The June Brides are coming right back at you with a new compilation
on Cherry Red, "Every Conversation: The story of the June
Brides and Phil Wilson".
Take fun, attitude and vigour coupled with substance and originality
then you have the June Brides, a truly great band. The June Brides
recording career was short lived, 18 original songs. 3 years,
short but not forgotten.
Starting in April 1984 with the single "In the Rain".
This is archetypical The June Brides. It seems to be the way,
more often than not, that a debut single encapsulates the purest
essence of a bands spirit and ideas. Captured before dilution,
when ideas are fresh and bright, performed with a purposeful stride.
"In The Rain" has that feel. This 7" is backed
by the equally impressive "Sunday to Saturday" this
was some debut, the flip side highlights that The June Brides
are at home with a mid tempo number, centered on clever lyrics
and rueful sentiments.
This was some debut for 1984 within a landscape dominated by
The Three Johns and The Redskins, this stood out. This was pop.
The June Brides mini LP took eighties jangle guitar pop back to
its punk roots, this was more DIY punk than the glossed over mild
indie pop, more Josef K than Pale Fountains.
The two elements of the debut single, the infectious happy pop
and the clever mournful lyrics, where combined for "Every
Conversation" the June Brides piece de resistance. In my
minds ear has this song is a heady hundred miles a hour pogo delight,
but actually its more mid paced and melancholy. It's not a slight
to say this is their finest moment, as this is an epoch in indie
pop. Typical of the June Brides songs, despite the pure pop youthful
jangle, there is another side, a dark undercurrent. On the surface
this is happy go lucky pop, dig deeper and there is a despondent
tale.
Another fine B side is "Disneyland". In normal circumstances
this would have been a standout a side, this track sees the June
Brides more in a 1980 post pop mould, angular and harsh guitars.
The singles where followed up by a mini LP "There are Eight
million stories" (1985 - Pink Records - whose roster included
McCarthy, That Petrol Emotion and The Wolfhoulds. A quadrant of
angular, original and agit-pop if ever these was one.)
The mini lp contained 8 tracks (7 original numbers plus and a
cover of punk era rarity "Enemies" by The Radiators
from Space). So embryonic was this brand of UK indie pop in '85
that to have 7 new numbers from the June Brides was worth shouting
about, having a LP (albeit Mini) was big news. "8 million
stories" bursts with personality and great songs. The June
Brides took a template of Postcard inspired jangle pop but added
some vital ingredients musically, lyrically and in attitude.
Musically the June Brides added trumpet and viola to the mix
providing a trademark distinctive sound on top of the chopping
guitars. This really added a hint of sadness when required or
an uplifting swirl on other occasions. Lyrically, The June Brides
where strong, often quoted for their anthem like quality but its
the personal, often bitter and almost world weary lines that stand
out for me.
The LP starts with "The Instrumental" not an instrumental
though heavily instrument based. This is a builder and highlights
the fine arrangements. "I Fall" then comes in with a
pop blast and that "lets shout out loud to prove we're still
alive" anthem most beloved by fanzine editors.
The June Brides songs are often of lost friendships, broken hopes,
desperate souls and an unhappy world such as "Sick Tired
or Drunk" under 2 minutes of great pop, with several of those
fine lyrical couplings " I went into the room next door I
didn’t like what I just saw" etc. Lines that leave just enough
for the imagination.
“Eight Million” was followed by a 12" EP, now on In Tape
Records. I remember first picking up this disc, that bold sleeve
and 4 storming songs. I was never disappointed in a June Brides
record, sure the sound quality some leaves a lot to be desired
at times but this was an age of real indie labels, low budgets,
self produced pop, in a way that is part of the charm part of
the charm, part of the time capsule. The "No Place Called
Home" 12" (1985) did have a better sound. The lead track,
less than 3 Minutes of Viola and Trumpet overlaid on two great
lead lines, is that a viola solo? I say it again this a tale of
woe and longing and not belonging, layered on happy sounding joyous
pop. That woeful, emotive undercurrent again.
This EP has some fabulous moments, such as the more poignant,
"Josef’s Gone", where the mood is serene and mellow.
"Sunday to Saturday", a common theme of wanting a way
out of hum drum life.
The trumpet is to the fore on this EP in "On the Rock"
it really blares, the June Brides combine the guitars, voila and
trumpet to real foot stomping effect, that reads like the description
of some dodgy cow punk band but that cannot be further from the
truth, the June Brides take the same elements but turn it around
(turn it upside down)
One further single "This town" was released on 1988.
(In Tape Records Feb 1986). Another gem, the sound and pace is
just right for another. taleof wait for it despondency of not
belonging.
I seem the June Brides live a few times including a memorable
stage invasion in Glasgow, this was unique for the time and place,
this wasn't cooler than 'thou posing, the June Brides seemed to
inspire a letting down of hair, good times, they where no pretensions.
It took 8 years for the June Brides to be compiled on CD. When
re-listening to the collection on Overground Records after all
those years, I was at first a bit surprised to be reminded the
June Brides only ever released 4 singles and one mini LP and never
actually got to record a standard long player.
In my minds eye, the June Brides as A list indie pop luminaries,
one of the best to come out of that epoch of the mid-late eighties
UK pop explosion. What would have become of them had they stayed
together a bit longer, made that long player, maybe some recording
budget... who knows ..I remember a John Peel session around the
later months of the June Brides career, this was hinting at the
next recordings. "Waiting for a Change" was the standout.
I was looking forward to the next chapter but it was never written.
I don't remember when I heard the June Brides had split up, maybe
it’s was not so much announced as petered out. No fanfares, no
retrospective, no manifestos posted to the NME. The June Brides
were influential to their contempories and subsequent bands, not
so much directly musically influential, other than The Church
Grims and The Brillant Corners maybe, but an influence on attitude,
on what can be achieved....
The June Brides where the trail blazers, they fought the indie
pop wars, for their support bands to go on and litter the trail
with dance indie crossovers and mock rock mediocrity.
Unlike many of their contempories the music of the June Brides
stands the test of time
- Sept 2005
"Every Conversation: The story of the June Brides
and Phil Wilson" is out in October 05.
Track Listing
