The Very Things
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Fate | Disbanded; reunited in 2024 |
| Headquarters | Redditch , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
The Very Things are a post-punk band from Redditch, Worcestershire, England, known for their English Dadaist style. Established in 1983, they remained active until 1988 before reuniting in 2024 and releasing the album Mr. Arc-Eye (Under a Cellophane Sky) on 26 July.
History
Following the breakup of the Cravats in 1982, guitarist Robin Raymond (also known as Robin R. Dalloway) and bassist/vocalist The Shend (Chris Harz) created The Very Things. They brought on drummer Gordon Disneytime (Robin Holland), bassist Jim Davis, and subsequently Steven Burrows from And Also the Trees. Initially, their lineup featured a horn section consisting of Vincent Johnson, John Graham, Robert Holland, and Paul Green. Their first single, "The Gong Man," was released in November 1983 under Crass's label. After signing with Reflex Records, they issued "The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes" in June 1984, which inspired a short film broadcast on Channel 4's The Tube.
Their first album was released in August 1984, after which the group streamlined to a trio. They continued to produce several singles and EPs; however, their 1987 cover of R. Dean Taylor's "There's a Ghost in My House" was pulled due to competition from the Fall. By 1988, The Very Things had disbanded but left behind enough material for the Motown-inspired album Motortown, which came out via One Little Indian. In 1994, Fire Records reissued their original albums and various tracks not included on albums.
The band recorded two sessions for John Peel in 1983 and 1987. Tracks such as "The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes" and "This Is Motortown" featured in the Festive Fifty. Afterward, The Shend went on to form Grimetime and developed an acting career with appearances in series including EastEnders, Red Dwarf, The Bill, Men Behaving Badly, and Torchwood.
Discography
Chart rankings are based on the UK Independent Chart.
Albums
- The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes (1984), Reflex; re-released by Fire Records in 1994
- Live at The Zap Club, Brighton (1987), B.P.
- Motortown (1988), One Little Indian; reissued in 1994 by Fire
- It's a Drug, It's a Drug, It's a Ha Ha Ha, It's a Trojan Horse Coming Out of the Wall (1994), Fire
Singles/EPs
- "The Gong Man" (1983), Corpus Christi
- "The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes" (1984), Reflex – No. 21
- "Mummy You're a Wreck" (1985), Reflex – No. 11
- "This Is Motortown" (1986), DCL Electric – No. 14
- "Let's Go Out" (1988), One Little Indian – No. 22
- "The Peel Session (17.12.83)" (1988), Strange Fruit