The Darling Buds
Encyclopedia
The Darling Buds were an indie
band
from Newport
, South Wales
. The band formed in 1986 and were named after the H. E. Bates
novel The Darling Buds of May
– a title taken in turn, from the third line of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18
: "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May".
, the band created melodic, hook-driven, short-duration singles
. They were considered part of the short lived "Blonde" movement (indie rock band fronted by blonde female singer with all other members being dark-haired males) along with the likes of The Primitives
and Transvision Vamp
, but also referenced the C86
scene of a few years earlier.
The Darling Buds formed in Caerleon
near Newport, South Wales, in 1986, by the then 19-year-old Andrea Lewis. Their debut single, "If I Said", was released on February 1987 and was well received. The group re-released the single on an established label, Native Records
, receiving radio play on John Peel
's BBC Radio 1
show. Signing with Sony in 1988, several singles preceded their critically acclaimed 1989 debut LP, Pop Said...
. The album ultimately reached the Top 30 in the UK Albums Chart
, and the band appeared on the cover of Melody Maker
twice (24 September 1988 and 18 February 1989). In 1990, the original drummer, Bloss, left the band and was replaced by Jimmy Hughes from Black. Their second album, Crawdaddy
, was not as well received. Pressing forward with their new style, the group followed with their third and final album in 1992, entitled Erotica
, a few weeks before Madonna
's album of the same name. The album contained the US single, "Long Day In The Universe", which was featured on the soundtrack
for the Mike Myers
film
, So I Married an Axe Murderer
. Although they toured the United States
in support of the album for a year, the members of the Darling Buds grew increasingly frustrated by their lack of commercial success and disbanded.
Since disbanding Andrea Lewis moved on to acting, touring with a Cardiff theatre company. She later moved into presenting, hosting The Slate for BBC Wales
and, in 1998 and 1999, she co-hosted a Welsh Saturday morning radio show, The Weekenders, with Gareth Jones
. Andrea now runs her own theatre school called "CAST"(The Children's Academy of Stage Training)alongside husband Jamie Jarvis, based in Cardiff, Swansea and Caerlaeon. Chris McDonogh now works at Le Mons studio in Newport.
In July 2010, the Darling Buds with only Lewis from the original line-up, reformed for a one-off tribute concert in their native Newport in memory of John Sicolo, the owner of the music venue TJ's, who died earlier in the year.
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. The band formed in 1986 and were named after the H. E. Bates
H. E. Bates
Herbert Ernest Bates, CBE , better known as H. E. Bates, was an English writer and author. His best-known works include Love for Lydia, The Darling Buds of May, and My Uncle Silas.-Early life:...
novel The Darling Buds of May
The Darling Buds of May
The Darling Buds of May is a British comedy drama which was first broadcast between 1991 and 1993 produced by Yorkshire Television for the ITV Network. It is set in an idyllic rural 1950s Kent, among a large, boisterous family. The three series were based on the novels by H. E. Bates. Originally...
– a title taken in turn, from the third line of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18
Sonnet 18
Sonnet 18, often alternately titled Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?, is one of the best-known of 154 sonnets written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare...
: "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May".
Career
Influenced by the catchy simple sound of the early BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, the band created melodic, hook-driven, short-duration singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. They were considered part of the short lived "Blonde" movement (indie rock band fronted by blonde female singer with all other members being dark-haired males) along with the likes of The Primitives
The Primitives
The Primitives are a British indie pop band from Coventry, best known for their 1988 international hit single "Crash".-Biography:The Primitives were part of the indie music scene of the mid-1980s alongside bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, the Soup...
and Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp were a British alternative rock group. Formed in 1986 by Nick Christian Sayer and Wendy James the band enjoyed chart success in the late 1980s...
, but also referenced the C86
C86 (music)
C86 is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine NME in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from independent labels of the time. As a phrase, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based musical genre characterised by "jangly" guitars and fey melodies, although other...
scene of a few years earlier.
The Darling Buds formed in Caerleon
Caerleon
Caerleon is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales. Caerleon is a site of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hill fort...
near Newport, South Wales, in 1986, by the then 19-year-old Andrea Lewis. Their debut single, "If I Said", was released on February 1987 and was well received. The group re-released the single on an established label, Native Records
Native Records
Native Records is a small independent record label formed in Sheffield, England.The label was founded by Kevin Donoghue in 1985, after he left RCA Records and during his time at the Music Factory studio, Rotherham , where he was a sound engineer.In January 1989, Native signed Nine Inch Nails but...
, receiving radio play on John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. Signing with Sony in 1988, several singles preceded their critically acclaimed 1989 debut LP, Pop Said...
Pop Said...
Pop Said... was The Darling Buds debut album, originally released by Epic Records in 1988. The album was re-released by Cherry Red Records in 2006 in an expanded 21-track edition, including B-sides and rarities from the era....
. The album ultimately reached the Top 30 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and the band appeared on the cover of Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
twice (24 September 1988 and 18 February 1989). In 1990, the original drummer, Bloss, left the band and was replaced by Jimmy Hughes from Black. Their second album, Crawdaddy
Crawdaddy (album)
Crawdaddy was The Darling Buds' third album. It was released on Epic Records in 1990 and featured the singles "Tiny Machine" and "Crystal Clear".The album's sound was more accomplished than on the band's debut album Pop Said......
, was not as well received. Pressing forward with their new style, the group followed with their third and final album in 1992, entitled Erotica
Erotica (The Darling Buds album)
Erotica was the final album from the British indie band The Darling Buds. It was released on Epic Records in 1992. The album shares a name with, and a similar cover to, the Madonna album, which was released only one week later....
, a few weeks before Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's album of the same name. The album contained the US single, "Long Day In The Universe", which was featured on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the Mike Myers
Mike Myers (actor)
Michael John "Mike" Myers is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer of British parentage...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer is a 1993 American comedy-horror film starring Mike Myers and Nancy Travis. Myers plays Charlie McKenzie, a man afraid of commitment until he meets Harriet , who works at a butcher shop and may be a serial killer...
. Although they toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in support of the album for a year, the members of the Darling Buds grew increasingly frustrated by their lack of commercial success and disbanded.
Since disbanding Andrea Lewis moved on to acting, touring with a Cardiff theatre company. She later moved into presenting, hosting The Slate for BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
and, in 1998 and 1999, she co-hosted a Welsh Saturday morning radio show, The Weekenders, with Gareth Jones
Gareth Jones (presenter)
Gareth Jones is a Welsh television presenter and celebrity. He began his broadcasting career under the name Gaz Top....
. Andrea now runs her own theatre school called "CAST"(The Children's Academy of Stage Training)alongside husband Jamie Jarvis, based in Cardiff, Swansea and Caerlaeon. Chris McDonogh now works at Le Mons studio in Newport.
In July 2010, the Darling Buds with only Lewis from the original line-up, reformed for a one-off tribute concert in their native Newport in memory of John Sicolo, the owner of the music venue TJ's, who died earlier in the year.
Members
- Andrea Lewis - Vocalist
- Geraint "Harley" Farr - GuitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
- Chris McDonogh - BassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
- Richard Gray "Bloss"- DrummerDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(1986–1990) - Jimmy Hughes - Drummer (1990–1993)
- Jon Lee - Drummer (1992- two of the B-sidesA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
on "Sure Thing"; later of the band FeederFeeder-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
) - Matt Gray - Guitarist (1992–1993)
- Dennis McCarthy - Drummer (1993)
Albums
- Pop Said...Pop Said...Pop Said... was The Darling Buds debut album, originally released by Epic Records in 1988. The album was re-released by Cherry Red Records in 2006 in an expanded 21-track edition, including B-sides and rarities from the era....
(1988) #23 (UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
) - Shame On You (The Native Years)Shame on You (The Native Years)Shame On You was the second album to be released by The Darling Buds and was a compilation of early songs that the band had recorded for Native Records...
(1990) - CrawdaddyCrawdaddy (album)Crawdaddy was The Darling Buds' third album. It was released on Epic Records in 1990 and featured the singles "Tiny Machine" and "Crystal Clear".The album's sound was more accomplished than on the band's debut album Pop Said......
(1990) - EroticaErotica (The Darling Buds album)Erotica was the final album from the British indie band The Darling Buds. It was released on Epic Records in 1992. The album shares a name with, and a similar cover to, the Madonna album, which was released only one week later....
(1992)
Singles
- "If I Said" (1987)
- "It's All Up To You" (1988)
- "Shame On You" (1988)
- "Burst" (1988) #50 UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
- "Hit The Ground" (1988) #27 UK
- "Let's Go Round There" (1989) #49 UK
- "You've Got To Choose" (1989) #45 UK
- "Tiny Machine" (1990) #60 UK
- "Crystal Clear" (1990)
- "It Makes No Difference" (1991)
- "Sure Thing" (1992) #71 UK
- "Please Yourself" (1992) (U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - "Long Day In The Universe" (1992) (U.S.)