
Brassy were an English rock/hip hop band, formed in 1994 in Manchester by American singer Muffin Spencer, younger sister of Jon Spencer (of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion). The band split up in 2003 after releasing 2 studio albums.
Muffin Spencer moved to Manchester, UK in 1986. She became the lead singer with The Exuberants and later formed Brassy with the other members of the band except one. The other members of Brassy were Stefan Gordon (guitar), Karen Frost (bass guitar, vocals), and Jonny Barrington (aka DJ Swett, drums). Influenced by The Smiths, their early material also drew comparisons with Elastica. Later they incorporated hip hop and punk rock influences and were compared to Beastie Boys, Plasmatics and Biz Markie.
Their earliest material was released on the Costermonger label (home to Gene). With financial difficulties affecting Costermonger they moved on to Wiiija where they released their debut album Got It Made in 2000. Their 2000 track "Play Some D" was re-released in 2003 after it was used in the 'hellomoto' ad campaign by Motorola, leading to renewed interest in the band, and the recording of a second album, Gettin Wise. Gettin Wise received a mixed response from critics, and proved to be their final album, with the band members all finding themselves in debt after recording it.
Links to Peel[]
The Exuberants were played by Peel between 1989 and 1990, but when three out of the four members went on to form Brassy, he found favour with them for whom they recorded a radio session in June 1996, with a return visit in May 2000.
On his 27 February 2002 show, Peel played a white label mashup track which featured the voice of Muffin Spencer's Brassy's I Can't Wait song and the Rock Steady Crew's Hey You The Rock Steady Crew tune. After the song was played, Peel embarrassingly mentioned that he couldn't work out who were the ingredients of the track.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 1996-06-09. First Broadcast: 27 July 1996. Repeated: 10 June 1997
- Straighten Out / What You Are / Route Out / Right Back
2. Recorded: 2000-05-21. First Broadcast: 21 June 2000
- Parkside / B'Cos We Rock / I Gotta Beef/Who Stole The Show / All New / Extra Juice
Other Shows Played[]
- Exuberants
- 10 January 1989: Brunette's Revenge (shared 7" flexi with Cleveland - Brunette's Revenge / She Came To Stay) Debris
- 18 January 1989: Brunette's Revenge (shared 7" flexi-disc with Cleveland - Brunette's Revenge / She Came To Stay) Debris
- 18 June 1990: Yeah And Yeah And Yeah And Yeah (12") Play Hard
- 19 March 1996: Boss (7") Costermonger
- 22 March 1996: Boss (7") Costermonger
- 30 March 1996 (BFBS): 'Boss (7")' (Costermonger)
- 18 June 1997: Sure Thing (7") Costermonger
- 22 February 2000: 'No Competition' (LP 'Got It Made') Wiiija
- 23 February 2000: 'Who Stole The Show (CD-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 24 February 2000: 'That's The Way (CD-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 26 February 2000 (BFBS): 'No Competition (CD-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 26 February 2000 (BFBS): 'That's The Way (CD-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 29 February 2000: 'That's The Way' (LP 'Got It Made) Wiiija
- February 2000 (FSK): Who Stole The Show (CD - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 01 March 2000: 'You Got It' (LP 'Got It Made') Wiiija
- 02 March 2000 (Radio Eins): 'No Competition (CD-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 03 March 2000 (BBC World Service): Who Stole The Show (album - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 09 March 2000 (Radio Eins): You Got It (album - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 15 March 2000: B'Cos We Rock (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 16 March 2000: Who Stole The Show (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 23 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Who Stole The Show? (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 02 April 2000 (BFBS): 'I Gotta Beef (LP-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 04 April 2000: I Gotta Beef (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 20 April 2000: Nervous (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 25 April 2000: 'Who Stole The Show (LP-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 26 April 2000: 'Play Some D (LP-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- April 2000 (FSK): Put You Right (CD - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 03 May 2000 (Radio Eins): Nervous (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 04 May 2000: 'Good Times (LP-Got It Made)' (Wiiija)
- 09 May 2000: Put It Right (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 01 June 2000 (Radio Eins): Good Times (album - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 07 June 2000: Who Stole The Show (LP - Got It Made) Wiiija
- June 2000 (FSK): Put You Right (CD - Got It Made) Wiiija
- 27 February 2002 (vs. Rock Steady Crew): Brassy Crew (v/a 12" - Bastard Pop 1) Not On Label