View source for Strawberry Switchblade

{{Short description|Scottish pop duo}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = Strawberry Switchblade
| image             = Strawberry Switchblade.JPG
| caption           = Strawberry Switchblade:<br/>[[Rose McDowall]] (left) and Jill Bryson (right).
| image_size        = 
| background        = group_or_band
| origin            = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| genre             = {{flatlist|
*[[New wave music|New wave]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/07/01/strawberry-switchblade-rose-mcdowall-cut-with-the-cake-knife-sacred-bones|title=Strawberry Switchblade's Rose McDowall Unveils Long-Lost New Wave Gem|website=[[The FADER]]}}</ref>
*[[Pop music|pop]]<ref name=Allmusic>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r223177}} Strawberry Switchblade Album review [[AllMusic]].</ref>
}}
| years_active      = 1981–1986
| label             = [[Warner Bros. Records|WEA]], [[Korova (record label)|Korova]]
| website           = 
| past_members      = [[Rose McDowall]]<br />Jill Bryson<br />Janice Goodlett<br />Carole McGowan
}}
'''Strawberry Switchblade''' were a Scottish [[pop music|pop]] duo formed in [[Glasgow]] in 1981 by [[Rose McDowall]] and Jill Bryson best known for their song "[[Since Yesterday]]" from 1985, and their flamboyant clothing with bows and polka-dots.<ref>Paul Lester, "Cult heroes: Strawberry Switchblade – the clue was in the name". The Guardian, Tuesday 14 April 2015 [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/14/cult-heroes-strawberry-switchblade-the-clue-was-in-the-name]</ref>

==History==

=== '''Early life and musical influences''' ===
Strawberry Switchblade emerged from the meeting between Rose McDowall and Jill Bryson within the Glasgow [[Punk subculture|punk scene]] in the late 1970s. 

According to some interviews<ref>{{Cite web |last=merrickcork@gmail.com |date=2024-03-11 |title=Interview Highlights |url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/interview-highlights/ |access-date=2025-11-19 |website=Strawberry Switchblade |language=en-GB}}</ref>, Rose grew up surrounded by various music genres of the 1960s thanks to her sisters, developing a particular interest in psychedelic harmonies and was inspired by the work of [[Lou Reed]] and [[The Velvet Underground]]. Her introduction to songwriting came after a concert at Glasgow Apollo, during a Stiff Records’ tour that included the [[Ramones]]: the energy of the show made her consider forming a band herself. Jill, on the other hand, attended the Glasgow School of Art, where she took up photography, film and painting. She got involved in the punk scene at a very young age, in 1977, when the movement was still very small in the city.   These two met in this setting and became part of a group of  young people recognisable for their punk aesthetic. Jill mentioned later how Rose used to work in a bakery where local punks hung out and how she got fired for dying her hair blue. 

=== Origin of the name ''Strawberry Switchblade'' ===
The name of the band is attributed to James Kirk from [[Orange Juice (band)|Orange Juice]]: initially intended for a fanzine, the name was handed to Rose, who decided to form a band as she believed the title was too catchy to be unused. Also Jil was close to Orange Juice, whose members encouraged her to take part in the project and record demos together.

=== Before being signed ===
The [[Punk rock|punk movement]] expanded rapidly in the United Kingdom in 1976. At the time, McDowall and Bryson were part of the [[Bohemianism|bohemian]] art scene who adored the [[New York Dolls]] and who followed Scottish punk band Nu-Sonics (later [[Orange Juice (band)|Orange Juice]]) during their career, with McDowall playing and recording with [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]] punk band The Poems.<ref name="strawberryswitchblade.net">{{cite web |url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/strawberry-switchblade-personal-history-alistair-fitchett/ |title=Strawberry Switchblade A Personal History by Alistair Fitchett, 1994 |access-date=2024-10-25| df=dmy-all }}</ref> The group took their name from a proposed Orange Juice zine.

The female four-piece recorded one demo at Glasgow's Hellfire Club and played a handful of gigs. Janice Goodlett and Carole McGowan completed the line up on bass and drums respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roughtrade.com/music/1982-4-piece-demo|title=1982 4 Piece Demo|website=Rough Trade|accessdate=27 January 2018}}</ref>

Strawberry Switchblade played at a [[John Peel]] gig in Scotland, and he invited them to record a session for his [[BBC Radio 1]] show in October 1982.<ref name="peel">{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/s/strawberryswitch/ |title=BBC – Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – Strawberry Switchblade|publisher=BBC|accessdate=26 May 2011}}</ref> They also recorded a session for [[David Jensen]]'s Radio 1 show three days later. On both sessions the band were augmented by James Kirk from Orange Juice on bass and Shahid Sarwar from The Recognitions on drums.

===Early days making records===
The sessions were heard by [[Bill Drummond]] ([[Scotland|Scottish]] musician) and [[David Balfe]], manager and keyboard player with the recently defunct [[The Teardrop Explodes]]. They signed the band to their publishing label, Zoo Music (in partnership with Warner Bros Music). David Balfe then went on to become the group's manager.<ref name="drummond">{{cite web | url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/bill-drummond-interview/ |title=Bill Drummond (manager / A&R) interview 26 April 2003 |publisher=StrawberrySwitchblade.net |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref>

Strawberry Switchblade's first single, "[[Trees and Flowers]]", was released in July 1983 through 92 Happy Customers, an independent record label run by [[Will Sergeant]] from [[Echo & The Bunnymen]],<ref name="drummond" /> and sold over 10,000 copies. ''[[Smash Hits]]'' reviewer Peter Martin praised the "deliciously sad and reflective vocals over some luxuriantly delicate music", and deemed it an "immediate classic".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Singles |author=Martin, Peter |magazine=Smash Hits 4-17 August 1983 |page=21 }}</ref> It was featured at number 47 in John Peel's 1983 Festive 50.<ref name= "peel" /> "Trees and Flowers" was written by Bryson about her anxiety disorder, [[agoraphobia]].<ref name="strawberryswitchblade.net"/> It featured [[Roddy Frame]] of [[Aztec Camera]] on guitar and was produced by Bill Drummond.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-27 |title=45 at 33: Strawberry Switchblade's Since Yesterday + the time they giggled about Prince to a Pet Shop Boy |url=https://www.stevepafford.com/sswitchblade/ |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=Steve Pafford |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Drummond, who'd begun to work as A&R for WEA, signed the band to [[Warner Music Group]] subsidiary [[Korova (record label)|Korova]] in 1983. They got a full backing band with whom they toured and began recording an album with producer [[Robin Millar (producer)|Robin Millar]]. However, at the record company's behest, they reverted to the duo of McDowall and Bryson and for production duties they hired David Motion, who would soon go on to produce hits for [[Red Box (band)|Red Box]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/interviews-by-topic/#13-recording-album |title=Strawberry Switchblade – Interviews by topic 13 - Recording the album |publisher=StrawberrySwitchblade.net |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref>

==="Since Yesterday"===
In late 1984 their second single, "[[Since Yesterday]]", was released. Having been given a large marketing push over the festive period, it became a UK top ten hit in early 1985, peaking at number 5, and also met with success in [[Europe]] and [[Japan]].

Their [[cover version]] of "Sunday Morning" (originally by [[Velvet Underground]]) was released as an extra track on the [[12"]] of "Since Yesterday". It was not included on any of the Strawberry Switchblade albums.

The track's opening fanfare comes from the third and final movement of [[Sibelius]]'s [[Symphony No. 5 (Sibelius)|Symphony No. 5]].

===Later records===
[[File:Jill Bryson 1st May 2012.jpg|thumb|upright|Bryson in 2012]]
In March 1985, they released their next single, "Let Her Go".

Following the release of their eponymous album in April, in May 1985 they released a further single, the ballad "Who Knows What Love Is",<ref name="singles">{{cite web |url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/singles/ |title=Strawberry Switchblade – singles |publisher=StrawberrySwitchblade.net |access-date=25 October 2011}}</ref> one of two tracks on the album produced by [[Phil Thornalley]] of [[The Cure]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/interviews-by-topic/#16-recording-album-iv |title=Strawberry Switchblade - Interviews by topic 16 - Recording the album iv|publisher=StrawberrySwitchblade.net |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref>

Their fifth single, an electro-pop cover of [[Dolly Parton]]'s "[[Jolene (song)|Jolene]]", was issued in September 1985 in the UK and Japan.<ref name="singles" />

In 1985, they also provided vocals for an "alien funeral preocession" in ''Rigel 9'', a "space opera" project by [[David Bedford]] (music) and [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] (lyrics).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Josh |date=24 January 2018 |title=Hear Ursula K. Le Guin’s Space Rock Opera ''Rigel 9'': A Rare Recording from 1985 |url=https://www.openculture.com/2018/01/hear-ursula-k-le-guins-sweeping-musical-space-opera-rigel-9-1985.html |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Open Culture}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Giaimo |first=Cara |date=24 January 2018 |title=Listen to Ursula K. Le Guin’s Little-Known Space Opera |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ursula-le-guin-forgotten-space-opera-david-bedford |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Atlas Obscura}}</ref>

Although their commercial success had waned in the UK, they remained popular in Japan and two later singles, "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" and "I Can Feel", were only issued in that country.<ref name="singles" /> The second of these only featured McDowall as by this time, the partnership had drifted apart. By early 1986, the group had disbanded.

In December 2005, Warner Bros. Platinum Records released a career retrospective of the band, made up of sixteen different tracks from various recordings on one compact disc. It included one previously unreleased track, a demo version of "I Can Feel".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://strawberryswitchblade.net/albums/ | title=Strawberry Switchblade Albums |publisher=StrawberrySwitchblade.net |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref>

The band's earliest studio recordings, three songs recorded in 1982 when they were still a quartet was released as a limited edition 7" EP in January 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nightschoolrecords.com/product/1982-4%e2%80%8b-%e2%80%8bpiece-demo/ |title=1982 4-Piece Demo Strawberry Switchblade |publisher=Night School Records |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref> The version of "Trees and Flowers" on the EP proved very popular on the social media app [[TikTok]], and it has become the band's most popular track on music on [[Spotify]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/4z5NjzIMyaQC4dPxxzxF6e |title=Strawberry Switchblade |publisher=Spotify |accessdate=25 October 2024}}</ref>

===Solo work===
McDowall continued in music, playing with many [[neofolk]] bands and performing in and around Glasgow, alongside old and new friends associated with her current representation, Night School Records, including Michael Kasparis, cellist Jo Quail, and McDowall’s son Bobi Lee. In 2018-2019, McDowall and Shawn Pinchbeck provided the soundtrack for the film ''[[Far From the Apple Tree]]''.

In July 2013, after a break of almost 30 years from music, Bryson returned to songwriting in a new band called The Shapists (named after the fictitious art movement in the film ''[[The Rebel (1961 film)|The Rebel]]''), that includes her daughter Jessie Frost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jillbryson.com/blog/?p=467|title=New music - Jill Bryson's blog and news|website=Jillbryson.com|accessdate=27 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theshapists.co.uk/|title=THE SHAPISTS HOME|website=Theshapists.co.uk|accessdate=27 January 2018}}</ref>

==Band members==
'''Former members'''
*[[Rose McDowall]] – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1981–1986)
*Jill Bryson – backing vocals, lead guitar (1981–1986)
*Janice Goodlett – bass (1981–1982)
*Carole McGowan – drums (1981–1982)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roughtrade.com/music/1982-4-piece-demo|title=1982 4 Piece Demo|website=Rough Trade|accessdate=27 January 2018}}</ref>

== Discography ==
{{Infobox artist discography
| Artist       = Strawberry Switchblade
| Image        = 
| Caption      = 
| Alt          = 
| Studio       = 1
| Live         = 
| Compilation  = 2
| Video        = 
| Music videos = 4
| Tribute      = 
| EP           = 1
| Singles      = 10
| B-sides      = 13
| Soundtrack   = 
}}

The discography of Strawberry Switchblade consists of one studio album, two compilation albums, one extended play, seven singles, thirteen b-sides and four music videos.

===Studio album===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Album details
!colspan="2"| Chart positions
|-
!width="30"|<small>[[UK Albums Chart|UK]]</small><ref name=chartstats>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/|title=The Official Charts Company – Strawberry Switchblade|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|accessdate=9 November 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited 
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 535}}</ref>
!width="30"|<small>[[Oricon|JP]]</small>
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1985
|align="left"| ''[[Strawberry Switchblade (album)|Strawberry Switchblade]]''
*Released: April 1985 <small>(expanded edition released in Japan, 1997)</small>
*Label: [[Korova (record label)|Korova]] / [[Warner Music Group|WEA]]
| 25
| 39
|-
|}

===Compilation albums===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
! rowspan="1"| Year
! rowspan="1"| Album details
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1985
|align="left"| ''The 12" Album''
*Released: 28 November 1985 <small>(originally Japan only, issued on CD in Canada, 1995)</small>
*Label: Warner-Pioneer Corporation
|-
| rowspan="1"| 2005
|align="left"| ''The Platinum Collection''
*Released: 12 December 2005
*Label: Warner Platinum
|}

===Extended plays===
* ''1982 4-Piece Demo'' (2017), Night School

===Singles ===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Title
!rowspan="2"|Album
!colspan="5"|Chart positions
|-
!width="30"|<small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small> <br /><ref name=chartstats/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>
!width="30"|<small>[[UK Independent Chart|UK Indie]]</small> <br /><ref name=cherryred>{{cite web| url=http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/s.htm| title=Indie Hits "S"| publisher=Cherry Red Records| access-date=9 November 2009| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125645/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/s.htm| archive-date=6 June 2011| df=dmy-all}}</ref>
!width="30"|<small>[[Irish Singles Chart|IE]]</small> <br /><ref name=Irishcharts>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/| title=The Irish Charts – All there is to know| publisher= IRMA 2006 – 2008| accessdate=9 November 2009}}</ref>
!width="30"|<small>[[Oricon|JP]]</small>
!width="30"|<small>[[Single Top 100|NL]]</small> <br /><ref name=dutchcharts>{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Strawberry+Switchblade&titel=Since+Yesterday&cat=s| title=dutchcharts.nl – Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday| publisher= 2006-2009 Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.| accessdate=10 November 2009}}</ref>
|-
| 1983
|align=left| "[[Trees and Flowers]]"
|align=left| —
| –
| 3
| –
| –
| –
|-
| 1984
|align=left| "[[Since Yesterday]]"
Promotional [[Flexi disc|flexi-disc]] previewing the album
|align=left rowspan="3"| ''Strawberry Switchblade''
| 5
| –
| 6
| –
| 24
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1985
|align=left| "[[Let Her Go (Strawberry Switchblade song)|Let Her Go]]"
| 59
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
|align=left| "Who Knows What Love Is?"
| 84
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
|align=left| "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" <small>(released in Japan only)</small>
|align=left| ''The 12" Album''
| –
| –
| –
| 71
| –
|-
|align=left| "[[Jolene (song)|Jolene]]"
|align=left rowspan="2"| —
| 53
| –
| –
| 90
| –
|-
| 1986
|align=left| "Beautiful End" <small>(released in the Philippines only)</small>
"I Can Feel" <small>(released in Japan only)</small>
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
|-
|2017
| align="left" |"1982 4-Piece demo"
| align="left" |
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|colspan="8" style="font-size: 8pt"| "–" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|-
|}

===B-sides===
* "Go Away" (1983) <small>(B-side of "Trees and Flowers")</small>
* "Trees and Flowers (Just Music)" (1983) <small>(B-side of "Trees and Flowers")</small>
* "By the Sea" (1984) <small>(B-side of "Since Yesterday")</small>
* "[[Sunday Morning (The Velvet Underground song)|Sunday Morning]]" (1984) <small>(B-side of "Since Yesterday")</small>
* "Beautiful End" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Let Her Go")</small>
* "Michael Who Walks by Night" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Let Her Go")</small>
* "Poor Hearts" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Who Knows What Love Is?")</small>
* "Let Her Go (Kitchensynch Mix-Up)" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Who Knows What Love Is?")</small>
* "Being Cold" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Jolene" and "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)")</small>
* "Black Taxi" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Jolene")</small>
* "[[Jolene (song)|Jolene]] (Extended Mix)" (1985) <small>(B-side of "Jolene")</small>
* "Since Yesterday (Extended Mix)" (1986) <small>(B-side of "I Can Feel")</small>

===Music videos===
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Year
!width="300"| Title
!width="140"| Director
|-
|1984
| "Since Yesterday"
|rowspan=3| [[Tim Pope]]
|-
|rowspan=4|1985
| "Let Her Go"
|-
| "Who Knows What Love Is?"
|-
| "[[Jolene (song)|Jolene]]"
|-
|"Michael Who Walks By Night" (unreleased) 
|-
|}

===Compilation appearance===
* "Dark 7" on ''[[Scared to Get Happy: A Story of Indie-Pop 1980–1989]]'' (2013), [[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strawberry Switchblade}}
[[Category:Scottish girl groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1981]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1986]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Scottish musical duos]]
[[Category:Scottish new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:Scottish pop music groups]]
[[Category:British new wave girl groups]]
[[Category:Female musical duos]]
[[Category:New wave duos]]
[[Category:1981 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:1986 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Warner Music Group artists]]
[[Category:All-female electronic bands]]
[[Category:Scottish all-female bands]]
[[Category:All-female pop bands]]
[[Category:Female-fronted musical groups]]