Virgin Prunes
wag
This Irish performance-art/avant garde musical ensemble was originally
formed in 1976. Fionan Hanvey, better known under his pseudonym Gavin
Friday, was invited by Paul
Hewson (later Bono of U2) to join a group of Dublin youths with artistic
leanings who were inspired by the new wave explosion in the UK. A rough
community had been formed under the title of the Village, a social club
bound in secrecy. The Virgin Prunes became an official band, and an
extension of the Village, by the end of 1977. Friday was joined by Guggi
(Derek Rowen) and Dave-id (b. David Watson; vocals), Strongman (b. Trevor
Rowen; bass), Dik Evans (brother of U2's The Edge; guitar) and Pod (b.
Anthony Murphy; drums). Early gigs were very much performance events, with
audiences bemused by the expectations placed on them. However, by the turn
of the decade they had attracted strong cult support, and on the strength of
the self-financed "Twenty Tens', were signed to Rough Trade Records. Pod was
the band's first casualty, opting out of their new disaffected religious
stance. As a manifestation of their unconventional approach their first
album was initially released as a set of 7-, 10- and 12-inch singles, with
component parts making up A New Form Of Beauty. After the brief tenure of
Haa Lacka Binttii, Mary O'Nellon took over on drums. His instalment was in
time for the band's second, and first complete album, If I Die...I Die. Less
experimental and perverse than its predecessor, it continued nevertheless to
explore the tenets of purity and beauty. At the same time a mixed
studio/live album, Heresie, was released, which emphasized that the
performance-art aspect of the group had not been totally neglected. By 1984
Guggi had become disenchanted with the music industry and departed. When Dik
Evans defected for similar reasons, O'Nellon switched to guitar and Pod
rejoined as drummer. The Moon Looked Down And Laughed witnessed another
change in direction. Produced by Soft Cell's Dave Ball, it consisted largely
of ballads and melodic pop, with little hint of the band's usual
confrontational approach. However, following the continued lack of response
from the record-buying public, Friday called a halt to his involvement with
the band and embarked on a varied solo career. Subsequent releases from
Strongman and O'Nellon as the Prunes failed to sustain the Virgin Prunes"
original spirit of adventure.
Discography
official releases | re-releases | compilation appearances | bootlegs
Discographies for solo careers and "off-shoot" bands such as Princess
Tinymeat and The Prunes can be found here.
Official releases & re-releases
Twenty Tens (7" single, Baby Records BABY001, 1981)
Twenty Tens (I've been smoking all night long),
Revenge,
The Children are Crying,
...greylight
Moments and Mine (7" single, Rough Trade RT072, 1981)
Moments and Mine (Despite Straight Lines),
In the Greylight, War
A New Form of Beauty 1 (7" single, Rough Trade RT089, 1981)
Sandpaper Lullaby,
Sleep/Fantasy Dreams
A New Form of Beauty 2 (10" single, Rough Trade RT090, 1981)
Come to Daddy,
Sweet Home (Under White Clouds),
Sad World
A New Form of Beauty 3 (12" single, Rough Trade RT099, 1981)
"Beast" (Seven Bastard Suck),
"The Slow Children"
(Abbagall/Brain Damage/No Birds to Fly)
A New Form of Beauty 4 (cassette, Rough Trade RTC07/COPY07, 1982)
"Din Glorious",
"Din Glorious"
Extracts from a performance at their "A New Form of Beauty 5" exhibition
at the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Trinity College Dublin, on 8 November 1981.
Pagan Lovesong (7" single, Rough Trade RT106, 1982)
Pagan Lovesong,
Dave-Id is Dead
Pagan Lovesong (12" single, Rough Trade 12RT106, 1982)
Pagan Lovesong (Vibe Akimbo),
Pagan lovesong,
Dave-Id is Dead
Heresie (10" box set, Invitation au Suicide INV0500, 1982)
A box set containing two 10" disks and five booklets.
The second disk is from a live performance at the Rex Club, Paris, in June
1982.
Disque 1 -
We Love Deirdre,
Rhetoric,
Down the Memory Lane,
Man on the Corner,
Nisam Lo,
Loved One,
Go 't' Away Deirdre
Disque 2 -
Caucasian Walk,
Walls of Jericho,
Pagan Lovesong,
Theme for Thought,
Come to Daddy
...If I die, I die (album, Rough Trade ROUGH49, 1982)
Also issued on Rough Trade Deutschland, catalogue number RTD4.
Baby Turns Blue,
Ballad of the Man,
Walls of Jericho,
Caucasian Walk,
Theme for Thought,
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Sweethome Under White Clouds,
Bau-dachong
Baby Turns Blue (7" single, Rough Trade RT119, 1982)
Baby Turns Blue, Yeo
The Faculties of a Broken Heart (12" single, Rough Trade RT119T, 1982)
The Faculties of a Broken Heart (What should we do if baby turns blue),
Chance of a Lifetime, Yeo
Baby Turns Blue/Walls of Jericho (12" single, Stunn Records (Australia)
SSP204, 1982)
Baby Turns Blue,
Walls of Jericho
A New Form of Beauty Parts 1 - 4 (double album, Italian records, EX41)
The sleeve makes reference to the fact that this was supposed to be a
seven-part project.
As singles, with following track listing for Part 4:
Come to Daddy,
Delay Box,
Suck Me Baby,
Bodhran,
The Forest,
Theme for Thought,
The Slow Child,
Come to Daddy,
Dave-Id Performance,
Children are Crying,
Sandpaper Lullaby,
Pig Children
Over the Rainbow (album, Baby Records BABY002, 1985)
An album of rarities and previously unavailable tracks. "Jigsawmentallama"
is slightly different to the original flexidisc version.
Down the memory Lane,
Red Nettle,
Mad Bird in the Wood,
Jigsawmentallama,
The King of Junk,
Just a Love Song,
The Happy Dead,
Third Secret
Sons Find Devils (Video PAL/VHS, Ikon FCL IKON14, 1985)
Includes excerpts from the unreleased New Form of Beauty video and
"Rhetoric" video produced by John Balance and Peter Christopherson. "Bernie
and Attracta Sing" and "Down the Memory Lane" are backstage singalongs. Two
covers were issued - the first batch of releases had a colour enhanced photo
collage, subsequent ones were plain black with yellow text.
Shaun Morris attributes live material to the following performances: "Most
of the live stuff was filmed at the Hacienda in Manchester, England. The
bits with Gavin in a white shirt were from 2/3/83 and the bits where he's
wearing the red crushed velvet outfit were filmed on the 30/11/83. During
"Come To Daddy" there are some clips of Guggi in a gold/snakeskin? mini
skirt - this was from the show in Lausanne, Switzerland on 5/2/83. The "New
Form Of Beauty" bits were from the Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin on 7/11/81 &
8/11/81. The backstage footage was from Vienna during February '83.
"Rhetoric" & "The Pig Children" I'm unsure of the venue and dates although
"Rhetoric" could be from a show they did in Bologna, Italy in 1983."
Over the Rainbow,
Uncle Arthur's Lonely World,
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Pagan Lovesong,
New Form of Beauty,
Walls of Jericho,
Caucasian Walk,
Bernie & Attracta Sing,
Rhetoric,
Sweet Home Under White Clouds,
The Pig Children,
Come to Daddy,
Down the Memory Lane
[The Blues Song]
Over the Rainbow/Heresie (CD, Baby Records BABYCD002, 1986)
Track listing as for original versions.
Love Lasts Forever (7" single, Baby Records BABY003, 1986)
Love Lasts Forever,
True Life Story
Love Lasts Forever (12" single, Baby Records BABY004, 1986)
Lovelornalimbo,
"I like the way you're frightened"
The Moon Looked Down and laughed (album and CD, Baby Records
BABY005/BABYCD005, 1986)
Heaven, Love Lasts Forever,
I am God,
Sons Find Devils,
Alone,
the Moon Looked Down and Laughed,
Uncle Arthur's Lonely World,
"Don't Look Back",
Betrayal,
Deadly Sins
"Don't Look Back" (7" single, Baby Records BABY006, 1986)
"Don't Look Back",
Virgin Prunes present... Mister Dave-Id Busarus singing The White History
Book
Don't Look back (12" single, Baby Records BABY007, 1986)
"Let's all sing of the tortured heart" (Don't look back),
The White History Book,
Day of Ages
The Hidden Lie (album and cassette, Baby Records BABY008/BABYC008, 1987)
Sweethome (Under White Clouds),
Lady day,
God Bless the Child,
Never Ending Story,
Pagan Lovesong,
Love is Danger,
The Moon Looked Down and Laughed,
Caucasian Walk,
The Blues Song
The Hidden Lie (CD, Baby Records BABYCD008, 1987)
Baile Binn (Faoi Néalta Bánn),
Lady day,
God Bless the Child,
Never Ending Story,
Pagan Lovesong,
Heaven,
Love is Danger,
The Moon Looked Down and laughed,
Caucasian Walk,
The Blues Song,
Alone,
Sweethome (Under White Clouds)
Heresie (2 x 10", Baby Records BABY011, 1988)
The first Virgin Prunes re-release came in a cardboard gatefold sleeve with
notes from Mary and Strongman. The run-off grooves of the record show the
old Invitation au Suicide catalogue numbers scratched off and replaced with
the Baby Records detailed. The first pressings of this release were
available in clear vinyl and incorrectly listed Pagan Lovesong twice on Disc
2.
We love Deirdre,
Rhetoric,
Down the Memory Lane,
Man on the corner,
Nisam Lo,
Loved One,
Go 't' away Deirdre,
Caucasian Walk,
Walls of Jericho,
Pagan Lovesong,
Theme for Thought,
Come to Daddy
...if I die, I die (CD, Rough Trade ROUGH CD49, 1991)
On this re-release, Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall is mastered too slowly,
and the 12" version of Baby Turns Blue was used by mistake.
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Sweethome under white clouds,
Bau-dachöng,
Pagan Lovesong,
Baby Turns Blue,
Ballad of the man,
Walls of Jericho,
Caucasian Walk,
Theme for Thought
A New Form of Beauty (CD, New Rose Records 452042)
The sleeve is based on the "crumpled paper" sleeve of the original releases,
but is not exactly the same as previous versions.
Sandpaper Lullaby,
Sleep/Fantasy Dreams,
Come to daddy,
Sweet Home (Under White Clouds),
Sad World, "Beast" (Seven Bastard Suck),
"The Slow Children" (Abbágall/Brain Damage/No Birds to Fly)
...if I die, I die (CD, New Rose Records 452043)
The errors in the previous re-release of this album were corrected for this
version. The cover photograph is slightly different to that of the original
version.
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Sweethome under white clouds,
Bau-dachöng,
Pagan Lovesong,
Baby Turns Blue,
Ballad of the man,
Walls of Jericho,
Caucasian Walk,
Theme for Thought
Heresie (CD, New Rose Records 422345)
The cover from the original French boxed set was used for this re-release.
We love Deirdre,
Rhetoric,
Down the Memory Lane,
Man on the corner,
Nisam Lo,
Loved One,
Go 't' away Deirdre,
Caucasian Walk,
Walls of Jericho,
Pagan Lovesong,
Theme for Thought,
Come to Daddy
The Hidden Lie (CD, New Rose Records 422473)
This version had a completely new cover.
Baile Binn (Faoi Néalta Bán),
Lady Day,
God Bless The Child,
Never Ending Story,
Pagan Lovesong,
Heaven,
Love Is Danger,
The Moon Looked Down and Laughed,
Caucasian Walk,
The Blues Song,
Alone,
Sweethome (Under White Clouds)
The Moon Looked Down and Laughed (CD, New Rose Records 422474)
This version also had a new cover.
Heaven,
Love Lasts Forever,
I am God,
Sons Find Devils,
Alone,
The moon looked down and laughed,
Uncle Arthur's Lonely World,
"Don't look back",
Betrayal,
Deadly Sins,
Day of Ages,
True Life Story,
The White History Book
Pagan Lovesong (CD, New Rose Records 453041, 1993)
The "tormentallama" mix was produced by Ian Bryan at STS Studios (Dublin) in
March 1993.
Pagan Lovesong (tormentallama),
Love Lasts Forever (lovelornalimbo),
Pagan Lovesong (vibeakimbo),
Dave-id Is Dead
Artfuck (CD, New Rose Records 422476, 1993)
The 1993 re-releases on New Rose Records include an insert advertising them
as "Virgin Prunes: The Baby catalogue - The definitive collection of Virgin
Prunes Recordings". It gives Baby catalogue numbers for all the recordings,
although none of these appear either on the CD sleeves or the discs
themselves. Apparently, this was a mistake on the part of New Rose Records,
the distributors. The numbers are:
BABY 1 - Pagan Lovesong
BABY 20 - A New Form of Beauty
BABY 30 - ...if I die, I die
BABY 40 - Heresie
BABY 50 - Artfuck
BABY 60 - The Moon Looked Down and Laughed
BABY 70 - The Hidden Lie
Twenty Tens (I've been smoking all night long),
Revenge,
The Children are Crying,
...greylight,
In the Greylight,
War,
Moments and Mine (Despite Straight Lines),
Red Nettle,
Mad Bird in the Woods,
Jigsawmentallama,
King of Junk,
Just a Love Song,
The Happy Dead,
Third Secret
Sons Find Devils (Video NTSC/VHS, Cleopatra R-859, 1997)
Over the Rainbow,
Uncle Arthur's Lonely World,
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Pagan Lovesong,
New Form of Beauty,
Walls of Jericho,
Caucasian Walk,
Bernie & Attracta Sing,
Rhetoric,
Sweet Home Under White Clouds,
The Pig Children,
Come to Daddy,
Down the Memory Lane/[The Blues Song]
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Compilation appearances
First released on compilation, never released elsewhere:
Endzeit (cassette, Power Focus 003/Data 0012, 1981?)
Song
From a performance at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin, on 25 April 1981. A
limited edition of 230 copies
Jigsaw Mentallama (flexidisc, Vinyl Magazine, December 1981)
Jigsaw Mentallama This version is slightly different to the version on the
Over the Rainbow album.
Bethel (cassette, 1984)
[Title unknown] This was apparently released without the band's knowledge or
permission.
First released on compilation, subsequently released elsewhere:
Perspectives and Distortion (LP, Cherry Red Records B-RED 15, 1981)
Third Secret
C81 (cassette, New Musical Express, 1981)
Red Nettle
Dokument (LP, Vinyl Records (Holland) RR9940), 1982)
The subtitle of this LP is "Ten highlights in the history of popular music
1982 - 1982".
Mad Bird in the Wood
Released elsewhere before appearing on compilation:
Requiem (LP, Japan Records/Rough Trade 35JC-104, 1984)
Decline and Fall
Compilation (LP, Rough Trade Deutschland RTD5)
Pagan Lovesong
Selezione Rough Trade (LP, Base Records/Rough Trade Italy, RT011)
Pagan Lovesong
A to Z of Irish Rock (CD, Solid Records, 1992)
Baby Turns Blue
Gothic Rock (LP, Jungle Records, FREUD38, 1992)
Pagan Lovesong
Gothic Rock 2 (LP/Cassette/CD, Jungle Records, FREUD 051/C051/CD051, 1995)
Baby Turns Blue
New Wave Club Class X 3 (LP, Antler Subway Records, AS 5070 CD)
Walls of Jericho This page gives some further information about this CD.
The Indie Scene 1981 (CD, Connoiseur's Choice, IBM CD 81)
In the Greylight
The Indie Scene 1982 (CD, Connoiseur's Choice, IBM CD ??)
Pagan Lovesong
The World According to Me - Gavin Friday: A Retrospective (CD, Island
Records, GAVCD1, 1995)
This promotional CD was released in advance of Gavin Friday's Shag Tobacco
album to generate some advance interest. It also includes his work with The
Fall, Coil, Dave Ball, Jah Wobble and Bono, plus his own tracks You Take
Away The Sun and Falling Off the Edge of the World. Down The Memory Lane is
mis-titled on the sleeve as Down By Memory Lane.
Down The Memory Lane,
Pagan Lovesong
Bootlegs
Moments and Mine (7")
The same as the legal version, except black sleeve instead of blue.
Reptiles (LP, Mega Records, 1983)
All tracks are from the Garbage Hall gig in Germany, February 1983, except
the first version of "Gaga" which is from Rouen on February 1 1983. The
sleeve states that this is an edition of 250 copies, and that Mega Records
are located in Bruxelles.
Dave-id (Somewhere over the rainbow),
Uncle Arthur,
Ulakanakulot/Decline and Fall,
Theme for Thought,
Pagan Lovesong,
Sweet Home Under White Clouds,
Gaga,
Bau-dachöng,
Gaga,
Come to Daddy,
The Blues Song
Moonshiner (LP, No No Records, 1986)
Live at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, June 1986. All titles as they appear on
sleeve.
Blue Song, Lady Day,
God Bless the Child,
Never Ending Story,
My Death,
Love Last Forever,
Love is a Danger,
Moon Looked Down,
Caucasian Walk,
Deadly Sins
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© copyright 2000 Stuart Hardy (text), Von B Press (design)
Last updated on March 30, 2002