The Servants
>>Is anyone familiar with 80's UK band The Servants? I'd like to know more
>>about their discography, best moments, if they ever came out in the US,
>>etc. All I know is one of the guys went to play bass on Lush later on,
>>and that they were reportedly very good.
>
>Didn't know about the Lush connection. All I have by them is an
>excellent 7" on the short-lived Head label ("She's Always
>Hiding"/"Transparent") from 1986. Back in the day when Richard
>Preston (predominantly of él fame) seemed to be producing absolutely
>everything. I think the band broke up shortly after that, but then
>there might have been a reunion a couple years later, with a 12" or
>two on Creation. Or am I thinking of the Loft there? Or was there a
>connection between to the two? Anyway, the songwriter from the
>Servants had a solo mini album on Creation in the late 80's. David
>Westlake is the name. Never bought it, but the track or two that I
>had on tape were good.
Phil King, who played bass in the Servants, was also in Lush. And in Biff
Bang Pow!, Felt, and (with fellow Servant John Mohan) Apple Boutique. An
unsung hero of '80s guitar-pop or what? There was another Servants record
for Head, the "The Sun, a Small Star" 12", also from '86. (Head is rather
unsung, too, but deserves your worship for its Servants, Submarines, and
early Wishing Stones [ex-Loft] releases; and Loop, too, if you like that
sort of thing.) The later Servants stuff all came out right around the
turn of the decade, I believe: the "It's My Turn" 7" & 12", on Glass
('89?), the "Look Like a Girl" 7" on Paperhouse ('90), and the
_Disinterest_ LP, also on Paperhouse ('90). The line-up was totally
different at this point; King and Mohan were both gone and Luke Haines had
stepped in on guitar. The _Westlake_ LP came out in '87, between the two
phases of the Servants, and also featured Haines. It's a fine, fine
record, well worthy of Westlake's "best Go-Betweens wannabe ever" tag.
They Should Make a Statue,
Leonard
P.S. Anyone know how to get Acetone Singles Club stuff--besides joining
the club?