The Fire Engines
Encyclopedia
The Fire Engines are a post-punk
band from Edinburgh
, Scotland
. The band was a part of the same literary art-punk scene as the Scars
and their most famous contemporaries, Josef K
. They grew out of the Dirty Reds which had actor Tam Dean Burn
as singer.
Vocals and guitar were performed by David Henderson, guitar by Murray Slade, bass by Graham Main, and on drums, Russell Burn. Henderson went on to form Win
in the mid 1980s and then The Nectarine No. 9
from the early 1990s until 2004. He is now working on a new band called 'The Sexual Objects' who released a single on the Creeping Bent
label in 2007, two singles through a German label in 2008 and one more in 2009. There are rumours of a full LP to be delivered in 2010, produced by The Boards Of Canada (who produced the 3rd single).
The Fire Engines were noted for "Get Up And Use Me"/"Everything's Roses" (Codex 1980), and singles and LPs in 1981. In 2004, the band released a limited edition collaboration single with Franz Ferdinand
. The seven inch single contained a Franz Ferdinand cover of the Fire Engines song "Get Up and Use Me" with Fire Engines covering Franz Ferdinand's "Jacqueline". On Oct. 2, 2007, the Acute label issued Hungry Beat, a collection of the band's original studio recordings, was made available for the first time on CD in the US.
¹ from John Peel
session tracks "Discord" and "Candyskin"
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...
band from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The band was a part of the same literary art-punk scene as the Scars
Scars (band)
Scars were a Post-punk band that hailed from Edinburgh, Scotland, and were a part of that city's bustling music scene of the late 70s - early 80s.-History:...
and their most famous contemporaries, Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
. They grew out of the Dirty Reds which had actor Tam Dean Burn
Tam Dean Burn
Tam Dean Burn is a Scottish actor who has played a wide range of roles on stage and screen, including in Taggart. Recent theatrical roles include being the narrator of the 2009 play 'Year of the Horse', about artist Harry Horse.-External links:*...
as singer.
Vocals and guitar were performed by David Henderson, guitar by Murray Slade, bass by Graham Main, and on drums, Russell Burn. Henderson went on to form Win
Win (band)
Win were a Scottish pop band from the 1980s.After the dissolution of The Fire Engines, David Henderson formed Win with Ian Stoddart , ex-Fire Engine Russell Burn , Emmanuel "Mani" Shoniwa , Simon Smeeton and Willie Perry in 1983. A more determinedly pop act than The Fire Engines, Win were soon...
in the mid 1980s and then The Nectarine No. 9
The Nectarine No. 9
The Nectarine No. 9 was an indie band from Edinburgh, Scotland. Formed by former Fire Engines frontman Davey Henderson in 1991, the band's music has been described as "dark, moody and brilliant" "noisy guitar rock" with "quirky rhythms". The Nectarine No...
from the early 1990s until 2004. He is now working on a new band called 'The Sexual Objects' who released a single on the Creeping Bent
Creeping bent
Creeping Bent can be:*Agrostis stolonifera, a species of bentgrass.*Creeping Bent , a record label based in Glasgow, Scotland....
label in 2007, two singles through a German label in 2008 and one more in 2009. There are rumours of a full LP to be delivered in 2010, produced by The Boards Of Canada (who produced the 3rd single).
The Fire Engines were noted for "Get Up And Use Me"/"Everything's Roses" (Codex 1980), and singles and LPs in 1981. In 2004, the band released a limited edition collaboration single with Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
. The seven inch single contained a Franz Ferdinand cover of the Fire Engines song "Get Up and Use Me" with Fire Engines covering Franz Ferdinand's "Jacqueline". On Oct. 2, 2007, the Acute label issued Hungry Beat, a collection of the band's original studio recordings, was made available for the first time on CD in the US.
Discography
| Year | Title | Type | Label | UK Indie Chart Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Get Up and Use Me" / "Everythings Roses" | 7" Single | Codex Communications Cdx 01 | #9 | |
| 1980 | Lubricate Your Living Room | Album | Pop Aural ACC 001 | #4 | |
| 1981 | "Candyskin" / "Meat Whiplash" | 7" Single | Pop Aural 010 | #7 | |
| 1981 | "Big Gold Dream" / "New Thing In Cartons" / "Sympathetic Anaesthetic" | 7" + 12" Single | Pop Aural 013 | #15 | |
| 1981 | Aufgeladen Und Bereit Fur Action Und Spass | US Compilation | Fast FPA 002 | – | |
| 1992 | Fond | Compilation | Rev-Ola CREV001CD | – | |
| Sept | 2005 | Codex Teenage Premonition | Compilation | Domino DNO 068 | – |
| Mar | 2006 | "Discord" ¹ | Single | – | |
| Oct | 2007 | Hungry Beat | Compilation | Acute ACT009CD | – |
¹ from 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...
session tracks "Discord" and "Candyskin"