Pigbros was an English indie band formed from Birmingham in 1984 by Nick Beales (guitar & vocals) fresh from a stint in The Nightingales and Jonathan Cooke (bass). Recruiting a teenage Fuzz Townshend (later with Pop Will Eat Itself, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Ranking Roger, The Beat, The Wonder Stuff, etc - as well as projects under his own name) the band played a few gigs before augmenting the line up a few months later to include Svor Naan (saxophone & guitar) not long departed from The Cravats. The initial sound was a rumbling, bass-heavy groove, driven by Fuzz’s drumming and Jonathan’s unique echo bass with Nick's fierce choppy guitar playing. Added to this concoction was Svor’s mixture of sax riffing and swirling echo effects and a rather curious guitar style which could be mistaken for a balalaika. The band finally split in 1988 with members doing their own projects.
Links to Peel
A band that was regularly played by Peel in the mid/late 80's, with two sessions recorded for his show. The group's name was also one of the factors for Peel to be interested in the band's output, due to his wife, Sheila, being nicknamed the Pig. As well as possibly the band's connection to the Nightingales, one of Peel's favourites at that time via Nick Beales, who did a stint with the group.
Sessions
Pigbros - John Peel Session -1 11th August 1985
1. Recorded: 1985-08-11. Broadcast: 21 August 1985. Repeated: 09 September 1985, 23 December 1985
- Cheap Life / Hedonist Hat / Lick Bones / War Food
2. Recorded: 1986-04-27. Broadcast: 06 May 1986. Repeated: 21 May 1986
- Bad Attitude / In Doubt / Immensity Home / What Counts?
Other Shows Played
- 1985
- 11 November 1985: Warfood (12" - The Blubberhouses) Vinyl Drip
- 20 November 1985: From The Mouth Of ... (EP - The Blubberhouses) Vinyl Drip
- 03 December 1985: Excessive (12" - The Blubberhouses) Vinyl Drip
- 07 December 1985 (BFBS): Excessive (12" - The Blubberhouses) Vinyl Drip
- 15 May 1986 (BFBS): 'What Counts (Compilation LP-Hits $ Corruption)' (Hits $ Corruption)
- 25 September 1986 (BFBS): 'Cheap Life (12")' (Backs)
- 30 September 1986: Cheap Life (12") Backs
- 25 November 1986: Cheap Life (12") Backs
- 02 December 1986: Cheap Life (12") Backs
- 1987
- 27 April 1987: Stopped Myself In Time (12" - Now Is The Time To Remove Your Mask) Cake
- 29 April 1987: Word Up (12" - Now Is The Time To Remove Your Mask) Cake
- April 1987 (Radio Bremen): Word Up (12" - Now Is The Time To Remove Your Mask) Cake
- 01 May 1987 (BFBS): 'Stopped Myself In Time (12"-Now Is The Time To Remove Your Mask)' (Cake)
- 01 June 1987: Stopped Myself In Time (12" - Now Is The Time To Remove Your Mask) Cake
- 1988
- 11 January 1988: Just Call Me God (Short Version) (12") Cake
- 20 January 1988: Just Call Me God (Short Version) (12") Cake
