Shriekback is a rock band formed in the early 1980s by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen (keyboards/synthesizers/vocals), Carl Marsh (guitars/vocals), and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four (bass). They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983. Shriekback are popular for their exploration of the darker, funkier side of rock music, usually featuring Dave Allen's driving basslines. Self-described as an "avant-garde musical outfit", they are popular among a limited audience, both for their poetic, often intellectual lyrics, and for their dance-worthy music which range from disco and new wave (New Romantic) to an edgy, pre-grunge hard rock.

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Sandie Shaw (born Sandra Ann Goodrich on 26 February 1947) was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. With her hair, slender frame, model cheekbones and outfits, she has been described as the ultimate working-class 'it' girl. She was also notable for her quirk of usually appearing barefoot.

Born and brought up in Dagenham, United Kingdom, the Ford plant IBM operator dreamed of becoming a singer. At that time, many of the working-class population of Dagenham worked at Ford, and although Shaw had gained a place at art college, she turned it down and decided to work at the plant until her singing career took off. She soon began her recording career at the age of 17, after being discovered by popular singer Adam Faith.


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David Alan Batt, 23 February 1958, in Beckenham, Kent, UK) is an English singer, musician and composer who first gained attention as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the band Japan. His subsequent solo career has been influenced by a variety of musical styles and genres, including jazz, ambient, electronic, and progressive rock. Sylvian's debut solo album, Brilliant Trees (1984), met with critical acclaim and functioned well as a bridge between the musical sounds he had created with Japan and the more challenging directions he was to pursue in his future work. Sylvian intentionally placed the more accessible tracks on side one of the record, while utilizing the second side for songs of a slightly more experimental nature. The album included contributions from Ryuichi Sakamoto, trumpeter Jon Hassell and former Can bassist Holger Czukay. These three musicians also figured prominently upon the writing and recording sessions which resulted in Sylvian's second release, the entirely instrumental Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities (1985). Imbued with a 'Fourth-World' influence, the album signalled Sylvian's decisive move away from the mainstream.

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If you’re reading this, there’s a lovely copy of music from this band available HERE!