Back in 2015 I offered up a series, in 48 instalments, that looked at the tracks on the CD86 boxset been compiled by Cherry Red Records. The post on 22 March featured this wonderful 45:-
mp3: The Servants – The Sun, A Small Star
The post went on, at length, to talk about The Servants, mentioning how they broke up not long after the release of this single. Singer and main songwriter David Westlake then recorded a mini-LP for Creation Records before deciding to get the band back together again, except he didn’t make the call to any of the three musicians who had been with him at the outset.
The new line up would go on to consist of Luke Haines, Alice Readman and Hugh Whittaker, with, at this point in time, only that latter being well-known given a previous stint as the drummer with The Housemartins.
I ended the piece by mentioning that much of The Servants long-deleted back catalogue was hard to track down at reasonable prices and mentioned that I’d be very happy if anyone could find their way to help me out with some tracks. To my great delight, Anthony got in touch soon after, asking for my postal address to which he sent a CD containing a copy of Disinterest, their lone LP which was released on Paperhouse Records in 1990, and another with a copy of Reserved, a 21-track compilation released on Cherry Red back in 2010.
And it’s thanks to Anthony’s generosity that I’m able to return to The Servants and the one single that was released on Glass Records in 1990, on 7″ and 12″ vinyl. The lead track was also highlighted in that March 2015 post and seemed to be very well-received by all concerned:-
mp3: The Servants – It’s My Turn
mp3: The Servants – Afterglow
mp3: The Servants – Faithful To 3 Lovers
mp3: The Servants – Do Or Be Done
I still can’t get my head around the fact that I missed out on The Servants back in the day. It’s inexplicable.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
I have about 10 pieces of music I check on discogs weekly with the hope one or all of them will come in at just the right price to pull the trigger. Disinterest is on that list, and it has been for many years. It’s a very tough get that from what I have read will probably never get reissued. Unfortunately, the ball is not in Westlake’s court.
Speaking of reissues, the band’s single She’s Always Hiding came out on Optic Nerve last Friday. Already sold out at the label’s HQ and at Monorail, but you might be able to find one if you know other shops that sell releases from Optic Nerve. I don’t own a copy of the It’s My Turn single, but all of the songs on the 12″ appeared on the comp Youth Club Disco put out by Captured Tracks on vinyl a decade ago. Highly recommend that one.
Many thanks, JC, I enjoyed the post and the music.
Thanks for this – I’d heard about The Servants in relation to Luke Haines/The Auteurs but never actually heard them. Changing that now!
Just wanted to say thanks again for these – haven’t stopped listening to them all week. The album needs reissuing so I can hear more!
Hey there Rich……check your inbox. Just sayin’