Description Ultra-rare SIGNED "Rupert Preaching at a Picnic" The Hertford Album Artist Track What happened next THE FRETS - TWO CHOICES These changed their name to Clampdown and had two tracks on the comp LP 2.99. ELUSIVE DIPLOMATS- TWIST AND RUN Featured Mark Flunder (Television Personalities) Formed Moscovit 5 with Gina (Marine Girls) Inphaze cassette then the McTells etc!BONA DISH- ACTRESS Recent anthology CD released of their Inphaze tapes called Zaragoza Tapes.LIFE MACHINE- LIFE AND TIMES KOLN- DOPE PROHIBITION Released a local cassetteOBLIVION 11- SWORD Released a local cassetteTHE ABSENTEES- FAIRYTALES Released a local cassetteINNOCENT VICARS- SHE WAS MY GIRL Released two 7" singlesMARINE GIRLS- HATE THE GIRL Released Inphaze cass album. Then went to Vinyl. Gina left. Tracey Thorn formed Everything but the Girl, Massive attack FRANKIES CREW- SOMEBODY DERANGED- FACTORY GIRL THE PLUGS- BAT BRAIN MOON MAN BOILER BOY Released two 7" singles, cass album and recorded a session for Radio One. Recently reformed!AMATORY MASS- GIRL ON THE CORNER EDDY STEADY GO- BOY NAMED SUE PORTION CONTROL- PREACH A number of releases on inphaze and far more since. Very collectable. Still occasionally releasing material. I was at the release party/gig in 1981 and got this copy signed by all four Marine Girls - Tracey Thorn, Gina Hartman, Alice and Jane Fox. Mark Flunder, Bill Clarke, Eddy Steady Go, Pat Bermingham and various other musicians. Pat Bermingham worked with Mark Flunder (Elusive Diplomats, Television Personalities, The McTells, Moscovite Five etc) on the production and release of The Hertford Album - "Rupert Preaching at a Picnic" recorded in Nov 1980 on Naive Records financed by a local chain of east Herts record shops "Tracks". This release came about following an earlier compiliation cassette called "An Evening with Rupert". (50 copies) This 12' limited vinyl was then released in May 1981, Pat saw some potential in a couple of the local Hertford bands who had all recorded for the album on a 4-track in Digswell, Welwyn Garden City. Namely "The Marine Girls"(Tracey Thorn -Everything but The Girl. Massive attack), Portion Control and Bona Dish. He set up his own studio -"Shed sounds" and the "Inphaze label" and had these bands in to record sessions. The first 3 releases in cassette format and in limited quantities in July 1981 were Portion Controls -Gaining Momentum, Bona dish on C30 and The Marine Girls -Beach party which was picked up by Cherry Red and issued on 12" vinyl and was cited by Kurt Cobain in his top 50 fave releases! Radio One DJ John Peel was quoted upon hearing it as saying "This could do for Hertford what Kenny Dalglish did for Liverpool!"The Hertford L.P. finally arrives. All you ever wanted to know about 'Rupert Preaching at a Picnic' HIP MAY 81 During the summer of last year a few local bands decided to get together and record a cassette album, mainly for their own amusement, but also for sale to their friends and other interested parties. Such was demand, however, that the initial fifty copies were snapped up within days, and the cassette is now something of a collectors item! (Any offers for my copy of 'An Evening with Rupert'??!) The co-ordinator of this enterprise, the underestimated Mark Flunder, was overwhelmed with requests for a second batch to be produced, and it was at at this point that 'Tracks' (your friendly/aggresive local record shop, depending upon who is behind the counter!) agreed to finance the production of a better quality L.P. featuring the same bands plus many more. A four-track mobile studio was installed in the cellar of Digswell House, Old Wewyn, and, for nominal fee, bands were able to book time and record one song each. Despite the sometimes unfavourable conditions and with basic recordning equipment, the quality af the final product is surprisingly good. Local Hertford bands are allocated the lion's share of the playing time, although Hoddesdon, Watton-at-Stone, Hatfield Buntingford and Wewyn Garden City are also represented. The Hertford/Ware bands, despite the critical lambasting recived from Des de Moor, have all gained healthy reputations for themselves: The Plugs, Köln, Oblivion II, the Elusive Diplomats, the Absentees and Amatory Mass are all captured on vinyl. Of the others, Portion Control, Bona Dish, and in particular Frankie's Crew, provide fresh and pertinent material. Outstanding are the Plugs, whose 'Bat Brain Moon Man Boiler Boy' is in earthy contrast with their critically-acclaimed first single. Eddy Steady Go, our local rock poet (sorry Simon!) who was last seen sliding down a wall at a Waterford party, concludes the album with one of his typically X-rated ditties entitled 'A Boy Named Sue'. Whatever your taste in music - pop, punk, futurist or heavy metal, the album is well worth checking out, and, of course, is avalible now for only £1.99 at all "Tracks" shops. In the wake of the success of the Buntingford Compilation, who knows which bands may be the next for a Radio 1 recording session, providing, of course they can remain in existence for long enough! By Mikey D. / Bone A brief history of the East Herts scene The whole idea of a cassette label drew upon the DIY ethic of punk and evolved a few years later in to the C86 genre. This was the true birth of Twee / indie pop and is evident by some of the outstanding and diverse bands featured on the releases mentioned. From 1979 there was an explosion of local talented and original bands in the towns north of London, up the A10 into Hertfordshire and prior to the release of the Hertford Album, was a gem from the small market town of Buntingford called “Buntingford The Album”. There was a follow up 12” album in 1986 called "Buntingford Centre of the Universe"featuring Justin Sullivan & Robb Heaton from “New Model Army” under the alias of Crowman & Rokk Artthrobbe in the tracks by Hammer & Sickle. Only 500 copies were pressed. Mark Flunder was also behind the "Tempest" compilation cassettes, sold locally and featured more from local heroes like Portion Control, Onslaught and included "Jerry & the Chairs" with himself and Gina from the Marine Girls. In 1979 the record industry in the UK was controlled by major record labels whose A&R departments were hard to impress with so many bands trying to get in on the act. Most bands strived to get into the 4 and 8 track recording studios that were popping up everywhere and record a 3 or 4 track demo to send off to the A&R men. These demo’s would be received from the studios on a compact cassette along with the tape reel and with the technological advance in quality of sound and advent of the “Sony Walkman” and better tape to tape home duplicators it was easy and affordable for many bands to self-release their own products for the first time to sell at gigs and easy to play with cassette players everywhere. And these demo’s would often get sent to the likes of the BBC’s “John Peel” who would get bands in for a BBC radio session which could then lead onto them being picked up by a main label. Many 1000’s of talented bands that deserved recognition never got any further than their self released demo’s and their offerings and existence have been lost in the winds of time although a few musicians from those early days have gone on to bigger things. These rare small label vinyl and cassette compilations and releases are historical audio documents of those captured and an important chapter in the development of the UK music scene that has gone on to influence many of todays musicians and bands throughout the world. I've also included a full size scan of a review of the album upon it's local release in a monthly local paper that was produced in an office above the Hertford "Tracks" record shop. the paper was initially printed in 400 copies and was called "The Hertford Independent Press". It always had 2 decent local music pages and reviews of local band releases and gigs, during what was a big local DIY music scene. A copy of this will be sent with the tape. Condition. The sleeve is as shown with slight yellowing from the glue drying behind the label over the years. There is a stain on the edge and the vinyl has very minor scratches, but not enough to affect play. It has been well played and enjoyed over the years. Please check out my other rare auctions -The Tempest tape, and other Inphaze and local releases. Please note all sales are FINAL no returns, if you have a question please ask first and bid afterwards! I prefer paypal. Please message me if unsure of worldwide postage costs. Thanks for looking and Happy Bidding! This is an absolute grail for any serious Tracey Thorn / Portion Control collector! And this album seldom appears and is likely the only signed copy by so many in existence. Please view the photos and feel free to ask any and all questions. I reserve the right to end this listing at any time. Winning bidder agrees to pay within 3 days of the end of the auction via PayPal. Please view the photos and e-mail me with any questions before you bid. Please check out my other auctions for more great items. SERIOUS BIDDERS ONLY! 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