The Pooh Sticks


The Pooh Sticks were a Welsh indie pop band from Swansea, Wales, primarily recording between 1988 and 1995. They were notable for their jangly melodiousness and lyrics gently mocking the indie scene of the time, such as on "On Tape", "Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution" and "I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well". The band changed direction on their 1991 U.S breakthrough The Great White Wonder, eschewing the 'twee' British indie pop sound for a more American-styled power pop sound, akin to bands such as Jellyfish and Redd Kross. Subsequent albums included Million Seller, released on 11 January 1993, considered by some power pop fans to be the band's best work, and Optimistic Fool, released on 24 April 1995, followed in this style.

Line-up

  • Steve Gregory – producer, songwriter
  • Hue Williams – vocals
Gregory and Williams invented a fictitious line-up which included:
  • Trudi Tangerine – tambourine/piano
  • Paul – guitar
  • Stephanie Bass-Drum – drums
  • Alison – bass

    Guests

  • Amelia Fletcher – vocals Orgasm, The Great White Wonder and ''Million Seller''

    Discography

Albums

  • 1988: Orgasm
  • 1990: Formula One Generation
  • 1991: The Great White Wonder
  • 1993: Million Seller
  • 1995: Optimistic Fool
  • 2014: ''Think Bubble''

    Live / compilation albums

  • 1989: Trademark of Quality
  • 1991: Multiple Orgasm
  • 1988: The Pooh Sticks
  • *First press in black/white sleeve, second press in pink/white sleeve

    Extended plays

  • 1988: ''The Encore EP''

    Singles

  • 1988: "Heartbreak"
  • 1988: "I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well"
  • 1988: "Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution"
  • 1988: "1-2-3 Red Light"
  • 1988: "On Tape"
  • 1989: "Hard On Love"
  • 1989: "The Pure Styx"
  • 1989: "Dying for It"
  • *
  • 1989: "Go Go Girl"
  • 1989: "Tonight"
  • *on Sympathy for the Record Industry
  • 1991: "Who Loves You"
  • 1991: "Young People" – A-side written by Andrew Griffiths and Hywel James of The Love Nazis
  • 1991: "Who Loves You"
  • 1991: "The Little White Wonder"
  • 1991: "Who Loves You"
  • 1992: "Could a Heart"
  • 1992: "The World Is Turning On"
  • 1995: "Cool in a Crisis"
  • 2012: "Formula One Generation"

    Compilation appearances

  • 1990: "Time to Time", Becket House
  • 1991: "Young People", Indie Top 20 Volume 13
  • 1991: "Who Loves You", My Cheree Amour
  • 1991: "True Life Hero", Revolution No. 9
  • 1993: "Jelly on a Plate", Lime Lizard
  • 1993: "On Tape", Teenbeat 50
  • 1993: "Million Seller", The Alternative Way – Everything Is Beautiful
  • 1994: "Who Loves You", I Like It If You Feel Lucky
  • 1995: "When the Night Falls", WTAG Radio Club – A Tag Recordings Sampler
  • 1998: "Soft Beds, Hard Battles", Their Sympathetic Majesties Request – A Decade of Obscurity and Obsoletes 1988–1998
  • 2000: "Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution", The Sound of Leamington Spa, Volume 1 **23-Oct-2000
  • 2004: "I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well", Rough Trade Shops – Indiepop 1
  • 2006: "On Tape", CD86 – 48 Tracks from the Birth of Indie Pop
  • 2010: "Roll Over Easy", ''Indietracks – Indiepop Compilation 2010''

    Radio sessions

  • 1988: John Peel Session
  • 1989: John Peel Session
  • 1991: Mark Goodier Session