1,000 Violins – previously unseen photos and recordings.

More from the wonderful photo collection of Guy Van Steene. This time of a band who were actually label mates with my bands Go! Service and Bluetrain. From Sheffield, 1,000 Violins.

We played a fair few gigs together and were both lucky enough to release 12″ singles on Dan Treacy’s Dreamworld Records. Dan was in the Televison Personalities and put gigs on at various pubs and backrooms around London, he also ran The Room at the Top Club above The Enterprise in Chalk Farm, North West London, where all the bands on his label, plus many more from the C-86 / early indie days performed.

Guy says, ‘I loved this band so much ever since hearing “Halcyon Days” on John Peel. Went to see them with John Andrews many times mostly in London where John was at University. The singer (John) always said hello to us and we would chat post gig, also with Dave the keyboard player. The band played at Bradford University while I was there as a student and John travelled up for the occasion. Along the way we met people who were also at more than one Violins gig . Once, on the same tube train after a gig we bumped into someone who had been at the gig and thereafter was referred to as “Trench-foot Will”, something to do with a foot problem he had picked up at a festival or something and had not changed his boots since. There was also a civil servant who lived in Didcot who made us laugh. Fond memories. ‘

The Half Moon in Herne Hill 1th October 1985, where they were supporting The Mighty Lemon Drops.

John Andrews ‘ Oh, the Violins, yes, remember the gigs very well – I think I went to both, definitely Herne Hill which I think was The Half Moon in Brixton. The Violins were such a brilliant live band, John always cool and beguiling and good company. Seminal nights always. I can’t wait to see the pics. Stand out tracks in the set were always ‘Ungrateful Bastard‘ and their cover of ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore‘. Have you any pics from their gigs at The Room at the Top?’

No photos from The Room at the Top gigs I’m afraid, but I did find this great clip of live favourite ‘You Ungrateful Bastard‘ from Brixton 1986.

Guy’s photo from Bradford University December 1985

And this brilliant one of Dave outside The Mean Fiddler.

I can’t remember if it was Dave or Colin from 1,000 Violins, but one of them sent me a cassette in the post. On it were cover versions they had recorded on a 4 track of three of the other bands on Dreamworld, credited to the Freakin’ Failures!