The Swinging Laurels are an English synth-pop and new wave band formed in Leicester in 1979 by saxophonists Gary "Gaz" Birtles and John Barrow. They achieved independent success with their 1981 debut single "Peace of Mind". In addition to releasing their own recordings through Albion Records and WEA Records, the band's horn section were active as session musicians during the 1980s, recording with acts such as Fun Boy Three and touring with Culture Club.

History Formation and early years (1979–1981) Birtles had previously fronted the Leicester ska and rock group The Newmatics, with Barrow frequently guesting on saxophone. Barrow had also been a member of the funk and disco outfit Black Gorilla, appearing on Top of the Pops in 1977. In 1979, Birtles and Barrow began experimenting with an Elgam organ drum machine, a Roland SH-1 synthesizer, and an Akai reel-to-reel tape recorder to construct instrumental tracks blending electronic synthesizer rhythms with saxophone melodies.

Expanding the lineup to perform live, they brought in former Newmatics drummer Nick Murphy, as well as former Black Gorilla member Dean Sargent on trumpet and synth bass. Keyboardist Mark O'Hara, who was previously in the punk rock band The Stazers, joined following an advertisement in the local press. The group recorded their initial tracks at Woodbine Street Studios in Leamington Spa with producer Johnny Rivers, who incorporated an early Clap Trap processor on "Peace of Mind".

Their debut single, "Peace of Mind" / "Swing the Cat", was released in 1981 on Albion Records and reached number one on the Melody Maker Independent Chart.

Major label signing and session work (1982–1983) In June 1982, the band recorded a radio session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1. The group's horn section also became sought after for external studio work. They recorded brass for Fun Boy Three's single "The Telephone Always Rings" (1982) and appeared with the group on Top of the Pops. Following an invitation from Boy George, who was a fan of the group, The Swinging Laurels supported Culture Club on two nationwide UK tours in 1983.

The group signed with WEA Records in 1982, releasing the single "Rodeo" in September, featuring percussive contributions from Scritti Politti drummer Tom Morley. Their follow-up single, "Lonely Boy" (1983), was produced by Steve Levine. Boy George recorded guest backing vocals for the song, but contractual objections from his record label, Virgin Records, required his vocals to be removed prior to the record's commercial release. Commercial sales were impacted, and WEA opted not to release a full-length album.

In 1983, Albion Records prepared to issue "Falling" as a single, but delayed the release when Culture Club drummer Jon Moss tried to help the band secure a contract with Virgin Records. The Virgin deal never materialised, and the single remained unreleased.

Independent releases and later years (1984–present) After leaving WEA in 1984, the band set up their own label, Happy Records, and a studio called Happy House. Shortening their name to The Laurels, they released the single "Zoom (Take the Test)", featuring Rick Barton and Ciro Buccheri. Around 1985, the group temporarily performed under the name Happy House, incorporating live drummer Phil Birtles and former Special AKA vocalist Rhoda Dakar.

As a session brass section alongside trumpeter Tony Robinson, Birtles and Barrow joined the rock group Crazyhead on an 11-country European tour supporting Iggy Pop in 1988. The Swinging Laurels disbanded in 1989. After the band split, Birtles formed the country-pop group Yellowbelly with guitarist David "Wally" Walton and keyboardist Tony Robinson. In 1990, they recorded a reggae cover of Manu Dibango's "Big Blow", produced by Birtles. Labels rejected the single, including Go Beat Records (with a rejection letter signed by Norman Cook), but the recording was later released in 2017 on the digital compilation Greatest Bits - Volume 2. Birtles subsequently joined The Beautiful South as a touring and session saxophonist, while Barrow continued session work with artists including Suggs, Sinéad O'Connor, and Fun Lovin' Criminals. Long-time bassist and photographer Steve Cooke, who played on multiple recordings, passed away in August 2024 at the age of 70.

Both musicians' sons also pursued music careers: Birtles' son Jordan and Barrow's son Nile formed the Leicester reggae-pop band By the Rivers in 2010, with Birtles' eldest son Peri acting as their producer and sound engineer. Long-time bassist and photographer Steve Cooke, who played on multiple recordings, passed away in August 2024 at the age of 70.

In 2005, Birtles and Barrow reformed the horn section to work with the Leicester indie band ist. They recorded brass for three tracks on the album King Martha (2005), appeared in the "Here We Go Again" music video, and played live with the band at the Summer Sundae festival. In 2023, they recorded a vocal and saxophone cover of ist's song "Going Too Far" for Kenton Hall's album Idiopath/Omniopath. Hall later wrote the liner notes for The Swinging Laurels' 2024 album.

In May 2024, Birtles and Barrow compiled their 1980s studio recordings and original singles into the band's debut full-length album, Return to the Future, released by the Leicester independent label Scatola Rosa.

Discography

Studio albums Year Release Details Tracklist Personnel & Label Credits 2024 Return to the Future Format: LP (Translucent Blue Vinyl) + CD Label: Scatola Rosa Catalog: PINK104 / PINK104CD Vinyl / CD Tracks 1–10: "Building Bridges" "Epoch of Love" "Will the Wind Blow" "Be Someone" "Stay" "School of Faith" "Breath" "Falling" "The Shelter" "I'll Talk to You"

CD Bonus Tracks (1980s Singles): 11. "Peace of Mind" 12. "Swing the Cat" 13. "Push and Shove" 14. "Zoom (Take the Test)" 15. "Lonely Boy" 16. "Rodeo" 17. "Hair By Mantini" Notes: Archival debut album compiled from original 1980s studio master tapes and cassettes. Limited edition of 316 copies. Liner notes by Kenton Hall.

EPs Year Release Details Tracklist Personnel & Label Credits 1982 ...A Taste Of Format: 12" Vinyl EP Label: Dining Out Records Catalog: TUX 20 A1: "Bang Bang...Is Anybody There?" A2: "Death Laurels" B1: "Disco Laurels" B2: " One Of Our Saxaphones Is Missing" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow, Dean Sargent, Mark O'Hara. 1997 Be Someone Format: CD EP Label: Happy Records Catalog: LAF3CD 1. "Be Someone" 2. "Chicago" 3. "Swing the Cat" 4. "My Intentions" 5. "Peace of Mind" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow.

Commercial Singles Year Release Details Tracklist Personnel & Label Credits 1981 "Peace of Mind" Format: 7" Single Label: Albion Records Catalog: ION 1020 A-Side: "Peace of Mind" B-Side: "Swing the Cat" Lineup: Gary Birtles, John Barrow, Nick Murphy. Production: Johnny Rivers at Woodbine Street Studios. 1982 "Rodeo" Format: 7" & 12" Single Label: WEA Records Catalog: SAX1 (7") / SAX 1T (12") A-Side: "Rodeo" B-Side: "Hair By Mantini" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow, Dean Sargent, Mark O'Hara. Guest Musicians: Tom Morley (Scritti Politti) on percussion. 1983 "Lonely Boy" Format: 7" & 12" Single Label: WEA Records Catalog: X 9894 (7") / X 9894T (12") A-Side: "Lonely Boy" B-Side: "Voice Of The Mountains" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow, Dean Sargent, Mark O'Hara. Production: Steve Levine. Notes: Guest backing vocals originally recorded by Boy George were removed prior to release due to Virgin Records contractual disputes. 1984 "Zoom (Take the Test)" Format: 7" Single Label: Happy Records Catalog: LAF 1T A-Side: "Zoom (Take the Test)" B-Side: "Ramsi Ramsi Ramsi" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow, Dean Sargent, Mark O'Hara. Guest Musicians: Rick Barton, Ciro Buccheri. 1987 "Push and Shove" Format: 7" Single Label: Happy Records Catalog: NOS 42 (No Label) / DON-1 (Happy Records) A-Side: "Push and Shove" B-Side: "Closer" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow, Mark O'Hara, Steve Cooke, Phil Birtles.

Compilations & Box Sets Year Release Details Tracklist & Album Layout Personnel & Label Credits 2001 Greatest Bits Format: CD Compilation "Lonely Boy" "Building Bridges" "Closer" "Peace of Mind" "Push and Shove" "Stranger Than Fiction" "Will the Wind Blow" "Falling" "Breath" "Epoch of Love" "Stay" "Hair By Mantini" "Rodeo" Lineup: Gaz Birtles, John Barrow. Notes: CD compilation featuring tracks recorded throughout the 1980s. 2012 Cheap Tricks In A Box: Dining Out Records 1979–1982 Format: CD Compilation Label: Cherry Red Records / Dining Out Catalog: TUX 23 Track 20: "Disco Laurels" Track 21: "Death Laurels" Lineup: Gary Birtles, John Barrow, Mark O'Hara, Dean Sargent. Notes: Features the band's two earliest archival tracks recorded during their initial sessions for the Dining Out label.

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