The Female Energy Of THE TIPTONS

The Tiptons is an all-women sax quartet which features Jessica Lurie (alto, tenor, vocals), Tina Richerson (baritone, vocals), Sue Orfield (tenor, vocals) and Amy Denio (alto, vocals), with the latter -member of so many avant, rio, impro and world jazz oufits- to be the most well known name here. The line up is completed by guests percussions.

The band, active since 1988, was formerly known as Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet. Original members Lurie and Denio are the main composers. The Tiptons have released 10 cd's so far, the most recent one is "Strange Flower", (2010).

The quartet describes its music as: “... a high energy blend of ‘twisted folk’ with world music, second line, funk, jazz, and Eastern European influences thrown into the mix of mainly original material.”

Selections (2004 - 2008) 

1. Darling, please don't wake me ("Tsunami", 2004)
2. Zemrude ("Drive, 2005)
3. Hands down ("Drive", 2005)
4. Shop of wild dreams ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)
5. Sleepytown ("Tsunami", 2004)
6. Alma ("Drive", 2005)
7. After before ("Tsunami", 2004)
8. Anthem ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)
9. Mi yo mei ("Laws Of Motion", 2008)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour  

TINY TOWN Singles

Tiny Town was born in Brisbane; their former ego was the Supports. In early eighties they were transplanted to London where they made (from 1983 to 1986) four singles and the album "Little Tin God". Messthetics diy anthology have picked two Tiny Town tracks ('Know Better', 'Back To The Bow') for its prominent retrospective compilation series.

Tiny Town sound, velvety, tight, includes male-female vocals, keyboards, violin... and in spite of the obvious Go Betweens influence appears to keep its own corner in the garden of the endlessly fresh aussie essences.

members:

Peter Loveday (vocals, guitar), Geoffrey Titley (drums), Leigh Bradshaw (vocals, keyboards), Caroline Bush (vocals, violin), Cameron Allan (bass)...

discography:

Back To The Bow / Big Fish, flexi, 1983

Drop By Drop / Know Better, 7'', 1984

Living Out Of Living / Queue Up, 7'', 1984

Little Tin God, lp, 1984

No Place Like Rome, 12'', 1985

 New Link (4 singles + lp) - updated March 2013

THE MEMBRANES Early tracks

First singles & ep's from  John Robb's subversive gang, The Membranes. The early, less noisy, less known -necessary though for a complete picture- phase of a band that opposed to trad rock... offering us exciting ugly songs of love and fury.

Fashionable Junkies (7'' flexi, Vinyl Drip Records, 1980)
a1. fashinable junkies
a2. almost china

Muscles (7'' / 12'', Vinyl Drip / Rondolet Music, 1982)
a1. Muscles
a2. Great mistakes
b1. All roads lead to Norway
b2. Entertaining Friends

Pin Stripe Hype E.P. (7'', 12'', Rondolet Music, 1982)
a1. High St Yanks
a2. Funny Old World
b1. The Hitch
b2. Man From Moscow

The Membranes existed up to 1990. Apart from mainman John Robb, Membranes for sometime were: Coofy Sid, Mark Tilton, Wallis Tadpole, Keith Curtis, Nick Brown, Mark Standing and others...

Artwork by Simon Clegg [pity never seen (?) work of his elsewhere)]

Listen to Membranes