The Jazz Butcher
The Jazz Butcher, also known as The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy and The Jazz Butcher And His Sikkorskis From Hell, are a British musical group founded by Pat Fish.[1]
The Jazz Butcher | |
---|---|
The Jazz Butcher (1989) | |
Background information | |
Also known as | The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy The Jazz Butcher And His Sikkorskis From Hell |
Origin | Oxford, England |
Genres | Indie pop, Jangle pop |
Years active | 1982–2000, 2012 |
Labels | Glass, Creation, Vinyl Japan |
Website | http://www.jazzbutcher.com/ |
Past members | Pat Fish Max Eider Felix Ray Mr. O.P. Jones Kizzy O'Callaghan Laurence O'Keefe Paul Mulreany Alex Green Alex Lee Richard Formby Joe Allen Dooj Wilkinson Nick Burson Peter Crouch Pascal Legras Mark Bown Gabriel Turner Dave Henderson Owen Jones Pat Bierne Curtis E. Johnson |
History
The band was formed in Oxford in 1982 by Pat Fish and Max Eider.[2] The début album in Bath of Bacon was released by Glass Records in 1983.[2] A second album A Scandal in Bohemia, also on Glass, featured guest appearances from David J and Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus.[2] After four albums, and two singles collections for Glass, Fish signed to Creation Records in 1988, releasing eight albums on the label, culminating in 1995's Illuminate.[2]
Lyrical themes
Their oeuvre is blackly humorous with such topics as Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49, an unrequited crush on Shirley MacLaine, and an ode to SF writer Harlan Ellison. The song "Sister Death" is not about the comic book character, but was inspired by the last words of Saint Francis of Assisi, "Welcome, Sister Death".
Discography
Albums
- In Bath of Bacon (1983), Glass
- A Scandal in Bohemia (1984), Glass
- Sex and Travel (1985), Glass - UK Indie No. 25[3]
- Distressed Gentlefolk (1986), Glass - UK Indie No. 15[3]
- Fishcotheque (1988), Creation
- Big Planet Scarey Planet (1989), Creation
- Cult Of The Basement (1990), Creation
- Black Eg (1991), Creation (under the name Black Eg)
- Condition Blue (1991), Creation
- Waiting for the Love Bus (1993), Creation
- Illuminate (1995), Creation
- Rotten Soul (2000), Vinyl Japan
- Last of the Gentleman Adventurers (2012), (self-released)
Singles
- "Southern Mark Smith" (1983), Glass
- "Marnie" (1984), Glass
- "Roadrunner" (1984), Glass - UK Indie No. 50[3]
- "Zombie Love" (1984)
- "Affection" (1984)
- "Real Men" (1985), Glass - UK Indie No. 34[3]
- "The Human Jungle" (1985), Glass - UK Indie No. 27[3]
- "Christmas with the Pygmies" (1985)
- "Leaving It Up to You" (1985)
- "Hard" (1986), Glass - UK Indie No. 24[3]
- "Angels" (1986), Glass
- "Peter Lorre" (1986)
- "Spooky" (1988), Creation - UK Indie No. 19[3]
- "New Invention" (1989), Creation
- "We Love You" (1990), Creation
- "She's a Yo-Yo" (1991), Skyclad
- "Shirley MacLaine" (1991)
- "Sweetwater" (1993)
- "Vodka Girls" (1994)
- "Sixteen Years" (1995), Creation
- "All The Saints" (2016), Fire
EPs
- Conspiracy (1986), Glass - UK Indie No. 42[3]
- May I (1987)
- Girl Go (1990), Creation
Live
- Hamburg (1985), Rebel
- Western Family (1993), Creation
- Glorious and Idiotic (2000), ROIR
Compilations
- Gift of Music (1985), Glass
- Bloody Nonsense (1986), Big Time
- Big Questions (Gift of Music, Vol. 2) (1987), Glass
- Spooky (1988), Creation/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Edward's Closet (1991), Creation
- Unconditional (1992)
- Draining the Glass (1996), Nectar
- !Excellent! The Violent Years (1997)
- Cake City (2001), Vinyl Japan
- The Jazz Butcher's Free Lunch (2003)
References
- Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 668. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 381-2
- Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4, p. 122