The Motorcycle Boy

The Motorcycle Boy were an indie pop band formed in East Kilbride, Scotland, in 1987 by former members of Meat Whiplash and The Shop Assistants.

The band consisted of Alex Taylor (vocals, formerly of The Shop Assistants), with Paul McDermott (drums), Michael Kerr (guitar), and Eddy Connolly (bass) (all formerly of Meat Whiplash), and David "Scottie" Scott (guitar).cite book |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |title=The Great Alternative & Indie Discography |year= 1999 |publisher=Canongate |isbn=0-86241-913-1 ] They were signed by Rough Trade Records, who issued their debut single, "Big Rock Candy Mountain", which reached number 2 in the UK Independent Chart. [cite book |last=Lazell |first=Barry |title=Indie Hits 1980-1999 |year= 1997 |publisher=Cherry Red Books |isbn=0-9517206-9-4 ] The band were then signed up by Chrysalis Records, with two singles and debut album "Scarlet" issued in 1989, but failed to achieve great success despite considerable press attention. [cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |title=The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music |year= 1992 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |isbn=0-85112-579-4 ] The band then split with Chrysalis, with one further single released on the Nymphaea Pink label in 1990, before the band themselves split up.

The band oddly made the cover of the NME on September 19, 1987 despite only having a brief half-page feature. This was because the entire contents of a themed issue on censorship (which would have had a painting used on the Dead Kennedys' album "Frankenchrist", then the subject of an obscenity trial in the United States, on the cover) had themselves been censored, with Stuart Cosgrove sacked from the paper, and a new cover had to be designed at very short notice.

Discography

ingles

*"Big Rock Candy Mountain" (1987) Rough Trade (UK #85)
*"Trying To Be Kind" (1989) Chrysalis
*"You and Me Against The World" (1989) Chrysalis
*"The Road Goes On Forever" (1990) Nymphaea Pink

Albums

*"Scarlet" (1989) Chrysalis

References