Rare Gems Continue to Rain From Cloudberry

Ever since I got hooked on the "Gedgetastic" band Shine! more than a year ago, I have kept an eye out for more undiscovered bands from the Cloudberry Cake Kitchen series. I recently picked up the Deddingtons, which has been out for a number of years, and the Suncharms, which just hit the shelves. Like Shine!, both illustrate that very fine line between fame and footnote.

The Suncharms were a Sheffield quintet first known as the Eunochs... that is until David Gedge suggested a name change during a chat after a Wedding Present show. Yes, you listen to Gedge. The band more or less took the same road as Shine! They signed to Barry Newman's Wilde Club Records out of Norwich and released two EPs in '91. There were supporting slots for Brilliant Corners, Television Personalities and Sarah bands St. Christopher and the Orchids. They even had a Peel Session in '92 and a positive gig review in Melody Maker. Alas, it was all over by '93. The Suncharms are often described as shoegaze, but there is a pop element that takes me to the harder side of the Sarah stable. Shine!, the Bardots, Catherine Wheel, the Suncharms... Newman sure had a good ear. "Sparkle" should have been a smash.

The Suncharms - "Sparkle"

It's a shame, but the Deddingtons left even less of a footprint. They once got a phone call from WEA with a request for more demos, but the A&R guy that asked for them ended up leaving the label while the band was producing the songs. That sucks, but without that call we may not have had anything to listen to today. So, how did we get these songs? Thanks should first go to Firestation, Clarendon and Billberry. The labels curated a series on the English indiepop scene of the '80s and '90s called 'The Sound of Leamington Spa.' There was a volume every year or two throughout the first decade of the 2000s. You should check these out. The bands ranged from the obscure to the reeeaallly obscure, and "The Last Day" from the Deddingtons appeared on the third volume. A chap named Roque that heads up Cloudberry loved the song and got in touch with members of the band. Way to go, Roque!

Thanks should also go the parents of band member Matthew Wright. They converted their steamy attic into a recording haven dubbed "The Loft Studios." Now that's love and faith. We'll listen to "The Last Day" today because that's the one that seems to attract most listeners, but my personal favorite is "Happy Again." I found a video of that one they made on their own that's a big smile. I wonder... were they fans of Terry & Gerry?

The Deddingtons - "The Last Day"