Another dip into Oxford-indie-obscurity today with The Anyways.
Find anything about this lot is nigh on impossible, I know they're from Oxford, there's a very good chance they were about from 1987 to 1994 and they released at least one album called Older Than Yesterday and at least two EPs: Sunshine Down and Confession (from the ever-reliable twee.net).
I did find a rather interesting article from Nightshift magazine that suggests that
"Oxford pop legends The Anyways, undoubtedly one of the greatest bands this city has ever produced and the band who inspired Ride’s Andy Bell to play guitar"Although this might be in the "Moose were the first ever shoegazing band" category. It's nice to think that it's true, but I'm not sure it can be right.
That bit seems to lead onto this bit. The band members were:
· Alan Buckley (Bass; probably not sometime manager of Grimsby and West Brom)
· Pete Lock (Drums)
· Mark Price (Guitar)
· Richard Ramage (Vocals and Guitars)
Again, I'd never heard of the band, but they've started cropping up on some of the other blogs I read about the place, so I reckon they should also get a mention here. Let's start the "Anyways Comeback Tour" bandwagon right here!
This is The Anyways - Wish Away from the aforementioned Sunshine Down EP, released on Brighton's Marineville label.
That bit from Nightshift is half true. It was Anyways frontman Richard Ramage's previous band, Here Comes Everybody, who inspired Andy Bell after he saw them play a Fun In The Parks event in Oxford back in the 80s.
ReplyDeleteThe Anyway were a fantastic band - essential listening for anyone into mid-80s Byrds/Love/Go-Betweens-inspired jangly psychedelia. Richard is still playing around Oxford in The Relationships while Pete and Alan from the band formed Blue Kite.
there is a video coming of past oxford music.i have sent in anyways photos i took.
ReplyDeletei also have a single the other side of which is shake appeal [later swervedriver] on jericho records.i also documented ride,sa,candyskins etc.in my photography.film is the old vinyl.
johnny moto
The Anyways were great. Used to play gigs with Heavenly and the like at the Jericho Tavern and other Oxford haunts. I think one of them shared a house on Marston Street with Amelia. Alan went to my school in Birkenhead.
ReplyDeleteTop song - Levitate The Pentagon
Hey - we're now on myspace ... and playing again at the Wheatsheaf in Oxford on Oct 17th.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Mark