the parachute men

Parachute Menget my cheque on time...

Who?Just when you think you've got the female-fronted bands all clear in your mind, another one you've forgotten springs up. The Parachute Men came shortly before the deluge of Echobellys and Sleepers, when singing girls in proper bands were forced to ply their trade in Indie record shops and on the dowdy pub circuit

Yes, Anna, they were from:Leeds

Essential?Bed and Breakfast Man and Every Other Thursday caught the essence of life for a too-sizeable portion of the British population in the late 80s-early 90's; a weary struggle to make ends at least get near to each other, enlivened by the small joys of a found packet of fags, the giro arriving, or a possibility that this time might be love. So, anything; they were on Fire records

Popstars in Reduced Circumstances?We assume they drifted off into other bands, other careers; we hope they weren't disappointed. It seems there's room for social commentary in the movies - Ken Loach is never going to starve - but realism in music usually throws itself too firmly up against the economic relaisms

In a nutshell, then:Madness' social observation hooked to proto-Sleeper music

Never mind the music, give us trivia:We once bought one of their records by accident, it was hidden in the sleeve of the record we did buy. That's not very interesting, is it?

In more depth:Parachute Men - we suspect the link to Siemens Ringtones may be over-optimistic

Try these, too...The Heartthrobs
Rhythm Sisters
Early Mekons
Mid-period Pulp