Welcome
strawberryswitchblade.net is a comprehensive archive for Strawberry Switchblade, the mid-80s Scottish pop group with the best ever vegetable matter/cutting implement name for a band, at least until the advent of Daisy Chainsaw.
This site is what I'd hoped to find when I first typed 'Strawberry Switchblade' into a search engine. Here you'll not only find an illustrated discography, lyrics and vintage press interviews, but also a wealth of rare and unreleased tracks to download, dozens of previously unpublished photos and - most excitingly - recent in-depth interviews with Rose and Jill and their managers and producers done especially for this site.
If you're new to Strawberry Switchblade, I suggest you start with the first two pieces in the Writings section of the site.
This isn't a 'living' site with a message board, news, guestbook and that sort of thing. Deep Water already does a fine job of that.
That said, there will be updates as and when I find more archive material - subscribe if you want to be told when updates go live.
And if you have any rare tracks, vintage clippings or anything else that'd be a good addition to the site then do please get in touch.
Whilst some of the details can clearly be established, there are differences in sources and the memories and emphasis of the people involved. It is not my place to try to find and tell The One Truth, but instead just to give the people involved the space to tell the story as they remember it.
But the answers I always wanted are here - Why is there only one proper album? How come Trees And Flowers is so delicate and mellow yet the album is so electro-bright? Is it true that Rose was in a punk band before Strawberry Switchblade?
There have certainly been better bands, but nobody needs another website to tell the Bowie story or explain why the Smiths are so great. I don't know of another band who were so good yet remain so undocumented. This site is here to change that.
This is a totally non-commercial site with no advertising or sponsorship by any commercial stuff. Browse away untroubled by migraine-inducing banner ads, irritating pop-ups or any other form of commercial crap for products you don't need from people you don't like.
There is only one advert, and that's the one below for Brighton Lifeline Humanitarian Aid, who support community development projects in Eastern Europe. There is no donate money facility at strawberryswitchblade.net - if you want to show that kind of appreciation, please click on the banner below and donate to Brighton Lifeline Humanitarian Aid. They will make far better use of your money than we would.
Site History
2 Sept 03 - launch
3 Sept 03 - The Pastels I Wonder Why mp3 added to downloads and its entry on discography altered
13 Sept 03 - Downloads: - Rose McDowall & Current 93 Since Yesterday live May 97; Discography: Rose & C93 live bit, Raging Spool cover pic added to Odds And Ends; Links: Yahoo group; Clippings: Musik Express Sounds May 85 (in english and german!), undated questionnaire, and undated Rose interview
30 Sept 03 - Gallery: 6 pictures at the top of page 3; Downloads: Jolene video MPG.
27 Oct 03 - Clippings: Just Seventeen 15 Nov 84 feature; Discography: Phillipines singles, compilation albums Radio Twelve and We Are The 80s vol 4, 4 new Since Yesterday covers (Potshot, Scudelia Electro, Hinano Yoshikawa & MariMari rhythmkiller machinegun); Downloads: Potshot's Since Yesterday MP3; Gallery: 3 post-Strawberry Switchblade live shots of Rose and one promo picture added to page 3.
14 Nov 03 - Guitar tabs section inaugurated with four songs; Clippings: Juniper Beri Beri Nov 82 & ZigZag Oct 84; Downloads: Since Yesterday promo video MPG; Gallery: Strawberry Switchblade-alikes Velvet Eden on page 3
8 Jan 04 - Writings: Peter McArthur's memoir; Downloads: 4 MP3 live tracks from Stirling Oct 83 and 2 from The Venue Nov 83, Minipops version of Since Yesterday MP3; Let Her Go promo video MPG; Gallery: doubled in size with the addition of pages 4, 5 & 6. Clippings: live reviews in Sounds 11 Aug 84 & Melody Maker 8 Dec 84; Discography: Clear Cut Final and Minipops added to Odds And Ends section
7 Mar 04 - Downloads: KROQ interview, 3 Since Yesterday MP3s by Hinano Yoshikawa, MariMari rhythmkiller machinegun, & Scudelia Electro; Gallery: 4 pictures at the top of page 7; Clippings: live reviews in NME 28 May 83 & 8 Dec 84; Discography: One More Kiss cover, Good, Old Fashioned 80's 12 Inch Single Collection, WEA Top Hits 1985-1986 Vol.29 and Lost & Found 12 Inchers added to Odds And Ends section
12 Mar 04 - Clippings: Smash Hits Aug 83, No1 Aug/Sept 83, Smash Hits Feb 85, Q early 90s; Gallery: 5 added middle of page 7
12 May 04 - Downloads: Strawberry Rush by Love Rock MP3; Clippings: NME 3 Sept 83; Gallery: Gilbert Blecken's photos added to page 7; Discography: Strawberry Rush, New Wave Underground & Solitude added to Odds And Ends
28 July 04 - Clippings: Jamming! Oct 84, Look-In 23 Feb 1985, No 1 summer special mid-85; Discography: Sounds Great To Me! added to Odds And Ends; Lyrics: Secrets (BBC version); Downloads: DVD offer added
10 Jan 05 - Discography: Automat and lab.'s covers of Since Yesterday, 80s 12 inch Singles Collection, 80s Night: The Ultimate Collection volume 14 and Parallel Side of Soundtrack added to Odds And Ends; far eastern cassette added to Albums; 3" CD of Since Yesterday added to Singles; Downloads: Automat and lab.'s covers of Since Yesterday
11 Mar 05 - Discography: Dancer From The Dance added to Odds And Ends; Downloads: The Metric Mile's cover of Trees And Flowers, Sorrow's Since Yesterday and Deep Water live in Leipzig, Rose's solo Since Yesterday April 2002; Clippings: The Face Nov 82, Record Mirror album review 6 April 85
18 May 05 - Clippings: Record Mirror 27 Aug 83, No1 23 March 85, Smash Hits album review March 85, Smash Hits singles reviews March 85, No1 1 June 85, Over 21 June 85, live review 1988; Discography: Philippines 12"s of Let Her Go and Jolene added to Odds And Ends; Downloads: Who Knows What Love Is? MPEG, Craig Hood's covers of Trees And Flowers and Being Cold; Gallery: St Paul's picture completes page 7
29 Nov 05 - Clippings: NME 24 Sept 88; Discography: The Platinum Collection added to Albums, New Wave Essentials added to Odds And Ends; Downloads: BBC Janice Long sessions, Deep Water live at Brockwell Park 4 Aug 84
6 Jan 06 - Clippings: Sounds 22 Oct 83, Sounds 27 Oct 84