The Field Mice
| Company type | Indie pop band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Mitcham, London , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
The Field Mice were an English indie pop group signed to the independent label Sarah Records. Initially formed as a duo, they later grew to five members, producing three full-length albums alongside a variety of singles and EPs. The band recorded a session for John Peel and secured positions within the top 20 of the UK Independent singles and albums charts.
Career
Originating from Mitcham in south London, Robert Wratten (vocals, guitar) and Michael Hiscock (bass) first crossed paths as teenagers at Tamworth Manor School, reconnecting by chance two years later. Their debut single, "Emma's House" (1988), climbed to number 20 on the UK Independent Chart. Their follow-up single, "Sensitive", received widespread critical praise, earning unanimous single of the month honors from Les Inrockuptibles and featuring in John Peel's 1989 Festive Fifty. The mini-album Snowball reached number 3 on the UK Indie Albums Chart.
In July 1989, guitarist Harvey Williams (formerly of Another Sunny Day) joined to bolster their live shows; however, their initial releases continued as a duo. The first recordings with the expanded lineup included the Skywriting mini-LP and the So Said Kay EP. By late 1990, Anne Mari Davies (vocals, keyboards, guitar) and Mark Dobson (drums) had joined, completing the five-piece ensemble that recorded their final album, For Keeps.
Although often associated with post-C86 indie pop or the characteristic Sarah Records sound, The Field Mice embraced a variety of musical styles and influences. Their early singles and artwork reflected inspiration from early Factory Records artists such as New Order, incorporating sequencers and samples. Songs like "Triangle" and their extended closing track "Missing the Moon" integrated elements of contemporary dance music. Producer Ian Catt, working from a home studio near Wratten’s home, was instrumental in crafting much of their sound. Catt later developed this pop-dance approach further with Saint Etienne, who recorded a cover of The Field Mice's "Let's Kiss and Make Up."
Split and legacy
Following a challenging tour supporting For Keeps, The Field Mice disbanded in 1991. At a show in Glasgow’s King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Wratten announced his exit from the group, making their subsequent performance at Tufnell Park Dome in London their final gig.
After the breakup, Wratten and Davies—who had begun a relationship during the band’s last year—briefly formed Yesterday Sky with Dobson before transitioning into the more synth-driven project Northern Picture Library. Wratten went on to establish Trembling Blue Stars in 1995 and later formed Lightning in a Twilight Hour. Hiscock’s next band, The Gentle Spring, released their debut album titled Looking Back at the World in 2025.
A comprehensive double-album collection compiling the now unavailable Field Mice releases, Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way?, was released in 1998 and outperformed all previous sales for the band. In 2005, their entire catalogue was reissued on CD by LTM Recordings.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Snowball (Sarah 402, released 1989)
- Skywriting (Sarah 601, issued 1990)
- For Keeps (Sarah 607, came out in 1991)
- Compilation albums
- Coastal (Sarah 606, 1991 release)
- Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way? (Shinkansen 014, 1998)
- Singles and extended plays
- "Emma's House" (7", Sarah 012, 1988)
- "Sensitive" (7", Sarah 018, 1989)
- "I Can See Myself Alone Forever" backed with "Everything About You" (7", CAFF 2, 1989)
- "The Autumn Store Part 1" (7", Sarah 024, 1990)
- "The Autumn Store Part 2" (7", Sarah 025, 1990)
- So Said Kay (10", Sarah 038, 1990)
- "September's Not So Far Away" backed with "Between Hello and Goodbye" (7", Sarah 044, 1991)
- "Missing the Moon" (12", Sarah 057, 1991)
- "Burning World" (cover of Loop) (7", BULL 4–0, 1991)
- Peel session
- "Anoint"/"Sundial"/"Fresh Surroundings"/"By Degrees" (These four tracks were recorded on April 1, 1990, and aired on John Peel’s show on BBC Radio 1 on April 23, 1990. Each song was composed exclusively for this session and has not been issued on any official releases.)
External links
- Field Mice biography - Alastair Fitchett, LTM reissue liner notes
- Field Mice biography - Matt Haynes co-founder of Sarah Records - Archived version from November 16, 2007, via Internet Archive