Starting a new week, but the good thing is that today it is a holiday here in the US.

In a few days Cherry Red is releasing a very good box set called “Big Gold Dreams: A Story of Scottish Independent Music 1977-1989”. It is a 5CD Boxset that as its name says covers lots of great Scottish music, including a lot of Scottish pop. Of course you know I’m no fan of this label, but I have to be objective and look at the music and the bands on it. So for those that are not aware of this release I’m sharing the info here which includes many bands that have been featured on the blog like The Vultures, The Bachelor Pad, Baby Lemonade or The Wild Indians.

DISC ONE:
1. I CAN’T STAND MY BABY (Sensible Version) – The Rezillos
2. HOOKED ON YOU – The Exile
3. JERKIN’ – The Drive
4. ROBOT LOVE – The Valves
5. PUT YOU IN THE PICTURE – P.V.C. 2
6. DEAD VANDALS – Johnny & The Self Abusers
7. YOU GOTTA KNOW GIRL – Bee Bee Cee
8. GIMME YOUR HEART – Subs
9. REASONS – Skids
10. DANCING WITH MYSELF – Fingerprintz
11. TAKE ME DOWN – The Zips
12. ALL THE BOYS LOVE CARRIE – Another Pretty Face
13. ELECTRIC HEAT – Visitors
14. SEE SAW – The Jolt
15. CHELSEA GIRL – Simple Minds
16. CULTURE SHOCK – Shake
17. THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME – The Headboys
18. TIME WALL – Fire Exit
19. PARANOIA – The Freeze
20. SYLVIA CLARKE – The Fakes
21. SHE’S TOO CLEVER FOR ME – TPI
22. SINGING IN THE SHOWERS – Fun 4
23. CONFESSIONS – Flowers
24. PLAYING WITH FIRE – TV21
25. STAY WITH ME TONIGHT – Alex Fergusson

DISC TWO:
1. DEAD POP STARS – Altered Images
2. DIE TODTEN REYTEN SCHNELL – The Prats
3. TOUS LES SOIRS – Delmontes
4. WALK ON WATER – The Cuban Heels
5. MORE THAN THIS – 35mm Dreams
6. OUT IN THE OPEN – The President’s Men
7. ALL ABOUT YOU – Scars
8. TELL ME EASTERS ON FRIDAY – The Associates
9. SORRY FOR LAUGHING – Josef K
10. EVENT TO COME – Article 58
11. LOVE TO MEET YOU – Restricted Code
12. DON’T – Thomas Leer
13. BIG GOLD DREAM – Fire Engines
14. ON OUR HONEYMOON – The Wake
15. OOH BOP SH’BAM – Boots For Dancing
16. PURITANS – The Happy Family
17. TIGHTROPE – Everest The Hard Way
18. PALACE FILLED WITH LOVE – APB
19. RUNNING AWAY – Paul Haig
20. PICK UP THE RHYTHM – French Impressionists
21. EAT YOUR HEART OUT – Hey! Elastica
22. PARTICIPATE! – The Laughing Apple

DISC THREE:
1. FEATHERS OAR-BLADES – Cocteau Twins
2. OUT OF NOWHERE – The Twinsets
3. CATH – The Bluebells
4. A GIRL CALLED JOHNNY – The Waterboys
5. LUCKY STAR (Moonboot Version) – Friends Again
6. TREES AND FLOWERS (92 Happy Customers Version) – Strawberry Switchblade
7. SIXTEEN REASONS – Jazzateers
8. STOP THE RAIN – The Suede Crocodiles
9. FLOWERS IN THE SKY – The Revolving Paint Dream
10. THINK! – Jasmine Minks
11. THERE MUST BE A BETTER LIFE – Biff Bang Pow!
12. ALL I NEED IS EVERYTHING – Aztec Camera
13. OVER YOUR SHOULDER – Pop Wallpaper
14. DREAMING – The Wee Cherubs
15. CATHEDRAL – Fini Tribe
16. UPSIDE DOWN – The Jesus And Mary Chain
17. BABY HONEY – The Pastels
18. YOU SUPPLY THE ROSES – Memphis
19. AIN’T THAT ALWAYS THE WAY – Paul Quinn
20. UNAMERICAN BROADCASTING – Win
21. SWALLOW – Blood Uncles

DISC FOUR:
1. ALL FALL DOWN – Primal Scream
2. DON’T SLIP UP – Meat Whiplash
3. HAMMERING HEART (Single Version) – Del Amitri
4. SOME INDULGENCE – The High Bees
5. BIG BLUE OCEAN – Jih
6. HOTEL MARQUIS DE SADE – Momus
7. LIVING IN HELL – The Primevals
8. BABY’S GOT A BRAND NEW BRAIN – The Styng Rites
9. BULLY BEEF – The Botany 500
10. WHOLE WIDE WORLD – The Soup Dragons
11. STRAWBERRY SUNDAY – BMX Bandits
12. FIRESTATION TOWERS – Close Lobsters
13. FACE IN A CROWD – The Green Telescope
14. THE RATTLER (Original 12” Version) – Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie
15. PENNILESS – The Wild Indians
16. SOMEWHERE IN CHINA (LP Version) – Shop Assistants
17. HOLLOW GUT – Lowlife
18. SLOW TIME AND TEMPTATION – Kevin McDermott
19. WHERE DO I STAND? – The Incredible Blondes
20. SIGN ON THE LINE… – The Fizzbombs
21. KILLER BEE HONEY – The Beat Poets
22. DON’T SHILLY SHALLY – Edwyn Collins
23. I’M NOT AN AMERICAN – The Dragsters
24. ROOM AT THE TOP – The Motorcycle Boy
25. HEY GIRL (LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE) – The Thanes

DISC FIVE:
1. HAPPY DAYS – The Shamen
2. MEALY MOUTHS – Mackenzies
3. SHE SAID TO THE DRIVER – The McCluskey Brothers
4. JIFFY NECKWEAR CREATION – Baby Lemonade
5. GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS – The Bachelor Pad
6. JENNY NOWHERE – The Clouds
7. MARATHON MAN – Rote Kapelle
8. THE ADAM FAITH EXPERIENCE – Jesse Garon & The Desperadoes
9. TEENAGE SUPERSTARS – The Vaselines
10. TINY WORDS – The Orchids
11. A PLACE IS SO HARD TO FIND – The Groovy Little Numbers
12. GOOD THING – The Vultures
13. THE GREAT DIVIDE – This Poison!
14. HEAD START – The Prayers
15. TAKE ME AWAY – The Submarines
16. THINK LIKE A GIRL – The Church Grims
17. IF YOU LOVE HIM, LET HIM GO – Wilderness Children
18. TRAFFIC DRONE – The Cateran
19. HILLS O’ NEW GALLOWAY – Nyah Fearties
20. MISS O’GRADY – Dog Faced Hermans
21. GROIN DEATH – Stretchheads
22. THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM – Cindytalk

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So who were The Groovers? As far as I know they only released two songs and then disappeared into oblivion. Why?!

I hope I get to find out the reason why. In the meantime I can find out any other details that might come in handy if I end up interviewing them. That would be the ideal situation. I don’t own anything by them but I’ve heard both songs on Youtube.

The band released a 7″ in 1992, probably self-released as there is no label listed. There is a catalog number though, GROOVE 1. The record included the festive “Happy Holiday” on the A side and the more laid-back “Yesterday’s Carnival Queen” on the B side. On the jacket we see someone reading the newspaper on a chair at a British beach. There’s a pier in the back. I’m sure someone might be able to recognize which beach it is thanks to it. We know too that both songs were recorded at Pearl Studios.

Other details that are available on the back cover is that both songs are credited to Thorley and that the songs were produced by someone with the last name Chapman.

There are no compilation appearances listed but Discogs does give us the first name of Thorley, it is Brent. Thanks to that little piece of information I find out that he has been in other bands like The BDI’s, The Lancashire Hustlers and The Panda Gang. All of them bands that happened after The Groovers according to the dates of their releases on Discogs. I would love to listen to them. Find out if they are as poppy as The Groovers.

On 45Cat there are a few of comments about the band. One mentions that the band started in Southport, Merseyside as The Revolvers.

Southport is a large seaside town in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England. Southport lies on the Irish Sea coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary. The town is 16.7 miles (26.9 km) north of Liverpool and 14.8 miles (23.8 km) southwest of Preston.

I have the certainty that the pier, the beach, on the cover, must have been Southport. Don’t you think? This same comment mentions that Brent Thorley was the vocalist and guitarist in the band.

Sadly that’s where I lose the trail. Not much more information about them. Sure I believe there is about the other bands he has been in, as he has even released records in Japan it seems. But about The Groovers there’s nothing else.

So I ask for your help again. Anyone remember them? Were there more songs? Other releases? Compilation appearances? Any detail would be appreciated here!

Update – February 27th:

I got in touch with Brent Thorley and asked him questions for an interview. He answered some of them. I don’t feel this time it requires a new post so I just thought updating the post with the new information he shared with me.

• The band existed from around 1990 to 1992 and were based in Southport.We all attended the same 6th form college(the last 2 years of high school) there apart from the bass player Ed who was the older brother of another friend.
• We played mainly at one bar in Southport,occasionally venturing further afield to nearby towns such as Preston and Wigan.
  The single was organised by the bass players father as far as I remember.
• The Revolvers was the same band,the name being changed when another more successful band called Revolver appeared.I think the name The Groovers came from the T.Rex song “The Groover”.
• We made a few demo tapes recorded live at rehearsals but I can’t recall if these were to sell or to send to record companies.
  The line up was bass,drums,guitar and keyboards.The keyboard player James also played the violin which features on both sides of the single.
• The person in the deck chair on the cover photo is the drummer Leo.
  I couldn’t say precisely why we stopped all these years later and am not in contact with any of the other members.

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Listen
The Groovers – Happy Holiday