Who is Gerald the Fish. I googled if there was any famous fish called Gerald. There are a few mentions of different characters it seems, but I don’t think the band named themselves after them? Or maybe I am wrong? Maybe it is a British thing? Let me know.

I am not exactly sure if the band hailed from Scotland. I want to say they did. The 3 songs from their 1994 demo were recorded in Dundee. They were recorded at Studio 2000 in autumn of 1993 in that city. Now, I see that the person that has uploaded the tracks, Wayne Taylor, the bassist of Gerald the Fish is based in Nottingham. Maybe he moved after?

The three songs that were recorded are part of a setlist in Soundcloud. Just click the link. There you will find “Makes You Happy”, “Dug” and “Feed Me More”. These songs probably don’t sound the same if you have a 1994 tape, they have been remastered in 2020.

What else do we know about the band? We know they were formed by Dave on guitar, Couttie on drums, Herald on vocals, Maz on keyboards and Wayne on bass. We don’t get any last names.

And that’s really it. I looked for more information about the band but couldn’t find any. Did they play live? Were they from Dundee or not? Scottish? Did they record more songs? I’d love to hear more. I really like the track “Dug”, sounds like other Scottish favourites of mine, This Poison! And that’s a good, very good, thing!

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Listen
Gerald the Fish – Dug

Ricicles were a breakfast cereal made by Kellogg’s that was similar to Rice Krispies but with a sugar coating. Kellogg’s discontinued Ricicles in 2018 as part of a sugar reduction initiative.

This is one of my favourite discoveries this year! The Ricicles!!!

Formed by Thelma T-Bar on bass, Rosemary on drums, Lucelle on vocals, Roddy Pudding on guitar and James Ricicle on guitar, the band recorded a 4-song EP in 1988.

This EP, titled “My Friends”, is now available on Soundcloud. It has four fun indiepop songs: “I Want to Marry John Peel”, “Walking the Sun”, “The Shouting Lady” and “Big Dogs Cock”.

It seems there was a cassette tape of this EP. Maybe it was a demo. Would be great to find a copy. On the sleeve it says the EP was recorded in a whole day at KED Studios in Wouldham on just four cans of lager.

Where is Wouldham? Should I know? It is a village on the bank of the River Medway in Kent. Somewhere in between Rochester and Maidstone.

Other bits of info from the sleeve mention that that James wrote “I Want to Marry John Peel” and “The Shouting Lady”, Roddy Pudding the song “Walking the Sun” and the whole band did “Big Dogs Cock”. The tape is said to have been organized by Candyskin (Terry Lane).

So Terry Lane organized the tape. He is the one who uploaded the tracks to Soundcloud. Now the question is, was he part of the band?

Not much more info. You wonder then how come this wasn’t properly released? Someone should do it, as a nice 7″ vinyl. It is top stuff. It is for sure something that needs the attention of the indiepop world.

Also, did they record more songs? Did they play live? Anyone remembers them?

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Listen
The Ricicles – I Want to Marry John Peel

After my post about The Cravens I had to do a follow-up on The Incredible Balloon Thieves.

The Cravens were active between 1991 and 1993. The Incredible Balloon Thieves were active before that. We know that most of their recordings date from 1990, if not all.

The songs are also uploaded in the Soundcloud account of CravenDave. And from the previous post we know The Cravens hailed from Hull. Here it says that The Incredible Balloon Thieves were from Billericay. As far as I know that’s quite south, in Essex, close to Basildon. Did they move afterwards to the north, to Hull? What’s the story here?

The songs available are 7. These are “Drowning (Days like These)”, “What Does Your Village Do For An”, “Autopilot”, “Crystal Rain”, “Flid”, “Candy Coated Katie” and “Ordinary Town”.

I believe the songs were recorded at two studios, the Bungalow X and The Railway. So probably these songs come from two different demo tapes.

And that’s really is. Some very nice songs here, especially the latter ones. My favourite being “Crystal Rain”!

Anyone remember them?

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Listen
The Incredible Balloon Thieves – Crystal Rain

I traveled to Manchester on February 25. Took a train from London Euston station to Manchester Piccadilly in the early morning. Previously I had taken a plane from JFK airport in New York City to London Heathrow.

The goal? It was to be at The Man from Delmonte reunion gig at Band on the Wall on February 26. On that Wednesday I was to see one of my favourite bands ever. Something I never thought was possible. Mike West, the vocalist, had been living in the US for a long time, decades, and there hasn’t been much attention to his old band.

Of course, there was The Man from Delmonte facebook group. I’ve been there for so long. And the last year or so it became more active. More fans that had seen them during they heyday were sharing photos, demos, and all sorts of memorabilia. And it seems at some point, one of those fans decided it was time to connect with the band and organize a reunion. A wonderful idea indeed. And suddenly it started to become a reality.

First time they announced the gig it was to happen on March 15 at Night & Day Café in Manchester. My birthday. I was going to make it. I had too. It was just perfect. But a problem or another made they change the venue and the date. It was going to be sooner, February. Maybe less exciting for me, no birthday to celebrate, maybe a colder, rainier, Manchester, but it wasn’t going to matter. I was going to be there.

The tickets sale started 10am UK time. I had to put my alarm at 4:55am US time so I could make it. I didn’t had a clue the tickets were going to sell out so quickly. I just thought I had to get the ticket as soon as possible and then go back to sleep. So I did that. Later in the morning I would see that many people missed tickets. The gig had sold out immediately.

Good news for fans is that the band will play the Academy in Manchester and another gig in London soon. But I had to be at the first gig! And I was going to do so. I bought plane tickets. Got in touch with friends in London and the whole trip was planned.

Traveled to Manchester with my friend Miguel from the mighty Felt Tips. And we were tourists for a few days in the north visiting Liverpool and Chester too. We saw friends, Rich from The Suncharms and Simon from The Jeremiahs. And on that Wednesday 26 we went to The Man from Delmonte gig!

I went upstairs of the venue, it had 2 floors, and there was a merch table. Bought a t-shirt (a white one, I don’t like white t-shirts but had to get it) and a double CD with songs I have already (sans the BBC session). And then suddenly Mike West appeared. I had to say hello.

He was so nice, so friendly. We chatted for a bit, not too long. Told him I had come from NYC. Asked me my name. Told him I was from Peru. And he told me he had a very good Peruvian friend from his Manchester days. He seemed so genuine and humble. A true indiepop hero to me!

After the opening band, The Mudd Club, which featured Mike’s kids. And Edward Barton doing a fun sort of poetry/comedy show (and no, no “It’s a Fine Day”), it was time for The Man from Delmonte! AND IT WAS GLORIOUS!

On stage Mike West, Sheila Seal, Martin Vincent and Howard Goody. We are ready for the best time!!

I sang the songs, top of my lungs, happy, giddy. It was just wonderful. The band went with a hit to start “Water in My Eyes”. The venue went nuts. Then “Australia Fair” and “Big Noise”. It was time for a favourite of mine, “My Love is Like a Gift” (a video I had uploaded aeons ago to Youtube, maybe the first video ever by the band on there, from a rip from my friend Roger), I was dreaming. “Like a Millionaire”, “Mathematically SPeaking”, “Good Things in Life” and “Drive Drive Drive”.

Then came a song I wasn’t familiar with “Dig up the Dirt” which is from some demos the band recorded in 1990 (and I’m sharing it in this post). “Take Me to the Country”, another favourite came next”, and afterwards was “Ugly Part of Town”. I didn’t know this song either. It is a song from Mike’s time in the US.

In between songs Mike would tell us to be grateful to our bar tenders, to tip them. To remember that The Mudd Club was Mudd with two ds. And also a few little stories about the songs.

“Lasha Me” and the brilliant “Sun Serious”. “Waiting for Ann” and then “Pink” and “Neighborhood” medley, a mix of a Man from Delmonte demo song and one from Surfurbia, Mike’s band after the demise of The Man from Delmonte (which makes me think would make a good post in the blog as it is such an obscure band).

Then we continued with “Stop”, “Bored By You”, “Lebanese American”. It was time for encore. “Ave Maria”, “Buddy Holly” (another from Truckstop Honeymoon, Mike’s US band), “Armchair Valentino” .. and more encores. Now everyone is on stage, half of the fans maybe. Time for “Nobody Save Louise”!

And that was it. Time to go. Leave with the spirits high. Time for some takeout. Go to sleep happy. The happiest.

And yeah, people ask me why I have never reached out and asked for an interview about the band. I don’t know. Maybe I should. I’d love to learn more about the band for sure. But sometimes I feel with bands I know the songs by heart, that I am too familiar with them, that I want to keep that magic. Don’t even know if that makes any sense. But that’s how it is for me.

But yeah, I am so thrilled. And I honestly would say everyone to go check their gigs if you can. They were perfect. So much fun. They play superbly. The songs sounded powerful. One of the best gigs I’ve ever been. Please don’t miss them!

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Listen
The Man from Delmonte – Dig Up the Dirt

Just back from the UK. I should do a post about the wonderful gig I attended in Manchester when I saw The Man from Delmonte reunite… what a wonderful concert!!!!

Another interesting Soundcloud account. This time by one called CravenDave.

He has uploaded seven recordings from a band he was in called The Cravens. They are in this setlist.

I am just going to repeat the information that is there. For the lazy ones. So the band hailed from Hull. They were active between 1991 and 1993 and played venues like the legendary Adelphi as well as the Humberside Poly.

I could find that at The Adelphi they played a bunch of gigs. On March 4, 1992 they played along Joyce and Sunshot. On March 20 of 1992 with The Dead Flowers and Lithium Joy. Then on May 23 of 1992 with Pulp and Milkfoat.

On Oct. 13, 1992 with the Scavengers. Then on Nov. 8 of 1992 and they were the headliners. The support band was The Stairs (don’t know them, any good?). And lastly on March 21, 1993 with Joyce and Skindive.

Other concerts I could find by them include on March 24, 1992, at T.C.s in Hull with Happy Shoppers and on October 24, 1992 with Lithium Joe at Ripon College.

The songs probably come from demo tapes. They are “It Really Doesn’t Matter”, “Tide”, “If I Had a Word (To Say to You)”, “In My Veins”, “I Don’t Care”, “Sad Man” and “What to Do”.

The only other thing I could find is that Dave was previously in a band called The Incredible Balloon Thieves. Some good songs there too. Maybe for the following post?

Any Hull indie fans remember them?

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Listen
The Cravens – I Don’t Care