25 YEARS OF RECORD COLLECTING: MUSICAL MEMORIES 1982 - 2007

 

16. ‘David Devant and His Spirit Wife’

 

One of the most amazing live bands ever to see in a small venue, the almost vaudeville ‘David Devant and His Spirit Wife’ blended theatrical art school performances with spiky indie tunes. In fact, people who just stayed at home listening to their music on CD missed something very special, as to catch them live, like I did on many occasions, was one of the most satisfying live band experiences you could have. Leading the group was the ‘be-quiffed’ singer ‘The Vessel’ whose shadow would be first seen by the audience back lit onto a screen placed in front of him. Once bursting out of the screen ‘the Vessel would sing songs such as ‘This Could Be Real’ whilst around him film stock would be projected on the venue’s dark walls (a la ‘the Human League’ and their slide show) and props would be brought on and utilised to illustrate the theme of the song. All in all, one of the most inventive bands you could ever see live, and with songs like ‘Ginger’, a great band to sing along to if you happened to be in an indie club with only a DJ providing the sounds.

 

 

25 YEARS OF RECORD COLLECTING: MUSICAL MEMORIES 1982 - 2007

 

I bought "Pimlico" and "Ginger". They were good singles.

 

Mark & Lard played "Ginger" on Radio 1 a few times I seem to recall.

Great show, I used to listen to them religiously back in the mid 1990s, those were the days, the days of ‘Halon Menswear’ and “Bigidy Bigidy Bong”.

You should go on the Biggedybong forum.

 

Lots of like-minded people on there :D

 

http://www.biggedybong.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi

I worked with the Devants as their record plugger, it was me who got them single of the week on Mark and Lard! We aslo did some TV. The Devants were one of the best live bands I've seen, just fantastic, they should've been massive. Check out the first album.

I think they have reformed, but I do not know if they are as theatrical as they used to be.