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60 Ft. Dolls

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60 Ft. Dolls
OriginNewport,Wales
GenresHard rock,Britpop[1]
Years active1993–1998
LabelsIndolent Records(UK)
Geffen Records(US)
Past membersCarl Bevan
Mike Cole
Richard Parfitt

60 Ft. Dollswere a Welshrocktrio active in the 1990s, known as theCool Cymruera.[2]

Formation[edit]

They were formed in Newport in 1992 byRichard J. Parfittand Michael Cole,[3]who met throughDonna Matthews(later ofElastica),[4]who was at the time dating Cole[5]and working part-time in the same pizza restaurant as Parfitt.[6]After problems finding the right drummer, they eventually took on pastor's son Carl Bevan.[7]Initially influenced by touring Americanhardcorebands that played in Newport (and in particular prominent local venueT. J.'s),[8]the Dolls played noisy yet melodic rock, described by theNMEas "grungemod...proto-pubmetalbluesof the first order ".[9]In 1993, Huw Williams ofthe Pooh Sticksbecame their manager[10]and released the debut single "Happy Shopper", named after a Britishconvenience store chain,on his own Townhilllabel.[11]

Tours and 90s success[edit]

In 1995 they joined the first 'BratBus'NME tourwithVeruca Salt,MarionandSkunk Anansie.[3]After support spots withOasis,ElasticaandDinosaur Jr.,[12]60 Ft. Dolls released their second single "White Knuckle Ride" onRough Trade Recordsand then "Pig Valentine" on the RCA imprintIndolent Records.These early singles were championed heavily byBBC Radio 1DJSteve Lamacq,and as a consequence were picked up by influential American DJRodney BingenheimerofKROQ-FM.This resulted in the band signing a deal withGeffen Recordsin the US.[13]The New York Timeslisted "Pig Valentine" among its 1996 singles of the year.[14]The band broke into the UK Top 40 with their fourth single "Talk to Me" (Indolent, 1996), the video for which extensively featured theNewport Transporter Bridge.[15]This was followed by their debut album,The Big 3,which was produced by Al Clay,[5][16]Reviews called it "as close to soar-away rock perfection as it's possible to imagine" by theNME[17]and "pure, unadulterated, no nonsense, emotional, tuneful, impassioned, purposeful, hedonistic rock 'n' roll"[18]byMelody Maker.The album was included inSelectmagazine's top 30 albums of 1996[19]andMojo's 2003 retrospective feature "Top 12 Britpop albums of the 90s", which called it "a devilishly evocative document of the period".[20]

The band toured extensively in the UK, Japan and Europe, including several summer festival appearances such asGlastonbury1997[5]as well as opening forThe Sex Pistolsat their 1996 Finsbury Park reunion gig.[21]But they were dogged by alcohol problems, and after an exhaustive three tours of the US in 1997, never toured again.[22]They released their second albumJoya Magica,in 1998[23]but the band were dropped from their label deal along with other acts at Indolent[5]and split soon after.[24]

The band recorded two sessions forJohn Peel'sBBC Radio 1show, in 1996 and 1998,[3]and appear in the top 125 Peel sessions of all time.[25]

Mike Cole once played guitar for Newport'sThe Darling Budsbut was asked to leave after just three gigs. He was also asked to stand in forPaul McGuiganon Oasis' 1996 tour of the US, but declined.[26]

The track "Hair", written by Mike Cole about his then-girlfriend Donna Matthews, was placed Number 7 inMojo's "100 Most Miserable Indie Songs of All Time" feature.[27]

The Dolls were included, withCatatoniaand others, in aHouse of CommonsEarly Day Motion,extolling the virtues of Newport'srock and rollcredentials.[28]

Carl Bevan's father, Pastor Ray Bevan, heads one of the biggest evangelical churches in the UK and once sang guest vocals on the Dolls' "Let The Spirit Move You", a12 "white label-only release, limited to one thousand copies and mixed byWubble-U.[29]

Later history[edit]

Richard Parfitt played as a session musician after the band split, working with the likes ofMcAlmont & Butlerand Dido,[6]and later released a solo album called "Highlights in Slow Motion" in 2002.[23]He started teaching songwriting at Bath Spa University[30]and then in 2015 Richard became a senior lecturer in popular and commercial music at theUniversity of South Wales.[31]

Welshpop-soulsingerDuffycredits Richard Parfitt with "changing her life"[32]and setting her on the road to fame after he hooked her up with managerJeanette Lee.[33][34]

Carl Bevan took a few years off from music, before getting into producing into 2008.[5]More recently, Carl produced Black Junk, the 2011 album by Cardiff trio Exit_International, which was shortlisted in the 2012 Welsh Music Awards.[5]In 2012 the former 60 Ft. Dolls drummer launched a new project, the female-fronted rock and roll band The Lash.[5]

The Big 3was re-released as a 2CD special edition in 2015 by 3 Loop Music,[35]including B-sides chosen by the band and tracks from their Peel sessions.[6]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • The Big 3(Indolent, 1996/Geffen,1997)UK:No. 36[36]
  • Joya Magica(Indolent/Geffen, 1998)
  • The Big 3(2CD reissue, 3 Loop Music, 2015)

EPs[edit]

  • Supernatural Joy EP(Geffen, 1996)
  • Hair EP(Indolent, 1996)

Singles[edit]

  • "Happy Shopper" (Townhill, 1994)
  • "White Knuckle Ride" (Rough Trade,1995) UK: No. 138
  • "Pig Valentine" (Indolent, 1995) UK: No. 95
  • "Talk to Me" (Indolent, 1996)UK:No. 37[36]
  • "Stay" (Indolent, 1996) UK: No. 48[36]
  • "Happy Shopper" (re-recording) (Indolent, 1996)UK: No. 38[36]
  • "Alison's Room" (Indolent, 1998) UK: No. 61[36]

Compilation appearances[edit]

  • "London Breeds" onI Was a Teenage Gwent Boy(Frug Records, 1994)
  • "Dr Rat" onClub Spangle(Spangle Records, 1995)
  • "British Racing Green" onFor Immediate Use(Raw, 1995)
  • "The Universal" onLong Ago and Worlds Apart(Nippon Crown, 1995)
  • "Number 1 Pure Alcohol" onHome Truths(Echo, 1995)
  • "Happy Shopper" onIndie Top 20, Volume 21(Beechwood Music, 1996)
  • "Talk to Me" onIndie Top 20, Volume 23Beechwood Music, 1996)
  • "Pony Ride" onLondon Calling 1(London Calling, 1996)
  • "Talk to Me" onMad for It(Telstar,1996)
  • "Stay" onThe Best Album in The World Ever! Vol. 3(Circa Records, 1996)
  • "Stay" onThe Magnificent Sevencassette (Melody Maker covermount, 1996)
  • "Baby Says Yeah" onJohn Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs(Shifty Disco 1999)
  • "Talk to Me" onShine 5(Universal Music TV, 1996)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^John Everhart,"Caught By The Buzz: A Look Back At Britpop's B-List",Stereogum,23 April 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  2. ^Wilson, MacKenzie."( 60 Ft. Dolls > Overview )".AllMusic.Retrieved16 May2008.
  3. ^abc"BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 60ft Dolls".Bbc.co.uk.Retrieved20 December2019.
  4. ^I-D,November 1995)
  5. ^abcdefg"INTERVIEW: Carl Bevan(60ft Dolls, The Lash) -" Prior to 'Cool Cymru', Welsh music was generally ridiculed by the London based industry and had no chance of being taken seriously. "".25 February 2014.
  6. ^abcOwens, David (17 July 2015)."Britpop, bullets and break-ups - 60ft Dolls remembered".Walesonline.co.uk.Retrieved20 December2019.
  7. ^NME,p.10, 13 May 1995
  8. ^The Independentsection 2, p. 7, 21 December 1995
  9. ^NME,April, 1995
  10. ^Wales - Music - 60ft Dolls.BBC (2009-07-03). Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  11. ^Select,September 1994
  12. ^"60ft Dolls - The Big 3 - Deluxe Expanded Edition / 3 Loop from Piccadilly Records".Piccadillyrecords.com.Retrieved20 December2019.
  13. ^"Music: Rovers return".The Independent.20 March 1998.Archivedfrom the original on 15 March 2016.Retrieved20 December2019.
  14. ^Strauss, Neil (4 January 1996)."The Pop Life".The New York Times.Retrieved23 April2010.
  15. ^60 Ft Dolls - Talk to Me (Version 1)onYouTube
  16. ^"Al Clay | Credits".AllMusic.Retrieved20 December2019.
  17. ^NME,30 November 1996
  18. ^Melody Maker,December 1996
  19. ^"Select Magazine Website".Selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk.Retrieved20 December2019.
  20. ^Mojo,p.82, April 2003
  21. ^60ft Dolls Discography at Discogs.Discogs.com. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  22. ^Select,May 1997
  23. ^ab"BBC Wales - Music - 60ft Dolls - Biography".www.bbc.co.uk.
  24. ^Q,July 1998
  25. ^Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - Sessions - Best 125.BBC. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  26. ^The Chart Show,20 January 1996
  27. ^Mojo,p.94, June 2004
  28. ^The Observer,24 November 1996
  29. ^60ft Dolls - Alison's Room (CD) at Discogs.Discogs.com. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  30. ^"Ex-60ft Dolls frontman becomes university lecturer".South Wales Argus.Archived fromthe originalon 20 December 2019.Retrieved20 December2019.
  31. ^"60ft Dolls front man Richard Parfitt joins USW to teach Popular Music".Southwales.ac.uk.Retrieved20 December2019.
  32. ^Cavendish, Lucy (17 August 2008)."Duffy: small wonder".The Daily Telegraph.London.Retrieved23 April2010.[dead link]
  33. ^Music.Channel 4. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  34. ^NME Album Reviews - Duffy.Nme.Com (2008-02-29). Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
  35. ^"The Big 3 Expanded Edition".3loopmusic.tmstor.es.Retrieved20 December2019.
  36. ^abcde60ft Dolls at Official Charts Companyofficialcharts.com

External links[edit]

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