Bogshed were an English indie band formed in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England in 1985, initially as The Amazing Roy North Penis Band, and comprising of Phil Hartley (vocals), Mike Bryson (bass), Mark McQuaid (guitar) and Tristan King (drums). The band's name came from a misheard line in a song, with Hartley explaining "I like the way that the mouth moves when you say Bog Shed". They were helped initially by The Membranes, leading to several performances in London, and the band's first release was the Let Them Eat Bogshed EP on John Robb's Vinyl Drip label in 1985. By the time of this release, the band had already played around 35 concerts and, according to Hartley, written between 80 and 100 songs.
The group released two albums and several singles before splitting in 1987. Hartley popped up late in 1988 with a solo Peel Session, but no releases were forthcoming. King went on to play with Jackdaw With Crowbar and later A Witness, while Mike Bryson, who was responsible for the sleeve artwork became a cartoonist/illustrator. Phil Hartley tragically died on 11 October 2006 along with Tris King who passed way on 21 December 2008 and Mike Bryson in November 2022.
Links To Peel[]
Championed by John Peel, the band recorded 5 sessions for his radio show between 1985 and 1987, and gained regular airplay. The uncompromising mix of angular guitar-led tunes and Hartley's energetic vocals (his stated aim was to sing like Doris Day!) meant that Peel's listeners either loved Bogshed or found them unpalatable. After two LP's and a string of singles, Bogshed called it a day, the last single ("Stop Revolving") never making it out of the warehouse. Hartley later in 1988 did a solo Peel Session, but no releases were forthcoming.
Sessions[]
Bogshed
BOGSHED John Peel 27th October 1985
Two sessions recorded in 1986 are available on Tried And Tested Public Speaker (1986, 12", Shelfish Records). All sessions available on The Official Bog-Set (2022, 5xCD box, Melodic) except for ‘Gather In The Mushrooms’ from session #3.
1. Recorded: 1985-10-27. Broadcast: 04 November 1985. Repeated: 19 November 1985, 04 December 1985
- Packed Lunch To School / Oily Stack / Hell Bent On Death / Can't Be Beat
2. Recorded: 1986-02-25. Broadcast: 05 March 1986. Repeated: 25 March 1986, 21 April 1986
- The Fastest Legs / Adventures Of Dog / Summer In My Lunchtime / Morning Sir/Little Car
3. Recorded: 1986-07-15. Broadcast: 28 July 1986. Repeated: 13 August 1986, 08 September 1986, 18 December 1986 (Andy Kershaw)
- Tried and Tested Public Speaker / Champion Love Shoes / Little Grafter / Gather In The Mushrooms
4. Recorded: 1987-04-14. Broadcast: 04 May 1987. Repeated: 19 May 1987, 06 July 1987
- The Gourmet Is A Baby / Raise The Girl / I Said No To Lemon Mash / Loaf
5. Recorded: 1987-10-18. Broadcast: 26 October 1987. Repeated: 10 November 1987, 07 December 1987, 23 December 1987
- Six To One And Likely / Into Me / From The Stubble To The Rubble / Duck Fight/US Bands/Wally Wallah (medley)
Phil Hartley
No session available
1. Recorded: 1988-11-13. Broadcast: 21 November 1988. Repeated: 17 January 1989
- Lord Smutty Lips / Inspector Of Crime / Prepare To Change Sandals / Purchase Nicely
Other Shows Played[]
BOG SHED - spencer TRAVIS
- 1985
- 09 September 1985 (BFBS): 'Hand Me Down Father (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 23 September 1985 (BBC World Service): Panties Please (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 30 September 1985 (BBC World Service): Spencer Travis (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 05 October 1985 (BFBS) / Peel 019 (BFBS): 'Hand Me Down Father (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 07 October 1985 (BBC World Service): Slave Girls (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 15 October 1985: Panties Please (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 19 October 1985 (BFBS): Spencer Travis (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 28 October 1985: Slave Girls (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 29 October 1985: Spencer Travis (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 02 November 1985 (BFBS): 'Slave Girls (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 09 November 1985 (BFBS): 'Hand Me Down Father (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 23 November 1985 (BFBS): Fat Lad Exam Failure (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 02 December 1985: Spencer Travis (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 10 December 1985: Fat Lad Exam Failure
- 28 December 1985 (BFBS): 'Panties Please (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip) (JP: 'My tip for the top in 1986: I mean, top in my terms, obviously. I don't suppose they're going to get into the charts and you'll very likely never see them on Top Of The Pops, but a wonderful band for all that. I hope that 1986 will be the year, not only for Bog-Shed but for also people like Half Man Half Biscuit, and a whole range of what I think as being the "shambling" bands: Pigbros, the Passmore Sisters who you heard earlier on, and A Witness...and I think they're gong to be big big big in 1986. Make a note of that, I'm sure it'll be hopelessly wrong: as a prophet I never really made it.')
Bogshed - Morning Sir!
- 1986
- 09 January 1986 (BFBS): 'Hand Me Down Father (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 03 February 1986: Panties Please (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 08 February 1986 (BFBS): 'Panties Please (12"-Let Them Eat Bog Shed)' (Vinyl Drip)
- 25 February 1986: Hand Me Down Father (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip
- 05 May 1986 (BBC World Service): Packed Lunch To School (v/a album - Hits $ Corruption) Hits $ Corruption HAC1
- 07 May 1986 (BFBS): Packed Lunch To School (v/a album - Hits $ Corruption) Hits $ Corruption HAC1
- 21 May 1986: Packed Lunch To School (v/a album - Hits $ Corruption) Hits $ Corruption HAC1
- 11 June 1986: Morning Sir (7") Shelfish SHELFISH 1
- 14 June 1986 (BFBS): Run To The Temple (Compilation cassette-C86)' (New Musical Express) (JP: 'Having spent a few moments in conversation with the singer of Bog-Shed last weekend, I would imagine that The Temple is probably a public house.')
- 16 June 1986: Morning Sir (7") Shelfish SHELFISH 1
- 18 June 1986 (VPRO): Tommy Steele Record (LP - Step On It) Shelfish
- 18 June 1986 (VPRO): Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (LP - Step On It) Shelfish
- 21 June 1986 (BFBS): Morning Sir (7") Shelfish SHELFISH 1
- 24 June 1986: Morning Sir (7") Shelfish SHELFISH 1
- 25 June 1986: Jobless Youngsters (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 28 June 1986 (BFBS): Tommy Steele Record (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- June 1986 (Radio Bremen): Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 02 July 1986: Morning Sir (7") Shelfish
- 02 July 1986 (VPRO): Summer In My Lunchtime (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 02 July 1986 (VPRO): Jobless Youngsters (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 05 July 1986 (BFBS): Oily Stack (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 05 July 1986 (BFBS): Summer In My Lunchtime (LP-Step On It)' (Shelfish) (JP: 'How could anyone not love them?')
- 12 July 1986 (BFBS): Run To The Temple (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 12 July 1986 (BFBS): Jobless Youngsters (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 23 July 1986 (BFBS): Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 30 July 1986: Morning Sir! (7") Shelfish
- 02 August 1986 (BFBS): Tommy Steele Record (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 06 August 1986: Tommy Steele Record (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 09 August 1986 (BFBS): Jobless Youngsters (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 09 August 1986 (BFBS): Morning Sir (7") Shelfish
- 12 August 1986: Mechanical Nun (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 19 August 1986: Trying To Hide But Forced (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 23 August 1986 (BFBS): The Fastest Legs (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 07 October 1986: Runner On A Blunder (v/a album - Imminent 4) Food BITE FOUR
- 12 October 1986 (BFBS): Tommy Steele Record (LP-Step On It)' (Shelfish)
- 14 October 1986: Runner On A Blunder (v/a album - Imminent 4) Food BITE FOUR
- October 1986 (Radio Bremen): Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (album - Step On It) Shelfish SHELFISH 2
- 07 November 1986 (BFBS): Runner On A Blunder (v/a album - Imminent 4) Food BITE FOUR
- 24 November 1986: Runner On A Blunder (v/a album - Imminent 4) Food BITE FOUR
Bogshed - Little Grafter
- 1987
- 03 February 1987: Tried And Tested Public Speaker (LP - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish Records
- 04 February 1987: Champion Love Shoes (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 10 February 1987: Morning Sir! (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 13 February 1987 (BFBS): Champion Love Shoes (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 15 February 1987 (BFBS): Tried And Tested Public Speaker (LP - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish Records
- 18 February 1987: Champion Love Shoes (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 22 February 1987 (BFBS): Little Grafter (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 28 February 1987 (BBC World Service): Little Grafter (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 10 March 1987: Fastest Legs (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 15 March 1987 (BFBS): Adventure Of Dog (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 28 August 1987 (BFBS): Hand Me Down Father (12" - Let Them Eat Bog Shed) Vinyl Drip Records DRIP 2
- 15 September 1987: Geoff's Big Problem (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 15 September 1987: People Equal Greedy (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 21 September 1987: Oppertunatist Knocks (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 30 September 1987: People Equal Greedy (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 04 October 1987 (BFBS): No To Lemon Mash (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 05 October 1987: Sing A Little Tune (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 15 October 1987 (BBC World Service): Sing A Little Tune (LP Brutal) Shelfish
- 16 November 1987: Geoff's Big Problem (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 20 November 1987 (BFBS) / Peel 074 (BFBS): 'Excellent Girl! (7")' (Shelfish)
- 25 November 1987: No To Lemon Mash (LP - Brutal) Shelfish
- 01 December 1987: Excellent Girl (7") Shelfish
- 18 December 1987 (Radio Bremen): Excellent Girl! (7") Shelfish
- 27 December 1987 (BFBS): Excellent Girl! (7") Shelfish
- 1988
- 05 January 1988: Excellent Girl! (7") Shelfish
- 12 January 1988: Excellent Girl (7") Shelfish
- 20 January 1988: Excellent Girl! (7") Shelfish (JP: 'Why are these people not mega beings, that's all I want to know.')
- 19 March 1988 (BFBS): Excellent Girl! (7") Shelfish
- 10 May 1988: Tried And Tested Public Speaker (12") Shelfish
- 14 May 1988 (BFBS): Tried And Tested Public Speaker (LP - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish Records
- 28 May 1988 (Radio Bremen): Champion Love Shoes (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shelfish
- 1989
- 01 June 1989: Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (album - Step-On-It) Shelfish
- 19 August 1989 (BFBS): I'm The Instrument (album - Brutal) Shelfish
- 1990
- 13 June 1990: Morning Sir (12" - Tried And Tested Public Speaker) Shellfish
- 16 August 1990: 'Tried To Hide But Forced To Howl (LP-Step On It)' (Shellfish)
- 1996
- 24 June 1996: Hell Bent On Death (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
- 1998
- 11 June 1998: Tommy Steele Record (LP - Step On It) Selfish
- 1999
- 22 July 1999: 'Run To The Temple (LP-Step On It)' (Shellfish) (JP: 'I remember an epic gig with them and the Very Things in Nottingham.')
- 2004
- 22 September 2004: 'Little Grafter (12"-Tried And Tested Public Speaker)' (Shelfish)
- Other
- Peeling Back The Years: Tried And Tested Public Speaker (single) Shelfish