Bio:
I know next to nothing about this London based mid-80s group originally from Dun Laoghaire.
Martha Sommerville (vocals) and Frank O'Neill (instrumentation) were the core members.
Donagh O'Leary (of Very Mental, etc) was a member at some point
and is credited on their 1986 single.
Their debut album was recorded at various squats in London in 1987. These recordings
are synthpop/electronic/EBM for the most part. Approx 50 test pressings of the album were made.
Some of these, with handwritten details and no artwork, were distributed among friends, DJs, etc.
but the vinyl edition never made it to the release stage. Instead it was released on cassette,
available from the Dalkey address of I Live In Hell Records, but this was difficult to come by.
The Spanish Dead Wax Records reissued the album in 2020 with a bonus track. More archive
recordings have emerged since 2010 via the bands bandcamp page including the Culture EP
(1985 recordings) and the Lost EP (1986-87 recordings).
The band were featured in a Dublin fanzine I'd never heard of called 'Eclectic' in
1986. Anyone out there have a copy of that?
Notes:
The A-side of the test pressing plays at 45, the B-side at 33⅓. The Spanish reissue
resequences the album and renames a couple of tracks, but as far as I can tell [I haven't heard it]
it's the same album with one bonus track 'Don't Stop', recorded in 1988. The reissue
plays at 33⅓.
Those who helped with the making of the record include Simon Crab and Craig Runyon (both
associated with Bourbonese Qualk) and Ronan Harris (VNV Nation).
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.