Beatnik Filmstars

Beatnik Filmstars were a British Lo-fi pop group formed in Bristol in 1990. After splitting up in 1998, going on to side projects Kyoko and Bluebear, they re-formed in 2004, releasing several more albums before splitting again in 2008. Singer Guitarist Andrew Arthur Jarrett started Beatnik Filmstars when the band he was previously in (The Groove Farm) split up. Formed in 1990, the first line up also featured former Groove Farm members Jon Kent (guitar) and Jeremy (Jez) Butler (Drums) along with bass player Andy Henderson. The band's first album Maharishi was released in 1991. It found them getting lumped into the shoegazing scene, with songs that featured loud/quiet/loud passages, and swirly guitar sounds. But Jarrett was more influenced by US sounding bands and the band soon broke away from their 'shoegaze' phase.

Links To Peel
Peel was a big supporter of the group in the 90's recording five sessions for his show as well as once being invited to sit in and chat with him during one of his broadcasts. In an interview with singer Andrew Jarrett for an internet publication, Jarrett mentioned the importance of Peel when asked why the band were appreciated in America:

"'Because, they have college radio, so our records got played a lot and therefore heard by a lot more people, where as in the UK we had John Peel and that was it. Also we often got features in US publications, and the record reviews were generally quite stunning. Americans are not quite so easily led by fads and trends. Sure, it happens to some extent, but not in the way it did, and probably still does in Britain. The NME had the power to start a trend, and to kill it dead when they were bored with it. For some bizarre reason, the English public followed them like a herd of little lost sheep...You don't get that so much in America.'"

Festive Fifty Entries
Post-Peel
 * 2006 Festive Fifty: It's Not What You Know #23
 * 2006 Festive Fifty: Really Quite Bizarre #06


 * 2007 Festive Fifty: Inside The Mind Of Sam (Breakfast Serial Killer) #08
 * 2007 Festive Fifty: Life In The Country AKA This Civil War #06
 * 2007 Festive Fifty: Curious Role Model #04
 * 2008 Festive Fifty: Hospital Ward #10
 * 2009 Festive Fifty: Back Up Plan #41

Sessions
All sessions released on 541 The John Peel Sessions (2005, CD, Zenith Consol Tone)

1. Recorded: 1995-06-04. Broadcast: 01 July 1995 2. Recorded: 1996-07-21. Broadcast: 17 August 1996 3. Recorded: 1997-02-25. Broadcast: 11 March 1997 4. Recorded: 1997-08-03. Broadcast: 19 August 1997 5. Recorded: 1997-12-14. Broadcast: 29 January 1998
 * Jam Shoes / Chips / New Boyfriend And Black Suit / A Craze Exploding / Dogstar
 * Pilot Jack De La Zouche / Wing Off A Plane / Rumpus Throw / Milk
 * Hep Boys (Into Kraut Rock) / Ransack The Misfits / Now I'm A Millionaire / Mess/Is This Is Rad?
 * His Part In The Death Of A Lottery Winner / I Can Tame Lions / Squeemish / Less Than One In Ten / Goodbye Miss Barcelona
 * 13th Annual Showdown / Pop Dramas (Camp It Up) / Good Things Proud Man / Life Amongst The Cowboys / Our Celestial Pilot / Better In Space

Other Shows Played
1993 1994 1995
 * 02 July 1993 / Best Of Peel Vol 61: Sing Elvis (7" – Revolt Into Style) La-Di-La Productions
 * 09 July 1993 / Best Of Peel Vol 61: Revolt Into Style (LP - Laid Back And English) La-Di-Da
 * 01 August 1993 (BFBS): Ambulance (album - Laid Back And English) La-di-da Productions La-di-da 027
 * 05 August 1994: Apathetic English Swine (7" ) La Di Da Promotions
 * 23 September 1994: unknown
 * 02 December 1994: New Improved Formula (CD - Astronaut House ) La-Di-Da Productions
 * 17 March 1995: 'Bigot Sponger Haircut Policy (7 inch)' (Mobstar)
 * 07 April 1995: 'Bigot Sponger Haircut Policy (7 inch)' (Mobstar)


 * 22 April 1995: 'National Pool Drama (7"-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)
 * 28 April 1995: '50/50 Split (7 inch-EP-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)
 * 06 May 1995 (BFBS): '50/50 Split (7"-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)

1996
 * 14 May 1995 (BBC World Service): 50/50 Split (7" - Pink Noize) Slumberland
 * 09 June 1995: 'Flake (7"-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)
 * 16 June 1995: 'National Pool Drama (7"-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)
 * 24 June 1995 (BFBS): 'National Pool Drama (7"-Pink Noize)' (Slumberland)
 * 12 August 1995: New Boyfriend And Black Suit (7 inch) Mobstar
 * 16 September 1995: New Boyfriend And Black Suit (7" EP) Mobstar
 * 03 November 1995: 'Pop Scum (7"-Bridegrooms EP)' (LoFi Recordings)
 * 04 November 1995 (BFBS): 'Pop Scum (French Version) (7"-Bridegrooms E.P.)' (Lo-Fi Recordings)
 * 12 January 1996: 'Flake (LP-Beezer (A Collection Of Singles, EPs, Sessions and Out-Takes)' (Mobstar)


 * 26 January 1996: Charlie Batman (LP - Beezer) Mobstar


 * 25 May 1996: 'Seventies Flick (7"-Supremer Queener)' (Mobstar)

1997
 * 01 June 1996: A Craze Exploding (7" EP - Supremer Queener) Mobstar MOBSTAR006
 * 01 June 1996 (BFBS): 'Seventies Flick (7")' (Mobstar)
 * 02 June 1996: I Am A Pioneer (7" EP - Supremer Queener) Mobstar MOBSTAR006
 * 25 January 1997 (BBC World Service): Milk (album - Phase 3) No Life NL14
 * 01 February 1997: ‘Favourite Stuff (CD – Phase 3)’ Mobstar
 * 19 February 1997: 'Three Down (CD-Phase Three)' (Mobstar)
 * 26 February 1997: ‘Wing Off A Plane (CD – Phase 3)’ Mobstar
 * 05 March 1997: New Boyfriend And Black Suit (LP - Phase 3) Mobstar

1998
 * 10 March 1997 (BBC World Service): New Boyfriend And Black Suit (LP - Phase 3) No Life
 * 17 March 1997 (BFBS): 'Wing Off A Plane (CD-Phase 3)' (Mobstar)
 * 21 May 1997: ‘Pilot Jack Harrison (10 inch – All Pop Stars Are Talentless Slags)’ Mobstar
 * 17 July 1997: ‘Now I’m A Millionaire (Various Artists CD – Little Darla Has A Treat For You Volume 7)’ Darla Records
 * 25 September 1997 (BFBS): 'Hep Boys (Into Krautrock) (CD-In Hospitalble)' (Merge)
 * 09 October 1997 (BFBS): 'Look Up And Be Amazed (CD-In Hospitalable)' (Merge)
 * 17 October 1997 (BBC World Service): Atlas (CD Album - In Hospitalable) Merge
 * 23 October 1997: 'Is This Rad? (CD-In Hospitalable)' (Merge)
 * 01 September 1998: Hairstyle Of A Smug Bastard (LP - Boss Disque) Merge