The Gymslips were an English all-female punk band from London, England, active in the early 1980s. The original band of Suzanne Scott (bassist / vocalist), Paula Richards (guitarist / vocalist) and Karen Yarnell (drummer) got together in 1980 but first played as The Gymslips in August 1981. The band supported the Dolly Mixture on a UK tour. They contributed the song "Midnight City" to all-female compilation LP, Making Waves.
After the group split in 1985, Karen Yarnell went on to join Serious Drinking and The Blubbery Hellbellies. Paula Richards joined The Deltones and then Potato 5 before again teaming up with Yarnell in band called The Renees and issuing the LP Have You Got It as well as contributing the track "He Called Me a Fat Pig and Walked Out On Me" to the female-only compilation "Postcard From Paradise".
Links to Peel[]
In the spring of 1982 they recorded their first of five sessions for John Peel after which they signed to Abstract Records. Their first single "48 Crash" (a cover of the Suzi Quatro hit) was released in November 1982 and the follow-up "Big Sister" was released at the beginning of 1983. April 1983 saw the release of their Rocking With the Renees LP which also saw the band expand to a four piece with the addition of keyboardist Kathy Barnes.
With two further Peel sessions, good reviews for the "Robot Man" single and the release of the album in a different sleeve and with the title "Drink Problem" for the American market, The Gymslips' future looked bright. But twelve months of personnel and contractual problems led to Paula having to recruit a new line-up and start all over again.
With Karen Kay on bass, Sue Vickers on keyboards and Michelle Chowrimootoo on drums The Gymslips recorded their final Peel session in the summer of 1984 before issuing their last single "Evil Eye" (produced by the Angelic Upstarts' Mond Cowie) in early 1985 and then calling it a day soon after its release.
Sessions[]
The Gymslips - Peel Session 1982
- "Empire Song" (as titled) from #5 available on Various Artists: Never Mind The Jacksons... Here's The Pollocks 12" mini album, 1985 (Abstract Sounds 12 ABS 030)
1. Recorded: 1982-05-12. Broadcast: 20 May 1982. Repeated: 29 June 1982, 14 July 1982, 19 August 1982
- Erika (With A K) / Renøes / Big Sister / 48 Crash / You'll Never Walk Alone
2. Recorded: 1982-09-01. Broadcast: 16 September 1982. Repeated: 06 October 1982, 30 November 1982
- Barbara Cartland / Pie And Mash / Drink Problem / Thinking Of You / Robot Man
3. Recorded: 1983-04-30. Broadcast: 30 May 1983. Repeated: 16 June 1983, 27 July 1983
- Silly Egg / Wandering Star / Up The Wall / More Tea, Vicar?
4. Recorded: 1983-11-28. Broadcast: 07 December 1983. Repeated: 27 December 1983
- Whirlwind Flings / Love's Not The Answer / Valley Girl / Call Again
5. Recorded: 1984-05-22. Broadcast: 06 June 1984. Repeated: 21 June 1984
- Leave Me / Soldier / On The Line / We're Gonna Bring Your Empire Down
Other Shows Played[]
- 10 October 1982 (BFBS): 48 Crash (7") Abstract ABS 011
- 12 October 1982: 48 Crash (7") Abstract ABS 011 (JP: 'One of the few areas of superstition I allow myself is, I always make sure that the last record in the programme before I drive off home has got a fairly innocuous title. You know, because you always read in the papers if somebody gets slain, they'll say 'and the last record he played on the programme...' [...] So if any of you are in bands and you're thinking of making a song called, 'killed in a car crash in the small hours of the morning on the Colchester bypass' forget it, because it won't get played on this programme!')
- 31 March 1983: Drink Problem (album - Rocking With The Renees) Abstract
- 19 April 1983: Drink Problem (LP - Rocking With The Renees) Abstract
- 08 May 1983 (BFBS): Take Away (7" EP with album - Rocking With The Renees) Abstract
- 16 May 1983 (BBC World Service): Wandering Stars (album - Rocking With The Renees) Abstract
- 16 May 1983 (BBC World Service): Take Away (7" EP with album - Rocking With The Renees) Abstract