Cook da Books
| Company type | Independent band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 in Fazakerley, Liverpool, England |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Liverpool , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Cook da Books—also recognized as Cook the Books, Big in France, and Da Books—was a new wave group originating from Liverpool, England, established in 1980. Throughout their tenure, they remained affiliated with independent record labels, producing music with strong political themes and contributing tracks to notable film soundtracks. Their discography includes two albums and eleven singles before their dissolution in 1988.
History
Originating in 1980 in Fazakerley, Liverpool, Cook da Books consisted of former members from pub and cabaret ensembles The Dogems and Brooklyn. Known for their tight vocal harmonies, akin to other Liverpool bands such as Our Kid, the founding members were Kevin Kunky Kelly (guitar and vocals), Peter "Digsy" Deary (vocals, guitar), Owen Moran (bass and vocals), Tony Prescott (keyboards), and John Legget (drums).
Their debut single, "Piggie in the Middle 8," carried a politically charged message reflecting on the Toxteth riots. The track was produced by reggae producer Dennis Bovell at London’s Studio80 and marked the inaugural release for Probe Records. The single’s cover featured photography by John Stoddart, a local artist who later became known for his work with bands like Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
This initial release drew the interest of composer Vladimir Cosma, who selected three of their songs for inclusion in the soundtrack of the French movie La Boum 2. The band appeared onscreen performing "Your Eyes," which achieved widespread popularity across Europe, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. The song sold over 900,000 copies and was awarded a gold disc. Despite limited recognition in the UK and US markets, this success elevated their international profile. During this period, they toured alongside acts such as Men at Work, Joan Armatrading, and the Undertones, while establishing a combined recording and rehearsal space in Liverpool. This facility was later sold to Echo & the Bunnymen following the conclusion of their contract with Virgin Records.
Cook da Books recorded sessions for John Peel’s show on BBC Radio 1 in both 1983 and 1984 and appeared on BBC television’s Whistle Test in 1985. They contributed the track "Piggy In The Middle 8" to Ronnie Flood’s compilation album Jobs For the Boys, which focused on unemployment issues during Margaret Thatcher’s administration.
Although associated with Polymer Records for the La Boum 2 soundtrack and signed to Virgin’s 10 Records imprint, Cook da Books retained creative control through their own label, Kiteland Records. In a 1983 interview, they highlighted that operating independently allowed them autonomy over product selection and marketing schedules.
In 1985, they performed "Spartakus," a piece composed by Cosma for the French animated sci-fi series Les Mondes Engloutis (known as Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea). That same year included a live performance with Joan Armatrading at Arizona’s Gammage Performing Arts Center.
Following Tony Prescott’s departure, the remaining trio adopted the name 'Da Books' and released a cover version of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" through Probe Plus. They also recorded "The Lookout Is Out," inspired by a melody from Plastic Bertrand, which served as the theme for the 1986 animated feature film Asterix in Britain.
Peter "Digsy" Deary went on to front Smaller, who achieved UK chart success with singles like "Wasted" and "Is" during the mid-1990s; notably, Oasis referenced him in their track "Digsy's Dinner" from the album Definitely Maybe. Noel Gallagher contributed to Smaller’s 1997 release Badly Badly. In subsequent years, Deary led The Sums throughout the 2000s.
In 2012, Digsy and Owen Moran were featured subjects in We Wouldn't Want to Knock It, a documentary produced by Liverpool filmmakers Daniel Draper and Frankie Cowley.
Style
The group was often likened to Duran Duran, U2, and Squeeze in terms of their musical style.
Albums
- 1983: Outch
- 1989: Big Dreams (under the name Da' Books)
Singles/EPs
Positions refer to the UK Indie Chart.
- 1982: "Piggie in the Middle Eight"/"Turn to Black" (Reached No. 18)
- 1982: "Rich Men Don't"/"Low Profile"
- 1983: "Piggie in the Middle Eight"/"I Wouldn't Want to Knock It"
- 1983: "Your Eyes" (Achieved No. 1)
- 1983: "Low Profile"/"Rich Men Don't" (Peaked at No. 13)
- 1983: "I Wouldn't Want to Knock It"/"Up in Smoke"/"In da Papers" (Charted at No. 20)
- 1984: "Caress Me Like a Flower"/"Say Something Good"
- 1984: "Golden Age"/"Soho"
- 1985: "You Hurt Me Deep Inside"/"Piggie in the Middle Eight"/"Low Profile"
- 1986: "Living for the City"/"All I Want is Everything"/"How Could You Be So Low"/"Giving Up the Acid"/"England May as Well Be Cuba"
- 1986: "The Lookout Is Out" (served as the theme for the animated movie Asterix in Britain)
Compilation appearances
- Featured "This Is Not the Time" on Crackin' Up at the Pyramid (May 1982)
- Included "Get It Together", "Your Eyes", and "Silver Man" on the soundtrack for La Boum 2 (Philips in France, Carrere in Germany)
- Released a new version of "Piggie in the Middle Eight" on Jobs for the Boys compilation (Natalie Records, January 1985)