On my post about the band Eddie’s Brother I mentioned that Simon Kelly, member of said band, had uploaded the songs to Soundcloud was also in a band called The Owl Service.
The songs by The Owl Service have been uploaded much more recently, just a year ago. I searched high and low for info on Eddie’s Brother and couldn’t find anything. Will my luck be different now that I am searching for The Owl Service?
My first encounter is through the song “Real“. It sounds very much influenced by “George Best” era The Wedding Present. I love this sound. This is something I enjoy a lot. I learn that this demo was recorded in 1991 on a Tascam 244 portastudio.
The second song is “Heptonstall“. Recorded at the same time period and with the same equipment. Here it is mentioned that this song was a favourite of the “Echoplex years”. What does that mean? As far as I know it is a guitar delay pedal, right? The band was using this pedal a lot?
Heptonstall is of course a town in the UK.
Heptonstall is a small village and civil parish within the Calderdale borough of West Yorkshire, England, historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The population of Heptonstall, including the hamlets of Colden and Slack Top, is 1,448, increasing to 1,470 at the 2011 Census. The town of Hebden Bridge lies directly to the south-east. Although Heptonstall is part of Hebden Bridge as a post town, it is not within the Hebden Royd town boundaries.
Did the band hail from a place close by?
Third song is “I-Spy with the Angels“. Here Simon mentions that he hears shades of The Wedding Present in his song.
There’s more. “No Sunday Afternoon Joy” had the sound of his Rickenbacker 330. Sadly he mentions that 6 months later after recording the song it was stolen. The last song available is titled “And“.
Worth mentioning again that Simon was also in the band The Gunsmiths in the late 80s.
Now the name. Where does The Owl Service name comes from?
The Owl Service is a low fantasy novel for young adults by Alan Garner, published by Collins in 1967. Set in modern Wales, it is an adaptation of the story of the mythical Welsh woman Blodeuwedd, an “expression of the myth” in the author’s words.
Good to know. What else can we find?
Not much more to be honest. So again, will need your help with any more details so we can understand a bit better this cool sounding band!
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Listen
The Owl Service – Real
