Anyone remember Intastella?
It’s been written that they were Manchester’s answer to the London-based Saint Etienne but I’m guessing this was simply on the basis that they made indie-pop with a dance theme and had a female singer. Anyway, Intastella came into being in 1990 (at the height of Madchester) and disbanded in 1996 (at the height of Britpop) having enjoyed only limited success.
But what’s this got to do with CD86 you might well be asking….and the answer is that Intastella rose from the ashes of Laugh.
And Laugh are one of the acts featured on CD86.
Laugh had formed in 1985 featuring Martin Wright (vocals/guitar/keyboards), Ian Bendelow (guitar), Martin Mittler (bass guitar) and Spencer Birtwistle (drums). They would go on to release three singles between 1986 and 1988 on The Remorse Label before moving to Sub Aqua Records for whom there was one single and an album.
They never quite cracked it, even in terms of the indie charts, and so it was no surprise when they called it a day at the end of the decade; all bar the guitarist would metamorphosise into the new band with the addition of Stella Grundy on vocals and a dancer called Lil’ Anthony.
Here’s the not too bad but not fantastically memorable track from CD86:-
mp3 : Laugh – Paul McCartney
It was the band’s second single for Remorse. The rumour is that Craig Gannon (who at this point in time would have been a past member of Aztec Camera and The Smiths) played on the record, although he isn’t credited on the sleeve.
Here’s yer b-side:-
mp3 : Laugh – Come On, Come Out
Enjoy
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 