1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 2006-8
The CUD Story, pt.7
Under
my Hat photo session by Tony Woolgar. Not entirely happy with their own faces but pleased with the local kids, CUD chose to hide their faces with identical cow heads when they used the image for the record sleeve.
28-29
Jan 1988
Record 2nd single (Under my Hat/Punishment-Reward Relationship/Art!)
at the Billiard Room, Headlingley, Leeds.
After a meeting with Reception's host label, Red Rhino, a deal was
agreed for CUD to make another 12"EP for Ediesta. They reluctantly
agreed to fund the recording by offering the skint band £100
towards costs. By also dipping into an overdraft, CUD opted for
16 tracks, though we were still relying on the house engineer for
production.
Under my Hat was Mike's first A-Side for the band, Punishment was
based around a bassline William improvised playing along to Sophisticated
Bitch off the first Public Enemy album. (Try it! It fits!) Art! was from CUD's early days and so co-credited to original
members, Dave Read and Alan Thomas. (They must have made, ooh, at
least £10 in broadcast royalties overall!)it
The recording was an improvement on the dull, leaden sound of the
first EP, but when the feedback burst in at the end of the A-Side
track, it made the rest of the song sound weedy in comparison. But,
overall, it was a much more satisfactory release.
 A real rarity! Do you have it? |
8 Feb 1988 And then Under My Hat turned out NOT to be the second single... CUD's first Peel session got the quickest release for any session when it appeared on Strange Fruit (even with the band fussing and delaying its release to avoid it coinciding with their own inferior debut|). The Peel EP was released alongside a 1970 Syd Barrett and a 1977 Buzzcocks session. Already broadcast four times on the Peel show, with the CUD version of 'You Sexy Thing' being voted at No 20 in Peel's Festive 50, the CUD session was a hit! A limited edition, promo-only 7" of You Sexy Thing backed by Electro Hippie's second-long Mega-Armageddon Death was released to DJs. |
11 Feb 1988
Live at The Falcon, London (with Whirl).
Deducting van hire and petrol costs from our guaranteed fee of £40, we make a loss. Carl has already spent his term's grant, Steve has had to take up work at Meanwood Urban Farm and William has had to join Enterprise Allowance Scheme (as a comic artist) to keep the dole off his back. It's tough at the top!
14
Feb 1988
Carl turns up over an hour late for the Ediesta Under My Hat photo
session, costing the band money. Mike threatens to leave if Carl
continues to behave with such disregard.
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Something about the Under My Hat individual portraits reminds oneof the pictures in the window of a downbeat barber.
25
Feb 1988 10
Mar 1988 Convinced that Martin Baker did such a good job promoting the Slack Party, Carl votes for Baker to be CUD manager and convinces most of them behind William's back. Tired of the extra work, William reluctantly agrees to give up the reins. |
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3
Apr 1988
Mike and Maria become the proud parents of a boy, Daniel John.
21
Apr 1988
Live at the Notre Dame Hall, London (with The Shamen and The Seers).
In their pre-Ebeneezer Goode days, The Shamen projected porn films
for their stage lighting.
23
Apr 1988
Live at The Boardwalk, Manchester (with Flag of Convenience)
27
Apr 1988
Live at Take Two, Sheffield (with The Bland)
30 Apr 1988
Live Medway Arts Centre, Chatham, Kent (with House of Love)
Now that was a long trip to make from Leeds, but the band were offered
the phenomenal sum of £75, so they couldn't turn it down.
The venue was an old town hall. They got their own dressing room,
sandwiches and booze for a change. Carl and William explore the
clock tower and set Chatham forward quarter of an hour.
31
Apr 1998
Live at Canterbury Arms, London Brixton (with God, ahem!),
The band expected to lose money on this, with about 70-80 people
showing up, but they made an extra £30 on their percentage,
sold 12 t-shirts over the two gigs and went home happy. London shows
were a reunion since many of the bands' friends had moved to the
capital since leaving college in the summer.
4
May 1998
Live at Leeds Wig Out.
5
May 1998
Record 'Treat Me Bad' (typical William slow/fast song) at Lion Studios,
Leeds for Take 5 album in aid of Shelter.
6
May 1998
What?! Hull Adelphi again?
7
May 1988 Under my Hat released.
10
May 1998
Live at Coventry Poly (with Cry Before Dawn)
12
May 1998
Live at Tynemouth Pig Sty
What they said about Under my Hat:
"Groovy,
abrasive quartet with big bastard boots on, CUD wait until the last
quarter of the song before letting their guitarist go mental. Shame,
because 'Under My Hat' only needs that final push to make contact."
Sounds
"Flamboyant guitar music for a new age of strident enthusiasts. CUD have a mouthful of verbs to spit, here they're punctuated with abrasive wit and all the right expletives. CUD are an important band re-pointing the walls of contemporary music." Underground
"Grubby Leeds funsters have moved on with a sound they would like to think as big and bold. They have perfected a brand of West Yorkshire brutalism that is tolerable enough in short spurts, but grating in longer doses. The forthcoming album's worth of Cud is something I would rather not chew through." NME