The Orchids

The Orchids were one of the most prolific, enduring and popular bands of the twee pop scene at Sarah Records. Formed near Glasgow in 1986, the Orchids released a series of underground singles on the hugely influential Sarah Records (see 1986 in music). The group's line-up comprised James Hackett (vocals), John Scally (guitar), Chris Quinn (drums), Matthew Drummond (guitar) and James Moody (bass). Their producer, Ian Carmichael, often played keyboards on their records. The group split up in 1995, playing their final gig at the Sarah Records farewell party.

The Orchids were musically one of the more interesting Sarah bands and certainly developed far more on that label than any band except, perhaps, The Field Mice. Starting with a fairly conventional melancholy guitar pop sound on "Lyceum" and contemporaneous singles, they moved on to become more keyboard and sample/effects-based for their second and third albums, "Unholy Soul" and "Striving For the Lazy Perfection", developing a more electronic sound, possibly as a result of their producer, Ian Carmichael, who was a member of dance band One Dove. Their entire back catalogue was re-released on LTM Records in 2005.

The band reformed in 2004 with a new bassist Ronnie Borland, and released a new album "Good to Be a Stranger in 2007. Good to be a stranger is released on Madrid based label Siesta on 5th February 2007 and the band will be heading out to play live gigs for the first time in twelve years to promote the new release.

Discography

ingles

*"I've Got A Habit" (Sarah 2, February 1988)
*"Underneath The Window, Underneath The Sink" (Sarah 11, November 1988)
*"What Will We Do Next" (Sarah 23, September 1989)
*"An Ill Wind That Blows" (Caff Records 11, September 1990)
*"Something For The Longing" (Sarah 29, February 1990)
*"Penetration EP" (Sarah 42, February 1991)
*"Thaumaturgy" (Sarah 66, September 1992)

Albums

*"Lyceum" (Sarah 401, August 1989)
*"Unholy Soul" (Sarah 605, May 1991)
*"Striving For the Lazy Perfection" (Sarah 617, January 1994)
*"Good to Be a Stranger" (February 2007)
*"Epicurean" (compilation)

The first three of these albums were reissued with bonus tracks on LTM in 2005.

External links

* [http://www.theorchids.net The Orchids official website]