Birdland were a English indie rock band formed in 1988 in Birmingham, England by the brothers Robert (vocals) and Lizzy Lee Vincent (guitar), who had previously released records and toured in glam rock band Zodiac Motel (1984–1988). The other band members were Simon Rogers (bass), and Neil Hughes (drums).
Birdland's debut single "Hollow Heart", was released on Lazy Records. It reached No. 1 in the UK Indie Chart. The band generated a lot of attention in the British music press. The band released four further singles; "Paradise", "Sleep with Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody", "Rock n Roll Ni****", all of which were No. 1 UK independent singles. "Sleep With Me" also reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1990, with the video being shown on Top Of The Pops. It was two years after the first single that the band finally released their eponymously titled debut album in 1991.
After the album's release, problems with management and inner band disagreement forced the band to split up. They briefly reunited in 2011 and streamed a new demo.
Links to Peel[]
Peel played a track by Zodiac Motel from their The Story Of Roland Flagg album on his 24th June 1986 show. After Zodiac Motel morphed into Birdland, he started having a greater interest in the new band's music by giving them more airplay, which resulted in two Festive Fifty entries and sessions for his programmes between 1989 and 1990. However, when the band released their final single, Everybody Needs Somebody, in 1991, Peel was disappointed, calling it "Birdland by numbers" on BBC Radio One's review show, Round Table. [1]
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1989 Festive Fifty: Hollow Heart #28
- 1989 Festive Fifty: Paradise #40
Sessions[]
Birdland john peel session 1989
1. Recorded: 1989-06-06. First Broadcast: 28 June 1989. Repeated: 03 August 1989, 30 October 1989, 26 April 1990
- Paradise / White / See No Evil / Sugar Blood
2. Recorded: 1990-01-02. First Broadcast: 05 February 1990. Repeated: 27 February 1990
- All Over Me / Wanted / Shoot You Down / Rock N' Roll Ni****
Other Shows Played[]
- Zodiac Motel
- 24 June 1986: Mr. Watchtower (LP - The Story Of Roland Flagg) Swordfish
- 21 March 1989: Hollow Heart (12") Lazy LAZY 13T
- 03 April 1989: Hollow Heart (12") Lazy
- 11 April 1989 (Radio Bremen): Hollow Heart (7") Lazy
- 14 April 1989 (BFBS): 'Hollow Heart (12")' (Lazy)
- 17 April 1989: Hollow Heart (12") Lazy
- 20 April 1989 (Rockradio): Hollow Heart (12") Lazy
- 14 June 1989: Paradise (12") Lazy
- 22 June 1989: Paradise (7") Lazy
- 06 July 1989: Rage (12" - Paradise) Lazy
- 13 July 1989: 'White (12"-Paradise)' (Lazy)
- 26 July 1989: Paradise (7") Lazy
- 27 July 1989 (Rockradio): Rage (12" - Paradise) Lazy
- 03 October 1989: See No Evil (12" - Live) Lazy
- 03 October 1989: Hollow Heart (12" - Live) Lazy
- 04 October 1989: Sugar Blood (12" - Live) Lazy
- 05 October 1989: Paradise (12" - Live) Lazy
- 11 October 1989: Sugar Blood (12" - Live) Lazy
- 24 October 1989 (Radio Bremen): Paradise / White (album - Live) Lazy
- 28 October 1989 (BFBS): 'See No Evil (12"-Live)' (Lazy)
- 28 October 1989 (BFBS): 'Hollow Heart (12"-Live)' (Lazy)
- 21 December 1989: 'Paradise (7 inch)' (Lazy) FF #40
- 26 December 1989: 'Hollow Heart (7")' (Lazy) FF #28
- 09 January 1990: Sleep With Me (7") Lazy
- 11 January 1990: Wanted (12" - Sleep With Me) Lazy
- 15 January 1990: Hollow Heart (Acoustic) (7" -Sleep With Me EP) Lazy
- 16 January 1990: Wanted (7" -Sleep With Me EP) Lazy
- 27 January 1990 (BFBS): 'Hollow Heart (acoustic) (7"-Sleep With Me EP)' (Lazy)
- 27 January 1990 (BFBS): 'Wanted (7"-Sleep With Me EP)' (Lazy)
- 24 February 1990 (BFBS): 'Hollow Heart (12"-Live)' (Lazy)
- 24 February 1990 (BFBS): 'Crystal Injection (12"-Live)' (Lazy)
- 24 February 1990 (BFBS): 'Gotta Getaway (12"-Live)' (Lazy)
- 09 June 1990 (BFBS): 'Sleep With Me (7"-Ep. 3: Sleep With Me)' (Lazy) (JP: 'The Rolling Stones for the 1990s? Although I suppose the Rolling Stones see themselves as being the Rolling Stones for the 1990s.')