The Brilliant Corners

The Brilliant Corners were a British indie pop band from Bristol who recorded throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s.[1]

For the Thelonious Monk album, see Brilliant Corners.

History

The group was formed in 1983, taking the name from the Thelonious Monk jazz album, Brilliant Corners.[2] The line-up included Davey Woodward (b. Avonmouth, Bristol, England; vocals, guitar), Chris Galvin (1959 – 22 December 1998; bass guitar), Winston Forbes (lead guitar, percussion, backing vocals), Bob Morris (drums) and Dan Pacini (occasional trumpet and keyboards).[1] A later addition was Phil Elvins on guitar.

The band's first releases were early examples of indie pop, with three singles being released in 1984 on their own SS20 label.[3] Their first (mini-)album, Growing Up Absurd, appeared the following year.[3] With an explosion of indie pop groups in 1986, their May release Fruit Machine EP gained them both attention and radio airplay, followed by a second mini-album, What's In A Word. "Brian Rix", a re-recorded version of a track from the LP, with added trumpet, and a tribute to Rix, the "king of farce", was issued as a single, the proceeds going to Mencap, the charity of which Rix was chairman. The video, featuring Woodward running Rix-like around a couch with his trousers around his ankles, was shown on The Tube, further raising the band's profile.[2]

In March 1988, the band set up another label, McQueen, and released third album, Somebody Up There Likes Me,[1] followed by a collection of their sought-after early singles, Everything I Ever Wanted. Two more albums followed in 1989 (Joy Ride) and 1990 (Hooked), followed by a second compilation, Creamy Stuff, in 1991. They released A History Of White Trash in 1993 before splitting up.

Woodward and Galvin formed the Experimental Pop Band[4] in 1995. Galvin died from cancer in 1998.[1]

The Brilliant Corners reformed in 2013 for a short tour.

Winston Forbes died in 2019.[5]

Band members
  • Davey Woodward (vocals, guitar)
  • Winston Forbes (guitar)
  • Chris Galvin (bass)
  • Bob Morris (drums)
  • Dan Pacini (trumpet, keyboards)
  • Phil Elvins (guitar)
  • Paul Sandrone (guitar)

Discography

Chart placings shown are from the UK Indie Chart.[6]

Singles
  • "She's Got Fever" (1984, SS20) (No. 1)
  • "Big Hip" (1984, SS20) (No. 16)
  • "My Baby's In Black" (1984, SS20) (No. 14)
  • "Brian Rix" (1987, SS20) (No. 11)
  • "Delilah Sands" (1987, SS20) (No. 9)
  • "Teenage" (1988, McQueen) (No. 9)
  • "Why Do You Have To Go Out With Him When You Could Go Out With Me?" (1988, McQueen) (No. 10)
  • "I Love It, I Lost It" (1990, McQueen)
  • "The Pope, The Monkey and The Queen" (1990, McQueen)

EPs and mini-albums
  • Growing Up Absurd mini-album (1985, SS20) (No. 26)
  • The Fruit Machine EP (1986, SS20)

Albums
  • What's In A Word (1986, SS20) (No. 8)
  • Somebody Up There Likes Me (1988, McQueen) (No. 6)
  • Joy Ride (1989, McQueen) (No. 6)
  • Hooked (1990, McQueen)
  • A History Of White Trash (1993, C.M.P.)

Compilations
  • Everything I Ever Wanted (1988, McQueen) (compilation) (No. 17)
  • Creamy Stuff (1991, McQueen)
  • Heart on Your Sleeve: A Decade in Pop 1983–1993 (2013, Cherry Red)

See also

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 86. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  2. Strong, Martin C.: The Great Alternative & Indie Discography, 1999, Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1
  3. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 327. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  4. "Experimental Pop Band - Interview". Pennyblackmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  5. "Tony Forbes : Obituary". Retrieved 17 August 2021 – via PressReader.
  6. Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.
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