Hurrah! were from Newcastle in the north-east of England, and would release nine singles and two albums on the locally-based Kitchenware Records between 1982 and 1989, eventually splitting up in 1991.
Initially released as a b-side in 1986 on a 12″ single on what was their fifth single, Sweet Sanity.
mp3: Around and Around – Hurrah!
Track 3, Disc 1 of CD86.
As I’ve said before, the inclusion of Hurrah! on the CD86 release baffles me, as they were a band whose sound was more rock-focussed, as best evidenced by them being asked to open for U2 at a number of stadium gigs. But then again, Around and Around is more akin to the ‘typical’ sounds of other bands of the era, and perhaps Bob Stanley (who curated and compiled CD86) regarded it as a bit of a hidden gem.
The Chesterfields are from Yeovil in south-west England, and were originally around between 1984 and 1989, before reforming in 2014. The band initially signed to the Bristol-based The Subway Organisation, before later establishing their own label, Household. There was an initial flexidisc release on which they shared space with Shop Assistants (who will, in due course, make an appearance in this series), after which there would be six singles and two albums across both labels through to 1989.
Their second single for Subway remains one of my favourites of all the songs linked to the C86 genre. One that really deserved to be a huge mainstream hit, such is its pop majesty. #4 on the Indie Chart when #4 on the Singles Chart should have been the outcome.
mp3: Ask Johnny Dee – The Chesterfields
Track 11, Disc 1 of CD86.
Tragically, lead singer and main songwriter Dave Goldsworthy died in November 2003, at the age of 40, from head injuries sustained in a hit & run incident in Oxford.
It was the 2014 release of the 3CD boxset that led to the band reforming. Simon Barber, the band’s bassist and vocalist, teamed up with Andy Strickland of The Loft (another band to look out for later in the series) to play a set of songs by The Chesterfields at a gig that was part of the events surrounding the release of the boxset. Barber’s then band, Design, continued to play classic Chesterfields songs in their live shows over the next couple of years. This would metamorphosise to a new-line-up of Simon Barber, Andy Strickland, Helen Stickland and Rob Parry that would play the NYC Popfest 2016 as The Chesterfields. Three years later that line-up would tour the UK and in 2022 and record two singles and a new album for the Hamburg-based Mr Mellow Records.
Here’s the video for one of those singles….
Our Songbird Has Gone is very much a tribute to the late Dave Goldsworthy. It is also a joyous celebration of many bands who have graced this blog over the past almost 20 years……go to the 2:10 part of the video if you need a shortcut.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 