The Cravats

The Cravats are a punk rock band originally from Redditch, England, founded in 1977 by Robin Dallaway (vocals, guitar) and The Shend (real name Chris Harz) (bass, vocals), with Svor Naan (real name Richard London) (saxophone) and first Ethos, and then Dave Bennett on drums.[1][2] Current members are The Shend (vocals), Svor Naan (sax), Viscount Biscuits (guitar), Joe 91 (bass) and Rampton Garstang (drums).[3]

History

The first single from the Cravats was the self-financed "Gordon", released in 1978. On 31 July 1979 they recorded their first session for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1. Soon after they received a recording contract with Small Wonder Records. Three further Peel Sessions followed on 6 October 1980, 18 August 1981 and 15 November 1982. Debut album In Toytown was released in 1980.[4]

The band had a rest in 1982, with Dallaway and The Shend forming The Very Things, as well as DCL Locomotive and The Babymen.[5] The final release by the first incarnation of the band was The Land of the Cravats EP (1985), released as The Cravats DCL.

Reformation

In 2006 a double CD compilation of Cravats singles and other material was released as The Land Of The Giants - The Best Of The Jazz-Punk Colossals on Overground Records, including unreleased track "Seance" mixed by Paul Hartnoll of Orbital, and also released as a single.[6]

The Cravats original members The Shend and Svor Naan put together a 'live ensemble' for the Rebellion Festival in August 2009/2010.[7] The band continued to play live with gigs in Dublin, London, and further appearances at Rebellion in August 2011, at the Incubate Festival in Tilburg, and as special guests of Steve Ignorant (Crass) at his final 'Last Supper' show at Shepherd's Bush Empire.

A CD reissue of their first LP, 'The Cravats In Toytown' was released in 2012. It is accompanied by an additional CD featuring a complete remoulding of the original 'In Toytown' 8 track masters by Penny Rimbaud (Crass).

On 11 March 2016 The Cravats their first new recorded material in 30 years in the form of "Jingo Bells"/"Batterhouse", a limited edition 7" released on Overground Records. The record received favourable reviews and numerous radio plays including from Gideon Coe, Marc Riley and Henry Rollins. Second album proper Dustbin of Sound followed on Overground Records in October 2017.[8]

Discography

Chart placings are from the UK independent chart.[9]

Singles

  • "Gordon"/"Situations Vacant" (September 1978, Cravats, 7", CH 004, Small Wonder stamped on some copies)
  • "Burning Bridges"/"I Hate The Universe"/"The End" (June 1979, Small Wonder, 7", SMALL 15)
  • "Precinct"/"Who's In Here With Me" (August 1980, Small Wonder, 7" SMALL 24) No. 3 9
  • "Firemen"/"A Flux in 3D: Divide" (March, 1981, Split Flexi Disc, issued free with Dutch magazine Vinyl)
  • "You're Driving Me"/"I Am The Dreg" (March 1981, Small Wonder, 7", SMALL 25)
  • "Off The Beach"/"And The Sun Shone" (November 1981, Small Wonder, 7", SMALL 26)
  • "Terminus"/"Little Yellow Froggy" (February 1982, Glass Records, 7", GLASS 021)
  • "Rub Me Out"/"When Will We Fall" (July 1982, Crass Records, 7", 221984/4) No. 15
  • "In The Land Of The Giants" (February 1986, Reflex, 12", 12RE 10) No. 44
  • "Seance" (with Paul Hartnoll) (2006, Caroline True Records)
  • "Jingo Bells"/"Batterhouse" (March 2016, Overground Records)
  • "Blurred"/"Bigband" (2016, Overground Records)

Albums

  • The Cravats In Toytown (October 1980, Small Wonder, CRAVAT 1) No. 19 [rereleased 2015]
  • Dustbin of Sound (2017, Overground Records)

Compilations

  • The Colossal Tunes Out (1986, Corpus Christi, CHRIST IT'S 8)
  • The Land of the Giants (November 2006, Overground Records, OVER 112VP)

References

  1. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-cravats-mn0000137736/biography
  2. ↑ http://anarchoscene.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/cravats.html
  3. ↑ http://www.facebook.com/TheCravats
  4. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/cravats-in-toytown-mw0000838031
  5. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography. Canongate. ISBN 0-86241-913-1.
  6. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Cravats-The-With-Paul-Hartnoll-S%C3%A9ance/master/126153
  7. ↑ Allgigs.co.uk
  8. ↑ http://punkonline.co.uk/the-cravats-dustbin-of-sound-album-review/
  9. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.
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