THE FIRST STEPS

Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk

 

 

First Single

Below is the insert that came with the debut single.

The Beat Is Back / She Ain't In Love / Let's Go Cuboids

Catalogue Number - ER1

Label - English Rose Records

Year Of Release - 1979

Quantity Pressed - 1000 (Confirmed)

Second Single

Anywhere Else But Here / Airplay / I Got The News

Catalogue Number - ER3

Label - English Rose Records

Year Of Release - 1980

Quantity Pressed - 2000

Originally we were 'The Resistors' with the same line up but with 'Al Copperthwaite' on vocals. Al moved away leaving the three of us, 'Phil Thornalley' on guitar & vocals, 'Chris Murrell' on bass and vocals and 'Jem Murrell' on drums. Phil's brother Jonny was in charge of everything else-management, marketing, setting up the English Rose' Label, beer purchasing and all other essentials.
 
The first single (E.R.1) was 'The Beat Is Back' and was released in November 1979. We pressed 1000 copies and it went really well and gained some really good reviews in the 'NME' and 'Sounds'. It received nightly plays on Radio One via 'John Peel' and 'Mike Read' and we sold them all within 2 months but the budget didn't stretch to do a re-pressing so that was that.
 
The second single(E.R.3) was 'Anywhere Else But Here', was released the following year and we pressed 2000. It did ok but was less successful at the time. Then some 10 years later we sold all the remaining copies to an exporter supplying an inexplicable appetite for obscure English Powerpop in Japan.
 
The only other signing to the 'English Rose' label was 'David Harris', we released 'Harry's EP' (E.R.2) around the same time as 'Anywhere Else But Here'. Sadly, it was not a great success and that was about the end for the 'English Rose' Label
 
It was excellent fun at the time and we all remain good friends. Phil was the only one to pursue a career in music and has had great success as a writer and Producer. Probably best known for the Natalie Imbruglia hit ‘Torn’ but also for songs recorded by The Cure, Bryan Adams, Ronan Keating, BBMak, Melanie C, Shannon Noll and many other well known artists. He also has played in 'The Cure' around the Pornography album and has also been in 'Johnny Hates Jazz'.

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