Went back to that flyer for The Timebox from November 1986. That flyer helped me discover the band Call Dr Bunny. There are many bands on there that I have never heard but also that I can’t find any recordings on the web. For example Escape From Burma who played with The Chesterf!elds on November 24th. On Discogs there is a demo tape listed that is categorized as indiepop. I am so curious.
On the other hand sometimes I am lucky, and I have found a trove of recordings by a band called Tender Lugers. They played on December 2nd at The Timebox supporting The Pop Icons and The Psylons. I haven’t heard these bands either.
It is on Bandcamp, on an account set up by Blue House Records, that I find 31 tracks by Tender Lugers. It is a collection called “Closer to God“.
This collection includes the band’s releases. I notice on Discogs that the band released three records as well as appearing on 2 compilations.
The first release is the “Johnny Orgy” 12″ released in 1986 by Kick! Records (KIK 1). This EP had six songs, three on each side. “Get it While You Can”, “You’re So Cruel” and “Roadfucker” on the A side and “That’s Really Something”, “Licks” and “She Wants it Now”. This one was produced by James Partridge.
The music of the band can be indiepop at points but it can get rockier. I like the indiepop tracks a lot. They are nice. So yeah, listen with open mind, skip the ones you don’t like, enjoy the ones you do.
“Enjoy Yourself” is the band’s second EP. It came out in 1987 again on Kick! Records (KIK 2). This was probably the band’s own label. The songs on the record were “Enjoy Yourself” and “If I Were You” on the A side and “Teenage Cream” and “Closer to God” on the B side. This record was produed by Pete Dee.
Lastly the 12″ EP “Ugly Boy” came out on Rare Lad (R.L. 1) in 1988. “Junkie Fag Hag” and “I Wish I Was Lovely” appear on the A side and “What Good Will it Do” and “Why Should I?” are on the B side. This record was produced by Andy Boyce, Tracey Kelly and the band. Tracey Kelly also provided backing vocals while Andy Boyce played keyboards and backing vocals. The record was recorded at The Lodge, Clare, Suffolk.
On compilations they had “Don’t Talk About It” on the tape “Vicrub” which was released by the Venue for Ipswich Campaign (RUB001) in 1989. Then in 2011 their song “Junkie Fag Hag” was on the double CD comp “The Ugly Truth About Ipswich 1981-2011” released by Antigen Records and Corndog Records (Antigen 41, CORN 017).
On Bandcamp the collection is much larger. It includes the aforementioned songs but also “The Best Thing”, “Don’t Talk About It”, “C’mon Baby”, “Ramblin’ Man”, “I Wish I Was Lovely”, “Why Should I?”, “Candy Fuck Pig”, “Honestly Baby”, “My Best Friend”, “Country Honey” and “Dogshit Blues” from the band’s first demo from July 1987 that was produced by James Partridge.
Then tracks 12 to 17, “I Can’t Wait (For my Daddy to Die)”, “Thank God (He Didn’t Take Too Long)”, “Guts”, “Roadfucker”, “Dirty Muscle” and “She Wants it Now”, are from a demo recorded on 16-track in 1986 also produced by Partridge.
Then something interesting to me. Tracks 32 and 35 were a Peel Session. You can’t stream these songs unless you download the whole thing. The session dates from September 16, 1986 and was produced by Dale Griffin. The songs were “Johnny Joanne”, “Enjoy Yourself”, “A Little Protection” and “Teenage Cream”.
I try to find any names that may be in connection with the band. I find that of Bruce MacGregor from the band EMF. It seems he was part of The Suckers and The Blowers but also of Tender Lugers.
Another thing I notice on the web is that the band played at Dingwalls with Hurrah! and The Jack Rubies.
And that’s it…
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