sound of the suburbs

Something from the mid seventies today, they came from Liverpool, recorded 4 Peel sessions between August '76 and April '78 and Suggs, Madness singer, said "I was so taken by them that I married the singer and their guitarist went on to produce all of Madness's records". Anyone guess who they are? Deaf School is their name, an art rock band credited with kick starting the Liverpool new wave scene single handed. An eight piece who blended rock music and vaudevillian stage theatrics, their strong live reputation led to a contact with Warner Brothers but as with many other art rock bands from this period such as Supercharge and Alberto Y Los Trios Paranois, reproducing their stage act proved to be illusive in the recording studio and their vinyl outings were often pale imitations of the real thing. They went on to release three LPs 'Second Honeymoon' (1976), 'Don't Stop The World' (1977) and 'English Boys/Working Girls' (1978). These three albums along with their four Peel sessions have been put together as the double CD package 'What A Way To End It All' by those kind people at Castle the title is also that of the first of today's tracks it could almost have been written in the 40's, shades of tin pan alley and strong Cole Porter and Rogers & Hart influences showing through. I can remember as a 17 year old loving this flop that should have been and wearing my copy of ot out. The second song 'Final Act' shows another side to the band with this sleazy sounding slice of Kurt Weill straight out Berlin in the 30's.

As for the singers name Bette Bright and the guitarist turned producer Clive Langer who went on to be one of the more in demand producers from the eighties.