The Pale Fountains

The Pale Fountains
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	Post-punk, indie pop, new wave^[1]
Years active	1981 (1981)–1987 (1987)
Labels	Operation Twilight Les Disques du Crépuscule Virgin
Associated acts	Shack

Past members	Mick Head Chris McCaffery Thomas Whelan Andy Diagram John Head

The Pale Fountains were an English post-punk band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head (vocalist/guitarist), Chris McCaffery (bassist), Thomas Whelan (drummer) and former Dislocation Dance trumpeter Andy Diagram (horns).

Career

Inspired by 1960s music such as Love, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles, the group released their debut single (There's Always) Something On My Mind on Les Disques du Crépuscule before signing a major label deal in October 1982. Although the Pale Fountains failed to make much commercial headway, the band would earn critical praise for the two albums released on Virgin, Pacific Street (1984) and ...From Across the Kitchen Table (1985), produced by Ian Broudie, who later found fame with The Lightning Seeds. Their sole UK Singles Chart Top 50 single was "Thank You", which reached No. 48 in 1982.^[2]

The band split up in 1987, with Mick Head going on to form Shack with his brother John. Andy Diagram had already left in 1984 and would later join James. Bassist and founder member Chris "Biffa" McCaffery died in 1989 of a brain tumour.^[2]

In November 2007, Head announced that he was reforming The Pale Fountains for two gigs. One at the Carling Academy in Liverpool on 2 February 2008, and another at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on 3 February 2008. The group remains particularly popular in France and Japan. Two posthumous compilations have been issued: Longshot For Your Love (Marina, 1998) and Something On My Mind (Crépuscule, 2013), the latter with a bonus live CD recorded in 1982.

Members

Mick Head – vocals, guitar (1981–1987)
Chris McCaffery – bass guitar (1981–1987; died 1989)
Thomas Whelan – drums (1981–1987)
Andy Diagram – trumpet (1982–1984)
John Head – guitar (1984–1987)

Discography

Studio albums

Pacific Street (February 1984) Virgin V2274 UK No. 84^[3]
...From Across the Kitchen Table (February 1985) Virgin V2333 UK No. 94^[3]

Compilations

Longshot For Your Love (June 1998) Marina
Something On My Mind (September 2013) Les Disques du Crépuscule

Singles

"(There's Always) Something on My Mind" (July 1982) Operation Twilight/Les Disques Du Crepuscule
"Thank You" (November 1982) Virgin UK No. 48^[3]
"Palm of My Hand" (May 1983) Virgin
"Unless" (January 1984) Virgin
"Don't Let Your Love Start a War" (March 1984) Virgin
"Jean's Not Happening" (December 1984) Virgin
"...From Across the Kitchen Table" (June 1985) Virgin

References

↑ Drowning in my Nostalgia Philippine Daily Inquirer September 7, 2002
↑ 2.0 2.1 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 863–864. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 415. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links