This atypical effort of its time comes courtesy of its inclusion on the Scared To Get Happy: A Story Of Indie-Pop 1980-1989 box set. Here’s the blurb from the booklet.
Founded in 1986 in Basingstoke, Hampshire by singer/guitarist Chris Stubbings, bassist Tony Duckworth and drummer Chris Morrell, The Rain contributed to the ‘Imminent 4’ compilation before funding their own single ‘Once’/’Tom Paine’ on Jive Alive. It caught the ear of Medium Cool, which led them to contribute ‘Dry The Rain’ and ‘Seven Red Apples’ to sampler LP ‘Edge of The Road’ in 1988.
Unfortunately, The Rain’s first Medium Cool single, ‘First of May’ was scotched when Red Rhino Distribution went bust. They returned in 1990 with the Byrds/R.E.M.-flavoured album ‘To The Citadel’ (“glorious, honed to cut-glass perfection” according to Melody Maker) and EP ‘The Watercress Girl.’ Having changed their name to Clark Springs, to avoid confusion with Liam Gallagher’s pre-Oasis band, they released a single ‘Taking Kent State’ (Summershine) in 1992 and ‘My World Revolves Around Her’ (Orangewood) in 1993.
It may share the same song title as a later release from The Beta Band, but they are rather different sounding. I’ve heard a lot worse.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 