Virgin Prunes
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Dublin, Ireland |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Dublin , Ireland |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Virgin Prunes emerged as an Irish post-punk and gothic rock ensemble, established in 1977 in Dublin. The group dissolved in 1986 following the exit of vocalist Gavin Friday. The remaining lineup continued under the name The Prunes until 1991.
History
The formation of Virgin Prunes took place in 1977, initiated by vocalists Guggi (Derek Rowen), Gavin Friday (Fionan Hanvey), and Dave-iD Busaras; guitarist Dik Evans (brother of U2's The Edge), bassist Strongman (Trevor Rowen), and drummer Pod (Anthony Murphy) completed the original roster. Guggi and Friday had previously been involved with Lypton Village, a Dublin-based youth collective that also included U2's Bono.
Distinguished by their dramatic stage presence driven by Friday, the band cultivated a devoted fanbase within Dublin. After Pod's departure, he was succeeded by Haa-Lacka Binttii (Daniel Figgis). During Binttii's tenure, they secured a deal with Rough Trade Records and issued their debut single, "Twenty Tens", via their Baby Records imprint in January 1981, followed by "Moments and Mine (Despite Straight Lines)" in June of the same year.
Two additional tracks featuring Binttii appeared on compilation albums before internal disagreements led to his exit. Mary D'Nellon (David Kelly) replaced him on drums. Several tracks originally recorded with Binttii were later re-recorded without acknowledging his involvement. Subsequently, Binttii went on to establish Princess Tinymeat.
Their ambitious project A New Form of Beauty consisted of four segments released through multiple formats between 1981 and 1982, which were eventually consolidated into A New Form of Beauty Parts 1-4. This project also encompassed an unpublished book and an unreleased film component.
In November 1982, Virgin Prunes unveiled their first full-length album, ...If I Die, I Die, produced by Colin Newman of Wire. Concurrently, they released the French double 10" EP Hérésie, a conceptual exploration of madness commissioned after their performance in Paris. By 1984, Guggi and Dik Evans departed due to frustrations with the music industry. Mary D'Nellon transitioned to guitar duties while Pod returned as drummer. The band commenced work on an album titled Sons Find Devils, which ultimately remained unreleased.
A video retrospective entitled Sons Find Devils - A Live Retrospective 1981-1983 was issued in 1986; despite sharing the name, it was not connected to the unreleased album. Additionally, the compilation Over the Rainbow, featuring rare tracks, was released in April 1985.
The group’s second studio album as a quartet, The Moon Looked Down and Laughed, came out in July 1986 and incorporated material from the abandoned Sons Find Devils sessions. Later that year saw Friday’s departure, which was officially acknowledged in the liner notes of their 1987 live album The Hidden Lie, signaling the band's conclusion.
Following the breakup, D'Nellon, Strongman, and Busaras formed The Prunes, producing three albums between 1988 and 1991: Lite Fantastik, Nada, and Blossoms & Blood. Dik Evans contributed guitar work on Lite Fantastik, while Justin Kavanagh joined as guitarist for the final album.
On 4 October 2009, original members Friday, Guggi, and Dik Evans reunited for a performance of two Virgin Prunes songs at Carnegie Hall, during "An Evening with Gavin Friday and Friends" held in celebration of Friday’s 50th birthday. The event included support from J.G. Thirlwell.
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| UK Indie | ||
| ...If I Die, I Die |
|
8 |
| The Moon Looked Down and Laughed |
|
5 |
Live albums
| Album Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| The Hidden Lie (Live in Paris 6/6/86) |
|
| Sons Find Devils |
|
Compilation albums
| Compilation Title | Release Data | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| UK Indie | ||
| A New Form of Beauty Parts 1–4 |
|
— |
| Over the Rainbow (A Compilation of Rarities 1981–1983) |
|
22 |
| Artfuck: A Compilation of Rarities (1980–1983) |
|
— |
| Over the Rainbow (A Compilation of Rarities 1980–1984) |
|
— |
| "—" indicates releases that either did not chart or were unavailable in that region. | ||
Video albums
| Video Title | Publishing Details |
|---|---|
| Sons Find Devils – A Live Retrospective 1981–1983 |
|
EPs
| EP Title | Release Information | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| UK Indie | ||
| A New Form of Beauty 1 |
|
44 |
| A New Form of Beauty 2 |
|
47 |
| A New Form of Beauty 3 |
|
— |
| A New Form of Beauty 4 |
|
— |
| Heresie |
|
— |
| An Extended Play |
|
— |
| "—" signifies releases that did not enter charts or were not distributed in that region. | ||
Singles
| Song Title | Release Year | Peak chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| UK Indie | ||
| "Twenty Tens (I've Been Smoking All Night)" | 1981 | 25 |
| "Moments and Mine (Despite Straight Lines)" | 50 | |
| "Pagan Lovesong" | 1982 | 13 |
| "Baby Turns Blue" | 15 | |
| "Love Lasts Forever" | 1986 | 18 |
| "Don't Look Back" | — | |
| "Baby Turns Blue" (Director's Cut) | 2004 | — |
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts. | ||
Notable compilation inclusions
- "Red Nettle" featured on C81 (1981, Rough Trade/NME)
- "Third Secret" included in Perspectives and Distortion (1981, Cherry Red)
- "Jigsaw Mentallama" distributed via Vinyl Magazine #9 flexi disc (1981, Vinyl Magazine)
- "Mad Bird in the Wood" appeared on Dokument: Ten Highlights in the History of Popular Music 1981–1982 (1982, Roadrunner)
Literature
- Rolf Vasellari: The Faculties of a Broken Heart (1985, Black Sheep Press)