzine run by Danny Easson and John Gilhooly. The band's first United Kingdom (UK) single release was sold in a 7" format by Postcard Record ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Roddy Frame
Roddy Frame (born 29 January 1964) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. He was the founder of the 1980s new wave band Aztec Camera and has undertaken a solo career since the group's dissolution. In November 2013, journalist Brian Donaldson described Frame as: "Aztec Camera wunderkind-turned-elder statesman of intelligent, melodic, wistful Scotpop." Since the end of the Aztec Camera project, Frame has released four solo albums, the last of which is 2014's ''Seven Dials''. Early life Frame grew up in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and went to Canberra Primary School and Duncanrig Secondary School. Frame was surrounded by music from a very young age, as his older sisters were music fans and listened to a great number of artists, such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. He started to learn guitar playing at a very early age. During his early years playing guitar, Frame frequently listened to Wilko Johnson and was able to play many of Johnson's songs ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no way to escape. These situations can include public transit, shopping centers, crowds and queues, or simply being outside their home on their own. Being in these situations may result in a panic attack. Those affected will go to great lengths to avoid these situations. In severe cases, people may become completely unable to leave their homes. Agoraphobia is believed to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The condition often runs in families, and stressful or traumatic events such as the death of a parent or being attacked may be a trigger. In the DSM-5, agoraphobia is classified as a phobia along with specific phobias and social phobia. Other conditions that can produce similar symptoms include separation anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depressive disorder. The diagnosis of agoraph ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Smash Hits
''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand for a spin-off digital television channel, which was later renamed Box Hits, and website. A digital radio station was also available but closed on 5 August 2013. Overview ''Smash Hits'' featured the lyrics of latest hits and interviews with big names in music. It was initially published monthly, then went fortnightly. The style of the magazine was initially serious, but from the mid-1980s became increasingly irreverent. Its interviewing technique was novel at the time and, rather than looking up to the big names, it often made fun of them, asking strange questions rather than talking about their music. Created by journalist Nick Logan, the title was launched in 1978 and appeared monthly for its first few issues. He based the idea on ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Echo & The Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch (singer), Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer. Their 1980 debut album ''Crocodiles (album), Crocodiles'' went into the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart. After releasing their second album ''Heaven Up Here'' in 1981, the band's cult status was followed by mainstream success in the UK in 1983 when they scored a UK Singles Chart, UK Top 10 hit with "The Cutter (song), The Cutter", and the album which the song came from, ''Porcupine (album), Porcupine'', hit number 2 in the UK. ''Ocean Rain'' (1984), continued the band's UK chart success with its lead single "The Killing Moon" entering into the top 10. After they released a Echo & the Bunnymen (album), self-titled album in 1987, McCulloch left the band and was replaced by singer Noel Burke. In 1989, de Freitas ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Will Sergeant
William Alfred Sergeant (born 12 April 1958) is an English guitarist, best known for being a member of Echo & the Bunnymen. He is the group's only constant member. Career As a solo artist, Sergeant focused on minimalism and atmospherics, and usually released entirely instrumental music. Sergeant's first solo work was in 1978, when he self-produced ''Weird As Fish'' and made a total of seven copies. The album was officially released 25 years later. Early in the life of Echo & the Bunnymen, Sergeant recorded ''La Vie Luonge'', a soundtrack piece for a short Bunnymen concert film of the same name. His first formal solo album, ''Themes for Grind'', was released in 1982, while still active with Echo & the Bunnymen, and reached number 6 on the Indie album chart. Sergeant continued with the Bunnymen after Ian McCulloch left in 1988, bringing in Noel Burke to sing on ''Reverberation'' in 1990, before breaking up the band in 1993. In 1994, Sergeant and McCulloch reunited to form El ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single " Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. The group also launched the career of group frontman Julian Cope as well as that of keyboard player and co-manager David Balfe (later a record producer, A&R man and founder of Food Records). Other members included early Smiths producer Troy Tate. Along with other contemporary Liverpudlian groups, The Teardrop Explodes played a role in returning psychedelic elements to mainstream British rock and pop, initially favouring a modernised version of lightly psychedelic late 1960s-influenced beat-group sound (sometimes described as "bubblegum trance") and later exploring more experimental areas. In addition to their musical reputation, the band (and Cope in particular) had a reputation for eccentric pronouncements and behaviour, sometimes verg ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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David Balfe
David Balfe (born 1958) is an English musician and record company executive, most notable for playing keyboards with the Teardrop Explodes, founding the Zoo and Food independent record labels, signing Blur and for being the subject of their first number one hit, "Country House". Biography David Balfe grew up in Merseyside, where he played with several Liverpool bands in the late 1970s that emerged from the city's legendary Eric's club scene, including Radio Blank, Big in Japan, Dalek I Love You, the Teardrop Explodes and Lori & the Chameleons. He also played keyboards on and co-produced the first Echo & the Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes albums, as well as managing both bands with Bill Drummond for the years from their inception to early success. Zoo records Balfe and Drummond, having met while playing together in Big in Japan, founded the Zoo record label in 1978 to release Big in Japan's posthumous EP '' From Y to Z and Never Again''. The label went on to sign an ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |