Penfro Sounds

Orion Honey / Ebony Eyes Sun Records CYS 1060 (1979) In 1977 the author Gail Brewer-Giorgio started a novel called Orion that told the story of a musical superstar (based on Elvis Presley) who faked his death to find peace and privacy.  The book was published in 1978 and at the same time recordings began to appear on the Sun label by a masked singer calling himself Orion and sounding very much like Elvis. Orion was in fact Jimmy Ellis (born James Hughes Bell in 1945). He had began his signing career at age 19 releasing a 45 for a small Georgia label called Dradco.  In 1969 Shelby Singleton who had acquired the rights to the Sun catalogue (other than Elvis') contracted Ellis to  record versions of   "That's All Right (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky"  c rediting the recordings simply to "?" , whilst helping to push the rumour that they were alternate takes from Presley sessions. When Elvis died in 1977 Singleton revived the hoax by dubbing Ellis...

The Mighty Avengers Hide Your Pride / Hey Senorita Decca F 11891 (1964) An English pop group that originated from Rugby.  Formed in 1962 by Tony Campbell who played guitar and sang along with Dave "Biffo" Beech on drums, Mike Linnell on bass and Kevin "Bep" Mahon on guitar & harmonica. Signed by Andrew Loog Oldman, this 1964 single featuring a cover on the flip of The Drifters "Hey Senorita" failed to chart however the bands follow up 45, "So Much In Love" reached #46 in the UK charts. Two further 45s were released in 1965 but both failed to chart.  By the end of that year the band split up. Campbell, Beech & Mahon went on to be part of the band Jigsaw who are best known for their 1975 hit "Sky High". FLAC

A Popular History Of Signs Crowds / Crossing The Border  Melodia M2 (1981) A Popular History Of Signs were a arty synth pop/dance band originating from London. The band released its first three 7" and two EPs with a lineup of Andy Jarman on vocals, bass, and synthesizer with Peter Scammell on synthesizer and Paul Clarke on percussion. In 1983, Scammel left the group and was replaced by Andrew Smith on guitar, synths and vocals. This lineup recorded the LP Comrades and single 'The Art of Persuasion', toured the UK in support of Shriekback and extensively in France and Spain. Clarke was eventually replaced by Mark Tattersall (also of Cabaret Voltaire) on drums. Smith left for journalism in 1986 and is now a bestselling author. They never found any great success and received during their run mixed reviews.  One current blog page refers to Jarman as a "duff singer" however they did elsewhere gain comparisons to Wang Chung and Ultravox. This 45 on Melodia Records (n...

Catatonia Dead From The Waist Down (CD EP) blanco y negro NEG 115CD (1999) Catatonia were an alternative Welsh band formed in Cardiff in 1992. The band formed after the meeting of Mark Roberts and Cerys Matthews and featured Stephen Jenkins on drums, Paul Jones on bass and Clancy Pegg with keyboards. Some band changes took place prior to the release of their first single with Roberts and Matthews being the only two members that remained with the band throughout their lifetime. Several singles were released in the early 90s and by 1996 with the release of their first album the band hit the limelight being placed as part of the Britpop scene. This single released in 1999 was taken from their third album Equally Cursed And Blessed. It reached #7 in the UK charts. A further 2 tracks from the album were released as singles. August 2001 saw the release of their final album Paper Scissors Stone and by September of that year the band announced their breakup. Roberts moved on to  production...

David Bowie Wild Is The Wind / Golden Years RCA BOW 10 (1981) First appearing as the final song on David Bowie’s 1976 album "Station To Station" , "Wild Is The Wind" was originally recorded for the 1957 film of the same name by singer Johnny Mathis. Mathis’s version was nominated for an Academy Award, and reached number 22 on the Billboard chart. The song has been widely covered by a range of artists, including twice by Nina Simone. She first recorded it on the 1959 live album "Nina Simone At Town Hall" , and again in 1966 on her studio album "Wild Is The Wind" . The flip side "Golden Years" also appeared on the "Station To Station" album as well as being released as a 45 in 1976. Released in 1981 to promote the compilation album "ChangesTwoBowie,"  this 45 reached #24 in the UK charts.  A colour version of the photo used on this sleeve also appeared on the album cover. FLAC

The Dough Rollers Anna Mae / Get Out Of My Life Woman Third Man Records TMR 251 The Dough Rollers formed in 2008 when Jack Byrne and Malcolm Ford bonded over a mutual appreciation for blues. Initially, the band started as a two piece but quickly expanded to to fit fiddler and singer Julia Tepper, and began exploring other kinds of music. A self-titled album comprised of blues, country and bluegrass was recorded and released in late 2009.  After some time as a three-piece, the line-up returned to Byrne and Ford so they could re-focus on their love for early blues music. Their sophomore album, Someday Baby, made up of the blues that Byrne and Ford had crafted playing countless shows around the country, followed shortly thereafter and was released in a limited run.  After this release, the nomadic duo evolved again - this time into a quartet complete with bass (Josh Barocas) and drums (Kyle Olson). This change allowed the group to blend influences and genres into something distin...