*In no particular order some of my favourite musical moments. No42 Buffalo by Stump.
*In no particular order some of my favourite musical moments. No42 Buffalo by Stump.One of a fledgling Channel 4’s flagship offerings, The Tube could be a frustrating shambles of a music show.
Even as a kid, I found its manufactured anarchy, arch presenters and magazine format intensely irritating.
But every so often, almost by accident, the show would throw up a gem that made sitting through the rest of the rubbish, or better still taping it on the new-fangled video recording device, worthwhile.
The specially-commissioned video for Buffalo by Anglo-Irish oddballs Stump was one of those rare moments.
Captivated I watched it over and over again, who were these weirdos? And where did this surreal, skew-whiff, hilarious music come from?
From Cork and Whitstable as it turned out, former Microdisney drummer Rob McKahey linking up with English guitar and bass duo Chris Salmon and Kev Hopper, before roping in charismatic micro-quiffed fellow Irishman Mick Lynch as frontman.
Peel Session regulars, the band stood out like a sore thumb on the much heralded NME C-86 compilation cassette – their sound being about as far away from the jangling, primitive indie of the so called shambling bands as you could get.
The challenging nature of their music divided critics and they struggled to win support from indie kids being swept up by rave culture in the late ’80s second summer of love.
Inevitable arguments over musical direction ensued and they split in late 1988 after a short and ill-tempered show at Camden’s Electric Ballroom
Despite having just one full album A Fierce Pancake to their name, Stump’s inventive output – think The Pogues conducted by Captain Beefheart – has led to a number of reissues of their music in recent years.
They reformed for a one off gig in 2015, but Lynch’s death later that year put paid to any plans for a more permanent reunion.
A larger than life character, Lynch sang about big bottoms, bodily functions and Tupperware strippers and was the living embodiment of Stump’s keening, unhinged, avant garde mix of post-punk, Irish jigs, drinking songs and sea shanties.
He also introduced the notion of Charlton Heston putting his vest on to the world.
Hopper, something of a British answer to Primus bass virtuoso Les Claypool, continues to be active musically, recording several solo albums.
He’s also released electronica as Ticklish and is founder member of minimal pulse outfit Prescott, which features members of Scritti Politti and Pere Ubu.
Commercial success may have eluded them, but like the best art, Stump keep getting rediscovered and continue to bring a great source of fun and pleasure to those that choose to enter their world.
*Got a Great Musical Moment you’d like to share? Send me your suggestion via the contact form and if I like it, I’ll feature it and give you a mention. Looking forward to hearing from you.
