Blue Orchids

Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah (real name: Martin Beddington) decided to quit The Fall after playing on the band's debut album Live at the Witch Trials. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the band recorded for Rough Trade and acted as backing band for the Velvet Underground's Nico before a 25-year period of intermittent activity and alternative identities. Having left The Fall, Bramah teamed up with keyboardist Una Baines, also an ex-Fall member, guitarist Rick Goldstraw (also ex-Fall), bassist Steve Toyne and drummer Ian Rogers (AKA Joe Kin). John Cooper Clarke suggested the name 'The Blessed Orchids' but according to Bramah, Goldstraw mis-remembered it as 'The Blue Orchids' and the name stuck. The band signed to Rough Trade Records and in November 1980 they released their debut single, a double A-side, "The Flood"/"Disney Boys". After this release Steve Toyne left the band and Rick Goldstraw took over the bass playing duties. In February 1981 they released their second single "Work".
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==Links to Peel==
Peel played the band's debut single in 1980 and also invited the group to do a session for his show in which they did. Follow up singles were also played by Peel before a second session from the group on his programme in 1982. After their second session, the band split before reuniting in 1985. However, the group didn't last long and split, where Bramah formed a new group with ex-Fall drummer Karl Burns called Thirst. The group only released one record, the Riding the Times EP, in 1987, which Peel gave airplay on his show around that time.
In 1991, Bramah returned with a new incarnation of Blue Orchids which featured ex-Smiths guitarist Craig Gannon on guitar, Martin Hennin on bass and Dick Harrison on drums. Their first release was a single called "Diamond Age". That track also got played by Peel on his programmes, as well as further new material from the group in 1992. After that, Peel revisited some of their old material after the band officially split in 1995. The group later reunited after Peel's death.
==Sessions==
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Two sessions. Official releases:- On Various Artists: Manchester- So Much to Answer For CD, 1990 (Strange Fruit, SFRCD 202)- On From Severe To Serene (Peel Sessions Plus) CD, 2002 (LTM, LTMCD 2354)
1. Recorded: 1980-12-08. First Broadcast: 17 December 1980. Repeated: 21 January 1981, 26 February 1981
*The House That Faded Out / Work / Low Profile
2. Recorded: 1982-04-17. First Broadcast: 05 May 1982. Repeated: 06 February 1985
*A Year With No Head / No Looking Back / Bad Education / Sun Connection
==Other Shows Played==
;1980
*25 November 1980: Disney Boys (7" - The Flood / Disney Boys) Rough Trade
*29 November 1980 (BFBS): Disney Boys (7") Rough Trade 
*01 December 1980: Disney Boys (7" - The Flood / Disney Boys) Rough Trade
*11 December 1980: The Flood (7" - The Flood / Disney Boys) Rough Trade
*16 December 1980: Disney Boys (7" - The Flood / Disney Boys) Rough Trade
*27 December 1980 (BFBS): Disney Boys (7") Rough Trade
;1981
*03 January 1981 (BFBS): Disney Boys (7") Rough Trade
*11 January 1981 (BFBS): Disney Boys (7") Rough Trade
*09 March 1981: 'Work (7")' (Rough Trade) 
*11 March 1981: 'Work (7 inch)' (Rough Trade)
*19 March 1981 (BFBS): Work (7") Rough Trade
*19 March 1981 (BFBS): Low Profile (v/a cassette – NME / Rough Trade C81) NME / Rough Tapes
*22 March 1981 (BFBS): Work (7") Rough Trade
*01 April 1981: Work (7”) Rough Trade
*09 April 1981: Work (7") Rough Trade
*27 April 1981: Work (7”) Rough Trade
*27 September 1981 (BFBS): Disney Boys (7") Rough Trade
*02 November 1981: Work (7") Rough Trade
;1982
*09 February 1982: Work (7") Rough Trade
*28 April 1982: Wait (LP- The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain) Rough Trade
*12 May 1982 (BFBS): Wait (album - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*19 May 1982: Low Profile (LP - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*01 June 1982: Hanging Man (LP - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*02 June 1982 (BFBS): Dumb Magician (album - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*02 June 1982 (BFBS): Low Profile (album - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*16 June 1982 (BFBS): Hanging Man (album - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade 
*17 June 1982 (BBC World Service): Dumb Magician (album - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*23 June 1982: Sun Connection (LP - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*21 September 1982: Low Profile (LP - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain)) Rough Trade
*09 November 1982: Agents Of Change (12") Rough Trade RTT 117
*19 December 1982 (BFBS): Agents Of Change (12") Rough Trade RTT 117
;1983
*12 June 1983 (BFBS): Agents Of Change (12") Rough Trade RTT 117
;1984
*05 November 1984 (BFBS): Agents Of Change (12") Rough Trade RTT 117
;1985
*Peel January 1985: Sleepy Town (7") Racket 
*16 June 1985 (BFBS) Thirst (12" - Sleepy Town) Racket Records (Workers Co-op) Ltd RTL1
*03 July 1985: Sleepy Town (12" - Sleepy Town / Thirst) Racket
;1986
*15 February 1986 (BFBS): 'Hanging Man (LP-The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain))' (Rough Trade)
;1990
*06 August 1990: Disney Boys (single - The Flood b-side ) Rough Trade
;1991
*18 May 1991: Diamond Age (12") As (Is)
*02 June 1991: Diamond Age (12") As (Is)
;1992
*03 April 1992: Butterfly (Demo Version) (v/a 7" - Playtime Sampler) Playtime
*12 April 1992 (BFBS): Butterfly (Demo Version) (v/a 7" - Playtime Sampler) Playtime
;1997
*26 February 1997: ‘Work (7 inch)’ Rough Trade
*17 March 1997 (BFBS): 'Work (7")' (Rough Trade) (JP: 'Anybody who writes in and says "That's the best record you've played this week" is in trouble, I'll warn you about that now.')
;2001
*07 March 2001: Work (7") Rough Trade
;2002
*27 February 2002 (BBC World Service): Work (LP - A Darker Bloom-The Blue Orchids Collection) Cherry Red
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Facebook
Category:Artists