Secret Hairdresser

The Secret Hairdresser was a band from Bury St Edmunds who were formed in 1999. They were part of a local scene that included the bands Miss Black America and Dawn Parade. The group had an ever-shifting line up around mainstay Jason Baldock (guitar / vocals) that over the years included members of other Bury groups that Peel also played on his programme. Baldock was concurrently also a member of Animal Planet. At the time of recording their Peel session, the group consisted of Baldock, Julia Kidd (bass, vocals), Jamie Dodd (guitar, vocals), Lucy Parnell (moog, vocals) and Robert Crawford (drums, vocals).

The group won the BurySound talent competition in December 2004.

Having issued a demo LP, "Top Ten Conditioning Tips", in February 2003, the band followed this with three CD singles - "Pass The Parcel" (Sep 2003), "Hairdressing For Everyone" (Nov 2003) and "We Did It On Purpose" (Feb 2005). In March 2005 they issued a split single with Stuffy/The Fuses through Wrath Records of Leeds. That same year the group released a download only compilation LP "School of Hair" through the band's own Lap Records label. According to their official website, the group split up in 2006, having played their final gig on 16 February 2006.

Links to Peel
Always keen to champion local bands, Peel played tracks from their demo CD "Top Ten Conditioning Tips" at the end of 2003 and was impressed with what he heard:

"'Well there seems to be some doubt as to whether they actually exist in any meaningful form these days, I certainly hope that they do because this LP, or demo, is most entertaining.' (04 November 2003)"

The track "Distant Pause" appears to be the one that found most favour with the DJ.

A few months later he invited the band in to record a session. The airing of the session coincided with the show being broadcast from Peel Acres. Peel commented: "'They did offer to come over here and actually tell me more about themselves, but as I'd given most of the members of the staff the night off, we couldn't really cope with them en masse I think. But thanks very much for the offer.' (02 March 2004)"

During their visit to Maida Vale the group had recorded a disclaimer for the show, warning of potentially offensive content. Unfortunately, as Peel explained, the programme team felt unable to use it: "'The Secret Hairdresser had recorded for us a little disclaimer, a spoken disclaimer followed by a little song. But as so many people have done who entered our competition, they did a lot of swearing in the course of the disclaimer. Obviously there are no ground rules and we really don't quite know what it is that we're supposed to do, but the suspicion is that this is rather contrary to the spirit of the thing.'"

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions
One session. No known commercial release. 1. Recorded 2004-02-17. First broadcast 02 March 2004.
 * Verse Chorus Miaow / Speed Of Snow / Coulda Shoulda Woulda / Its Not My Problem / A Peelogy Apology

Other Shows Played
The list below was researched only from the database of this site and may be incomplete. Please add further information if known.


 * 04 November 2003: Wedding Crowd (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label
 * 12 November 2003: Psycho (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label
 * 02 December 2003: Distant Pause (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label
 * 04 December 2003: Distant Pause (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label
 * 11 December 2003: Sign Of Life (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label
 * 11 December 2003 (Radio Eins): Distant Pause (CDR demo LP - Top Ten Conditioning Tips) white label