Sunday Post

16 December 1984

Rob Scott’s Review

THANKS TO THAT BAN ON PUNK MUSIC

Fans of Howard Jones are in for an extra treat on his only Scottish date at Glasgow Apollo on Thursday.

Support act on the tour are local lasses, Strawberry Switchblade. It’s their first home-town date for two years.

Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall first met at a punk disco in Paisley when a ban on the music by Glasgow District meant fans had to travel out of town to see their favourites.

By 1981 it seemed all their friends were in bands – so they decided they might as well form one themselves.

They got a publishing deal with Liverpool-based company, ‘Zoo’, and a year ago Jill and Rose moved to London in search of a recording contract.

Now their second single, ‘Since Yesterday’ (WEA) is giving them their first taste of chart success and an album, simply called ‘Strawberry Switchblade’, will be released in February.

And the Howard Jones connection?

‘We met in the studio where he was recording,’ Jill tells me. ‘Howard wanted us on the tour because we’re vegetarian and so is he – and all his road crew!’

P.S. I hear the next single will be a cover of Dolly Parton’s C. & W. hit, ‘Jolene.’

We’re grateful to the generous people at Zounds Abound for finding us this article. They do such a brilliant job of trawling vintage newspapers for music articles that people want to read today. They’re raising funds and awareness for Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of their son Noah. You can read about Noah, the care the Trust enabled him to have, and make a donation here.