The Swinging Laurels | pl

In 1980 John Barrow and Gaz Birtles founded The Swinging Laurels. Gaz had been previously fronting a Ska/Rock band in Leicester, United Kingdom, The Newmatics, where John would make regular guest appearances on sax. It was during this period that Gaz and John decided to experiment with an old Elka organ Drum machine and a Roland SH1 Mono synth. John went out and bought an AKAI 1/4" 2-track Reel to Reel tape recorder and they experimented with writing and recording sax and synth tracks. At this point in time they were mostly instrumental tracks. This relationship soon developed into a serious project and a name for the duo was needed. Whilst taking photo's in a local cemetery Gaz was trying to think of a name for the band and as he passed a wind blown Laurel bush he thought SWINGING LAURELS!! Crap, but true!!! Gaz and John tried to seduce The Newmatics with their new found direction and name but they were having non of it. So, with the help of Newmatics' drummer and songwriter, Nic Murphy, they started recording at the 8-track "Woodbine Street Studios" in Leamington Spa, and recorded Swing the Cat, and Peace of Mind under the experienced guidance of producer Johnny Rivers. It was during this session that Johnny bought out his newly acquired gadget, The Clap Trap and suggested putting it on the tracks. Especially Peace of Mind. This was a sonic revelation to the band then. Synthetic claps over a live drum beat! When the finished track was later played at a club in Leicester the reaction was immediate. This was a totally different and commercial track that sounded great to dance to. Not that clever these days but back then, before sequencers and computers, it was at the forefront of technology!

The success of the demo made Gaz and John realise they were probably onto something bigger than The Newmatics, which was coming to a natural end anyway, and they went into it full on. They recruited trumpet player Dean Sargent (from John's past as a part of the brass section for soul funk outfits, Sister Big Stuff and Black Gorilla) to play Synth Bass. Then they advertised for a synth/keyboard player and Mark O'Hara fitted the bill exactly.

After reworking some of Gaz and Johns doodlings from the 2-Track tapes and writing new songs themselves they were ready for their first gig. For this they decided to hit all of Leicester in one night!! Adverts were placed in the Leicester Mercury and the fun began! 5 different venues were found where they would play 4 songs at each venue then jump into the back of Mark's Escort van and go to the next venue. From the first gig (The White Horse in Oadby) to the last one (The Haunch of Venison - now the Orange Tree on High Street) they went down a storm and people followed them from one venue to the next. A fantastic way to get your new band creating a buzz!

On the strength of 3 or 4 instrumental tracks Gaz and John got a publishing deal with Albion Publishing in 1981. After trying to get them with a record deal, Albion decided to put out Peace of Mind on their own label, Albion Records. This went on to reach the No.1 slot in the embryonic Melody Maker Independent Charts!

By 1982 The Swinging Laurels were gaining national music press attention and building a solid reputation as session brass players.

During a hectic year they:
Recorded a Radio One session for John Peel.
Released a 12" 4-track E.P. A Taste Of... on Dining Out Records.
Signed to major label giant WEA Records.
Played session brass on the FUN BOY THREE hit The Telephone Always Rings making several TV appearances including: Top Of The Pops | Cheggars Plays Pop | Saturday Superstore, etc...
Took part in a promo video that was produced by ULTRAVOX vocalist MIDGE URE and featured cameo appearances by: BANANARAMA, MADNESS, ULTRAVOX, ALEXEI SAYLE and David "KID" Jensen.

Other recorded brass sessions included:
A Jerry Dammers produced single for Two Tone Records by THE APOLLINAIRES called THE FEELINGS GONE.
Tracks on an album by WORLDBACKWARDS for Illuminated Records.
A session with teen chart toppers MUSICAL YOUTH (produced by the FUN BOY THREE).
A single by Coventry band SPLASHDOWN.
Work on the FUN BOY THREE follow up hit SUMMERTIME.
Recordings with French chart act 24hrs.
Live work with Coventry band TEAM 23 who were managed by The Specials drummer Brad (they later transformed into chart toppers KING).
Supported chart acts, SHAKATAK, MARI WILSON, CLASSIX NOUVEAU.

The first Swinging Laurels WEA release, RODEO, hit the streets in September and featured the distinctive percussive influence of SCRITTI POLITTI drummer TOM MORLEY, but despite Radio One airplay, was restricted to the lower reaches of the national chart. CULTURE CLUB producer Steve Levine lent his expertise to the second single Lonely Boy which originally featured a fine vocal contribution by BOY GEORGE but due to contractual objections by his record label Virgin Records was eventually released minus his efforts.

1983 saw the Swinging Laurels in their own right and as a special guests of CULTURE CLUB, at the request of BOY GEORGE who was a self-proclaimed fan. They were special guests on both of their sell-out UK tours in March and December. A Janice Long Radio One session was followed by a highly-successful Dutch festival tour where they supported NICK LOWE and OSIBISA as well as headlining dates.

This year also saw the band part company with WEA Records The Swinging Laurelsformed their own label identity, Happy Records based, at their Leicester studio Happy House.

1984 The first Happy Records 12" single ZOOM (TAKE THE TEST) achieved critical acclaim and in promoting the disc they appeared on Radio One road shows hosted by disc jockeys Peter Powell and Adrian John. This recording featured the guitar talents of Leicester friend, Rich Barton who later went onto play with one of Leicester's formidable guitar bands, DIESEL PARK WEST. The B side also featured the experimental track, RAMSI RAMSI RAMSI which used a backwards tape loop taken from a Goons radio broadcast that makes up the main sonic background to the track.

1985/86 the band changed their name to Happy House and were to feature regular guest vocal appearances by ex-Specials vocalist RHODA DAKAR. Happy House also saw the band incorporating a live drummer in the shape of Phil Birtles - Gaz's younger brother.

1987 ushered in another Swinging Laurels 7"single, PUSH AND SHOVE through Happy Records.

1988 John and Gaz along with Coalville trumpeter, Tony Robinson, were the session brass section with Food/Parlophone Records act CRAZYHEAD, most notably on an eleven-nation tour of Europe and Scandinavia as special guests of godfather of punk IGGY POP.

1989 This was followed by a live T.V. appearance for the Thames Television series 'The Concert' and a slot at the prestigious Reading Festival.

1990 NO LABEL RECORDS reissued PUSH AND SHOVE by The Swinging laurels.

1992 tracks on an album by top ska exponents SKA-BOOM on Extremely Nice Records

1993 saw Gaz add some brass to the Scum Pups 2nd album Sonic Sculptures From The Black Magna on Stayfree Records.

1994 - 1997 Compilation CD albums featuring some earlier brass section work including:
THE 2-TONE STORY and the NO. 1 SKA ALBUM (featuring versions of the APOLLINAIRES track THE FEELINGS GONE. FUN BOY THREE compilations THE BEST OF THE FUN BOY THREE & REALLY SAYING SOMETHING (featuring BANANARAMA), THE BEST OF THE FUN BOY THREE & COLOURFIELD (featuring various mixes of The Telephone Always Rings and Summer of 82).

1997 A six track Swinging Laurels CD was released entitled Be Someone, this was a back to roots recording session of just Gaz and John on an 8-track recorder and an Atari computer re-working some earlier unreleased tracks, BE SOMEONE, and MY INTENTIONS. It also featured the new instrumental, CHICAGO. And just because they could, they also included remastered versions of their earlier vinyl classics, PEACE OF MIND and SWING THE CAT and DISCO LAURELS.

2000 saw the release of BE SOMEONE released by Internet label www.peoplesound.com and in the same year John completed a highly successful UK/Irish tour with BABY GENIUS as special guests of THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH. BABY GENIUS also scored a prime time TV appearance on BBC's Children in Need with LOUISE and ATOMIC KITTEN.

2001 A 15-track Swinging Laurels compilation album GREATEST BITS was issued and tracks were recorded for an album called LEARNING TO COPE WITH HAPPINESS by THE CHARMERS in 2002.

2003 tracks were recorded with NORMAL POSITION for their album RAVE KILLED THE ROMANCE.

2005 John and Gaz added brass to the album, KING MARTHA by Leicester's IST, released in August at the Summer Sundae Festival, also featured on the single and in the video for HERE WE GO AGAIN.

2006 Gaz Birtles and Kenton Hall (IST) colaborate on new material for both Yellowbelly and the next ist release. .