Cravats

The Cravats were a neo-dadaist group from Redditch, UK, formed in 1977 after The Shend and Rob Dallaway saw the Stranglers in Birmingham. Guitarist Martin Seys and drummer Ethos Yapp left the band early. From there on, as a 4-piece, they managed to release six singles and two full albums (most of them on Small Wonder; some appeared in the indie charts Top 30), interspersed with some dada happenings. Between July 1979 and November 1982, they also made four sessions for Kat's Karavan. Thier website relates: "John Peel Wingdings are now a thing of yore, I only remember hearing about them as a youth when Peel would announce on his show that he'd managed to play Teenage Kicks three times the previous night in Barnstable, or wherever the roadshow had landed. But it was on one of Peel's Wingdings in Stratford Upon Avon that The Shend gave Peel a copy of the 'Gordon' single resulting in the record getting played that night, and securing a session for his radio show. In July 79 The Cravats loaded up the van and travelled down to Maida Vale Studios in London and recorded five tracks for their first Peel session. (Jale Dowett)" The Shend would later state that the P.R.S. payments they received for the sessions were the band's main income. On 29 May 1979, Peel played a T. Rex track as a request for him, and 11 September 1979 during the session repeat that they were hitch-hiking back to Redditch and begged listeners to give them a lift. "Ah, the romance, the glamour, the glory of being in a rock and roll band... The Shend is very big and looks menacing, but he isn't."

The Cravats formed the “DadaCravat Laboratories” (D.c.L), which enabled them to perform under many aliases: in these, their music appears more danceable. The classic line-up changes only on their final 12” release (Land Of The Giants, later to form the title of a compilation package) in 1985. The Shend went on to form the Very Things, but has stated that the Cravats will exist forever and record when they feel they need to.

The Shend (bass, vocals) Rob Dallaway [aka Arthur] (guitar, vocals) Richard Yehudi [aka Richard London, aka Baird Smart, aka F-Reg] (saxophone, clarinet) Dave Bennett [aka 31] (drums, vocals)
 * Line-up

Festive Fifty Entries

 * NoneThe Cravats - Gordon

Sessions

 * Four sessions, none commercially released. Details and pictures.

1. Recorded: 1979-07-31. First broadcast: 09 August 1979. Repeated: 11 September 1979 2. Recorded: 1980-09-23. First broadcast: 06 October 1980. Repeated: 04 November 1980, 22 January 1981 3. Recorded: 1981-08-10. First broadcast: 18 August 1981. Repeated: 07 September 1981, 15 December 1981 4. Recorded: 1982-11-06. First broadcast: 15 November 1982. Repeated: 29 December 1982, 24 January 1983
 * Welcome / Who's In Here With Me / Pressure Seekers / Precinct / Live For Now
 * Still / In Your Eyes / You're Driving Me / Triplex Zone
 * The Station / Working Down Underground / There Is No International Rescue / Daddy's Shoes

Other Shows Played

 * 22 August 1978: 'Gordon (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 31 August 1978: 'Gordon (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 25 September 1978: 'Gordon (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 13 June 1979: 'I Hate The Universe (maxi single)' (Small Wonder)
 * 21 June 1979: 'The End (7"-The End. Spring 1979.)' (Small Wonder)
 * 17 July 1979: 'Burning Bridges (7"-The End. Spring 1979.)' (Small Wonder)
 * 06 August 1979: 'Burning Bridges (7"-The End. Spring 1979.)' (Small Wonder)
 * 07 April 1981: 'You're Driving Me (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 29 July 1982: 'When Will We Fall? (7"-Rub Me Out)' (Crass)
 * 30 January 1984: 'Fireman (LP-The Colossal Tune's Out)' (Corpus Christi)