Close Lobsters
This indie band were formed in 1985 by Andrew Burnett (b. 11 February 1965, Johnstone, Scotland; vocals), brother Robert Burnett (b. 11 September 1962, Johnstone, Scotland; bass), Stewart McFadeyn (b. 26 September 1965, Paisley, Scotland; drums), Graeme Wilmington (b. 22 August 1965, Johnstone, Scotland; guitar) and Thomas Donnelly (b. 29 August 1962, Johnstone, Scotland; guitar). The Close Lobsters first crept into the limelight by featuring Firestation Towers on the C86 cassette organized by the New Musical Express, designed to bring together the best of the new independent bands appearing in 1986. Thanks to an intense mixture of agitated guitars and Andrew Burnett's peculiar — frequently unfathomable — lyrics, Close Lobsters manufactured a partisan following in Britain and garnered an enthusiastic response from US college radio stations. An invitation to the prestigious New York Music Seminar in 1989 led to an extensive US tour as the band virtually emigrated to America in a bid to crack that market. In spite of respectable sales the pressure was too much for Donnelly, who departed at the close of the year. His ex-colleagues followed this example by taking a two-year break from the public eye before returning to the live circuit at the start of 1991. Sadly, when a Close Lobsters song did crack the UK Top 20 the following year (Let's Make Some Plans), it was as the b-side cover version to the Wedding Present's California.