Bluebells

:(This page is about the Scottish band. For the reggae group of the same name, see Blue Bells).
The Bluebells are a Scottish indie new wave band, active between 1981 and 1986 (later reforming in 1993, 2008–2009, 2011, 2018, 2019 and 2023).
The Bluebells performed jangly guitar-based pop not dissimilar to their Scottish contemporaries Aztec Camera and Orange Juice. They had three top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart, all written by guitarist and founder member Bobby Bluebell (real name Robert Hodgens) – "I'm Falling", "Cath", and their biggest success "Young at Heart". The latter was co-written with Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama (originally recorded on the Bananarama album Deep Sea Skiving) and violinist Bobby Valentino, and made it to number 8 on the UK Singles Chart on its original release in 1984. The band also released one EP, The Bluebells, and one full-length album, Sisters.
The band split up in the mid-1980s, but enjoyed an unexpected revival in 1993 when "Young at Heart" was used in a Volkswagen television advertisement. Re-issued as a single, it was number one for four weeks and led to the band reforming temporarily to perform the song on BBC Television's Top of the Pops. A compilation album followed, The Singles Collection, which peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart in April 1993.
The band reformed in late 2008, with original members the McCluskey brothers and Bobby Bluebell, to support Edwyn Collins at a show in Glasgow on 23 January 2009. On 29 May 2011, the band performed as part of the Southside Festival. On 17 December 2018, the band performed on a Christmas edition of The Quay Sessions for BBC Scotland. In 2019, the Bluebells appeared performing "Young at Heart" in an episode of the last series of the BBC Scotland sitcom Still Game.
The band released In the 21st Century, an album of new material in 2023.
==Links to Peel==
Peel played their track, 'Cath' on his radio programmes in February 1983, but it is not known, whether he played any further material, although in 1985, when he was hosting a Radio Bremen show, he had to play their track, 'South Atlantic Way', which was a required playlist from the bosses of the station. The band's most successful single, "Young At Heart", was played on Top Of The Pops in 1984, when Peel was co-hosting the show.
==Shows Played==
;thumb|220x220px1983
*10 February 1983: Cath (7") London
*28 February 1983 (BBC World Service): Cath (7") London
;1985
*14 March 1985 (Radio Bremen): South Atlantic Way (album - Sisters) London
;TOTP
*12 July 1984 (TOTP): Young At Heart 
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists