Funboy Five
| Funboy Five | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Post-punk |
| Years active | 1979–1981, 2014- |
| Members |
Mick Sinclair John McRae Bob Brimson Robert Radhall |
Formed in January 1979, the Funboy Five were an English post-punk band from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and originally had four members, Mick Sinclair (guitar and vocals), John McRae (Keyboards), Bob Brimson (bass) and Robert Radhall (drums).[1]
While gigging sporadically in London and south-east England, the band recorded a three-track demo which earned them a review in Sounds[2] and a session for the John Peel Show. First broadcast in October 1979,[3] the session was followed in January 1980 by a single, "Life After Death"/"Compulsive Eater", which also saw the debut of the new rhythm section of Dave Tyler (bass) and Paul Ingram (drums), released on the band's own Cool-Cat-Daddy-O record label.[1] Also released on the label in 1980 was a 7-track cassette Funboy Five Shall Inherit The Earth, which included demos and other material.[4]
Although the band ceased recording and playing live in 1981, the single became a sought-after rarity among collectors of DIY vinyl[5] and was listed in journalist Johan Kugelberg’s 100 best records of the post-punk DIY-era, first published in Ugly Things magazine.[6] During the 1990s and 2000s, "Life After Death" featured on two unofficial vinyl compilations, Teenage Treats Vol.10 [1] and Killed By Death #007.[7]
During 2001, the band gathered their recorded material together for a 13-track CD, Very Hush! Hush!, shared with Milkshake Melon, Mick Sinclair’s solo alter-ego.[1] In 2007, the band were represented by two tracks on Messthetics #101: DIY 77-81 London, a CD retrospective with "Compulsive Eater" on the main release and "Haircut Bob Dylan 66" as a mp3 bonus track.[8]
In 2009, "Life After Death" was included on Universal’s four-CD tribute to John Peel, Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel On The Radio.[9]
A cover version of "Life After Death", by Talya Cooper, appeared as a digital download in 2011.[10]
Two original members, Mick Sinclair and John McRae, revived the band and the Cool-Cat-Daddy-O label in August 2014 releasing a vinyl single, "Save the World"/"What Did You Do With The Body?".[1] "Save The World" was described by Record Collector as "like a bonker's contest to play "In The Mood" without actually playing it".[11]
In June 2015 came another single, "Radio Free Asia",[1] and a vinyl retrospective album, Landmarks Ruins and Memories, of remastered recordings from 1979 to 1981 on the Italian re-issue label, Ave Phoenix Records[1] described as sounding "a bit like Love's Forever Changes on happy pills."[12]
A further single, Vipers Of The Commonwealth, appeared in 2016[1] as did The Radmall Rundown,[1] a tribute instrumental to the band’s original drummer who died in 2015.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Official website. Retrieval 27 June 2015.
- ↑ Bushell, Garry (14 July 1979). "Cassettes and Drugs and Rock and Roll". Sounds: 32–33.
- ↑ "BBC Radio 1 Keeping It Peel". BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
- ↑ Naylor, Tim (October 2011). "C30, C60, C90, C21!". Record Collector (393): 52.
- ↑ Funboy Five at last.fm. Retrieval 29 December 2012
- ↑ It Was Easy It Was Cheap? Go And Do It!. Retrieval 28 December 2012
- ↑ "45cat". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ↑ MESSTHETICS #101: London D.I.Y. Retrieval 28 December 2012
- ↑ Universal Boxed Set Store: Kats Karavan, Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel on the Radio. Retrieval 28 December 2012
- ↑ Cool Cover Comps: Life After Death by Talya Cooper. Retrieval 28 December 2012.
- ↑ McCann, Ian (November 2014). "Single Cream". Record Collector: 106.
- ↑ "Funboy Five and Milkshake Melon - Landmarks, Ruins and Memories 12" (Ave Phoenix)". The Big Takeover. Retrieved 2016-11-14.