Thamesbeat
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Thamesbeat is the name given to a music scene that was started in South West London by a group called The Pleasers.
The name Thamesbeat was originally given out in a radio interview on BBC Radio 1 by The Pleasers in 1978, as a piss-take to being aligned to The Beatles and Merseybeat. After this Thamesbeat stuck and was centred around the band. (In 1996 they re-released their retrospective album entitled Thamesbeat). Both The Pleasers and the Boyfriends, heavily influenced the mod revival and power pop. Ed Ball would later satirise the movement in the Times' 1983 song "Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat?"
Mystery Jets were the first major success of the current Thamesbeat scene, and the first to release an album, 2005's Making Dens. This band are based on Eel Pie Island, a bohemian idyll steeped in history and musical heritage - The Rolling Stones, amongst others, used to perform here. Mystery Jets have hosted gigs on the island, featuring many local bands.
Another successful band were Larrikin Love (now disbanded), who were fronted by Edward Larrikin. Influences included Irish music and literature as well as the works of the French poet Rimbaud). Larrikin Love used to perform frequently at The Rifleman pub, in Hounslow, along with other bands.
Jamie T, from Wimbledon, was also an early member of this scene. Early followers would have seen him perform in such low-key venues as The Peel, Kingston.
Other bands include Them Nudes (from Northolt), Marner Brown, The Downbeats (from Twickenham), Poker Face/D (From Raynes Park), Good Shoes (from Morden), The Holloways, Acton-based Dustin's Bar Mitzvah and cross-over member Patrick Wolf.
The record label Transgressive has played a key role in the scene, signing up many of the bands. Young and Lost Club have also played a part.
Not all bands from this area are considered Thamesbeat, however. Battlekat are from the Richmond and Hampton area but would not be held under this title due to their different style.
