Funboy Five | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Post-punk |
| Years active | 1979–1981, 2014– |
| Members | Mick Sinclair John McRae Bob Brimson Robert Radhall |
Formed in January 1979, the Funboy Five were an English post-punk band from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and originally had four members, Mick Sinclair (guitar and vocals), John McRae (keyboards), Bob Brimson (bass) and Robert Radhall (drums). [1]
While gigging sporadically in London and south-east England, the band recorded a three-track demo which earned them a review in Sounds [2] and a session for the John Peel Show. First broadcast in October 1979, [3] the session was followed in January 1980 by a single, "Life After Death"/"Compulsive Eater", which also saw the debut of the new rhythm section of Dave Tyler (bass) and Paul Ingram (drums), released on the band's own Cool-Cat-Daddy-O record label. [1] Also released on the label in 1980 was a 7-track cassette Funboy Five Shall Inherit The Earth, which included demos and other material. [4]
Although the band ceased recording and playing live in 1981, the single became a sought-after rarity among collectors of DIY vinyl being listed in journalist Johan Kugelberg's 100 best records of the post-punk DIY-era, first published in Ugly Things magazine. [5] During the 1990s and 2000s, "Life After Death" featured on two unofficial vinyl compilations, Teenage Treats Vol.10 [1] and Killed By Death #007. [6]
During 2001, the band gathered their recorded material together for a 13-track CD, Very Hush! Hush!, shared with Milkshake Melon, Mick Sinclair's solo alter-ego. [1] In 2007, the band were represented by two tracks on Messthetics #101: DIY 77–81 London, a CD retrospective with "Compulsive Eater" on the main release and "Haircut Bob Dylan 66" as a mp3 bonus track. [7]
In 2009, "Life After Death" was included on Universal's four-CD tribute to John Peel, Kats Karavan: The History of John Peel On The Radio. [8]
A cover version of "Life After Death", by Talya Cooper, appeared as a digital download in 2011. [9] A cover version, by Das Boomerang, of both sides of the first single appeared as a digital download in 2018. [10]
Two original members, Mick Sinclair and John McRae, revived the band and the Cool-Cat-Daddy-O label in August 2014 releasing a vinyl single, "Save the World"/"What Did You Do with the Body?". [1] "Save The World" was described by Record Collector as "like a bonker's contest to play "In The Mood" without actually playing it". [11]
In June 2015 came another single, "Radio Free Asia", [1] and a vinyl retrospective album, Landmarks Ruins and Memories, of remastered recordings from 1979 to 1981 on the Italian re-issue label, Ave Phoenix Records [1] described as sounding "a bit like Love's Forever Changes on happy pills." [12]
A further single, "Vipers of the Commonwealth", appeared in 2016 [1] as did "The Radmall Rundown", [1] a tribute instrumental to the band's original drummer who died in 2015. Five further new songs were released in 2018 [1] while January 2019 saw the release of an album, The Greatest Album Of All Time, [1] September 2019 the four-track set An Autumn Collection, [1] December 2020 the five-track collection Six Pigeons On A Rooftop Discuss A Snappy Title, [1] and December 2021 the singles Back To Vancouver and Life Is Boring. [1] Another four-track set, Songs Of Ghosts And Demons: Volume One, appeared in January 2022 [1] as in February 2023 did The Shape Of The Universe. [1]
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