Biff Bang Pow!
| Company type | Indie pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Alan McGee |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Indie pop music albums and singles |
Biff Bang Pow! was an indie pop group based in London, active between 1983 and 1991, with leadership from Alan McGee, the founder of Creation Records.
History
Originally from Glasgow, Alan McGee, who had previously been part of The Laughing Apple, established Biff Bang Pow! after moving to London. The band's name was inspired by a track from his favorite band, The Creation. Their initial recordings, including the single "Wouldn't You," were released through Creation Records and featured on their first album.
The founding members included McGee on guitar and vocals, Dick Green on guitar, Joe Foster handling bass duties, and Ken Popple on drums. This lineup produced early singles like "50 Years of Fun" and "There Must Be A Better Life." Later changes saw Dave Evans replace Foster on bass, while guitarist and organist Andrew Innes, who would later join Primal Scream, contributed occasionally.
Their debut album in 1985, Pass The Paintbrush...Honey, showcased a fusion of mod influences, psychedelia, and new wave sounds. The follow-up album in 1986, The Girl Who Runs The Beat Hotel, represented their commercial zenith by deepening their exploration of psychedelic and 1960s pop styles and featured collaborations with artist JC Brouchard. This era coincided with the peak of indie pop before Creation Records shifted its attention to shoegaze and grunge bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Ride.
Despite these shifts in the music scene, Biff Bang Pow! continued to produce guitar-driven pop music with an increasingly somber tone across albums like Oblivion (1987), Love Is Forever (1988), Songs For The Sad Eyed Girl (1990), and their final studio effort Me (1991). After disbanding, several compilations were released including L'Amour, Demure, Stenhousemuir and Debasement Tapes on Creation Records; Bertula Bop through Tristar in 1994; and Waterbomb, a best-of collection curated by Joe Foster for Rev-Ola Records in 2003.
Discography
All records were issued via Creation Records unless otherwise specified. Chart rankings refer to the UK Independent Chart.
Albums
- Pass the Paintbrush, Honey.... (1985)
- The Girl Who Runs the Beat Hotel (1987; re-released May 1988 on CD/C format including debut album)
- Oblivion (1987)
- Love Is Forever (1988)
- Songs for the Sad Eyed Girl (1990; CD version includes Oblivion; cassette includes Love Is Forever)
- Me (1991)
Compilations
- The Acid House Album (June 1989)
- For the Sad Eyed Girl (1990)
- L'Amour, Demure, Stenhousemuir (November 1991)
- Debasement Tapes (February 1992)
- Bertula Pop (April 1994, Tristar)
- Waterbomb: The Best Of (July 2003, Rev-Ola)
- Biff Bang Pow! & the Laughing Apple – The Singles (2010, Vollwert)
- The Singles As and Bs (2016, Poppydisc)
- A Better Life: Complete Creations 1984–1991 (May 2022, Cherry Red; six-CD set)
Singles
- "Fifty Years of Fun" (February 1984) – reached No. 31
- "There Must Be a Better Life" (June 1984)
- "Love's Going Out of Fashion" (March 1986) – peaked at No. 6
- "Someone Stole My Wheels" (November 1986; credited to JC Brouchard with Biff Bang Pow!) – No. 31
- "The Whole World Is Turning Brouchard" (February 1987) – No. 26
- "She Haunts" (February 1988) – reached No. 28
- "Sleep" (November 1990; split single with The Times)