Description

Claytown Troupe Hey Lord
Label: Island Records
Catalog#: IS 428
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock

Tracklist
A Hey Lord 3:45
B The Night Is Ours 5:00

CLAYTOWN TROUPE – Back in the late 80s this lot were the only real alternative to The Cult. More anthemic and more authentic than Astbury & Cos rawk; Moving a few hundred thousand units internationally over their short period in the limelight, they even broke the UK top 40 before disappearing.
Formed in Bristol in 1984 by lead singer Christian Riou (who claimed in a 2004 interview that a famous local clairvoyant advised him to form a band called the Clayton Troop!)

Claytown Troupe was an Alt-Rock act touted as a cross between The Cults fake rock and the authentic crusty rock of Pop Will Eat Itself and Crazyhead.

In truth there was more to them than that and they suffered much in coming from England at a time of ‘Crusty’; a time when high expectations in Rock, and Rock itself, were generally frowned upon.

By 1986 they had an accomplished yet chaotic live show which earned them an exciting reputation on the underground scene.

Signed to Island in 1988 this Ron Fair and Ralph Jezzard produced debut was universally well received yet only made it to a criminally underrated number 74 in the album charts.

‘Through The Veil’ shares The Cults sensibilities for anthemic rock bluster coupled with a tinge of indigenous Americana and everyman lyrics: “If I could drink the world dry, then I could maybe cry.”

It has a genuine atmosphere to it and sounds unlike anyone else, either then or now; there is a swagger and confidence on this album that promised great things and a stadium rock future.

What followed was a string of high profile tours and excellent releases. The Claytowns played the Marquee, Astoria and the Town & Country Club and supported The Cult on the sonic Temple’ tour, Pearl Jam, The Wonder Stuff, The Damned, Julian Cope, Jesus Jones and The Mission.

Switching labels to EMI Records in the 90s Claytown Troupe cut their next album, the excellent ‘Out There’, with David Bianco producing at the Hit Factory, New York.

They toured Britain in 1992 with Terrorvision supporting and subsequently opened for Seattle behemoths Pearl Jam (It had been arranged the other way round with PJ to support CT but the Grunge kings were kind of riding the whirlwind in ’92.)

Unfortunately, the band folded when, after parting company with EMI, drummer Andy Holt and bassist Paul Waterson made their exit.

CHECK:

CLAYTOWN TROUPE: Out There CD 1991 the only real alternative to The Cult. Demon Seed! CHECK VIDEOS

CLAYTOWN TROUPE: Ways of Love 7″+ Freedom (Live BBC Session; unreleased elsewhere). Real alternative to The Cult. Band way ahead of its time. Check videos.