East Village (band)
| Company type | Indie pop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980s |
| Founder | Martin Kelly, Paul Kelly |
| Headquarters | Princes Risborough , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Formed in the mid-1980s by siblings Martin and Paul Kelly, East Village was an indie pop group originating from Princes Risborough, England.
Their musical style drew heavily from 1960s guitar-driven bands such as the Byrds, the Beatles, and Buffalo Springfield, with three members contributing both songwriting and lead vocals. Although their records only achieved modest positions on the UK indie charts, they have since developed a devoted cult following.
History
Originally called Episode Four, the Kelly brothers were joined by Johnny Wood (guitar/vocals) in 1984, followed by Spencer Smith (drums) in 1985. In 1986, they released the Strike Up Matches EP through the Lenin and McCarthy label as a limited edition, which has become a coveted release from the C86 era.
By 1987, after adopting the name East Village and moving to London, they produced two EPs under Jeff Barrett’s Sub Aqua label until it ceased operations in 1989. The band toured extensively during this period, including supporting The House of Love in 1988 and completing two tours alongside McCarthy.
Following Sub Aqua’s closure, Bob Stanley—a friend and admirer—financed their debut album recording. The album remained unsigned until Jeff Barrett established Heavenly Recordings and finalized its release. After performing several shows under Heavenly with artists like Manic Street Preachers, Saint Etienne, and Flowered Up, they issued the single Circles in 1991. Their final performance ended dramatically with the band disbanding on stage at a sold-out New Cross venue.
The posthumous album Drop Out was released by Heavenly in 1993. In 1994, Australian label Summershine compiled singles and demos into Hot Rod Hotel, which included the radio-friendly track Silver Train.
In 2006, Tokyo-based Excellent label issued an extensive anthology of their work; the track 'Vibrato' appeared on the Sanctuary CD86 compilation. Original East Village records appreciated significantly in value, leading Heavenly Recordings to reissue Drop Out on vinyl in 2013. This re-release was awarded a rare perfect score of 10/10 by Uncut magazine, praising it as "Pop perfection... a true lost classic of its era".
Current activity
Martin Kelly serves as Managing Director of music publishing firm Heavenly Songs along with its affiliated company Heavenly Films.
During the 1990s, Paul Kelly and Spencer Smith played with Saint Etienne’s touring ensemble before Paul established Birdie alongside former Dolly Mixture member Debsey Wykes.
Paul Kelly is also known as a graphic designer, photographer, and filmmaker, having directed Finisterre, What Have You Done Today Mervyn Day, This Is Tomorrow, How We Used To Live, Lawrence Of Belgravia, and Dexys: Nowhere Is Home. Spencer Smith collaborated with Jeff Barrett and Martin Kelly at Heavenly Recordings between 1994 and 2010. Johnny Wood released a solo album titled Quiet Storm on Excellent in 2006.
In June 2010, Martin and Paul authored Fender: The Golden Age 1946–1970, an exhaustive examination of Fender’s formative years, published internationally in several languages. The Kelly brothers followed this with Rickenbacker Guitars – Out of the Fryingpan Into the Firego via Phantom Books in 2021; this work was republished as Rickenbacker – Pioneers of the Electric Guitar by Cassell in 2023.
Singles
- "Cubans In The Bluefields" – 7" and 12" EP (Sub Aqua, 1987)
- "Back Between Places" – 12" EP (Sub Aqua, 1988)
- "Freeze Out" – 7" Flexidisc (Caff, 1989)
- "Circles" – 12" (Heavenly Recordings, 1991)
- "Vibrato" – 7" (Summershine, 1991)
- "Silvertrain" – available on 7" and CD (Summershine, 1993)
- "Black Autumn" – 7" release (Excellent, 2003)
- "Circles" – 7" (Heavenly Recordings, 2013)
- "Cubans In The Bluefields" – issued as a 7" (Optic Nerve, 2018)
- "Back Between Places" – 7" format (Optic Nerve, 2022)
Albums
- Drop Out – released on vinyl and CD through Heavenly Recordings in 1993
- Drop Out – vinyl re-releases by Excellent in 2003 and Heavenly Recordings in 2013
- Drop Out – reissued on vinyl and as a double CD by Heavenly Recordings in 2023
Compilation albums
- Hot Rod Hotel – CD-only release from Summershine in 1994
- Drop Out – Deluxe Edition – two-CD set issued by Excellent in 2006
- Hot Rod Hotel – vinyl edition released by Slumberland in 2020