The Servants
| Company type | Indie pop band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 in Hayes, Middlesex, England |
| Founder | David Westlake |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Hayes, Middlesex , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Servants emerged as an indie group in 1985, originating from Hayes, Middlesex, England, founded by vocalist and songwriter David Westlake. The band notably served as the initial platform for Luke Haines.
Their album Small Time, recorded in 1991, was not released until 2012, sparked by renewed interest following the inclusion of their 1990 album Disinterest in Mojo magazine’s 2011 compilation of the finest British indie records.
History
David Westlake formed the band alongside his schoolmate Ed Moran. Their debut performance took place on 1 July 1985, where they opened for Television Personalities in London.
Westlake’s songwriting attracted media coverage early on, leading to their inaugural single “She's Always Hiding” released on Head Records in March 1986, after turning down offers from Statik, Stiff, and Él. This was followed by a Peel session.
In an effort to distance themselves from the “shambling” label, The Servants hesitantly contributed the B-side “Transparent” to the influential NME C86 compilation. Despite being a secondary track, it became their most recognized song.
The August 1986 EP The Sun, a Small Star, featuring four tracks, highlighted Westlake’s evolving songwriting abilities. The title track was praised as a “24 carat ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ classic.”
Luke Haines was part of the lineup from December 1986 until August 1991. In June 1987, drummer Hugh Whitaker, formerly of The Housemartins, joined and remained until August 1989 while the band created demos for Creation Records.
In early 1988, The Servants signed with Glass Records, intending to produce an album with John Brand as producer. However, financial difficulties arose when Glass’s distributor collapsed, resulting in budget cuts. They managed to record their third single “It's My Turn,” but Glass postponed its release by a year.
Their first full-length album Disinterest was eventually released in July 1990 through Paperhouse Records. Haines described this work as “art rock” that arrived “ten years too late and fifteen years too early.” The album also yielded the fourth single, “Look Like A Girl.”
Westlake and Haines recorded their second album, Small Time, in 1991; however, it remained unreleased until 2012 after Disinterest received renewed critical praise. Westlake considers it his preferred Servants album, while Haines emphasized its unique and enigmatic atmosphere.
The prolonged unavailability of Disinterest stems from an unresolved dispute with their record label. Alongside Small Time, Cherry Red issued Hey Hey We’re the Manqués, a collection of demos and rehearsal recordings from their formative years.
The Servants played their final show at London’s Rock Garden on 21 August 1991 before disbanding due to limited opportunities.
Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch acknowledged Westlake as an influence and expressed interest in collaborating prior to establishing his own group.
In 2006, Cherry Red Records released Reserved, a retrospective compilation featuring early singles, Peel sessions, and demo tracks.
After a hiatus of twenty-three years, Westlake and Haines reunited for a live performance at London’s Lexington in May 2014. Westlake also appeared at an NME C86 event in June 2014 that coincided with Cherry Red’s expanded reissue of the C86 compilation.
David Westlake solo career
In 1987, David Westlake produced an album for Creation Records, featuring Luke Haines in his first recording role alongside the rhythm section from The Triffids. Had a permanent rhythm section been involved, this project would have marked The Servants’ initial release. Haines later referred to the album Westlake as “a minor classic.” The album was reissued with additional content in 2023 under the title D87.
Westlake independently released Play Dusty for Me through Mahlerphone in 2002, issuing a limited quantity that quickly sold out. This album saw further limited reissues in both 2010 and 2015.
In October 2022, Tiny Global Productions issued Westlake’s album My Beautiful England.
Albums
- Disinterest (July 1990, Paperhouse Records)
- Reserved (compilation; March 2006, Cherry Red Records; reissued as Youth Club Disco, July 2011)
- Small Time/Hey Hey We’re the Manqués (October 2012, Cherry Red Records; reissued December 2013)
- David Westlake solo
- Westlake (November 1987, Creation Records; expanded edition D87, August 2023, Optic Nerve Recordings)
- Play Dusty for Me (June 2002, Mahlerphone; reissued in 2010 and 2015)
- My Beautiful England (October 2022, Tiny Global Productions)
Singles
- “She’s Always Hiding”/“Transparent” (March 1986, Head Records; reissued April 2021)
- “The Sun, a Small Star”/“Meredith”/“It Takes No Gentleman”/“Funny Business” (October 1986, Head Records; reissued May 2019)
- “It’s My Turn”/“Afterglow” (September 1989, Glass Records)
- “It’s My Turn”/“Afterglow”/“Faithful to 3 Lovers”/“Do or Be Done” (September 1989, Glass Records)
- “Look Like a Girl”/“Bad Habits Die Hard” (August 1990, Paperhouse Records)
Further reading
- Luke Haines, Bad Vibes (London: William Heinemann, 2009), pages 5–10.
- Luke Haines, liner notes for The Servants’ compilation Reserved (Cherry Red Records CDM RED 297, 2006)
- Luke Haines, liner notes for The Servants’ album Small Time (Cherry Red Records CDB RED 535, 2012)
- Nige Tassell, Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids? An Indie Odyssey (London: Nine Eight Books, 2022), pages 272–286