Friday 8 January 2010

Indie archeology: lost tunes

Lifelong learning :
Kill Devil Hills

I was listening to the radio just now and they were talking about moments of genius and Eoin Colfer was talking about the Wright Brothers and how their break through was basically based on lots of testing and also by using bicycle technology instead of boat based designs like everyone else was. Now that piece of info may stay with you, it may not. What made we sit up though was the mention of “Kill Devil hills”  now I had always thought they tested their planes at Kitty Hawk and so had never heard of this more specific place.

“So what” you say, well Kill Devil Hills is the name of super obscure c86 indie band the lone 12 inch single of which I own.

They were mates of mates who we went to see at some obscure north London poly students’ union one rainy Sunday night. I didn’t ask where they got their name at the time I think I was too impressed by meeting someone who was actually in a band that had a record out to say much at all. Also the Comperé was Eddie Tenpole Tudor which was also oddly impressive at the time. Don't they look great in the picture!

Anyway like most of my records in those years I played this single to death for a few months and then have carried it around from flat to flat ever since until that is about ten minutes ago when I played it again (it’s clicking away in the run out groove as I type I must get up and turn it over).

I see as ever that Ally (Ms Dusty 7) has been there already leaving a comment 4 years ago on an Italian indiepop site about the KDH! The facts about the band on that site fit the bill from what I remember; sadly the mp3 files seem to have gone over there. So here’s mine for posterity. It sounds better recorded than your average c86 fare. It the one thing I’d change about those anorak clad Xeroxed flier filled days is some remastering of all those fey superstars with a bit more bass and tad less treble!

Anyway anyone else learnt anything this week?







What comes after : Kil Devil Hills mp3



Poison : Kill Devil Hills mp3


Rolling: Kill Devil Hills mp3

1 comment:

ally. said...

well i never - the sound of young leytonstone.there wqas a time you could wave to their house when you zoomed past the one with 'kill devil hills rock'or something painted huge on the back wall facing the central line track but sadly that's now a bit of m11 link road. the cottonmouth records paul made were mighty fine toohttp://dusty7s.blogspot.com/2007/05/if-im-buying-your-records-your-career.html

and if you need a nice bit of vintage schmutter you can find him down portabello of a friday

x