There are a bunch of groups on Facebook I follow. One of my favourites is the Bull & Gate Memories. Why? Well, there’s always posts about bands I’ve never heard about or flyers from halcyon days. Memorabilia from a bygone era. Yes, it is not exclusively indiepop. In general it is not indiepop, there’s tons of pop-punk or goth for example. But that’s ok.

The Bull & Gate pub has changed a lot since the 80s. Nowadays it looks like a total different thing. Hard to imagine what it was. You can book a table and watch the Premier League. It looks pretty and photogenic. Back int he 80s it was one of the most important London venues for up and coming indie bands.

The Timebox was a club night that run throughout 1986 and 1987 in this pub. The Timebox was captained by Joe Beast and I would recommend checking out the photography book “Bull & Gate – The Timebox 1986/1987” published back in 2010 by Mick Mercer. On it you’ll find photos by bands like The Black Cillas, Jim Jiminee, The Primitives and more.

It is actually thanks to Mick Mercer, said to be the longest running Goth and Post-Punk writer in the world, that I find out about Call Dr Bunny.

He shared a flyer from November 1986 for The Timebox. There I noticed the name Call Dr Bunny among the bands playing Timebox Two. What was Timebox Two? All right, it was one of the two Timebox clubs. The Timebox was the main one at the Bull and Gate and then there was Timebox Two which happened at The Union Tavern on Camberwell New Road. Closest station was Oval. Nowadays there is a The Union Tavern but located somewhere else, all the way in Clerkenwell.

I think I’ve written a bit about the scene, but barely anything about the band. Well, let’s see what I can say.

The band supported The Birdhouse on November 19th at Timebox Two. The other bands on the lineup are The Mock Turtles and Clay People.

Other than that flyer I find a video on Youtube! Them playing live at the Timebox Two! Must be the same gig?!

There is just one piece of info on the description, Mike Ellard on drums and Tim Cherrett on bass. On the video though I see there are two guitar players and a female vocalist. So we are missing three names.

The band does announce the name of some songs. I hope I get them right. I believe they were called “This Last Night”, “Notting Hill Mind”, “I Should Care” and “Ordinary People”.

In keep digging, searching for the two names i have. I find out, on the same Youtube channel, that Mike continued making music as a drummer. He was in a band called Tiger Lilly and Jitterbug Bites.

Searching Tim Cherrett I find a retired office worker that is proud of his passion for running. Could it be the same Tim?

I can’t find any other music connections for these names. And nothing about Call Dr Bunny. Did they record any music? Any demos?

Would be fantastic to learn more. Who remembers them?

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Listen
Call Dr Bunny – Notting Hill Mind (live at Timebox Two)