Name: 1982 4 Piece Demo
Brand: Strawberry Switchblade

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

LSSN048B2

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "LSSN048B2"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

With Laser Printed Booklet 

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "With Laser Printed Booklet "}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2022-04-29

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Forte

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

Total Cap

1 / 7" / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Strawberry Switchblade

Genre GB

New Wave / Post Punk

Label GB

Night School

Night School is a Glasgow-based music label that has been making waves in the industry since its inception. Founded by [a2776288], this label has quickly become known for its diverse roster of talented artists and unique sound.

With a focus on promoting underground and experimental music, Night School has established itself as a leading force in the independent music scene. The label's releases span across various genres, including indie rock, electronic, folk, and more.

What sets Night School apart from other labels is their commitment to nurturing emerging talent. They provide a platform for *up-and-coming* artists to showcase their work and gain recognition within the industry. This dedication to supporting new voices has earned them a loyal fan base and critical acclaim.

Strawberry Switchblade is a Scottish pop duo that was formed in 1981 in Glasgow. Although they split up in 1986, their impact on the music scene continues to be felt. After the breakup, Jill Bryson took a break from recording music for nearly three decades before making a comeback with The Shapists in 2013. On the other hand, Rose McDowall embarked on a solo career and also performed with various groups. She made appearances on several experimental and industrial releases throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
Their unique sound and style captivated audiences during their active years, leaving an indelible mark on the pop music landscape. Despite disbanding, both members continued to contribute to the music industry through various projects.
Today, Strawberry Switchblade's legacy lives on as fans continue to appreciate their timeless music and distinctive fashion sense. Their story serves as an inspiration for aspiring musicians and showcases the enduring power of artistic expression.

1982 4-Piece Demo is the first official, fully-licensed and unreleased material to be released under the name Strawberry Switchblade in 30 years. Since disbanding amid major record label acrimony and personal differences in 1986, the already-cult band have since grown in stature and legend. Trailblazers in many ways, the band’s mythology justifiably centers around the charismatic duo of Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, but that isn’t a complete picture. Bryson and McDowall’s growing friendship, having met some years earlier on the punk scene, became a creative partnership: Bryson’s art school background and McDowall’s history in avant-punk group The Poets meant Strawberry Switchblade was a band pitted against many established norms. The band’s very first incarnation, an all-female 4 piece, recorded one demo at Glasgow’s Hellfire Club and played a handful of gigs. Friends Janice Goodlett and Carole McGowan completed the line up on bass and drums respectively. Strawberry Switchblade would eventually pair down to a duo and go on to chart success but it’s in these raw, passionate recordings that the songwriting and vocal elements were being hammered out and explored in real time. Spanish Song is a previously unreleased song. With Rose McDowall’s instantly recognizable lead vocal dovetailing with Bryson’s harmonies and lead guitar, it’s the first glimpse at an alternative history of Strawberry Switchblade. This incarnation could easily have been featured on a Nuggets compilation or a precursor to the indie-pop revolution that would take over British bedrooms a couple of years later. Trees and Flowers is instantly recognizable, a bona fide classic that would earn the band its first record deal. Here it’s given a more forceful rhythm section: Goodlett and McGowan’s playing is in fact accomplished and doesn’t hint at the bands’ youth. Go Away would also surface later on the band’s debut LP but here it is a moody-garage stomper with a psychedelic, haunting refrain. These 3 songs point to a tantalizing future of the band that was never realized. Remastered and restored by Sean Pennycook from the original cassette, with artwork based on a single photographic contact sheet (the only visual evidence of the band in this form) and with a booklet of photographs and new text from contemporary Stephen Pastel.

1982 4 Piece Demo

Music GB

Buy Strawberry Switchblade - 1982 4 Piece Demo (Vinyl, CD) now from Rough Trade - independent purveyors of great music, since 1976.