Girls at Our Best!
Encyclopedia
Girls At Our Best! were a post-punk
group, founded in Leeds
, England
in 1979 under the name The Butterflies, who had several UK Indie Chart
hits.
James "Jez" Alan, bassist
Gerard "Terry" Swift, and drummer Chris Oldroyd. The band took its new name from a line in their track "Warm Girls", which first appeared on their self-financed 1980 debut single
coupled with "Getting Nowhere Fast" on their own Record Records (catalogue number RR1). The song reached #9 on the UK Indie Chart
, and was followed up by their second single, "Politics" c/w "It's Fashion!", also initially released on Record Records (RR2), but picked up by Rough Trade Records
, reaching #12.
Oldroyd departed to join Music for Pleasure
, and was replaced briefly by the British musician Paul Simon
and then by Darren Carl Harper before the next single, "Go for Gold" c/w "I'm Beautiful Now" on Happy Birthday Records (UR4), their biggest indie chart hit, reaching #4. In October 1981, the group released an album, Pleasure (now with the late Rod Johnson sharing drumming duties with Harper, who left the band) which came complete with a "Pleasure Bag" of stickers and postcards. It was also the first album to be released on the Happy Birthday label (catalogue number RULP1). The album reached #2 on the indie chart and #60 on the UK Album Chart. Their fourth single "Fast Boyfriends" c/w "This Train" (Happy Birthday Records UR6) was released that same year. A final single, "Heaven", was issued in 1982, the band splitting later that year.
Alan joined Sexbeat, and later The Tall Boys. Evans made a guest appearance on Thomas Dolby
's The Golden Age of Wireless
album in 1982. Dolby had guested on synthesizer on Pleasure.
They recorded one session for John Peel
, on 17 February 1981, which was first broadcast 23 February 1981. This was released as a 12" single in 1987 (Strange Fruit Records SFPS029) featuring "China Blue" and "This Train" on the A-side and a medley of other tracks entitled "Getting Beautiful Warm Gold Fast From Nowhere" on the B-side. There was a further BBC session for Richard Skinner.
"Getting Nowhere Fast" was covered by the Wedding Present on their "Anyone Can Make A Mistake" EP.
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
group, founded in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1979 under the name The Butterflies, who had several UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
hits.
History
The group initially consisted of vocalist Judy "Jo" Evans, guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
James "Jez" Alan, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Gerard "Terry" Swift, and drummer Chris Oldroyd. The band took its new name from a line in their track "Warm Girls", which first appeared on their self-financed 1980 debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
coupled with "Getting Nowhere Fast" on their own Record Records (catalogue number RR1). The song reached #9 on the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
, and was followed up by their second single, "Politics" c/w "It's Fashion!", also initially released on Record Records (RR2), but picked up by Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, reaching #12.
Oldroyd departed to join Music for Pleasure
Music for Pleasure (band)
Music for Pleasure were a New Wave band from Leeds, England; which was active in the first half of the 1980s.-Biography:Music for Pleasure were founded in 1979 by Martin King , Alan Peace , Sean Wheatley and David Whitaker...
, and was replaced briefly by the British musician Paul Simon
Paul Simon (UK musician)
Paul Simon is a British drummer born in Halifax, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, who played with different punk and New Wave artists, like Ian North, Radio Stars, John Foxx and Glen Matlock...
and then by Darren Carl Harper before the next single, "Go for Gold" c/w "I'm Beautiful Now" on Happy Birthday Records (UR4), their biggest indie chart hit, reaching #4. In October 1981, the group released an album, Pleasure (now with the late Rod Johnson sharing drumming duties with Harper, who left the band) which came complete with a "Pleasure Bag" of stickers and postcards. It was also the first album to be released on the Happy Birthday label (catalogue number RULP1). The album reached #2 on the indie chart and #60 on the UK Album Chart. Their fourth single "Fast Boyfriends" c/w "This Train" (Happy Birthday Records UR6) was released that same year. A final single, "Heaven", was issued in 1982, the band splitting later that year.
Alan joined Sexbeat, and later The Tall Boys. Evans made a guest appearance on Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
's The Golden Age of Wireless
The Golden Age of Wireless
The Golden Age of Wireless is a 1982 album by Synthpop pioneer Thomas Dolby. The album is notable for containing the pop hit "She Blinded Me with Science" in its later resequencings...
album in 1982. Dolby had guested on synthesizer on Pleasure.
They recorded one session for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, on 17 February 1981, which was first broadcast 23 February 1981. This was released as a 12" single in 1987 (Strange Fruit Records SFPS029) featuring "China Blue" and "This Train" on the A-side and a medley of other tracks entitled "Getting Beautiful Warm Gold Fast From Nowhere" on the B-side. There was a further BBC session for Richard Skinner.
"Getting Nowhere Fast" was covered by the Wedding Present on their "Anyone Can Make A Mistake" EP.
Singles
- "Getting Nowhere Fast" / "Warm Girls" (April 1980) Record, RR1 (UK Indie #9)
- "Politics" / "It's Fashion" (November 1980) Record, RR2/Rough Trade, RT055 (UK Indie #12)
- "Go For Gold" / "I'm Beautiful Now" (June 1981) Happy Birthday, UR4 (UK Indie #4)
- "Fast Boyfriends" / "This Train" (October 1981) Happy Birthday, UR6 (UK Indie #19)
- "Heaven" / "£600,000" (May 1982) God, GOD1
- The Peel Session (17.2.81) EP (May 1987) Strange FruitStrange Fruit RecordsStrange Fruit Records was an independent record label in the United Kingdom.The label, established by Clive Selwood and John Peel in 1986, was the primary distributor of BBC recordings, including Peel Sessions....
, SFPS029 (UK Indie #27)
Albums
- Pleasure (October 1981) Happy Birthday, RULP1 (UK Indie #2, UK Album Chart #60)
- Pleasure (1994) Vinyl Japan, ASKCD47 (Re-issued album plus singles and b-sides)
- Pleasure (May 2009) Cherry Red, CDMRED346 (Re-issued album plus singles, b-sides, Richard Skinner session and demo track)