Dolly Mixture (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 in Cambridge, England |
| Headquarters | Cambridge , England |
| Products | Rock music, pop punk, post-punk music |
Dolly Mixture was a British rock group established in 1978, comprising bassist and vocalist Debsey Wykes, guitarist and vocalist Rachel Bor, along with drummer Hester Smith.[1] They achieved commercial recognition by supporting Captain Sensible on the UK top 10 single "Wot," the album Glad It's All Over, and the 1982 UK chart-topping cover of "Happy Talk." Additionally, Bor appeared on Captain Sensible's 1985 release "Wot NO Meat?" In April 2013, Bor and Wykes reunited for a live show at the Islington Assembly Hall in London.
Formation and early period
Originating in Cambridge, the trio—Bor, Smith, and Wykes—were schoolmates who drew inspiration from acts like the Shangri-Las and the Undertones.[1] Early in their career, Dolly Mixture supported the Undertones during UK tours and shared stages with bands including The Fall and The Transmitters in 1979.[2] They also had U2 as an opening act at one point. In the autumn of 1981, they served as featured support for Bad Manners on tour.
After moving to London, BBC Radio 1’s John Peel championed the band through his radio program and Sounds magazine column.[1] Signed with Chrysalis Records, their debut release was a rendition of the Shirelles' "Baby It's You" (1980), produced by Eric Faulkner from Bay City Rollers. The band later distanced themselves from this single, objecting to the label's attempt to position them as a teenage girl group.[1] Subsequent singles, "Been Teen" (1981) and "Everything and More" (1982), appeared on Paul Weller’s Respond label, with production handled by Captain Sensible and Paul Gray of The Damned.[1] They forged a collaborative relationship with Sensible, providing backing vocals on his singles and albums. Their participation in Sensible’s 1982 hit "Happy Talk" (credited as "Dolly Mixtures") contributed to its ascent to number one on the UK charts; they also featured in its music video and performed it on Top of the Pops.
Demonstration Tapes release
In 1984, Dolly Mixture issued a double album titled Demonstration Tapes via their own Dead Good Dolly Platters label. This edition featured a minimalist white cover and was limited to 1,000 individually numbered and signed copies. It comprised 27 demo recordings that spanned much of their musical catalog.
The same year included the release of the single "Remember This" on their label. Its B-side contained "Listening Pleasure/Borinda's Lament," which combined spoken word segments, an incomplete song, and an instrumental chamber composition featuring piano and cello.
Fireside EP and band dissolution
The six-track Fireside EP came out in 1984 under Cordelia Records, operated by Alan Jenkins from Deep Freeze Mice. This 12-inch record showcased a shift towards more experimental sounds with predominantly instrumental arrangements that emphasized piano and string instruments rather than conventional guitar, bass, and drums. Among its highlights was "Dolly Medley," which presented selections from their repertoire arranged in a chamber music style. Production credits went to Dolly Mixture alongside Andrew Fryer.
Later that year, the group ceased functioning as an active band.
Subsequent reunions
On 24 April 2013, Bor and Wykes reunited for a live performance at London's Islington Assembly Hall, where they supported Veronica Falls.
Re-issues
In 1995, Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne brought back Demonstration Tapes through his Royal Mint label.
The Japanese artist Cornelius released the single "Dreamism!" in 1998 on Trattoria in Japan, which included one previously unreleased song ("My Rainbow Valley") alongside three alternative versions.
A special limited edition box set comprising three CDs was issued in 2010. This collection featured the Demonstration Tapes, all singles, demos, and live tracks—totaling 56 remastered songs accompanied by a 32-page booklet.
At the same time, Germs of Youth, a London-based label, reissued a vinyl double-LP that faithfully replicated the original 1984 release. This edition was restricted to 300 copies, each hand-stamped and signed.
In 2019, Sealed Records, a sublabel under La Vida Es Un Mus, released Other Music, a compilation of alternate takes and recordings available on limited vinyl and streaming services.
Other projects
Wykes and Smith resurfaced with the band Coming Up Roses, which focused on melodic dance-pop. The initial lineup featured Patricia O'Flynn (saxophone) from the Shillelagh Sisters, guitarist Leigh Luscious, and bassist Claire Kenny formerly of Amazulu. Later members included Jane Keay, Tony Watts, and Midus. In 1989, Coming Up Roses debuted a six-track mini-album titled I Said Ballroom on Utility Records. All tracks were composed by Wykes and Smith. Their first live show took place at The White Swan in Brixton on November 29, with their final performance held at Up the Creek in Greenwich.
Concurrently, Wykes began working regularly as a backing vocalist for Saint Etienne, a role she maintained through their 2017 Home Counties tour. Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne reissued Dolly Mixture's untitled 1984 double album as Demonstration Tapes on Royal Mint Records in 1995. Alongside Paul Kelly from Saint Etienne, Wykes also created the indie-chamber-pop group Birdie, which released three albums: Some Dusty (1999), Triple Echo (2001), and Reverb Deluxe (2003).
Rachel Love (formerly Bor) performed with Fruit Machine until 1999. She embarked on a solo career in 2021 with the album Picture in Mind, produced by her husband Steve Lovell. In 2022, she co-founded The Light Music Company with Martin Newell and continues to perform under the name Rachel Love, supported by her sons as backing musicians. Her sophomore solo album, Lyra, was released in 2024.
Discography
| Title | Release date | Label | Catalog No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demonstration Tapes | 1984 | Dead Good Dolly Platters Reissued in 1995 on Royal Mint Records |
DMLP 1 RM 01 CD |
| Title | Release date | Label | Catalog No. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fireside | 1984 | Cordelia Records | ERICAT 017 | 12-inch EP |
| Title | Release date | Label | Catalog No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Baby It's You" | 1980 | Chrysalis | CHS 2459 |
| "Been Teen" | 1981 | Respond | RESP 1 |
| "Everything And More" | 1982 | Respond | RESP 4 |
| "Remember This" | 1983 | Dead Good Dolly Platters | DMS 1 |
| Title | Release date | Label | Catalog No. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cricket | 1983 | Pavilioned in Splendour | PiS 1 | 7-inch EP featuring Perry Pavilion with Captain Sensible and Dolly Mixture |
| Dreamism! | 1998 | Trattoria | MENU 156 | CD Maxi-Single |
| Everything and More | 2010 | Self-released | DMBOX1 | 3-CD set including demo tapes, singles, and additional material |
| 'Remember This: The Singles Collection 1980-1984' | 2011 | For Us | FU043 | Compilation of singles |
| Other Music | 2019 | Sealed Records | SEAL 005 | Compilation album |
External links
- Articles with short description
- All-female punk ensembles
- English pop ensembles
- English pop punk bands
- English post-punk groups
- English musical trios
- Musical groups formed in 1978
- Musical groups disbanded in 1984
- Musical acts originating from Cambridge
- Artists signed to Chrysalis Records
- Female-led musical groups
- Musical groups disestablished in 1984
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with script errors