RFI: Department S

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If anybody would know about this its Brit ILMers!

dave q, Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Formed out of Guns For Hire (who were reputed to be a kind of DIY hype act, all badges and word-of-mouth before they had any songs etc); out-of-nowhere hit single "Is Vic There?" reputedly in partial tribute to Vic Godard; couple more non-hit singles incl. "Going Left Right", Stiff records I think(?); did their LP ever come out?

Central figure Vaughan Toulouse was in and around the Paul Weller inner circle in the Respond Records days, fronted an act called the Main-T Posse, I never heard them. I understand VT passed away some years ago, shame.

That's about all I know, apart from "Is Vic There?" being mentioned on Radio 5 THIS VERY MORNING. Is that why you're thinking about them Mr. Q?

Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Or you could ask someone who knows what they're on about: http://www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk/deptsbio.html

Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:54 (twenty-two years ago)

What about 'em?

Appeared '81 IIRC. Vocalist Vaughan Toulouse (get it? No? Try saying out loud....) and I think one of the others had formerly been in Guns For Hire, which released one single but actually seems to have been more of a marketing concept than a proper band. Dept S. recorded a single "Is Vic There" for Demon which hit the charts while they were on tour supporting The Spizzles with the effect that the tour ended with The Spizzles supporting Dept. S (I remember seeing them at Hammersmith Palais!).

Recorded a follow-up "Going Left Right" for Stiff but that failed to chart and Stiff dumped them.

I believe they were part-way through recording what would have bee their first album when they split up; in any case a CD has subsequently been cobbled together from the singles, B-sides, unreleased studio tracks, a Peel session, live recordings etc.

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry for duplicating so much of what Tim said - cross post!

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

'Is that why you're thinking about them Mr. Q'

Actually no, I don't even have a radio! If you must know, it's for my forthcoming book on Bananarama

dave q, Tuesday, 23 September 2003 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Cripes! If only I hadn't given my Shillelagh Sisters single away recently you could have had that for your research too. It wasn't very good anyway.

I was at a pop quiz recently and one of the questions was "who was the best member of Bananarama?" The answer they wanted was Siobhan. Fools.

Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:05 (twenty-two years ago)

OK to be truthful it'll probably get to the same stage as the 'Mel & Kim' book I promised last year. ie get to page 2, run out of weed, abandon. Although I'd still love to hear the Shillelagh Sisters!

dave q, Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:12 (twenty-two years ago)

What was the Bananarama connection Dave? A very faint and irritating bell is ringing somewhere in the dark recesses of my memory....

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:26 (twenty-two years ago)

More: http://home.earthlink.net/~department-s/History.html

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw them in 1982 - Mansfield Hall, Reading Uni.

Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh. I was hoping "Department S" was the Real Rock S Club 7.

Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:42 (twenty-two years ago)

In some ways they were Michael!

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 10:45 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

I just got the compilation CD and am digging it. Some of these tunes sound quite modern, like Interpol if they had a sense of humor and loved early Wall Of Voodoo.

Mr. Odd, Sunday, 3 June 2007 14:28 (eighteen years ago)

Nice comparison! And yeah, fun band.

Ned Raggett, Sunday, 3 June 2007 14:30 (eighteen years ago)


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