The Pooh Sticks –
Straight Up Noise Pollution C88-89
(Vinyl / CD
Optic Nerve Records
look here https://opticnerverecordings.com

Despite my being from Swansea, The Pooh Sticks were always a bit of a mystery to me. And maybe to everyone else too. Who knows?

Also hailing from Swansea, they claimed to be a a jangly milkshake pop band. But did they really exist, or were they an elaborate swindle, perhaps created by the svengalis of Fierce Recordings? Were they 'serious' (whatever that means in terms of pop groups), or just a ridiculous post modern kamikaze hoax joke at the expense of the overly nice and excessively fringed twee ultra indierati? “Deeply ironical or tranked-up (sic) sapheads” as Melody Maker put it, equally clumsily? And did they really know someone who knew someone who knew Alan McGee quite well?

Who knows?

Exiled as I was in mediaeval Old York, and seeing as the band seemed to play live only in twentieth century New York, the only way I had to answer such questions was through the faithless music press, the faithful John Peel or via my worn copy of Orgasm, no doubt bought at Red Rhino Records.

And, with their back catalogue not being drearily 'digitalised' and their honest history unwritten, this was as much as I knew for over 30 years.

Until now.

Optic Nerve have released this rather wonderful compilation 'Straight Up: Noise Pollution C88-90’ which, according to tambourinist / publicist / historian / hologram Trudi is “a selection of some of the most loved/despised/ignored tracks released by The Pooh Sticks on however many records it was before it all went wilfully ‘American’ sometime around dotted-line’ing for BMG mega-corp in 1991”.

And it's all a bit of an eye opener.

Away from the 'live' sound of Orgasm, The Pooh Sticks are at times far more ramshackle, far more anorak, far more C86 indie pop, than I ever expected. And simultaneously, far more accomplished, far better song writers and yes, far more ‘mellifluous’, to use a word bandied around in the 2023 press release. Proper punka melodies, hooky hooks, harmonies and even some wah wah guitar and something that might possibly be a wurlitzer... who knows?

The songs maybe old, but they gyrate off the grooves with new life, sounding fresh, urgent and lovely, packing a punch in all the perfectly painful pop places. Clearly in love with the rock'n'roll, its legends and its magic, The Pooh Sticks combined their obvious influences and infatuations with a mysterious secret ingredient to create something that sounded new, arresting and vital back then, and is still ear catching, engrossing and exciting back now.

A lot of these tracks first appeared on very limited vinyl pressings, and this compilation maybe your first chance to possess them on shiny CD or “Steve McQueen’s- eyes blue vinyl”. Included are some of the early singles which you've probably only read about, recorded on ancient tape machine track in a furry Swansea basement after a drunken determination to form a band at Bristol Temple Meads station. These sit shyly side by side with with tracks from Orgasm, 'Formula One Generation' and a cover of The Vaselines 'Dying for It'.

And it is all beautifully preserved in a gatefold sleeve with reproduction Pastel poster and notes by 'Trudi'; how accurate these are, who knows?

After the songs on this record, The Pooh Sticks went on to sign to a major label, upset John Peel, be massive in USA and Japan, and changed the history of rock'n'roll.

Possibly.

Who knows?

What I do know is that I've loved playing this record, loved catching up on what I missed and loved the way the songs have effortlessly burrowed back into my heart.

Hopefully, Straight Up Noise Pollution will stand up alongside Orgasm, and keep me intrigued, amazed and amused for the next 30 years.

Who knows?

Rosey R*E*P*E*A*T

https://opticnerverecordings.com

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