The Sea Urchins

The Sea Urchins was a group of pop Indie/pop Twee English, with the accents byrdsiens, originating in Birmingham. They produced a handle of simple at the end of the Eighties and are often related with the C86 scene. The group is especially known to be the first reference of the catalog of the independent label Sarah Records with their song " Pristine Christine".

Biography

In 1986, with Birmingham, James Roberts (song and guitar), then still high-school pupil with West Bromwish, founds The Sea Urchins with his brother, Patrick (battery), Simon Woodcock (guitar), Robert Cooksey (guitar solo), Bridget Duffy (organ and tambourine) and Bevin Mark (low).

In October 1986, the group records two titles and succeeds in publishing them the following year. These two titles in a hurry on Flexi disc and are distributed via Fanzines. The first flexi, divided with a group of Bristol-board, contains " Cling Film" , a ballade melancholic person. On the second, divided with their future neighbor of label The Orchids, " is; Summershine" a tinted title, him also, of a certain melancholy but with the pop consonances 60 ' S more marked. The small pocket, carried out by Robert and Bridget, it also recalls the Sixties. The influence of the Byrds is very present, as it is the case in much formation of the British scene pop Indie of this period. These flexi disc is published respectively by the fanzine Kvatch, published by Clare Wadd, and Sha Flexis, an organization of fanzine in which have finds Matt Haynes. And when that these two people decide to assemble their own label, Sarah Records, with the end of the year 1987, it is very logically that Sea Urchins is seen proposing a first 45t.

In November 1987, " leaves; Pristine Christine" , which remains, all things considered, their title more known, in particular while being the first reference of the label of Wadd and Haynes. Recorded two months earlier, the simple one contains two other titles, " Sullen Eyes" and " Everglades". There still the influence of the Byrds and pop of the 60 ' S is obvious so much the title made the good share with the arpeggios crystalline and ringing. In addition to this skilful re-use of the pop heritage, one of principal qualities of the group is, without any doubt, the voice of its singer, James Roberts. Although limited, it remains easily identifiable, being characterized by a plaintive and nasal tone but ever exaggerated.

The exit of this first simple is followed departure of Mark Bevin, this last is replaced by Darren Martin. It will be necessary to wait nearly 10 months before the publication of new a 45t. In July, leaves " Solace" , recorded in April and produced by Joe Foster, one of the fathers of Records Creation. " Solace" sound much more rock'n'roll. The simple following, " In Morning Odyssey" , although engistré in July 1989, will leave in August 1990.

Sea Urchins leave Sarah Records in 1990 and record a title for the Welsh label Fierce Recordings. The song, relatively calm compared to their individual precedents, does not have a title. The small pocket is marked just " Recorded 30.10.1988" (" Recorded on October 30th, 1988 ").

Last production of the group, simple the " Please Don' T Cry" will leave, in June 1990, on behalf of the London label Cheree Records. In its maximum version, it comprises a resumption of Badfinger, " No Matter What". Feeling more at ease and having the impression to turn in round, The Sea Urchins decides to separate, after five years of existence.

In September 1992, Sarah Records leaves " Stardust ", a posthumous compilation of the first simple ones of the group (of " Cling Film" with " In Morning Odyssey"). On this one figure two news, " You' Re So Much" , a title recorded in March 1987, relatively near to " Summershine" , like " Day Into Day" , a composition very rock'n'roll coming from the sessions of " In Morning Odyssey". In spite of a regrouping of titles recorded on nearly three years, " Stardust " remain a very homogeneous disc. The disc is decorated notes of booklet signed by daN Treacy of the Television Personalities.

During the year 1994, Fierce Recordings decides to publish " Live In London" , a concert of the Sea Urchins recorded with the beginning of the year 1991, Marquee Club, London. The recording, probably pirate, is of poor quality but remains all the same an occasion to listen to the compositions post- Sarah Records of the group, like their resumptions of " So You Want To Be has Rock' Roll Star" Byrds and of " Season Off The Witch" of Donovan. On this disc, one can note the turn plus rock'n'roll took by the Sea Urchins before his separation.

After Sea Urchins

After the separation of the Sea Urchins , James Roberts founds Delta in 1993. His/her brother, Patrick Roberts (this time at the song, the guitar and the percussions) and the guitarist Robert Cooksey follow it in the adventure. The day in an important concert in London at the end of the Nineties, àprès to be itself annoyed with James, Robert will be excludes from the group. Delta, which wanted to be to be a more adult version of the Sea Urchins , is not active any more to date. In 2006, James Roberts, left its first album solo, " Everything You Know Is Right". When he is questioned in connection with the Sea Urchins , James seems very intrigued by the intêret that people continue to carry to the group.

Bridget Duffy is occupied, today, of a clothes shop of occasion specialized in the articles of mode of the Sixties and Seventies. The shop, open since 1995, is installed on Waterloo Road, with London.

It is difficult to measure the impact which the group could have, with the sight of the thin number of songs appeared and especially of the confidentiality of this one. However, it continuous to be quoted in reference by many descendants of the scene pop Indie and even was the subject of recoveries: " You' Re So Much" by the group of one day Linked, on a EP dedicated to Sarah Records; a version of " Sullen Eyes" recorded by the Californian group The Tyde and an interpretation of " Please Rain Fall" by Birdie, the group of Deborah Wykes (ex- Dolly Mixture). Summershine Records, a founded Australian pop label in 1989 and, amongst other things, having published old signatures of the label Sarah Records, seems to borrow its name from a title of the Sea Urchins .

Discography

Simple and maxis

"Cling Film" /" Baby Blue Marine" - Split with the group The Groove Farm (Flexi 7" , Kvatch Fanzine, Kvatch 001,1987)
" Summershine" /" From This Day" - Split with the group The Orchids (Flexi 7" , Sha Flexis, Sha Ba Ba Ba 005,1987)
" Pristine Christine" (7" , Sarah Records, Sarah November 1st, th and th 1987)
" Solace" (7" , Sarah Records, Sarah July 8th, th and th 1988)
" In Morning Odyssey" (7" , Sarah Records, Sarah 33, August 1990)
Without title, " Recorded 30.10.88" - pressing on only one face (7" , Fierce Recordings, Fright 032,1990)
" Please Don' T Cry" (7" /12" , Cheree Records, Cheree 15/15T, June 1991)

Albums

" Stardust " - compilation of the first simple ones of the group (CD/LP, Sarah Records, Sarah 609, September 1992)
" Live In London" - concert recorded in London, Marquee Club, on January 20th, 1991 (CD, Fierce Recordings, Fright 061,1994)

Compilations

Various compilations Sarah Records
Others

Recoveries

"You' Re So Much" by Plain on " With Spalling hammer Took Over" (2x7" , Recordings Morning, Morning August 5th, th and th 1999) * " Sullen Eyes" by The Tyde
" Please Rain Fall" by Birdie on " Reverb Deluxe" (CD/LP, Apricot Records, APRICD031/APRIVIN January 31st, 10th and th 2003)

Notes and references of the article

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