Frank Martin (vocals), Bob Parker (guitar), Martin Dempsey (bass), and John Neesam (drums) had met while students at Liverpool Art School in 1984, and formed a band called The Mel-o-Tones, releasing a mini-album and an EP on Liverpool label Probe Plus. After appearing as The Corinthians for a few months, and following Dempsey's departure, they recorded a seven-track demo, and decided on another change of name to Walkingseeds. Still signed to Probe Plus, they released their debut single in June 1986, with the sound of the 'Know Too Much' EP being characterised as "psychedelic grunge". When Neesam departed, the others drafted in former Marshmallow Overcoat guitarist Barry Sutton and drummer Tony Mogan. After the 'Mark Chapman' single on their own Moral Burro label, they returned to Probe Plus with their 1987 debut album, 'Skullfuck', with the title being influenced by a Grateful Dead album cover, and the album was later cited by Nirvana's Kurt Cobain as an influence. The band worked with Kramer on their second album, 'Upwind Of Disaster, Downwind Of Atonement', which was released on Glass Records in 1989, after which Sutton departed to join The La's and was replaced by Andy Rowan for the 'Shaved Beatnik' EP. When he left, the band drafted in Nick Saloman (aka The Bevis Frond) and brought in Lee Webster as a replacement for Rowan.
The 'Sensory Deprivation Chamber Quartet Dwarf' mini-album followed in 1989, and was their last release for Glass, following the closure of the label. They then recorded 'Gates Of Freedom' for new label Paperhouse Records, which included a b-side cover version of Pink Floyd's 'Astronomy Dominé', and this coincided with their next album, 'Bad Orb, Whirling Ball', a more considered but still aggressively garage-like effort. They tore through Bevis Frond’s 'Reflections In A Tall Mirror', backed by his interpretation of the band's 'Sexorcist' on a split single, but by this point the band were despondent about their lack of success, despite recruiting ex-Dinosaur Jr guitarist Don Fleming. A swan-song was offered in 'Earth Is Hell' on the Snakeskin label, housing live material recorded in Germany earlier that year, but the band disintegrated when Parker and Mogan set up The Del-Bloods, and issued the 'Black Rabbit' EP in 1991. The pair also surfaced in White Bitch for 'Animal Woman', and teamed up with Martin for Batloaf's 'Meat Out Of Hell' parody project. In their prime Walkingseeds proffered a fusion that combines the swirling, distorted guitars and raw intensity of 1960's psychedelia with the abrasive aggression of 1980's alternative rock, and if that appeals then give this collection of some of their best work a listen.
Track listing
01 28If (from 'Upwind Of Disaster, Downwind Of Atonement' 1989)
02 Gates of Freedom (from 'Bad Orb, Whirling Ball' 1990)
03 Marque Chapman (from John Peel session 1987)
04 Hairy Who? (from 'Dwarf L.P.' 1989)
05 Kill Kill, Kill For Inner Peace (from 'Skullfuck' 1987)
06 He Said She Said (from 'Bad Orb, Whirling Ball' 1990)
07 Ocean Drain (from 'Upwind Of Disaster, Downwind Of Atonement' 1989)
08 Reflections In A Tall Mirror (from the split single with Bevis Frond 1989)
09 Obeying The Law (from 'Skullfuck' 1987)
10 Broken Cup (from 'Bad Orb, Whirling Ball' 1990)
11 Imperius, Vain, Selfish & Willfull (from 'Upwind Of Disaster, Downwind Of Atonement' 1989)
12 Can't Seem To Figure It Out (from 'Dwarf L.P.' 1989)
13 Peter’s Trip (from 'Bad Orb, Whirling Ball' 1990)
14 Night Of The Long Grass (from The Troggs tribute album 'Groin Thunder' 1992)
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