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Farmboys

The Farmer's Boys were a four-piece band from Norwich, UK who formed in 1980 and were active until 1985. Despite being a guitar based band, they had the peculiarity of not having a drummer, instead preferring to use a drum machine. The group moved from an independent label to EMI in 1983 although failed to enjoy mainstream success. [1]

Links to Peel[]

Peel featured the band on his show right from their first single release 'I Think I Need Help', which made it into the 1982 Festive Fifty, as did the follow-up single 'Whatever Is He Like'? Peel was always keen on promoting local East Anglian talent, as evidenced by the many sessions recorded by their contemporaries The Higsons [2].

The group recorded their initial session in September 1982 under the name of 'Kid Brian and His Farmer's Boys'. Two further Peel sessions as 'The Farmer's Boys' followed. Peel saw the band play live on at least one occasion [2]. On the programme of 17 October 1984 he expressed his frustration at their lack of commercial success.

In the late 1990s, most of the members of the band formed the Great Outdoors, picking up several plays on the Peel show in the period 1999 - 2001.

Festive Fifty Entries[]

Sessions[]

Debut session released on the compilation CD 'Once Upon A Time In The East (The Early Years 1981-1982)' Backs Recording Company NCHCD19 (2003).

1. Recorded 1982-09-06 (as Kid Brian and His Farmer's Boys). First broadcast 14 September 1982. Repeated 11 October 1982, 27 December 1982.

  • Soft Drink / Description Of The River Waveney At Wartwell / The Country Line / Drinking And Dressing Up / With These Hands I Built The World

2. Recorded: 1983-07-09. First broadcast: 13 July 1983. Repeated: 02 August 1983, 20 September 1983.

THE_FARMER'S_BOYS_John_Peel_14th_August_1984

THE FARMER'S BOYS John Peel 14th August 1984

  • The Way You Made Me Cry / Matter Of Fact / Probably One Of The Best Investments I Ever Made / I Don't Know Why I Don't Like All My Friends
  • Terry Edwards guests on brass.

3. Recorded: 1984-08-14. First broadcast: 27 August 1984. Repeated 11 September 1984, 07 November 1984.

  • Sport For All / Walk About / All Of A Sudden / Heartache

Live[]

Live At The General Wolfe, Coventry. Recorded 1982-11-10 First broadcast 10 November 1982. Repeated 07 December 1982.

  1. I Lack Concentration
  2. Muck It Out
  3. The Old Spotted Dog
  4. I Think I Need Help
  5. A Promise You Can't Keep
  6. More Than A Dream

Other Shows Played[]

1982
1983
1984
1985
1988
1989
1992
1997
Others
Les Garçons

See Also[]

External links[]

Footnotes
  1. The closest they came to having a hit single was with a cover of the Cliff Richard song "In The Country", which stalled just outside the Top 40 in the summer of 1984.
  2. The Higsons' Terry Edwards added trumpet and sax to some early FB recordings, including the group's second sessions for both Peel and Kid Jensen. He also occasionally played live with the group [1].
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