The Lucy Show (band)

The Lucy Show was a rock/new wave band that was formed in London, England, in early 1983.

This article is about the new wave band. For the television series of the same name, see The Lucy Show.

The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show in 1984
Background information
OriginEngland
GenresRock, alternative rock, post-punk, new wave
LabelsShout records, A&M Records, Piggy Bank Records, Big Time Records, Words on Music
MembersMark Bandola
Rob Vandeven
Pete Barraclough
Bryan Hudspeth
Paul Rigby

History

The band was formed by Mark Bandola (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Rob Vandeven (vocals, bass), with Paul Rigby on drums, under the name "Midnite Movie". Rigby quickly quit, and Pete Barraclough (guitars, keyboards) and Bryan Hudspeth (drums) were added to the line-up,[1] and the band changed name to "The Lucy Show". Bandola and Vandeven, two Canadian-born friends who had moved to England in the late 1970s, shared song writing and lead vocals equally, although the bulk of the early (pre-album) material had been written by Vandeven.

In 1983, they released their first single, "Leonardo da Vinci," on independent record label Shout Records, which managed to receive some airplay by John Peel.[1] Guitarist Barraclough provided lead vocals on the B-side of the single for his song "Kill The Beast". In 1984, A&M Records signed the band, releasing two singles and an EP during that year (on an offshoot label imprint called Piggy Bank Records). After providing a cassette recording of their material to R.E.M., The Lucy Show was invited by the Athens band to support them on their 1984 UK tour.[2]

In 1985, the band's debut album, ...undone, was released. With a guitar-heavy, lushly atmospheric, brooding sound reminiscent of The Cure and Comsat Angels, it received generally favorable critical notices and, even more importantly, eventually went to the No. 1 spot on the CMJ album charts in the United States.[1] The band's momentum had been steady up to that point and they naturally assumed continuing chart success would be in their future. However, they were shocked when they learned that A&M UK decided to drop the band at the end of the year.[2]

In 1986, the band signed to indie label Big Time Records, who released their second album, Mania. Produced by the now-legendary John Leckie, the band's songs were much more upbeat and bouncy this time around, with added acoustic guitar and piano, harmonica, synthesizer - and most noticeably, brass , making the group sound very different from their previous incarnation as a "jangly" guitar and new wave group. The change in direction initially promised to be effective, as the album once again topped the all important CMJ charts, and MTV began playing their music video for the first single off the album, "A Million Things". Both this song, and subsequent single "New Message", were substantial college radio hits.[2]

Bad luck would strike the band again, this time when Big Time Records went bankrupt, leaving The Lucy Show adrift.[3] Barraclough and Hudspeth were asked to leave and Bandola and Vandeven stuck together, releasing one final single, "Wherever Your Heart Will Go", in 1988 on Redhead Records. When that single went nowhere, both Bandola and Vandeven realized it was time to quit, and they permanently disbanded The Lucy Show.[2]

Vandeven and Barraclough have continued to work within the music industry under a variety of differing names and projects.

Following the breakup of The Lucy Show, Bandola released an EP under his own name in 1993 entitled 'Til Tuesday, a collaboration with Let's Active producer Mitch Easter, and, for a short while, was a member of London post-rock group Ausgang. From 2003 until 2010, Bandola released experimental pop CDs under the name Typewriter (mostly a solo effort but with contributions from various guest musicians), with debut album Skeleton Key in 2003, a second, Birdsnest in 2006, and finally, Pictures from the Antique Skip in early 2010.[1] After the third Typewriter album all seemed quiet until 2013, when Bandola formed psychedelic instrumental vehicle The Ramsgate Hovercraft - a duo with saxophone and synthesizer player Kit Jolly - in his recently adopted hometown of Ramsgate. Their first album released in January 2014 was the double vinyl LP, Arcane Empire on local indie label Galleon Records, which Record Collector magazine granted four stars and described as "... an ambience that’s both worldly and cosmic" and "a delicately layered, sumptuous odyssey". In March 2015, the duo released their second album Cinema Verite, which also gained positive reviews. Since then, The Ramsgate Hovercraft has expanded to a quartet, adding drummer Paula Frost, as well as synthesist and pianist Paul Naudin to their ranks. The group have also played occasionally flamboyant and theatrical shows in their native East Kent. Their third album was released in 2017 alongside a launch concert at the Ramsgate Musichall in early February 2017.

In 2005, Mania was reissued on CD by the Words on Music label, with numerous bonus tracks. In 2009, ...undone was released on CD for the first time by Words on Music.[4] In 2011, Words on Music released Remembrances, a compilation album of rare and previously unreleased songs recorded by the band during the mid-1980s.

Discography

Albums
  • ...undone A&M AMA5088 (1985) LP; Words on Music WM28 (rereleased 2009) CD
  • Mania Bigtime ZL71274 (1986) LP; Words on Music WM18 (rereleased 2005) CD
  • Remembrances (2011) Words on Music CD

Singles/EPs
  • "Leonardo da Vinci/Kill the Beast" Shout XS007 (1983)
  • "Electric Dreams/History Part I" Piggy Bank BANK999 (1984)
  • "See It Goes/Resistance" Piggy Bank BANK888 (1984)
  • "Extended Play - The Price of Love/Resistance/See It Goes/Is It" Piggy Bank BANX888 (1984) 12"EP
  • "Ephemeral (This is no Heaven)/White Space" A&M AM261 (1985) 7"
  • "Ephemeral (This is no Heaven)/White Space/Leonardo da Vinci (Long Version)" A&M AMY261 (1985) 12"
  • "Undone/Dream Days" A&M AM287 (1985) 7"
  • "Undone (12" Mix)/Dream Days" A&M AMY287 (1985) 12"
  • "A Million Things/Sojourn's End" Bigtime ZB41398 (1986) 7"
  • "A Million Things/Sojourn's End/Jam in E" Bigtime ZT41398 (1986) 12"
  • "New Message/Sun and Moon" Bigtime ZB41603 (1986) 7"
  • "New Message (12" Mix)/Invitation/Sun and Moon/New Message (7" Mix)" Bigtime ZT41603 (1986) 12"
  • "Wherever Your Heart Will Go/Only Moments Away" Redhead LUC1 (1988) 7"
  • "Wherever Your Heart Will Go (12" Mix)/Wherever Your Heart Will Go (7" Mix)/Only Moments Away" Redhead LUCT1 (1988) 12"
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References
  1. Clarkson, John. The Big Takeover Magazine, No.65, Fall 2009, pgs. 72 - 74, "The Lucy Show: New Mania"
  2. "The Lucy Show (Biography/Discography)". Words On Music. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  3. Rabid, Jack. Mania CD, Words On Music, 2005, liner notes.
  4. "The Lucy Show...undone". Words On Music. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
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