King of the Slums
King of the Slums |
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King of the Slums aka Slum Cathedral User were a British rock band, specialising in a kind of electric violin and guitar-driven post-punk.
History
Formed in Salford and Hulme, Greater Manchester, England, by writer Charley Keigher aka Charlie Keighera (vocals, guitar) and Sarah Curtis (electric violin), the group made its recording debut with the "Spider Psychiatry" single in 1986 on a small independent label (SLR Records).[1] Further releases followed in 1988 and 1989 on the Play Hard label, now with bassist Jon Chandler and drummer Stuart Owen (who replaced a succession of drummers), most of which were collected on the album Barbarous English Fayre (1989).[1] The band also recorded a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in 1988.[2] An incendiary live performance of "Fanciable Headcase", shown on the influential Snub TV television programme, earned the band national exposure, and helped to push their EPs up the independent chart, "Bombs Away on Harpurhey" reaching #8.[3][4] After switching to Midnight Music, the band issued its debut album proper, Dandelions (1989), to favourable reviews in the British music press. Keigher and Curtis were now joined by a new rhythm section.[1] The following year, King of the Slums signed to Cherry Red Records and issued the Blowzy Weirdos album in 1991, with Keigher's gritty take on British life again finding favour amongst the critics. Later in the year, however, the band broke up without ever achieving a commercial breakthrough to match their critical acclaim. The band performed nearly 200 concerts during their career resulting in numerous bootlegs being circulated, all of which the band disowned. A cult following has remained and grown over the years since the band broke up. In 2009 the band announced the release of a new fourth album called The Orphaned Files,[1] a collection of predominatly brand new songs together with some rare and remixed older songs, released through their first record label, SLR Records.
Discography
Albums
- Barbarous English Fayre (Play Hard, 1989) (UK Indie #4)[3]
- Dandelions (Midnight Music, 1989)
- Blowzy Weirdos (Cherry Red, 1991)
- The Orphaned Files (SLR Records, 2009)
Singles & EPs
- "Spider Psychiatry" (SLR, 1986)
- England's Finest Hopes EP (Play Hard, 1988)
- "Bombs Away On Harpurhey" (Play Hard, 1989) (UK Indie #8)
- Vicious British Boyfriend EP (Play Hard, 1989)
- "Trouble at Mill" (Getout Fanzine Flexi Disc, 1989)
- "Once A Prefect" (Midnight Music, 1989)
- "It's Dead Smart" (Midnight Music, 1990)
- "Bear Wiv Me" (Fluorescent Mix) (Midnight Music, 1990)
- "Joy" (Cherry Red, 1991)
References
- ^ a b c Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1 84195 335 0
- ^ King of the Slums Peel session, at the BBC's Keeping it Peel site
- ^ a b Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-95172-069-4
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1992) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0851129390