Pink Box Records - A brief history
The Beginning
Pink Box was set up as a hobby business by record collecting fans Sue and Chris Garland in 1994, not as a record label but to sell rock and indie records at record fairs around Central England. The name Pink Box coming from the record storage boxes.
Frustrated by the lack of national coverage to bands from the East Midlands we decided to release a record on our own label (without any idea of what we were doing). Costs were obtained for recording time and vinyl pressing and it was on the recommendation of Cordelia Recording Studio owner/engineer Alan Jenkins that Kyoka were approached for what was to become the first release.
Pink001
Kyoka - Throw It Away/Empty
Kyoka was formed by three friends Karla Wentworth, Steve Duffy and Hannah Tounsend in or around Market Bosworth, Leicestershire. They were later supplemented by college friends James McGee and Peter Halverson. Recorded in the Summer 1998 and released on limited edition white vinyl 7" in hand numbered picture sleeves (meant to be only 500 but pressing plant overran and the additional copies were stamped promo and set out for review).
The record received extensive airplay on student radio in mainland Europe and as far away as Australia but little or none in the UK. Two good reviews in Kerrang! and a couple of fanzines were the only coverage in the written press.
This was further frustrated by the band departing to various destinations making gigs/promotion nonexistent.
For a long time this looked as though it would be the only Pink Box release.
A small handful of CD-R copies were sent out to interested radio stations including the additional tracks 'Do you want me too?' and 'Dirty'.
Pink002T
Ist - The Adult Tree EP
Thinking that we would not be releasing any more records we were approached by Kenton Hall's girlfriend with a view to guiding him towards possibly recording some demos.
Various members of Kyoka were dug up from their various hiding places to help Kenton with the recordings. Five tracks were recorded the four that were to make up the Adult Tree along with a version of 'Moment of release'. The songs were felt to be too good to be left as demos and it was decided that Pink Box would reawaken and release a 12" picture disc.
Ist in name only was formed by Kenton, with Pete Halverson and James McGee (from Kyoka) and Mark Robbins who Kenton had met whilst working in a pub in Belper.
When James and Pete failed to show up for a gig in Derby Mark and Kenton were left looking for a replacement guitarist and drummer. These were both found at the Musician Pub in Leicester in the form of Chris Ilett and Flash.
With both the music master and art work already at the pressing plant a phone call came from Kenton asking if the newly formed band could redo the music. After only a couple of rehearsals and a few weeks together the Adult Tree was rerecorded with the new band.
The Adult Tree
Features:
Amnesia Cocktail
Disadvantaged Kiss
Little Insects
Winter Coat & Whisky
Released on 12" picture disc (featuring the infamous naked lady in a tree) strictly limited to 500 copies and 100 CD copies. 50 of the CD copies, in hand sprayed card sleeves were sent out in press packs along with lyric sheets, the balance in jewel cases with naked lady photo insert (completely sold out at the bands first gig at the Railway Inn, Belper). Approx 50 copies of a CD-R featuring the original recordings are out there somewhere.
Pink003 (Pink Box 2002:1)
Ist - Freudian Corduroy
After considerably more rehearsal time than The Adult Tree had, during which time Chris morphed into Jack Bomb, ist started work on their debut LP. The demos were recorded in Leicester and the album proper in Nottingham.
The album was predominately financed by family and friend 'investors'. Three or four tracks from the session were never finished and exist in various states of completion. The band then set off on an extensive tour of the UK to promote the album.
Available on CD only from stockists listed on ist's web site.
Pink004 (Pink Box 2002:2)
Ist - The Unusual Suspects EP
Recorded back in Leicester in December 2002 and intended as a family and friends Xmas CD.
The Unusual Suspects
Features:
Damn I wish I was your lover (yes it is a cover of Sophie B Hawkins)
Goodbye cruel world (Sung by Jack Bomb)
Psycho (Cover of an old country song which had for a long time finished the bands live set)
This is where we came in (acoustic version featuring just Kenton and Jack Bomb)
Saint Francis Cross (A new version of this track now called 'Would You Buy A Bible From This Man' finally appears on ist’s new album 'Toothpick Bridge')
CD-R only very limited copies.
Pink005
Ist - Similarly Inclined/Tonto
Ist spent 2003 constantly touring, early in 2004 Pink Box finally had enough funds to give Freudian Corduroy one last push by releasing a single. We had wanted to release 'Boyfriend' but the band were adamant that they didn't want to be labelled as just a foul mouthed punk band!. Similarly inclined was eventually chosen from the album because of its musical follow through to the next album. The flip was meant to be a recording of 'Goodbye Cruel World' however during the recording the version of 'Tonto' came out on top.
Released on limited edition heavy weight 7" black vinyl with numbered sleeve. The band individually numbered a 100 copies each (and Sue did the last hundred), the first 40 of each 100 contain one piece of a jig-saw featuring the individual band member, number 400-440 contained a piece from a picture of Kirsty.
By the time the single was ready in the Autumn of 2004 the constant touring was starting to cause stress within the band and Jack Bomb decided he wanted to leave to form a band of his own. The single was just being sent out to nationwide indie shops when Mark died.
Pink006
Ist - King Martha
It had looked like the end for ist but the wave of goodwill from a large majority of East Midlands bands encouraged Kenton and Flash to continue after an initial break. Joined by John McCourt and numerous guest musicians including Jack Bomb, King Martha was recorded in Leicester in the Spring of 2005 and released in front of a packed audience at The Summer Sundae Festival, Leicester.
Released on CD only (see ist's web site for numerous outlets)
2 track promo CD-R's featuring 'Here we go again' and 'Evelyn Harper' were sent out to radio stations.
Pink005
Ist – Similarly inclined/Tonto
Ist spent 2003 constantly touring, early in 2004 PinkBox finally had enough funds to give Freudian Corduroy one last push by releasing a single. We had wanted to release 'Boyfriend' but the band were adamant that they didn’t want to be labelled as just a foul mouthed punk band!. Similarly inclined was eventually chosen from the album because of its musical follow through to the next album. The flip was meant to be a rerecording of 'Goodbye cruel world' however during the recording the version of 'Tonto' came out on top.
Released on limited edition heavy weight 7" black vinyl with numbered sleeve. The band individually numbered a 100 copies each (and Sue did the last hundred), the first 40 of each 100 contain one piece of a jig-saw featuring the individual band member, number 400-440 contained a piece from a picture of Kirsty.
By the time the single was ready in the Autumn of 2004 the constant touring was starting to cause stress within the band and Jack Bomb decided he wanted to leave to form a band of his own. The single was being sent out to nationwide indie shops when Mark died.
Pink006
Ist – King Martha
It had looked like the end for ist but the wave of good will from a large majority of East Midlands bands encouraged Kenton and Flash to continue after an initial break. Joined by John McCourt and numerous guest musicians including Jack Bomb, King Martha was recorded in Leicester in the Spring of 2005 and released in front of a packed audience at The Summer Sundae Festival, Leicester.
Released on CD only (see ist's web site for numerous outlets)
2 track promo CD-Rs featuring 'Here we go again' and 'Evelyn Harper' were sent out to radio stations.
Pink007
Yellowbelly – Blood tainted love/Guess who's loving you?
After years of what looked like ist ist ist, PinkBox finally got back to its aim of promoting something different.
Country pop band Yellowbelly featuring Beautiful South's brassman Gaz Birtles have been writing and performing since 1993 and despite numerous recordings this is their first commercially available release.
Released on limited edition 7" blood splattered vinyl.
Pink008
Ist – The Wreck Of Eddie Fitzpatrick/I Am Jesus (and you're not)
With the major labels knocking on our door this is likely to be the last ist release on PinkBox.
Recorded in a barn on a farm just outside Coventry.
Released on limited edition 7" brown speckled vinyl and limited edition 3 track CD adding a re-recording of 'Amnesia Cocktail'.
Pink009
Kevin Hewick – Something to do on the bus/That side of me
Chris first saw Kevin performing in the mid-nineties at the Abbey Park music festival in Leicester and purchased a copy of the Sorted Records festival only 4 track EP featuring Kevin and 3 other Sorted artists. Prior to this Kevin had been signed to both Factory and Cherry Red Records. This EP sparked the idea that would become PinkBox.
This was the first release from Kevin since his 'Helpline' album on Sorted in the nineties although he dueted with Kenton of ist on the track 'Haunted' on their 'King Martha' album and has continued to gig extensively in the intervening years. Guest musicians include Gaz Birtles (Yellowbelly and Swinging Laurels), Chris & Lucy Campbell (Pink Strip) and Flash.
This was the first PinkBox single to be released simultaneously on vinyl and as a download. The 7" was only available at gigs and the download added the tracks 'That side of you' and 'Greenbelt wanderer'.
Released on limited edition 7" yellow vinyl.
A few 4 track promo CD-R copies exist.
Pink010
Toy Heroes – Are you travelling alone?/To whom it may concern
Formed around 2002 by Jud and Anna Jordan and in recent years joined by Woody on drums Toy Heroes have previously self-released the EP's '10am' and 'Painful Painless'. This release was the first time the band allowed label involvement.
The limited 7" was only available at the 2007 Summer Sundae Weekender festival with all 500 copies going within 10 minutes of the band coming off stage. The download EP added the tracks 'Disco Queen' and 'The truth behind fake smiles'.
Released on limited edition 7" blue vinyl.
A few 4 track promo CD-R copies exist.
Pink011
Stressbitch – Bitchin' EP
Our first ever download only release. Stressbitch were formed and are fronted by former Crazyhead member Porkbeast (co-incidentally the first time Chris saw Crazyhead was at the same Abbey Park Festival that he first saw Kevin Hewick) and joined for these recordings by Moses Presley, the Spaceman on the Bassman and Flash (in yet another side project). The 4 piece performed at the 2007 Hawkfest at Donnington Park where they self released a 2 track CD and this 4 track download EP finally getting it's release at the end of 2007 start of 2008. The tracks are 'Touch the Sun (White Goddess mix)', 'Bitchin', 'Catch my Soul' and 'Neon Flag'. A very limited amount of 3 track promo CD-R exist.
Pink012
Mr Plow – Four Murder Ballads EP
Originally hailing from the north of England Mr Plow has integrated himself into the Leicester music scene with the one thing that makes it great – its uniqueness. Playing his own brand of a little bit country a little bit rock n’ roll we released 4 songs on his favourite topics of love and death.
As well as being a regular contributor to Leicester's on-line music forum (Pineapster) he has regularly organised gigs in the City and is one third of the skiffle combo the Soar Valley Wayfarers. Extensive touring in the later half of 2008 to promote the EP included a performance at the Summer Sundae Festival and a specially recorded session for Mark Lamarr's God’s Jukebox show on BBC Radio 2.
Released as a limited edition 2 track 7" black/white vinyl and 4 track download EP. Promo CD-R exists.
Pink 013
The Smears - Hell in High Heels
Spotted playing at the last ever gig at Leicester's Half Time Orange, the band of Maime on vocals & guitar, Miss C on bass and C-Doll on drums, had already been together for around four years and were an established name on the Nottingham music scene. They had recorded sessions for BBC Radio Nottingham and had a limited CD single released on a London based magazine's side label. With around 5 usable tracks previously recorded, it was eventually agreed to record some newer songs for either an EP or mini-LP. Four tracks were recorded in Leicester at Alan Jenkins' Cordelia Studio, with Alan Engineering and Kenton Hall helping out the band with Producing (and backing vocals on 'Party Song'). Three tracks from this session plus the earlier recorded five tracks and a newly recorded (in Nottingham) 'Pieces' make up this nine track mini-LP, clocking in at just over 20mins, these ladies don't mess around.
Released as a limited edition 10" pink vinyl mini-LP, CD album available from January 2010 excusively at gigs and from the bands website.
Pink014
Kevin Hewick – Keep Your Flipped Wigs On
2007 was a bit of a rollercoaster year for Kevin with the sad death of his mother around the same time as his Pink009 release and then the death of Tony Wilson (the man that signed him to Factory Records in the 80s and at the time a great mentor) on the same weekend as Kevin's performance at the Summer Sundae Weekender Festival. These events, along with the interest generated in his first release for some time spurred Kevin on and a request to write some tracks for (what at the time was called) 'The School of Hard Rocks' musical resulted in this album. Some of the tracks are considerably rockier than some people have come to expect from Kevin. Recorded at Cordelia Studios in Leicester with Kevin playing all the guitars and bass and the only guest being Flash on drums. Kevin has continued to tour throughout 2008 and will be performing in 4 countries in 4 days with former Factory acts Section 25 and Peter Hook in November.
Available on CD with the full album and bonus instrumental mixes or as a 13 track download.
Pink015
Mr Plow - The Book of Common Despair
following on from the positive feedback for the 'Four Murder Ballads EP', Mr Plow started to record this album (at his home) in November 2008 and by the following spring we had this collection. Aided this time by live drummer Gem 'Crusher' Warne on percussion and with Sgt Thorley again engineering/mixing the tracks, the album also includes Kenton Hall & Kevin Hewick on backing vocals ('Pharmaceutical Smile'), Lee Burns on violin ('Slave Ships') and Mrs Plow on triangle. Released in August 2009 a week before Mr Plow's return to the Summer Sundae Weekender Festival, this time with full band and on a much bigger stage.
Released as a CD only album (with Mr Plow independently releasing it as a download). No offical promo versions.
Pink016
Various Artists - a Taste of PinkBox
Originally intended to be release in 2008 to mark ten years from the first release, this fifteen track compilation contains thirteen artists from PinkBox's past, present and possible future.
1) Kyoka - 'Do you want me too?' the track that should of possibly been on the first single but only contained the original three members so the extended five piece wanted the newly recorded 'Empty' on instead.
2) ist - 'This is where we came in', lead track from their debut album recorded by the original line-up.
3) Yellowbelly - 'Blood tained love', from their Pinkbox single.
4) Toy Heroes - 'Disco Queen', previously only available as a download from their 'a story of..' EP.
5) Kevin Hewick - 'That side of you', previously only available as a download from his 'That side of you' EP.
6) Mr Plow - 'About a car', Recorded as part of the "Book of common despair session" but not on that album.
7) Unexpected - 'Love ain't a game' recorded by students at Keyham Lodge School in Leicester.
8) The Smears - 'Party song' from their album Hell in High Heels.
9) Lisa deVille - 'Moving on' will hopefully be part of a future album.
10) ist - 'Height of my fame' recorded by the current line-up as part of their 'Toothpick Bridge' recording sessions but not on the album, which is being released by Monkey Basket Records.
11) The Breakdowns - 'Don't go' from their debut album released on Spanish label Rock Indiana Records.
12) You Fellows of all Souls - "Wooden heart" containing 3 members of Toy Heroes and taken from the bands download album 'The Late, Great Cordelia'.
This was the last recordings made at longterm PinkBox friend Alan Jenkins' studio.
13) M48 - 'Steve' a young talented band containing the offspring of Yellowbelly and The Swinging Laurels.
14) Kevin Hewick - "Lioness" lost track recorded with Alan Jenkins for the intended follow up album to 'Keep your flipped wigs on'.
15) GREATEST WOLF - 'Now is the time to be saved' a great last minute addition from Gemma Upton.
Released on CD only album and given away free at the 2009 Summer Sundae Weekender Festival.
Pink017
The Breakdowns - Hey Veronica/Some Kind of Wonderful
if ever there was a band that suited vinyl more this century, we don't know who they are. The Breakdowns style of music harps back to a time when vinyl was the only available format for music. Having already released their debut album (simply called "The Breakdowns") on Spanish label Rock Indiana in 2008 this is their first official UK release. Aimed mainly at gig sales including an appearance at the 2009 Summer Sundae Weekender.
Released on 7" vinyl. A few CDr copies exist.
Pink018
Mr Plow - Sarah Elizabeth Bell / Kevin Hewick - Answers on a Postcard
Free gig only 7" split single aimed mainly at both artists 2009 Summer Sundae Weekender appearances. Mr Plow's track is taken straight off his 'Book of Common Despair' album, Kevin's is an edit version of a track originally on is 'Keep your Flipped Wigs on' album.
Released on 7" vinyl.
