The Band of Holy Joy
Encyclopedia
The Band of Holy Joy are an English band formed in New Cross
, London, and initially active between 1984 and 1993, releasing several albums. In 1992, they abbreviated their name to Holy Joy. They reformed in 2002, back under the name of Band of Holy Joy, releasing a new album called Love Never Fails. They concentrated on other musical projects during 2003 to 2006. They began performing live again in 2007 and released a best of on Cherry Red
records.
indie label Flim Flam for a string of singles and two 1987 albums, More Tales From The City and the live LP When Stars Come Out To Play. After a 1988 album on the Cause For Concern label, they signed to Rough Trade Records
, increasing their exposure including an appearance on BBC 2's Snub TV
and their own episode of the South Bank Show. The move to Rough Trade prompted Flim Flam to threaten to sue for breach of contract, but after six months of legal wrangling, this was settled out of court, Brown commenting "We'd given those people three years of our lives and all they did was bugger us about". Their first album for Rough Trade, Manic, Magic, Majestic was released in 1989, with Positively Spooked following in 1990, supported by a tour of the U.S.S.R.. The band re-emerged in 1992 as Holy Joy, with the album Tracksuit Vendetta. They split up in 1993, with Brown working as a freelance journalist, and subsequently forming the band Superdrug in 1995. The Band of Holy Joy reformed in 2002 with Johny Brown, Alfie Thomas and Chris Brierley, releasing an album, Love Never Fails. After a number of live dates the band became inactive between 2003 and 2006, pursuing other musical projects. In May 2007 the band began playing live again. October 2007 saw the release of Leaves That Fall in Spring, a best of released on the Cherry Red
label.
In 2008, after playing nine warm-up dates in and around London during April, May and June, The Band of Holy Joy set off to the United States for the first time in their 25-year history and embarked on a successful tour of New York. Punklore, a six-track CD was released and initially only available at the New York gigs.
Since 2007, the band have run a Sunday night internet radio show called Radio Joy. "A Lucky Thief in a Careless World" was performed at the The University of London Institute in Paris
at the event celebrating the 50th anniversary of William S. Burroughs
' Naked Lunch
, 'Lunch@50'. They recorded the songs from the ‘Lucky Thief’ show and have released them as a mini album CD and booklet on their own Radio Joy label. They are mixing a new set of songs for imminent release on the Radio Joy label. In 2009, they were invited to play the Wire magazine's "Into the Vortex" festival in October, and played a series of shows in Athens at the end of October.
Paramour, the band's eleventh album was released on 8th June 2010. Eight songs that evolved from the song play 'Troubled Sleep' which ran at the Shunt Lounge in London and the Star and Shadow cinema in Newcastle in 2009.
In 2011, the band embarked on another tour of Greece, playing in cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, and Larissa. They also made their first appearance at Glastonbury Festival
. A new CD release titled How To Kill A Butterfly was released 28th October 2011 on Exotic Pylon Records.
and European cabaret
, with Jacques Brel
and Bertolt Brecht
identified as influences. They have been compared to The Pogues
, Dexys Midnight Runners
, and The Waterboys
. They were described by Trouser Press
as "emotional and articulate, using tasteful understatement and rustic simplicity to sell songs with unpredictably offbeat lyrical concerns".
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, London, and initially active between 1984 and 1993, releasing several albums. In 1992, they abbreviated their name to Holy Joy. They reformed in 2002, back under the name of Band of Holy Joy, releasing a new album called Love Never Fails. They concentrated on other musical projects during 2003 to 2006. They began performing live again in 2007 and released a best of on Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
records.
History
The band was formed in 1984 by Johny Brown, along with friends including Brett Turnbull. After two self-issued cassettes, they signed to South LondonSouth London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
indie label Flim Flam for a string of singles and two 1987 albums, More Tales From The City and the live LP When Stars Come Out To Play. After a 1988 album on the Cause For Concern label, they signed to Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, increasing their exposure including an appearance on BBC 2's Snub TV
Snub TV
Snub TV or simply Snub was a alternative culture television programme that ran from 1987 to 1989. Originally produced as a part of the Nightflight in the USA, it went on to success in the UK and other countries...
and their own episode of the South Bank Show. The move to Rough Trade prompted Flim Flam to threaten to sue for breach of contract, but after six months of legal wrangling, this was settled out of court, Brown commenting "We'd given those people three years of our lives and all they did was bugger us about". Their first album for Rough Trade, Manic, Magic, Majestic was released in 1989, with Positively Spooked following in 1990, supported by a tour of the U.S.S.R.. The band re-emerged in 1992 as Holy Joy, with the album Tracksuit Vendetta. They split up in 1993, with Brown working as a freelance journalist, and subsequently forming the band Superdrug in 1995. The Band of Holy Joy reformed in 2002 with Johny Brown, Alfie Thomas and Chris Brierley, releasing an album, Love Never Fails. After a number of live dates the band became inactive between 2003 and 2006, pursuing other musical projects. In May 2007 the band began playing live again. October 2007 saw the release of Leaves That Fall in Spring, a best of released on the Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
label.
In 2008, after playing nine warm-up dates in and around London during April, May and June, The Band of Holy Joy set off to the United States for the first time in their 25-year history and embarked on a successful tour of New York. Punklore, a six-track CD was released and initially only available at the New York gigs.
Since 2007, the band have run a Sunday night internet radio show called Radio Joy. "A Lucky Thief in a Careless World" was performed at the The University of London Institute in Paris
University of London Institute in Paris
The University of London Institute in Paris is a college of the University of London located in Paris. It is currently the only UK University Institute in Continental Europe.-History:...
at the event celebrating the 50th anniversary of William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
' Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch is a novel by William S. Burroughs originally published in 1959. The book is structured as a series of loosely-connected vignettes. Burroughs stated that the chapters are intended to be read in any order...
, 'Lunch@50'. They recorded the songs from the ‘Lucky Thief’ show and have released them as a mini album CD and booklet on their own Radio Joy label. They are mixing a new set of songs for imminent release on the Radio Joy label. In 2009, they were invited to play the Wire magazine's "Into the Vortex" festival in October, and played a series of shows in Athens at the end of October.
Paramour, the band's eleventh album was released on 8th June 2010. Eight songs that evolved from the song play 'Troubled Sleep' which ran at the Shunt Lounge in London and the Star and Shadow cinema in Newcastle in 2009.
In 2011, the band embarked on another tour of Greece, playing in cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, and Larissa. They also made their first appearance at Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
. A new CD release titled How To Kill A Butterfly was released 28th October 2011 on Exotic Pylon Records.
Musical style
The band had influences from folk musicFolk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and European cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
, with Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
and Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
identified as influences. They have been compared to The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
, Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
, and The Waterboys
The Waterboys
The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
. They were described by Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
as "emotional and articulate, using tasteful understatement and rustic simplicity to sell songs with unpredictably offbeat lyrical concerns".
Albums
- More Favourite Fairy Tales (1984) Pleasantly Surprised (cassette)
- Into The City Of Tales (1985) (cassette)
- The Big Ship Sails (1986) Flim Flam (10" mini-LPMini-LPA Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
) - More Tales From The City (1987) Flim Flam #8
- When Stars Come Out To Play (1987) Flim Flam
- The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (1988) Cause For Concern
- Manic, Magic, Majestic (1989) Rough Trade #7
- Positively Spooked (1990) Rough Trade
- Tracksuit Vendetta (1992) Equador
- Love Never Fails (2002) Rough Trade
- Leaves That Fall In Spring - Seminal Moments (2007) Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
- Punklore (2008) 6 track CD available during US tour
- Paramour (2010) Radiojoy
- How To Kill A Butterfly (2011) Exotic Pylon
Singles/EPs
- Had a Mother Who Was Proud (1985) Flim Flam (12" EP)
- Who Snatched My Baby (1986) Flim Flam #25
- Rosemary Smith (1987) Flim Flam #17
- Tactless (1988) Rough Trade
- Evening World Holiday Show (1989) Rough Trade
- Real Beauty Passed Through (1990) Rough Trade (12" EP)
- Claudia Dreams (1992) Equador (12")
- It's Lovebite City (1992) Rough Trade (7")
- A Lucky Thief in a Careless World (2009) Radiojoy (Limited to 500 copies)
- On What a Thing This Heart of Man (2011) Radiojoy (Digital download)
- On the Ground Where John Wesley Walked (2011) Radiojoy (Digital download)