THE VERY THINGS

“Those cats were heavy, they broke my head. And what they wanted, they never said.”

Let me first of all take you back in time. Specifically, to the year 1983. The year RR Dallaway and The Shend (founding members of Punk/Post-Punk legends The Cravats) launched The Very Things.

The start of a journey containing a variety of personnel, music and ideas. All shrouded with a distinct brand of surreal, black humour.

With their 1984 debut album ‘The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes’ The Very Things scored an indie hit with the well-loved title track. The cult black and white video for ‘The Bushes Scream…’ made for Channel 4’s ‘The Tube’, a much-loved homage to Vintage Sci-Fi films, was reputedly the most expensive film ever made by Tyne Tees TV for the revered music programme and still clocks up thousands of views online.

‘Motortown’, the band’s second album released in 1987, included the BBC Radio 1 play-listed indie hits ‘This Is Motortown’ and ‘Let’s Go Out’.

My personal favorite song of The Very Things however comes from 1985. You might have heard it or not (and if the latter is the case, you know what to do); ‘Mummy, You're A Wreck’.

”But mummy what the heck, Mummy take a look around, Mummy you’re a wreck!”

Alas the band parted ways in 1988.

Now, more than 35 years later they are back, and how! ‘Mr. Arc-Eye (Under A Cellophane Sky)’ is an album that catapults you right back to the magnificent 80s, but with a ‘2025-updated-sound’.

With principle songwriter, vocalist and instrumentalist RR Dallaway leading the project, the line-up includes original members Steven Burrows (bass), Disney Time (drums), new recruit Tony Sherrard (bass) and special guest, The Cravats’ Svor Naan (saxophones and clarinet).

‘Mr. Arc-Eye (Under A Cellophane Sky)’ is about illusion and truth, belief and reality. On their Bandcamp page the description says: ‘It contains ‘ghosts, radiation, an electrician, rivers of sand, a toga, Samantha Stephens, an antique suit, space walks and a scrap iron man’.

Let me tell you what it also contains: 9 earworms you are going to want to play loud for sure.

Shapeshifting Post-Punk & Art Rock, but with a capital ‘P’ and capital ‘A’.

• Mr. Arc-Eye (Under A Cellophane Sky) Digital Album | Bandcamp
• Mr. Arc-Eye (Under A Cellophane Sky) Vinyl Album | Bandcamp
• The Very Things | Official Website

Hayley CLX
19/02/2025