Strawberry Switchblade - Peel Session 1985

[@johnmacleod4481]

This group weren't just another bubblegum pop group and of course its highly commendable that they had several john peel sessions on his nightly show.

[@always_weltschmerz]

They were such an excellent band. I'm so so sad it ended up like that. They deserved much more.

[@sailorhank8787]

@@ausland595 I know that Jill (the ginger) had severe anxiety and literally hated getting on planes/trains, and being a successful band you have to tour, so maybe that has something to do with it? I've also heard they got in a big fight during tour, don't know for sure. It's really sad cause I would love more albums from them

[@JarethTheGoblinKingForever]

@@sailorhank8787 One is a fairly successful artist (can't recall whether Jill or Rose), last I heard, though she's no longer involved in music. The other was assisting with music production, though no longer singing. That was a while ago, so I hope they're both doing well now, too.

[@evad520]

Rose was involved in a whole bunch of musical projects at this time. She's a pretty successful artist currently.

[@jamesypoos]

@@sailorhank8787 That's part of it. Jill and Rose also had personal disagreements (Jill disliking how Rose treated tours, the band, and herself, and Rose having difficulty understanding Jill's anxiety disorder). They still aren't friends to this day, to my understanding. So unfortunate.

[@spartan876]

So much incredible music came out of the uk in the 80s it’s maniacal. What a group

[@spacedout_bae]

Enchanting❤

[@Albrecht777]

Despite being a long-time fan of Rose McDowall's work, I hadn't heard this more guitar-based, new-wavey, gothic-infused version of the group before. Thanks.

[@elizabethhann4028]

Oh, I adore this band, I truly do. "Cut With The Cake Knife" is the sweetest, most sinister song I've heard in many a moon. It's brilliant. The only band that can truly stand comparison to Strawberry Switchblade for the sweet-and-sinister factor is Bow Wow Wow. Listen to Annabella Lwin sweetly warbling "(Hello Hello Daddy) I'll Sacrifice You", or "I Am A T.V Savage", if you don't believe me. Something of the same thrill. But Strawberry Switchblade were much dreamier and more melodic.

[@user-tk4gr9zo7t]

Oo. I’ll check them out!! Thanks for your recommendation!! 🍓

[@zedata57]

So good. What a band they were.

[@honourethefire5794]

saw these live at a Free gig in London put on by the GLC with Jo Boxers / Orange Juice + more

[@annother3350]

Classic!

[@mgparis]

Their music is heart-breaking, in a good way

[@universalempire818]

Hearing for first time. This is amazing

[@Brewzerr]

This is great. Loved these girls.

[@user-tk4gr9zo7t]

Love strawberry switchblade till the end!! Thanks for such an amazing time, yet again 🍓🖤💕

[@murphdogg1391]

Just discovered this yesterday. F ing Spooky & Great!

[@mgparis]

And I did today - amazing!

[@stefankorcok6763]

thx Weyes Blood for introduce them on her Nts mix 🇬🇧💜👏🏻👏🏻

[@davidlevy7713]

This group were wasted by their producers just like Propaganda were. They could have been huge, like EBTG, with the right production.

[@levelanchorage]

they're demos are so much more human sounding. I agree the synths kinda ruined their sound

[@Brewzerr]

Victims of mid-80’s gated reverb overproduction. The music still shines through though.

[@ListenToManicAntenna]

I love their (and Propaganda's) 80's production

[@peterfitton4529]

Agreed. The BBC radio sessions were fantastic, then their producer ruined their songs, their album, and basically their whole career. An absolutely travesty.

[@joebloggs5977]

The musics great but didn't the girls have a falling out and break up around '86?

[@urbanumbra6170]

the solo on cut with the cake knife is so underrated

[@slavestudios47]

i had such a crush on these girls.. then i heard what they played.. there's a tragic beauty in their words wrapped up in pretty melody.. and now, almost 30 years later, i really get it. the cutest nihilists ever

[@monodeindias]

Son geniales.😉

[@devon6valentine]

hermoso

[@Gozzillacia]

These are kind of rough demos for their never made second album, I guess. Such a pity they never recorded it.

[@russellingham2069]

The late night style of John peel 🙂

[@msicouldntthinkofafunnynam4770]

I think these versions of Cut With The Cake Knife and Sixty Cowboys are a little better than the solo Rose McDowall versions we got later

[@manzilmusic]

All of their guitar versions of songs from their album were superior to me. The producers wanted to make them sound pop instead of hauntingly pretty as in their guitar versions.

[@urbanumbra6170]

Yeah this sound is way more dreamy and melodic

[@peterfitton4529]

The producer ruined their album and they never recovered. I wish someone would release their Peel sessions (and other BBC radio sessions) on CD or even on a streaming site. Rose & Jill were such fantastic, and underrated, songwriters.

[@dannnteskorposedegaudi9037]

ahora se en que inspirado las switchblade simphony.

[@freudianslip4588]

where did you get this audio? the file i have for nothing changes sounds like fucking shit compared to this! and that was from their website.

[@user-tk4gr9zo7t]

Saw this interview with a guy, on Amoeba, me thinks. And basically, this dude trashed them by saying he doesn’t like their music but he will gladly wear their merch... lowkey triggered. It’s a shame people can’t just come down to a human level and appreciate people’s passions and interests.

[@qoph1988]

What a tool. Hates the music but likes to wear the merch? lol okay

[@HonRevPTB]

Remember them in The Cult videos?

[@grega1966]

HonRevPTB No the Cult videos used the "Anadin sisters" from Dr and the Medics.

[@HonRevPTB]

Greg Anderson Aaaah OK. Thanks for the correction! I'll have to look them up now! Did one or the other steal each other's act??????? I would've totally gone on thinking they were one in the same set of twins!!!

[@HawkOfGP]

+HonRevPTB Strawberry Switchblade came about several years earlier and apparently Rose and Jill came up with their polka dot goth thing in Glasgow in very early 80s before they had even formed the band and were the only people around dressing like that at the time.

[@lovelystuff1562]

@@HonRevPTB They both stole the look from Siouxie Sioux

[@hardsjeremy3973]

@@lovelystuff1562 Agree that Strawberry Switchblade were not the only ones with the polka dot and twee image. Altered Images had a similar style, maybe slightly earlier, albeit without the goth element. First saw Altered Images playing support to Siouxsie. Love all 3 bands and feel it is a crime that Strawberry Switchblade weren't much bigger and that hardly anyone now seems to remember them. Trees and Flowers must be one of the best songs from the 80s

[@alanoneill3065]

Bill Drummond?

[@jamierourketen]

they were destroyed by their record company

[@jasonwheeler4168]

Thought they just fell out and split up musical differences no ?

[@peterfitton4529]

And mostly by the "whizz-kid" producer who ruined their songs and their album, from which they never recovered.

[@jamesboulger8705]

Guitar 6:18

[@Berniebridges]

Nick and Ashley Geiger have deep voices

[@vogue9658]

aaa

[@belloalterno4695]

take a look at me now

[@ashramanw3019]

A bit Lushi i would say, nice music.

[@etscinemapsychomasonica3165]

Strawberry Switchblade was the primary influence for Lush.

[@Albrecht777]

This is years before Lush... and Miki and Emma from Lush could often be seen at goth gigs in the mid-eighties. That explains quite a bit, in my opinion, even if people seem to react allergically to the "g-word", now as then. One should also not forget that Rose was active in Into a Circle during the mid-to-late-eighties or that she collaborated with Death in June, Boyd Rice, Current 93 et al. well into the nineties.

[@Vampire_Nightshade]

@@Albrecht777 what g-word?

[@Albrecht777]

@@Vampire_Nightshade "Goth". I used this euphemism since the music press hated the genre in the '80s, the majority of bands associated with it denied having anything to do with it, and numerous individuals still seem to detest the term, using catch-all phrases such as "post-punk" instead.

[@rumo510]

Whoever was playing synth on cut w the cake knife was on the wrong drugs. It's working against the rest of the music and sounds horrible to me

[@HappyFragger5-0]

Fuck u honestly, tasteless prick. The synths are perfect, they sound like what skinny puppy would sound like if they leaned a bit more into pop