FOXDUDE RECORDS

"Specialists in indie music collectibles from 1977 to the present."

Welcome to our artist of the month page, from here you will be able to read what we hope will be in depth articles about some of the artists that we think are collectable.

Foxdude Records, PO Box 3, Rushden, Northants, NN10 0EZ, UK.

Stars Of Heaven Discography.    7 Clothes Of Pride/All About You (Hotwire - HWS 853)                     01-86    7 Never Saw You/Widow's Walk (Rough Trade - RT 203)                      03-87   12 Never Saw You/Before Holyhead/Widow’s Walk/Someone’s Getting Tired Of You      (Rough Trade - RT 203)                                                 03-87   LP Sacred Heart Hotel (Rough Trade, Rtm 173)      Sacred Heart Hotel/Talk About It Now/Moonstruck/So You Know/      You Only Say What Anyone Could Say/Folksong/Man Without A Shadow   LP Rain On The Sea (Rough Trade - Rough 113)                              05-87      Sacred Heart Hotel/Talk About It Now/Moonstruck/So You Know/      You Only Say What Anyone Could Say/Folksong/Man Without A Shadow      Never Saw You/Before Holyhead/Widow’s Walk/      Someone’s Getting Tired Of You   CD Speak Slowly (Rough Trade - Rough 131)                                 03-88   LP Speak Slowly (Rough Trade - Rough 131)                                 03-88   MC Speak Slowly (Rough Trade - Rough 131)                                 03-88      Unfinished Dreaming/Little England/What Else Could You Do/      Paradise Of Lies/2 O’clock Waltz/28/Lights Of Tetouan/Leave As You Came/      Every Other Day/Three Kings Day/Ghost Cars. Note: The CD version of "Speak Slowly includes a version of "Clothes Of Pride."

Stars Of Heaven 1985 - 1988. Between the death of new-wave and the hullabaloo of the NME C86 tape there existed quite a few interesting acts many of whom either based their music upon a remodelling of older pre-punk and new-wave styles or as up-coming shambling indie bands. The few years immediately before C86 were certainly a time of change and I can think of no-better example of this than to cite the acts featured on the Rough Trade label. The Smiths were selling records by the bucket load, Jonathan Richman had released possibly his most famous and best loved single and album in "That Summer Feeling" and "Rockin ‘n' Romance" while the Woodentops and Microdisney were the new "up and coming darlings" of the musical press. All this excitement meant Rough Trade could "experiment" a little by signing new bands like the Apartments and the Stars Of Heaven.

A 4-piece band of Bernard Walsh (Drums), Stephen Ryan (guitar & vocals), Peter O’Sullivan (bass & Vocals) and Stanley Erraught (guitars) the Stars Of Heaven played a version of country music more in tune with the sixties band the Byrds than anything else in the mid 80’s indie charts. The first Stars Of Heaven release appeared in 1985 on the very independent Hotwire label. Titled "Clothes Of Pride" and only strictly available in their home nation of Eire. Like no other indie musical style of the time the single reflected the gentle Celtic country twangs of Ireland and sadly received little acclaim except from John Peel who, after playing the song a few times invited the un-signed band in for a session

Recorded in January 1986 the John Peel session again featured songs in a similar mould to the single and these would eventually be released on a mini LP compilation titled "Sacred Heart Hotel." After the session the band were eventually signed by Rough Trade and recorded a further 7 songs. These songs were released on the "Holyhead EP" and the mini LP "Sacred Heart Hotel." After a short UK tour in March 1987 the songs along with the John Peel session were coupled together for release as an LP titled "Rain On Sea.".

By 1988 the band had written and recorded a new set and, after many delays these new songs appeared on the album "Speak Slowly." Dave Henderson aptly summed up the album by giving it his highest accolade (his review is reproduced here, though it seems Dave could not add up because the album has 11 songs and not 10 as he suggests.) Unfortunately, no single was lifted from the album and even a recording of Gram Parsons "Wheels" for the film "Trains, boats and aeroplanes" failed to give the band a wider audience so by the end of 1988 the band had sadly split up.

Unfortunately by this time the music press and the "indie scene" was by now caught in the grip of "C86 fever" with many artists from the tape releasing possibly their best singles and with the likes of labels like Subway, Pink, Fire, In Tape, Reception, Flying Nun, Factory, etc at the height of their popularity there was probably too many good "indie" records for the public to choose from.