The Woodentops

At one point, it seemed likely that the Woodentops from Northhampton, England, would be commercially successful. After the offbeat Plenty, a one-off single for the Food label in 1984, songwriter Rolo McGinty (guitar/vocals), Simon Mawby (guitar), Alice Thompson (keyboards), Frank de Freitas (bass) and Benny Staples (drums) joined Geoff Travis's Rough Trade label and issued a string of catchy singles that fared increasingly well commercially. 1985's jolly Move Me was followed by the menacing pace of Well Well Well while It Will Come seemed a likely hit. The band's critically acclaimed debut album, GIANT was an enticing mixture of frantic acoustic guitars and a warm yet offbeat clutch of songs. After Love Affair With Everyday Living (1986), McGinty decided upon a change in direction, hardening up the Woodentops sound and incorporating new technology within their live repertoire. The results were heard the following year on LIVE HYPNOBEAT LIVE, which relied on material from GIANT, albeit performed live in a drastically revitalized way. WOODEN FOOT COPS ON THE HIGHWAY and the accompanying single You Make Me Feel/Stop This Car showed how far the Woodentops had progressed by early 1988. Although less uncompromising than their live project, the sound was more mature with an emphasis on detail previously lacking. What the band failed to achieve in commercial terms was more than compensated for by the level of critical and public respect they earned. Much of the 1991/2 period was spent touring overseas, particularly in Japan where the group are immensely popular.