Red Lorry Yellow Lorry: Discography

 

An integral part of the UK’s post punk explosion, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry emerged from Leeds with

their unique, demanding sound during the early 1980s. Guided by the singular vision of iconic bandleader and figurehead Chris Reed and sideman David Wolfenden, the band took onboard elements of the burgeoning gothic outlook of the post punk era, fused it with relentlessly rigid drum machine rhythms and an impenetrable wall of distorted guitars and won a strong following, both in the UK and abroad.
         

Their first two albums – Talk About The Weather and Paint Your Wagon – emerged on Red Rhino

Records before a jump to Situation Two inspired a development in the band’s sound and a broadening of their outlook for the albums Nothing Wrong and Blow.
           

The band was formed by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney, along with bassist

Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown (who would later join The Mission). Sweeney left the band in late 1981 and Reed permanently took over as vocalist, with Martin Fagan joining as a second guitarist.
                

The group's sound, featuring a numbing guitar drone, powerfully throbbing bass, pounding drum

machine, and Reed's cavernous vocal tones, caused the Lorries (as their fans came to call them) to be quickly lumped into the then-developing gothic rock scene by pop journalists, although the band themselves denied they were ever associated with goth and preferred to cite Wire as an influence, and said they "were primarily inspired by MC5."
                

One of England's more subtly original goth rock groups, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry were initially branded

as worshipful Joy Division acolytes, but came up with enough distinct variations to break free of their main influence. Their foundation always remained icy, droning post-punk, replete with sludgy, murky guitars and mumbled Ian Curtis-style vocals.
              

However, as the Lorries evolved, they gradually sprinkled in elements of industrial dance, early rave

music, and spaghetti Western soundtracks, as well as liberal doses of inventive, acid-tinged guitar work. Taking their name from a British tongue twister, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry were formed in Leeds in late 1981 by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney.
               

In 1982, the Lorries' manager Dave Hall provided independent record label Red Rhino with a cassette

of the group's demos. Impressed by the quality of the songs, Red Rhino label head "Tony K" (Tony Kostrzewa) signed the band and immediately released "Beating My Head" unchanged from the demo as the band's debut single. The song made a strong appearance on the influential NME independent record chart.
           

Fagan and Smith soon departed the band, to be replaced by Dave Wolfenden and Paul Southern

respectively. Afterwards, bassist Southern was replaced by Leon Phillips. While numerous additional personnel changes would occur in the history of the band, Wolfenden became a mainstay and a frequent songwriting partner of Reed's during the band's most productive period.
        

In 1983 and 1984, the band released several more singles (including "He's Read" and "Monkeys On

Juice", which reached No. 9 on the NME indie chart).
In 1985, the band's debut album, Talk About the Weather, was released and peaked at No. 3 on the NME independent albums chart.
               

The band released one more album on Red Rhino (Paint Your Wagon, which reached No. 3 on the NME indie chart) in 1986, a single ("Cut Down") and a four track EP ("Crawling Mantra", utilizing the

one-time band name change to "The Lorries"), before signing to Situation Two, an offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records. Two albums followed, 1988's Nothing Wrong and 1989's Blow. Neither of the Beggars Banquet albums appeared on any mainstream pop charts. In 2003, Reed revived the name Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and released four new songs in 2004, available via internet download only on the band’s website.
        

DISCOGRAPHY
                 

Talk About the Weather (1985)
Paint Your Wagon (1986)
Nothing Wrong (1988)
Blow (1989)
Blasting Off (1992)

RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY - ALBUMS AND SINGLES 1982 - 1989

              

73 tracks spanning 4 CDs housed in a clamshell box with booklet. It features 4 albums, Singles, B-

Sides, Remixes etc. An integral part of the UK’s post punk explosion, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry emerged from Leeds with their unique, demanding sound during the early 1980s. Their first two albums – Talk About The Weather and Paint Your Wagon – emerged on Red Rhino Records before a jump to Situation Two inspired a development in the band’s sound and a broadening of their outlook for the albums Nothing Wrong and Blow.
             

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Albums And Singles 1982-1989
Label: Cherry Red – CRCDMBOX32
Format: CD, Reissue, Box Set, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: Feb 24, 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: Post-Punk, Goth Rock

CD1. TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER 1985

               

Talk About the Weather is the first studio album by the British rock band Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. It

was released in 1985 in the UK on the Red Rhino independent label. It appeared on the New Musical Express indie rock albums chart for several months and peaked at No. 3, indicating strong sales.[2] The LP had only eight songs, although several subsequent cassette and CD releases included various bonus tracks.

TRAXS        

             

01. Talk About The Weather    4:06
02. Hand On Heart    3:48
03. Feel A Piece    2:43
04. Hollow Eyes    3:40
05. This Today    3:23
06. Sometimes    3:03
07. Strange Dream    3:15
08. Happy    3:25

BONUS TRAXS        

    
09. Beating My Head    3:24
10. I'm Still Waiting    4:03
11. Take It All    2:57
12. Happy (Single Version)    3:40
13. He's Read    2:59
14. See The Fire    2:34
15. Monkeys On Juice    3:14
16. Push    3:03
17. Silence    2:31
18. Hollow Eyes (12" Version)    3:44
19. Russia    3:12

LINE - UP

          

Chris Reed - vocals, guitar
David Wolfenden - guitar
Paul Southern - bass guitar
Mick Brown - drums

Flac Size: 401 MB

CD2. PAINT YOUR WAGON 1986

             

Paint Your Wagon is the second studio album by British rock band Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and was released in 1986 in the UK on the independent label Red Rhino. It was the band's final original LP

release on the label (outside of a singles collection, Smashed Hits, the following year) before signing to major label Situation Two in 1987. Like their first album Talk About the Weather, Paint Your Wagon had a very short running time at under 30 minutes. Two of the tracks, "Mescal Dance" and "Blitz", were instrumentals. Initial copies came with a limited edition seven-inch single with the tracks "Paint Your Wagon" and "More Jipp". Cassette and CD releases/reissues have featured various additional bonus tracks.

TRAXS        

             

  
01. Walking On Your Hands    2:37
02. Jipp    2:55
03. Last Train    2:14
04. Head All Fire    2:34
05. Mescal Dance    2:39
06. Shout At The Sky    3:02
07. Which Side    2:03
08. Tear Me Up    2:26
09. Save My Soul    2:42
10. Blitz    3:48

BONUS TRAXS        

    
11. Paint Your Wagon    2:36
12. More Jipp    2:55
13. Chance    5:17
14. Generation    3:07
15. Spinning Round    2:48
16. Hold Yourself Down    2:23
17. Jipp (Instrumental Mix)   2:59
18. Cut Down    3:48
19. Running Fever    2:23
20. Pushed Me    2:15
21. Crawling Mantra    2:40
22. Hang Man    3:15
23. All The Same    2:55

LINE - UP

           

Bass – Léon Phillips
Drums – Chris Oldroyd
Guitar – David Wolfenden
Vocals, Guitar – Chris Reed

Flac Size: 482 MB

CD3. NOTHING WRONG 1988

                 

Nothing Wrong is the third studio album by British rock band Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, released in 1988. It was their first LP on the Beggars Banquet offshoot, Situation Two, in the UK. In the US it was

released by Beggars Banquet/RCA. The US version included two bonus tracks, the UK single "Open Up" (previously chosen by New Musical Express as a Single of the Week) and the B-side "The Rise". The album's title track and "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" were issued as singles in the UK. Nothing Wrong featured some occasional audio excerpts from Sir Laurens Van Der Post's BBC television series documentary Testament to a Bushmen (stills from which were used as the source of the album's front and back covers). The album included a version of Booker T. & the M.G.'s' "Time Is Tight".         
            

TRAXS

                  

  
01. Nothing Wrong    2:37
02. Hands Off Me    2:32
03. Big Stick    2:40
04. She Said    2:50
05. Sayonara    2:50
06. World Around    2:53
07. Hard-Away    2:41
08. Only Dreaming    3:04
09. Do You Understand?    2:20
10. Never Know    3:26
11. Pushing On    2:50
12. Time Is Tight
(Written-By – Al Jackson, Booker T Jones, Donald Dunn, Steve Cropper)
0:53

BONUS TRAXS        

          

  
13. Open Up    3:25
14. Another Side    2:32
15. You Only Get What You Pay For    3:04
16. Calling    2:43
17. Only Dreaming (Wide Awake) (Extended Single Version)    4:24
18. The Rise    2:50

LINE - UP

Chris Reed - vocals, guitar, keyboards
David "Wolfie" Wolfenden - guitar
Leon Phillips - bass guitar, keyboards

Flac Size: 330 MB

CD4. BLOW 1989    

        

Blow is the fourth studio album by British rock band Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, released in 1989, and

their last LP on the Beggars Banquet offshoot label, Situation Two, in the UK. In the US it was released by Beggars Banquet/RCA. The album was a slight change in direction for the band. While it still had the band's customary swirling rush of guitars, pounding drums, loud bass and Chris Reed's deep growling vocals, the songs were a little slower, with stronger, more conventional melodies sweetened by occasional female backing vocals.

Reed's lyrics were less downbeat, almost optimistic. As critics noted, overall Blow is a warmer album than the band's previous, somewhat dour offerings; the Lorries left their specious gothic rock trappings behind for good. Chicago Tribune noted: "There is a strong pop element in the songs` melodies and structures, a danceable energy in faster numbers and some crisp, ringing guitar work in slower tunes.     

TRAXS

              

  
01. Happy To See Me    3:05
02. Temptation    3:07
03. Shine A Light    3:15
04. Too Many Colours    3:39
05. Heaven    4:13
06. Gift That Shines    3:47
07. In A World    3:46
08. You Are Everything    4:01
09. West Wakes Up    4:16
10. It Was Wrong    3:10
11. Blow    4:27

BONUS TRAXS        

    
12. Don't Know Why    3:38
13. Blow (Hard Press Mix)    4:17
14. Heaven (Acoustic Version)    3:46

LINE - UP

          

Chris Reed - vocals, guitar, keyboards
David "Wolfie" Wolfenden - guitar
Leon Phillips - bass guitar, keyboards
"Chill" Chillington - drums, percussion, keyboards

with:

Jilly Myhill - backing vocals
Steve Hagarth - keyboards
Dick Adland - drums

Flac Size: 570 MB

BLASTING OFF 1992

             

Blasting Off is the fifth and final studio album by British rock band Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. It was

released on the Sparkhead independent record label in 1991. The band at this point consisted of Chris Reed and a completely new assortment of musicians. They recorded the LP in a Los Angeles studio. Reed broke up the band soon after.
           

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Blasting Off
Label: Deathwish Office – CD 23556
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: Sep 1992
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Alternative Rock

TRAXS

           

01. This Is Energy    4:34
02. It's On Fire    2:50
03. Don't Think About It    4:51
04. Train Of Hope
Guitar – Martin Scott
4:08
05. Talking Back
Percussion – Sam Bell (2)
5:38
06. Down On Ice    2:49
07. In My Mind    3:56
08. Sea Of Tears    3:34
09. I Can See Stars    3:46
10. Driving Me    3:19

LINE - UP

               

Bass, Keyboards – Gary Weight
Drums [Acoustic Drums], Percussion – George Schultz
Music By – Reed, Weight (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Performer [Beatbox And General Braindamage] – Korky
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards – Chris Reed
Words By – Reed

Flac Size: 270 MB

FIRE (BOOTLEG) 1985

           

Covering the first years of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, the FIRE Bootleg (released in 1985). This

particular compilation should appeal only to collectors,  nonetheless, it is a fine collection, gathering early songs that forge the bridge between Joy Division and early-'80s to mid '80s goth rock.
               

Artist: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Type: Bootleg / Unauthorized
Released: 1985
Recorded: 1982 - 1985

TRAXS

          

01. Push
02. Feel a Piece
03. Hollow Eyes
04. Talk About the Weather
05. Monkeys on Juice
06. See the Fire
07. Take It All
08. This Today
09. Chance

LINE UP

Mick Brown - drums
Chris Reed - vocals
Paul Southern - bass
Steve Smith - bass
David Wolfenden - guitar
Martin Fagan - guitar

Flac Size: 202 MB

THIS TODAY (EP) 1984

               

If justice existed, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry's catalog would be just as known as Killing Joke's, not only

recognized for having some wild guitar playing on par with Killing Joke's records (which are also comparable to Keith Levene's playing on PIL's debut), but also for putting an often terrific, unique spin on doom and gloom that should all but separate them from the remainder of the goth rock sect.
           

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – This Today
Label: Red Rhino Records – RED 48
Format: Vinyl, 12", EP, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: Mar 9, 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: Goth Rock

SIDE A.

               

A1.   Beating My Head
A2.   He's Read

SIDE B.

            

B1.   Take It All
B2 .  See The Fire

Flac Size: 83 MB

THE LORRIES - CRAWLING MANTRA (EP) 1987

          

Following one more non-LP single that year, "Cut Down," the band temporarily adopted its longtime

nickname of the Lorries, and issued one single, 1987's "Crawling Mantra," under that moniker before reverting back to the original form. Later in 1987, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry signed a major-label deal with Situation Two, a subsidiary of RCA affiliate Beggars Banquet.
             

The Lorries – Crawling Mantra
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Crawling Mantra
Label: Homestead Records – HMS 082, Homestead Records – HMS082
Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, EP
Country: US
Released: May 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Goth Rock, Post-Punk

SIDE A.

          

A1.  Crawling Mantra    2:43
A2.  All The Same    3:56

SIDE B.

               

B1.  Hang Man    3:18
B2.  Shout At The Sky (Live)    3:05

Flac Size: 84.5 MB

THE VERY BEST OF 2000

              

For the first time ever this 23 track collection includes all their best known tracks from their career with Red Rhino and Beggars Banquet. Red Lorry Yellow Lorry were one of the most successful independent bands of the 80’s with their dark and often manic rhythms. It might not boast the all-encompassing

nature of 1994's The Singles 1982-1987, and it might not be as succinct and flawlessly selected as the same year's Generation: The Best Of, but The Very Best of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry improves upon all of the previous compilations by acknowledging 1988's Nothing Wrong and 1989's Blow, the two records the band made for RCA after making the jump from Red Rhino. Since the running order is chronological, it shows that the band indeed made subtle developments with their sound, much to the chagrin of those who felt that RLYL were sludge merchants -- nothing but Joy Division cloning, guttural howling, murky machine rhythms, and disturbingly acid-drenched guitars.
              

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – The Very Best Of
Label: Cherry Red – CDMRED 167
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 2000
Genre: Rock
Style: Goth Rock, Indie Rock

TRAXS

            

01. Beating My Head    3:15
02. He's Read    2:59
03. Monkeys On Juice    3:12
04. Talk About The Weather    4:05
05. Hand On Heart    3:45
06. Feel A Piece    2:39
07. Hollow Eyes    3:36
08. Strange Dream    3:14
09. Chance    5:18
10. Spinning Round    2:48
11. Last Train    2:15
12. Mescal Dance    2:40
13. Blitz    3:50
14. Walking On Your Hands    2:38
15. Cut Down    3:47
16. Crawling Mantra    2:40
17. Nothing Wrong    2:40
18. Only Dreaming    3:43
19. She Said    2:53
20. Open Up    3:28
21. Heaven    4:15
22. You Are Everything    4:03
23. Blow    4:29

Total Play Time: 78:12
 
LINE - UP

Chris Reed - Guitars, Vocals
Mark Chillington - Drums
Mark Hubbard - Bass

FORMER MEMBERS

Mark Sweeney
Dave Wolfenden
Martin Fagan
Paul Southern
Steve Smith
Mick Brown
Chris Oldroyd
Gary Weight
Martin Scott
Leon Phillips

Flac Size: 554 MB