Jazzateers

Jazzateers were a Scottish pop/post-punk group formed in 1980 who recorded for Rough Trade Records. The group was formed by songwriters Ian Burgoyne and Keith Band.

History

The band's early lineup comprised Burgoyne, Band, singer Alison Gourlay, and drummer Colin Auld.^[1] One of the early Jazzateers recordings with Gourlay on vocals, "Blue Moon Over Hawaii", was later included on the Messthetics series of compilations.^[2] The band were the last to be signed by Postcard Records, for whom they recorded an album's worth of original songs and covers in 1982 with Grahame Skinner now on vocals replacing Gourlay, with a view to licensing it to a major label, as well as a single ("Wasted"), although the label folded before its release.^[3][4][5] Paul Quinn replaced Grahame towards the end of their time at Postcard Records, with Grahame going on to chart success with Hipsway. They were then signed by Rough Trade, who released the "Show Me the Door" single and a self-titled début album in July 1983.^[3][4] Both were hits on the UK Independent Chart, with the album peaking at number 14.^[6] The band split up shortly afterwards with Burgoyne and Band and Quinn joining up again with drummer Kenny McDonald and guitarist Mick Slaven to form Bourgie Bourgie.^[3] Burgoyne and Band re-formed the Jazzateers in 1985 along with guitarist Mick Slaven and singer Matthew Wilcox,^[3] releasing a 12-inch single that year, "Pressing On". Jazzateers recorded one final album, Blood Is Sweeter Than Honey, which remains unreleased. A collection of Jazzateers tracks was issued in 1997 by Marina Records.^[3]

Slaven went on to join Del Amitri, while Auld joined Fruits of Passion.^[3] Wilcox and Band, meanwhile, formed Wild Angels along with Stephen Lironi (formerly of Altered Images) and Douglas McIntyre (formerly of The Bathers).^[3]

The Jazzateers reformed in 2013 comprising Burgoyne, Band, Skinner, Auld, and MacIntyre.^[7]

Much of the band's unreleased Postcard-era recordings are to be released in August 2014 by Cherry Red Records on the album Don't Let Your Son Grow Up To Be A Cowboy: Unreleased Recordings 1981-82.

Lineups

The band has gone through several lineup changes from 1980 to 1986:

Jazzateers v1 (1980–1981)

Alison Gourlay (vocals)
Ian Burgoyne (guitar)
Keith Band (bass)
Colin Auld (drums)

Several tracks were recorded for singles and for a debut album, all unreleased as yet. Some tracks were produced by Edwyn Collins, including a version of Donna Summers' "Wasted" which was scheduled to be a single. Another (unreleased) version of "Wasted" was produced by Pete Bellote.

Jazzateers v2 (1982)

Dee Rutkowski (vocals)
Louise Rutkowski (vocals)
Ian Burgoyne (guitar, vocals)
Keith Band (bass)
Colin Auld (drums)

Jazzateers 2 recorded an album (Lee) produced by the band which has yet to be released.

Jazzateers v3 (1983)

Grahame Skinner (vocals)
Ian Burgoyne (guitar)
Keith Band (bass)
Colin Auld (drums)

Jazzateers 3 reformed with Grahame Skinner on vocals and signed to Rough Trade.

"Show Me The Door"/"16 Reasons" was released as a single swiftly followed by the eponymously titled album, which received excellent reviews. Shortly afterwards, they were joined by Mick Slaven on lead guitar and reverted to the name Bourgie Bourgie, whilst Skinner started a new group with Douglas MacIntyre called White Savages. The Jazzateers had been booked to appear on a UK television show, The Switch on back of the press acclaim the group were getting for their Rough Trade album. Instead they appeared on The Switch as Bourgie Bourgie (performing "Show Me The Door" and "16 Reasons"), and shortly afterwards were being courted by every major label in the UK. Bourgie Bourgie eventually signed to MCA (with Kenny MacDonald replacing Colin Auld on drums) and released two singles, "Breaking Point" and "Careless". An album was also recorded, but unreleased.

Jazzateers v4 (1985-1986)

Matthew Wilcox (vocals)
Ian Burgoyne (guitar, keyboards)
Keith Band (bass)
Mick Slaven (guitar)
Douglas MacIntyre (guitar)
Stephen Lironi (drums, keyboards)

Jazzateers 4 released a single ("Pressing On") for the Stampede label. An album was recorded (Blood Is Sweeter Than Honey) but wasn't released. After a UK tour supporting Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, the group changed their name briefly to Wild Angels.

Discography

Albums

• Jazzateers (1983), Rough Trade - UK Indie #14, ^[6] reissued in 2013 by Creeping Bent
• I Shot the President (1997), Marina
• Don't Let Your Son Grow Up To Be A Cowboy: Unreleased Recordings 1981-82 (2014), Cherry Red

Singles

• "Show Me the Door" (1983), Rough Trade - UK Indie #35^[6]
• "Pressing On" (1985), Stampede
• "Here Comes That Feeling" (1997), Marina

Compilation appearances

• Clear Cut 5 (1983), Japan/Rough Trade: "Once More With Feeling"
• Clear Cut Final (1986), Japan Record: "Sixteen Reasons"
• Fruitcakes And Furry Collars (1986), Record Mirror: "Pressing On"
• New Voices Vol. 14 (1997), Rolling Stone: "Here Comes That Feeling"
• Bentboutique: Chasing The Chimera (2000), Creeping Bent: "Heartbeat"
• Ave Marina (2004), Marina: "Here Comes That Feeling"
• Messthetics #105 (2008), Hyped 2 Death: "Blue Moon Over Hawaii"
• Park Lane Archives (2009), Jungle: "Sixteen Reasons"

References