Sunday, October 28, 2012

Dutiful Daughters - A Superfluity of Nuns


Here's a wonderful band I don't know much about
so feel free to fill in the gaps . Jeff  a blog reader from 
Brisbane who now lives in Canada and is on holidays 
here now, dropped of a heap of records and cds
this morning that had been at a friends place.
He was keen to hear this ep again so I have digitalized
it first. This is dreamy indi pop, female vocals,
wonderful melodies,
with that late 80's ups and downs guitar sound.
Thanks Jeff!




10 comments:

Peter said...

Hey Bob
this is a great record, I have a copy on vinyl somewhere. I think I got it because of the Atkinson brothers connection.

Can I shamelessly promote my Aussie indie podcast which is now into its second year called 'Wide Open Road'...you can find it at http://www.fabricationdebruit.com/wideopenroad
keep up the good work
Peter

restaurantpuppy said...

this music is very dear to my heart. merci.

Anonymous said...

THANKS SO MUCH
I met them when i was in australia in 1989
so so souvenirs !!!!

Anonymous said...

hey Bob,
A little time has passed since you posted this but still. ...
Carolyn Polley was half of Dutiful Daughters (formerly of Toys Went Berserk and later of Big Heavy Stuff.) I'm afraid I can't remember the other half of the duo (wherever you are I'm sorry!) though I think this was their only release. I seem to remember it was produced by the band and Greg and Darren Atkinson, formerly of Brisbane band Ups & Downs.
It's a ripper of an EP and still sounds great after all this time.

duxextra said...

the other half, as i understand it, was Alannah Russack from The Hummingbirds

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone, I can help with some info about the Dutiful Daughters.

Formed in Sydney in the late Eighties.

Karen Banks - guitar, voice
Carolyn Polley - guitar, voice
Darren Jones - bass

A Superfluity of Nuns EP had four songs:

Cleaner's Wife and Feigning Fade - written and sung by Carolyn.
January and Graves - written and sung by Karen.

It was produced by Greg and Darren Atkinson and Trevor O'Neill (Ups and Downs), who also played on the EP: Darren played drums on all tracks, Greg provided background vocals (you can hear him in the coda on January), and Trevor provided some keyboard parts.

I played drums with the band on some live dates in the aftermath of the EPs release. I still love their material, and it's a shame the band didnt go on to better things. Legendary BBC DJ John Peel posted a clip of January on YouTube a few years back.

Cheers,
Greg Iselin (ex Scrap Metal, Ducks In Formation, Peso Kim).

Julian said...

Wow interesting to see this post. The above information is correct, although I thought Darren Atkinson sang the answer vocal on January. The recording was made at the long defunct Sun Studios in Sydney.

I played bass in the band for many of the live shows. Darren Jones left the band soon after the recording was made. At the time, Stu Eadie (humdingers, clouds, died pretty, karma county) was playing drums. Greg, when did you play? Was it before Stu?

The whole band only lasted about 18 months from recording to disbandment. There was solid airplay from tripleJ and I remember quite a few sold out shows. There was a buzz, but as happens, young bands end up not getting on with each other and imploding.

The John Peel show clip was posted by a fan who must have had it on a cassette somewhere. The record label was financed by a business guy from outside the music industry (can't recall his name), but essentially he fronted up to the BBC Maida Vale studios where Peel used to record his shows and Peel came out to meet him and accept the copy of the EP. He then played it on his show, although mistakenly said the band were from New Zealand.

Julian Knowles (Even As We Speak, Shrinking Violets, Dutiful Daughters)

Laszlo F. said...

The record label, Dislocation Records was financed by my old friend, Paul Riley who gave John Peel a copy of the EP on one of his overseas trips. I was involved with the label to a lesser degree and recall picking up a few boxloads of the EP from the EMI pressing plant which I think was in North Strathfield. I recall that the EP reached about no. 9 on the independent music charts subsequent to its release "Cleaner's Wife" received a decent amount of airplay on Double J in Sydney before it became a national broadcaster.

Preparations were underway to record a second four track EP but sadly creative differences led to the dissolution of the band before that could happen.

Dislocation's only other release was another 4 track EP by the Templebears "These Days".

I still have a boxful of the Dutiful Daughters EP at home. They are in pristine condition and no needle has ever hit their grooves. If anyone is interested in acquiring a copy post a reply.

Unknown said...

If this offer is still valid I would love one. I did own a copy and saw them live at the Lansdowne in 1990 I think but I've misplaced it after moving about a dozen times since.
I live in Sydney if that makes it easy??

Unknown said...

Ock here from The D'Agulars, Sth East Qld, Just attempting to clean up for the 3rd time, and I think I got it, this great recording. Wish I had seen this blog a couple of years back. what a great group, lovely vocals, great numbers, one of those groups you wished would have continued to record. cheers.