The Pale Fountains
{{Short description|English pop/new wave band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Pale Fountains
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| image_size =
| landscape =
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = Liverpool, England
| genre = {{hlist|Pop{{cite web|first= Andy |last= Kellman |title= Pale Fountains – From Across the Kitchen Table |publisher= AllMusic. All Media Network |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-across-the-kitchen-table-mw0000466814 |accessdate= 30 April 2016}}|jangle pop{{cite web|first= Mike |last= Mineo |title= Forgotten, unlucky, but still fantastic… Shack |date= 17 December 2006 |work= Obscure Sound |url= http://www.obscuresound.com/2006/12/forgotten-unlucky-but-still-fantastic-shack/ |accessdate= 30 April 2016}}|new wave[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oFY1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=eCUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1480,26529883&dq=the-pale-fountains+new-wave&hl=en Drowning in my Nostalgia Philippine Daily Inquirer September 7, 2002 "...bands like..The Pale Fountains...etc. They were more than your average New Wave acts"]}}
| years_active = {{start date|1981}}–{{end date|1987}}, 2008
| label = Operation Twilight
Les Disques du Crépuscule
Virgin
| associated_acts = Shack
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = Mick Head
Chris McCaffery
Thomas Whelan
Andy Diagram
John Head
Ken Moss
}}
The Pale Fountains were an English band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head (vocalist/guitarist), Chris McCaffery (bassist), Thomas Whelan (drummer), trumpet player Andy Diagram (horns) and Ken Moss (guitarist). Diagram was simultaneously a member of Dislocation Dance for most of the Pale Fountains' existence.
Career
Inspired by 1960s music such as Love, Burt Bacharach and the Beatles, the group released their debut single "(There's Always) Something on My Mind" on Les Disques du Crépuscule before signing a major label deal in October 1982. Although the Pale Fountains failed to make much commercial headway, the band would earn critical praise for the two albums released on Virgin, Pacific Street (1984) and ...From Across the Kitchen Table (1985), produced by Ian Broudie, who later found fame with the Lightning Seeds. Their sole UK Singles Chart top 50 single was "Thank You", which reached No. 48 in 1982.
The band split up in 1987, with Mick Head going on to form Shack with his brother John. Andy Diagram had already left in 1984 and would later join James. Bassist and founder member Chris "Biffa" McCaffery died in 1989 of a brain tumour.
{{cite book
| first= Martin C.
| last= Strong
| year= 2000
| title= The Great Rock Discography
| edition= 5th
| publisher= Mojo Books
| location= Edinburgh
| pages= 863–864
| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}
In November 2007, Head announced that he was reforming the Pale Fountains for two gigs; one at the Carling Academy in Liverpool on 2 February 2008, and another at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on 3 February 2008. The group remains particularly popular in France and Japan. Two compilations have been issued: Longshot for Your Love (Marina, 1998) and Something on My Mind (Crépuscule, 2013), the latter with a bonus live CD recorded in 1982.
Members
- Mick Head – vocals, guitar (1981–1987)
- Chris McCaffery – bass guitar (1981–1987; died 1989)
- Thomas Whelan – drums (1981–1987)
- Andy Diagram – trumpet (1982–1984)
- John Head – guitar (1984–1987)
Discography
=Albums=
==Studio albums==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Title ! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Album details !Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" | UK {{Cite web |title=PALE FOUNTAINS {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/19868/pale-fountains/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=www.officialcharts.com}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |Pacific Street
| |85 |
| scope="row" |...From Across the Kitchen Table
|
|94 |
==Compilation albums==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" |Longshot for Your Love
| |
|---|
| scope="row" |Something on My Mind
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:17em;" | Title ! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:2em;" | Year ! colspan="3" |Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" | UK {{Cite web |title=UK Singles Charts: 1983 (including chart panel sales) |url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/10845490-uk-singles-charts-1983-including-chart-panel-sales |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=UKMIX Forums |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=UK Singles Charts: 1984 (including chart panel sales) |url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/10895472-uk-singles-charts-1984-including-chart-panel-sales |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=UKMIX Forums |language=en}} ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" | UK Indie ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;" | NL |
|---|
| scope="row" |"(There's Always) Something on My Mind" / "Just a Girl"
| rowspan="2" |1982 |— |28 |— |
| scope="row" |"Thank You"
|48 |— |48 |
| scope="row" |"Palm of My Hand"
|1983 |102 |— |— |
| scope="row" |"Unless"
| rowspan="3" |1984 |115 |— |— |
| scope="row" |"(Don't Let Your Love) Start a War"
|174 |— |— |
| scope="row" |"Jean's Not Happening"
|— |— |— |
| scope="row" |"...From Across the Kitchen Table"
|1985 |— |— |— |
| colspan="5" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.michaelhead.co.uk Michael Head's Official Website ]
- [http://www.shacknet.co.uk/ Shacknet – The Magical World of Shack & Pale Fountains]
- [http://www.lesdisquesducrepuscule.com/the_pale_fountains.html Pale Fountains biography page at Crépuscule]
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p19750|label=The Pale Fountains}}
- {{Discogs artist|artist=The Pale Fountains|name=The Pale Fountains}}
{{Shack}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pale Fountains, The}}
Category:English new wave musical groups
Category:English pop music groups
Category:British jangle pop groups
Category:Musical groups from Liverpool