Shrubbies
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 in Balham, London, England |
| Founder | Craig Fortnam, Sharron Saddington, Sarah Smith, Dominic Luckman |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | The Shrubbies EP (1997), Memphis in Texas (1999) |
The Shrubbies were a pop ensemble hailing from Southwest London, active between 1996 and 1999. Initially named Shrubby Veronica, the group was founded by Craig Fortnam (vocals, guitar), Sharron Saddington (vocals, bass), alongside ex-Cardiacs members Sarah Smith (vocals, saxophone, keyboards) and Dominic Luckman (drums). They played numerous shows throughout London before disbanding as Fortnam grew dissatisfied with the conventional indie rock scene.
Fortnam’s fortuitous encounter with William D. Drake led him and Saddington to join Drake’s band Lake of Puppies. Subsequently, Fortnam and Saddington established the Shrubbies with Smith and Luckman. Their output includes a 1997 EP titled The Shrubbies and the 1999 album Memphis in Texas. Later, Fortnam and Saddington married and went on to create the North Sea Radio Orchestra alongside musicians associated with Cardiacs.
History
Following his tenure as a bassist in a jazz fusion group, Craig Fortnam connected with former Cardiacs member William D. Drake, joining his post-Cardiacs psychedelic pop project Lake of Puppies together with Sharron Saddington. Fortnam and Saddington then formed the Shrubbies with Sarah Smith on saxophone and keyboards, and Ben Clarke on drums; Clarke was eventually replaced by ex-Cardiacs drummer Dominic Luckman. Originally known as Shrubby Veronica, the band emerged from Balham, London in 1996. The group toured extensively across London and other locations, sharing stages with acts such as Huge Baby and performing alongside groups including the Monsoon Bassoon, Podsdarapomuk, and Delicate AWOL. After Sarah Smith left the lineup before March 1999, Dan Maitland stepped in to handle saxophone and keyboard duties. In June 1999, the Shrubbies supported Cardiacs during their tour.
Although creatively fulfilling, Fortnam became increasingly disenchanted with the standard indie rock circuit, which contributed to the band's breakup in 1999. Subsequently, Fortnam assembled musicians connected to Cardiacs and classical backgrounds to form the North Sea Radio Orchestra, featuring Saddington as lead vocalist.
Plans were made for the Shrubbies, including Dominic Luckman, to reunite for the Alphabet Business Convention at Salisbury Arts Centre on 26 August 2017; however, they were ultimately replaced by Prescott on the updated lineup.
Discography
Produced by Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith and released via Merlin Audio, The Shrubbies’ recordings took place at Apollo 8 in Chessington, Surrey, as well as Purple Studios in Norwich, Norfolk. Their sound has been characterized by outlets such as Misfit City and Ondarock as folk-pronk and folk prog respectively. Their releases have been described under genres including acoustic pop, baroque pop, electroacoustic folk, folk baroque, psychedelic folk, psychedelic pop, and psychedelic rock. The band issued a four-track EP in 1997 followed by their album Memphis in Texas in 1999 after disbanding.
The Shrubbies EP
A self-titled EP containing tracks from Memphis in Texas was issued by Merlin Audio on 20 September 1997, available solely on CD. The EP received acclaim from Misfit City for its intricate arrangements and refined harmonies, with particular emphasis on Craig's acoustic guitar performance alongside Sarah Smith's saxophone and keyboard elements.
Personnel
Information sourced from the The Shrubbies EP liner notes.
- The Shrubbies
- Sharron Saddington – bass guitar, vocals
- Dominic Luckman – drums
- Sarah Smith – saxophone, keyboards, vocals
- Craig Fortnam – guitar, vocals
- Guest musicians
- Tim Smith – handclaps featured on "Perfect Present"
- Rob Deschamps – French horn contribution on "Carefree Clothes"
- Production team
- Tim Smith – producer
- Matthew Cutts – photographer
- John Whitehouse – digital mastering engineer
Memphis in Texas
The only full-length album by The Shrubbies was released on CD through Merlin Audio in 1999. The album, Memphis in Texas (stylized in lowercase), was later re-released digitally on Bandcamp on 11 September 2011.
Personnel
Details taken from the Memphis in Texas album liner notes.
- The Shrubbies
- Sharron Saddington – vocals, bass guitar
- Dominic Luckman – drums, percussion
- Sarah Smith – vocals, saxophone, keyboard, Hammond organ, cello
- Craig Fortnam – vocals, guitars, keyboard, harmonium
- Guest contributors
- Tim Smith – handclaps on "Perfect Present"
- Rob Deschamps – French horn on "Carefree Clothes"
- The Inkling Quartet – string arrangements on "Hearty Connection"
- Production and design
- Jonnie Hamilton – photography
- Big Faluda Productions (Ian Johnson) – design work
- Tim Smith – production