The Blue Orchids
| Blue Orchids | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Manchester, England |
| Genres | Post-punk |
| Years active | 1979–2007, 2012–present |
| Labels | Tiny Global Rough Trade Cherry Red LTM Blind Eye Records |
| Members |
|
| Past members | See Personnel |
Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah decided to quit The Fall having recorded that band's debut album Live at the Witch Trials. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the band recorded for Rough Trade and acted as backing band for the Velvet Underground’s Nico before a 25-year period of intermittent activity and alternative identities.
Having left The Fall, Bramah teamed up with keyboardist Una Baines, also an ex-Fall member, guitarist Rick Goldstraw (also ex-Fall), bassist Steve Toyne and drummer Ian Rogers (AKA Joe Kin). John Cooper Clarke suggested the name 'The Blessed Orchids' but according to Bramah, Goldstraw mis-remembered it as 'The Blue Orchids' and the name stuck.
The band signed to Rough Trade Records and in November 1980 they released their debut single, a double A-side, "The Flood"/"Disney Boys". After this release Steve Toyne left the band and Rick Goldstraw took over the bass playing duties. In February 1981 they released their second single "Work".
"Work" was much liked by the late John Peel who played it regularly after its release. The band's music came to the attention of Echo & the Bunnymen, who subsequently invited Blue Orchids to be the support act for their 1981 UK tour. Alastair "Baz" Murphy was recruited to play keyboards on the tour due to an illness suffered by Baines.
Also after the release of "Work", the Blue Orchids recorded the first of their Peel Sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 programme.
Phillip Toby Toman, an ex-member of The Durutti Column, joined on drums when Ian Rogers left the group after the Echo & the Bunnymen tour (he later went on to play for Primal Scream under the name Toby Tomanov). This new line-up recorded a debut album called The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain), which went on to sell 10,000 copies.
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