The Very Things were a Dadaist post punk band from Redditch, Worcestershire, England, formed in 1983 and active until 1988. When The Cravats split up in 1982, guitarist Robin Raymond (aka Robin R. Dalloway) and bassist/singer The Shend (aka Chris Shendo, born Chris Harz) formed The Very Things, recruiting drummer Gordon Disneytime (aka Robin Holland), bassist Jim Davis (guitarist with Redditch band CKV) for the first live gigs, followed by bassist Steven Burrows (aka Fudger O'Mad or Budge), who is bandmate of And Also The Trees. The band also originally had a horn section of Vincent Johnson, John Graham, Robert Holland, and Paul Green.
Debut single "The Gong Man" was released on Crass's label in November 1983, with "The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes" following in June 1984, now signed to Reflex Records. A short film was made based on the latter for Channel 4's The Tube. The band's debut album was released in August 1984, after which the band was trimmed to the core trio. Several singles and EPs followed over the next few years, although a cover of R. Dean Taylor's "There's a Ghost In My House" was withdrawn in 1987 due to The Fall's version appearing at the same time. By 1988 the band had split up, although they had recorded enough material for an album release on One Little Indian, the Motown-influenced Motortown. The original albums, along with a collection of non-album tracks, were reissued by Fire Records in 1994. The Shend formed a new band, Grimetime, and has since gone on to an acting career, appearing in television series including EastEnders, Red Dwarf, The Bill, Men Behaving Badly, and Torchwood.
Links to Peel[]
Peel was a fan of The Cravats and continued his interest after they split, especially when The Shend formed DCL Locomotive and The Very Things. The Very Things did two sessions for Peel's show and The Shend and Peel himself became close friends. The Shend acted as the compere for John Peel's 50th birthday celebration at London's Subterranea venue, broadcast on 30 August 1989.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1984 Festive Fifty: The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes #27
- 1986 Festive Fifty: This Is Motortown #30
Sessions[]
The Very Things - Peel Session 1983
1. Recorded: 1983-12-17. First Broadcast: 09 January 1984. Repeated: 24 January 1984, 07 March 1984
- Message From Disneytime / Down The Final Flight / Phillip's World Service / Wall Of Fir
2. Recorded: 1987-10-30. First Broadcast: 08 December 1987. Repeated: 11 January 1988
- Let's Go Out / She's Standing Still / Walking In The Sand / There's A Ghost In My House
Live[]
THE VERY THINGS The ICA London 6th October 1984
Recorded from the ICA Rock Week. First Broadcast: 10 December 1984
- The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes
- Wall Of Fir
- Shearing Machine
- Phillips World Service
Other Shows Played[]
- 1983
- 23 January 1983 (BFBS): The Gong Man (7") Corpus Christi CHRIST ITS 2
- 23 January 1983 (BFBS): The Colours (Are Speaking To Me) (The Gong Man) Corpus Christi
- 14 February 1983 (BBC World Service): The Gong Man (7") Corpus Christi CHRIST ITS 2
- 23 February 1983: The Gong Man (7") Corpus Christi CHRIST ITS 2
- 19 November 1983 (BFBS): The Colours (Are Speaking To Me) (7" - The Gong Man) Corpus Christi
- 1984
- 18 June 1984: The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (7") Reflex RE 5
- 25 June 1984 (BBC World Service): The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (7") Reflex RE 5
- 27 June 1984 (BFBS): The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (7") Reflex RE 5
- 04 July 1984 (BFBS): Shearing Machine (7" - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex RE 5
- 08 August 1984: The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (7") Reflex RE 5
- 02 September 1984 (BFBS): Shearing Machine (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758
- 02 September 1984 (BFBS): The Conqueror (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758
- 03 September 1984 (BBC World Service): The Conqueror (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758
- 09 September 1984 (BFBS): The Conqueror (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758
- 16 September 1984 (BFBS): Phillips World Service (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758
- 03 October 1984: Shearing Machine (v/a LP - Revenge Of The Killer Pussies (Blood On The Cats #2)) Anagram
- 10 October 1984: Phillips World Service (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3
- 25 December 1984: 'The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex LEX 3 / Lyntone LYN 14758 FF #27
- 1985
- 05 May 1985 (BFBS): Wall Of Fir (LP - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex
- 06 May 1985 (BBC World Service): When Father Papered The Parlour (12" - Mummy You're A Wreck) Reflex
- 08 May 1985: When Father Papered The Parlour (12" - Mummy You're A Wreck) Reflex
- 12 May 1985 (BFBS): When Father Papered The Parlour (v/a album - A Reflex Compilation) Reflex LEX 4 M
- 15 July 1985: When Father Papered The Parlour (v/a album - A Reflex Compilation) Reflex LEX 4 M
- 19 August 1985 (BFBS): Mummy You're A Wreck (12") Reflex
- 21 August 1985: Mummy You're A Wreck (12") Reflex
- 21 August 1985: Mummy You're A Wreck (12") Reflex
- 02 September 1985: Mummy You're A Wreck (12") Reflex
- 24 June 1986: Mummy You're A Wreck (12") Reflex
- 07 October 1986: This Is Motortown (12") D.C.L. Electric Recordings
- 08 October 1986: This Is Motortown (7") D.C.L. Electric
- 15 October 1986: This Is Motortown (12") D.C.L. Electric
- 14 November 1986 (BFBS): 'This Is Motortown (7")' (D.C.L. Electric Recordings)
- 23 November 1986 (BFBS): 'This Is Motortown (7")' (D.C.L. Electric Recordings)
- 01 December 1986: 'This is Motortown (7 Inch) (DCL Electric Recordings)
- 24 December 1986: 'This Is Motortown (7 inch)' (D.C.L. Electric Recordings) FF #30
- 1987
- 02 February 1987: The Conqueror (LP - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex
- 14 September 1987: Let's Go Out (7") One Little Indian
- 16 September 1987: Let's Go Out! (12") One Little Indian
- 23 September 1987: Let's Go Out (12") One Little Indian
- 30 September 1987: Let's Go Out (7" Version) (12") One Little Indian
- 12 October 1987: Let's Go Out! (7") One Little Indian
- 23 November 1987: Let's Go Out (7") One Little Indian
- 1988
- 08 January 1988 (BFBS): 'The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (LP-The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes)' (Reflex)
- 25 January 1988: The Conqueror (LP - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Reflex
- 15 February 1988: Wall Of Fir (12" - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
- 11 October 1988: There's A Ghost In My House (LP – Motortown) One Little Indian
- 22 October 1988 (BFBS): There's A Ghost In My House (LP – Motortown) One Little Indian
- 21 November 1988: Walking In The Sand (12" - Motortown) One Little Indian
- 06 December 1988 (Radio Bremen): Walking In The Sand (album - Motortown) One Little Indian
- 1991
- 13 July 1991: When Father Papered The Parlour (LP - A Reflex Compilation) Reflex
- 1994
- 12 February 1994 (BFBS): The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Fire
- 12 March 1994 (BFBS): The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (album - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes) Fire
- 2003
- 29 May 2003: 'When Father Painted The Parlour (LP- It's A Drug, It's A Drug)' (Fire Records)