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The Beautiful South


In high school, I discovered a brilliant UK band called The Housemartins. They released a few albums and then broke up. Two members of The Housemartins formed a new group called The Beautiful South. Their debut release is one of the best albums ever - I was hooked. In 1990, while on tour for their 3rd album, I saw The Beautiful South live and partied with them after the show. While talking with the band's bass player, Sean Welch, I brought up the idea of creating an information service for American fans. He thought it was a great idea and sent me a huge package of stuff after returning to England. I created PUMPKIN SEEDS as the band's official North American information service. Over the next seven years, I published several newsletters and supplied hundreds of fans with CDs, shirts, pins, hats and other UK-only items that were tough to come by in America.
I traveled to London in the summer of '95 to catch the band at The Fleadh Festival. While in London, I visited Briana Corrigan, the band's former female singer. She was in the studio recording her solo debut and managed to take a break long enough for us to have drinks at a nearby pub. After the concert, I joined Sean Welch, his wife and daughter for the trip up north to Hull where the band is based. I liked Hull quite a bit and Sean gave me the grand tour, including a stop at the band's pub of choice, The Mainbrace (apparently The Grafton was out). After two days in Hull, I thanked Sean for his hospitality and hopped a train back to London.
In the fall of 1995, I joined the band on a ten day, nine-city mini-tour of America. Starting off in Atlanta (my first visit to my future home), we proceeded to lurch across the country and into Canada where I met up with Isabelle again. During this time, I cannot recall more than three actual meals and less than 100 gin & tonics. In Washington, I met a fabulously beautiful girl at The 930 Club. We saw each other again in New York City and Chicago - what a tour! The band usually has a female singer with them on the road. However, Jacqui was pregnant at the time and could not travel, so every night was boy’s night out. I highly recommend touring with a rock band at least once in your life.
UK '95

BRIANA

HULL

US '95





UK '95 - these are various shots I took from the press pit at The Fleadh Festival


BRIANA - the lovely Briana in the studio with myself, her manager and producer, Mike Hedges


HULL - a few of the pictures I took in Hull. The last picture is Sean Welch and daughter, Ruby


'95 US TOUR - I managed to snap a few photos during brief moments of sobriety. I rather like the photos of Jennifer, bothering a cop in NYC and that great on-stage shot in Toronto (the RED one).


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