Bands 1982 - Onwards
PLEASE REFER TO THE DISCOGRAPHY SECTION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON MANY BANDS NOT LISTED IN THIS SECTION
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The Groove Farm
The Groove farm were a noisy guitar pop band that came to life in 1986, with the release of their first 7" EP 'Sore Heads And Happy Hearts' it was a self released effort, cheaply recorded, with cheaply made sleeves, and hand coloured labels to save money. Only now people describe it as lo-fi, at the time it was 'DIY'. The band were instantly picked up on and became fanzine favourites with the then booming 'C86', 'shambling' 'annorak' 'twee' pop scene that was sweeping England.
The Groove Farm live were never 'twee' and they never wore anoraks. They at times, could shamble though! They could also be fantastic, and powerful, pop with the honest and true spirit of punk. Soon they signed to Subway records, but the results of recording in a 'better' studio under the orders from the label, were to soften the harsh trebbley garage sound, and the band wern't happy with the records, With a few exceptions (The B Sides to Big Black Plastic Explosion, and the single version of Driving In Your New Car) Things turned sour with Subway, after money owed, failed to arrive. The last few years found the band back on their own Raving Pop Blast! label, and again recording on 8 track.
The resulting LP 'Plug' was seen by many to be the bands finest moment. The band were always a far better experience live, from their shambling early days, to the later years when they had improved (slightly!) as players. The recordings were a little on the poor side. It was really a case of you needed to be there at the time, to fully understand the magic of the band. Since the band called it a day in 1990, Andrew has played in Beatnik Filmstars , Jon played in early Beatnik Filmstars before becoming a top photographer. Jez also played on the first Beatnik Filmstars LP before heading off in his own musical world as part of the If... organisation, and has released many records under many different names (Tomorrows world, Vision on, the Sixth Form to name just a few), Rupert released several records as a member of Girlboy Girl , as well as records as Hewas and Moneyspider.
In 1998, Mobstar records released a CD 'The Best Parts ...Volume One' And a live CD 'Totally Total', and for a one off Mobstar event 'The Pop Frenzy Weekend' The band played live together one last time, and it was a magical moment, transporting all who were there to witness it back to the hazy crazy lazy days of the Bunker, or The Western Star Domino Club.... Happy days.
Do please check out Andrew's band BEATNIK FILMSTARS if you like The Groove Farm you should love the new Beatniks CD's. All Records and CD's have long gone, but they do crop up on ebay from time to time.
Jon Kent : Guitar.
Andrew Jarrett : Vocals & Guitar.
Jez Butler : Drums.
Rupert Taylor : Bass.
Plus:
Darren Price : Drums. Chad : Bass
http://www.myspace.com/thegroovefarm
Discography :
SORE HEADS AND HAPPY HEARTS (Raving Pop Blast! Records. 7 INCH EP) 1986. Heaven Is Blue/ It Always Rains On Sunday/ Gods Tears/ My Feet Keep Slipping.
The sleeves were available in four colours : yellow, blue, pink and green. First pressing does not have a Revolver/Cartel logo on the back. Labels were coloured by hand.
ONLY THE MOST IGNORANT GUTLESS SHEEP-BRAINED POLTROON CAN DENY THEM NOW (Raving Pop Blast! 7 INCH EP) 1987. In The Summertime / Surfin Impossible! / Captain Fantastic / Couldnt Get To Sleep.
BABY BLUE MARINE (Kvatch Flexi Disc) 1987
Flexi Disc given free with Kvatch Fanzine made by Claire Wadd who later became half of Sarah Records. Also Featured on disc : The Sea Urchins Cling Film.
SURFIN INTO YOUR HEART / Me! Me! Me! (Subway 7 INCH) 1987
GOING BANANAS WITH...THE GROOVE FARM (Subway 12 INCH EP) 1987
Surfin Into Your Heart / Me! Me! Me! / Hawaii Five Seconds / Turning Me Upside Down / What Better Way To be/ / No Friend Of Mine. (Note! Last Track a Sparkles cover version)
SURFIN INTO YOUR HEART (Fab Records German compilation LP The Bizarre Beauties) Other artists include : Swinging London, The Risk, The Chemistry Set, Birdy Num Nums etc
THE BEST PART OF BEING WITH YOU / CRAZY DAY SUNSHINE GIRL (Subway compilation LP- Surfin In The Subway) 1987
Other artists featured include The Flatmates, The Chesterfields, Razorcuts, Rosehips, Bubblegum Splash! Etc
THE BIG BLACK PLASTIC EXPLOSION (ITS ALRIGHT, ITS ALRIGHT!) (Subway 12 INCH EP) 1988
The Big Black Plastic Explosion/ Nancy Sinatra/ Baby Blue Marine/ Riot On Sunset Strip/ Red Dress. (Note! Last Track an Alvin Stardust Cover version)
DRIVING IN YOUR NEW CAR (Subway 10 INCH EP) 1988
Driving In Your New Car (Mini Mix) / Expanding Reindeer / I Cant Dance With You/ Epistile To Dippy. (Note! Last track a Donovan cover version)
ALVIN IS KING (Subway LP) 1988
(Out Of My Mind) Over You/ An Average Day In The Life/ What Better Way To Be?/ Empty Heart/ Back Of My Mind/ Timebomb!/ Sad For You/ Driving In Your New Car/ The Time Is Now/ (I Cant Stand) Another Sunny Day.
HEAVEN IS BLUE (Woosh Flexi disc) 1988
A re recorded version of the first GF song, recorded onto a cassette, at a rehearsal. Also featured on this red vinyl flexi : Esmereldas Kite : Vampire Girl.
HATE US AND WE'LL LOVE YOU TO DEATH (Raving Pop Blast! 12 INCH EP) 1989 Cloud 8 / Strum / Shine/ She Is So/ Out Of My Mind Over You (Live)
NUMBER ONE (ROUGH) (Breaking Down records Airspace Charity compilation LP) 1989
Other artists featured include : Field Mice, Cud, Flatmates, Rosehips, Five Year Plan, Close Lobsters etc.
PLUG ( THE STORY OF POP SO FAR) (Raving Pop Blast! LP)
Im Never Going To Fall In Love Again / I Dont Blame You / Please Dont Make Me Unhappy / World Would Die For You / Number One / Its Not That I cant Its Just That I Dont Want To / No One Like You / It Might Not Mean That Much To You But It Means A Lot To Me / Corrupt / Drag Me Under / Discotheque / I Dont Like You (But I Cant get Used To It) / Forever Is A Long Time / Plug.
JUST A SILLY PHASE IM GOING THROUGH (Breaking Down Records Airspace II The Sequal Charity Compilation LP) 1990
Other artists include : Brilliant Corners, Darling Buds, Wedding Present, Close Lobsters, Mega City Four, Jesse Garron & The Desperadoes, Heavenly, St. Christopher, etc
PRESENT (Raving Pop Blast! 12 INCH EP) 1990
Stop/ Close/ Just A Silly Phase Im Going Through/ Basil/ Everybody Needs Someone To Love Them While Theyre Looking For Someone To Love.
BAGISM (Raving Pop Blast! 7 INCH EP) 1990
Surfin Into Your Heart/ The Best Part Of Being With You/ Captain Fantastic/ Danny Says. First three tracks all record live at the last show. Last track Ramones cover version, radio session recording. There were to be three of these limited edition EPs all with hand coloured labels and paint splashed sleeves, but the tapes of the following two EPs were lost even though the sleeves were printed Shagism and Ismism all words from Lennons Give Peace A Chance incase youre wondering!
THE BIG BLACK PLASTIC EXPLOSION (Subway compilation CD Whole Wide World) 1991
Other artists include Chesterfields, Flatmates, Rosehips, Soup Dragons, Razorcuts etc
THE BEST PARTS... VOLUME ONE (Mobstar CD) 2001
Heaven Is Blue / Just A Silly Phase / Baby Blue Marine (Radio session version) / Please Dont Make Me Unhappy / The Best Part Of Being With You / Sad For You (Alternate version) / What Better Way To Be? (4 track demo version) / It Always rains On Sunday / Strum / Captain Fantastic (Radio session version) / Baby Blue Marine (Flexi version) / Surfin Into Your Heart (Live) / The Big Black Plastic Explosion (Alternate Version) / Gods tears / Couldnt Get To Sleep / Basil / Crazy day Sunshine Girl / It Might Not Mean That Much To You but It Means A Lot To Me / nancy Sinatra (Alternate version)/ Turning Me Upside Down (Radio session version) / In The Summertime / No One Like You / Plus two hidden bonus tracks live at Glastonbury festival 1987, Heaven Is blue / The Best Part Of being With You.
TOTALLY TOTAL (Mobstar CD) 2001
Live and Demo Collection.
Live tracks : Cloud 8 / Captain Fantastic / Surfin Into Your Heart / Baby Blue Marine / Dont You Try That Old Routine On Me / Couldnt Get To Sleep / Back Of My Mind / Crazy Day Sunshine Girl / Nancy Sinatra / Heaven Is Blue / Time bomb! / Stop! / The Big Black Plastic Explosion / Surfin Into Your Heart / Surfin Impossible! / The Best Part Of Being With You / It Always Rains On Sunday / (Note! All live tracks are of varing quality depending on the way they were both recorded and played!) Demos Tracks: Valleri (Monkees cover version) / Get Out Of My Life / Turning Me Upside Down / Captain Fantastic / Heaven Is Blue / Oh Gosh! / Surfin Impossible! / Step Inside Love (Cilla Black cover version) / You Cant Deny It, Can You? / Basil / Somethings Strange About The Rain.
BABY BLUE MARINE (LIVE) / COULDNT GET TO SLEEP (LIVE) (Mobstar CDr The Mobstar Pop Frenzy Weekend- The Official (Non-Official) Bootleg) 2001
Two tracks recorded live from the reunion show, featured here alongside Boyracer, Lunchbox, Gravenhurst, Movietone, Girlboy Girl and others playing at the Mobstar weekender.
JUST A SILLY PHASE I'M GOING THROUGH (Firestation Towers Records Compilation CD The Sound Of Lemington SpaVol 2) 2002
Other artists include : Phil Wilson, Benny Profane, Bob Hope etc
THE BEST PART OF BEING WITH YOU (Mute Records Compilation CD Rough Trade Shops, Indiepop Vol 1) 2005
Other artists include : Primal Scream, Sea Urchins, Jesus & Mary Chain, Felt, Shop Assistants, Wedding Present, Heavenly, Field Mice, Talulah Gosh, Beat Happening, My Bloody Valentine, Josef K, June Brides, Pastels, Vaselines, Bis etc
'ANORAKNOPHOBIA -LIVE AT THE TROPIC CLUB AUG 87' (Raving Pop Blast! POP BLAST 2) Surifin' Impossible! / The Best Part Of Being With You / In The Summertime / Captain Fantastic / Get Out Of My Life / What Better Way To be? / I Could Be In Heaven / Surfin' Into Your Heart / Heaven Is Blue / No Friend Of Mine.
'WHEN MATT MET CLARE' (Live at Transport House, March 1987) (Raving Pop Blast! POP BLAST 1)
My Feet keep Slipping /Watching The World Go By / Couldn't Get To Sleep / Captain Fantastic / It Always rains On Sunday / Heaven Is Blue / Surfin' Impossible!. - 'The Janice Long Session' - Turning Me Upside Down / Get Out Of My Life / Danny Says / Baby Blue Marine/ Captain Fantastic.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN (Windsor April 1989) (Raving Pop Blast! POP BLAST 3) Strum / She Is So / Baby Blue Marine / Number One / Cloud 8 / The Back Of My Mind / Heaven Is Blue / Sometimes I Feel Unhappy /Big Black Plastic Explosion / Out Of My Mind.
HELLO, GOODBYE (Live Fleece August 90) Cloud 8/ The Best Part.../ Captain Fantastic / It Always Rains.../ Nancy Sinatra / Riot On Sunset Strip / Number One / Surfin' Into Your Heart / Couldn'T Get To Sleep /Close / Plug / Baby Blue Marine. (Live At The Folk House.. August 2001 The One Off Reunion!) Heaven Is Blue / It Always Rains.../ In The Summertime / Just A Silly Phase I'm Going Through / Nancy Sinatra / Couldn't Get To Sleep / The Best Part.../ Surfin' Into Your Heart / Big Black Plastic Explosion / Baby Blue Marine.
