Record Mirror

18 June 1988

Strawberry Switchblade

Slut, Brighton

It turns out that Strawberry Switchblade haven’t reformed after all, it’s just a moniker for tonight’s band. Yes, wee Rose (the girl BBC cameramen loved to do thigh close-ups of) is singing, but without Jill. The band is a pick n mix selection of various monsters from Primal Scream, Into A Circle and the Weather Prophets.

There is little to remind you of the crimson harmonies of Rose’s past, ‘Crystal Nights’ being, perhaps, a notable exception. The polka-dot dresses have gone too, tonight Rose is wearing figure-huggin’ leather trousers, bodice, jacket and probably socks. She looks like one of Madam Cyn’s party girls from ‘Personal Services’ – a real rock n roll chick.

Seeing as this band was formed especially for tonight they were extremely adept and, as they say, ‘tight’. Rose’s perverted songs were amusing and comic, considering how sweetly she sang them. I had to check twice before I could convince myself she was singing ‘Tina’s a go-go queen / Shakes her fanny like a washing machine’.

After searching for the perfect pop band for 25 years it seems a shame that, after finding them, they split up after 25 minutes. How about a comeback gig?

Johnny Dee