October 25, 2024

Goth Rock Bedtime Stories 📕

Well, once again for another year Halloween is upon us, time just flies by! Maybe it is just a sign of getting a bit older, maybe I wasn't as aware when I was young and too busy enjoying other things rather than noticing, perhaps it is even just simply having a dog to walk that I really notice the way that the seasons change so much more than I feel I ever used to. Plants and trees dying off for the oncoming winter, leaves in all their beautiful russet coloured glory strewn about the place.

october by GIF CALENDAR — Gif Source: Giphy.com

The nights are drawing in even before we hit Daylight Savings Time ending and once that kicks in it will be getting darker even sooner. I guess I notice because of the dog walks and also more so that in the Spring and Summer months we can take him for a walk in the evening just before sundown, now we have to get him out for a run in the light. Anyway enough with the rambling and on to the music...

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A Spooky Bedtime Story Anyone?

The Midnight Choir, not to be confused with alt rock Norwegian band formed in 1992. This track is 'Leonora's Bed Time Stories' by The Midnight Choir, released on the Kiss 12" on the independent 'A Golden Dawn Records' Label in 1983.

The band were from Sheffield and are described on Discogs as... 'Proto-Punk, Distorto-Rock with Beefheart/Fall Leanings'

The 12" track listing is:

Kiss
Leonora's Bed Time Stories
Suffer The Children

The line-up for this 1983 release was:

David Loukes - Vocals
Jaine (aka Tony Perrin) - Bass
Mark Thomas - Drums
Jon Miller (aka Simon Hinkler) - Guitar
Simon Hinkler - Producer

Secondary, 2 of 3 — The Midnight Choir Picture Source: Discogs.com

Quite Unnerving

I can see from hunting around on the web that Singer David Loukes was originally in a Sheffield based band called 'Quite Unnerving' and sadly passed away in a motorcycle accident. You can catch their self-financed cassette L.P. 'Putrefaction' at the link.

The Track List

Victorian Wife
Listen
Corpse Creeper
The Haunting
Alone
Paint Your Diary
Line

They Were

Bass – Simon Barfield
Bass, Vocals – Simon Gillman
Guitar – Murray Fenton
Vocals, Synth – David Loukes

For more check out:

sheffieldtapearchive.bandcamp.com

The other members Midnight Choir have had connections with bands such as Pulp, Artery and The Mission. Simon Hinkler playing guitar in The Mission from 1986-90 and also playing bass and piano for Pulp from 1982-83 and helping to co-produce Pulp's first album 'It'.

If you like The Midnight Choir's sound go to: fourthdimensionrecords for details of the band and an album of the band's work on a collection called 'English Ghosts' which was released in 2020.