The Colourfield -

The Colourfield was an English sophisti-pop band that released the 1985–87 Chrysalis albums Virgins and Philistines and Deception. They featured ex-Specials and Fun Boy Three singer Terry Hall and onetime Swinging Cats guitarist–keyboardist Toby Lyons.

Members: Terry Hall (vocals, guitar), Karl Shale (bass), Toby Lyons (guitar, keyboards), Gary Dwyer (drums, 1986-87)

Formation

Terry Hall formed The Colourfield in late 1983 after his two-album stint with Fun Boy Three, an offshoot of his first band The Specials. He settled in Manchester with two fellow Coventry transplants: guitarist–keyboardist Toby Lyons and bassist Karl Shale. Lyons hailed from The Swinging Cats, which cut one 1980 single on the Specials’ 2 Tone label.

Early Singles

In January 1984, The Colourfield debuted with “The Colour Field” backed with “Sorry,” both Hall–Lyons originals.

A. “The Colour Field” (2:56)
B. “Sorry” (3:20)

In July, The Colourfield released their second single: “Take” backed with “Pushing Up the Daisies,” both Hall–Lyons originals. The 12″ contains an extra track, the Noel Harris cover “Windmills of Your Mind.”

A. “Take” (4:09)

B1. “Windmills of Your Mind” (2:57) originated as the theme to the 1968 heist film The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. British actor–singer Noel Harris sings the UK Top 10 original, written by French composer Michel Legrand with lyrics by the American husband–wife team Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

B2. “Pushing Up the Daisies” (4:03)

Virgins and Philistines

The Colourfield released their debut album, Virgins and Philistines, in April 1985 on Chrysalis.

The album contains nine originals by Terry Hall and Toby Lyons, including two pre-released sides (“Take,” “Sorry”) and the followup singles “Thinking of You” and “Castles in the Air.” Side B opens with “Hammond Song,” originated by the American sister folk trio The Roches.

Virgins and Philistines presents the trio of Hall, Lyons, and bassist Karl Shale supplemented by 10cc/Camel drummer Paul Burgess ex-Gonzalez percussionist Preston Heyman. Select tracks feature Echo & The Bunnymen drummer Pete de Freitas (“Take,” “Cruel Circus”) and Skeletal Family auxiliary vocalist Katrina Phillips (“Thinking of You”). Fiat Lux alumni Ian Nelson (brother of Bill Nelson) plays clarinet on the title track.

A1. “Thinking of You” (3:32)
A2. “Faint Hearts” (4:20)
A3. “Castles in the Air” (3:43)
A4. “Take” (4:09)
A5. “Cruel Circus” (4:02)

B1. “Hammond Song” (4:29) is a song by Margaret Roche, originated on the 1979 debut album by her sisterly trio, The Roches.
B2. “Virgins and Philistines” (3:56)
B3. “Yours Sincerely” (3:41)
B4. “Armchair Theatre” (5:02)
B5. “Sorry” (3:19)

Sessions occurred in late 1984 and early 1985 at Strawberry Studios, a Stockport facility owned beforehand by 10cc and used for contemporary albums by Durutti Column, The Smiths, The Icicle Works, and Quando Quango. The Colourfield recorded the album with veteran producer Hugh Jones, a decorated new wave soundman (Dalek I, Simple Minds, Modern English, Monsoon) who handled Virgins and Philistines ahead of titles by Carmel, Del Amitri, Stump, and Siouxsie & The Banshees.

The Colourfield first issued “Thinking of You” in January 1985 as an advance single, backed with the non-album original “My Wild Flame.” The single also appeared as a four-song double pack with an alternate ‘singalong’ “Thinking of You” and the Bobby Goldsboro cover “Little Things.”

B. “My Wild Flame” (4:20)
C. “Little Things” (2:31)

In April, “Castles In the Air” became the album’s third a-side, backed with the group-written “Your Love Was Smashing.” The double-pack release also contains an instrumental “Castles” and the ? and the Mysterians cover “I Can’t Get Enough of You Baby.”

B. “Your Love Was Smashing” (3:55)
C. “I Can’t Get Enough of You Baby” (2:21)

In North America, Chrysalis issued a twelve-song Virgins and Philistines that omits “Yours Sincerely” and “Armchair Theatre” and adds “I Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” “Your Love Was Smashing,” “The Colour Field,” and “Pushing Up the Daisies.”

The Colour Field [EP]

In January 1986, The Colourfield released a self-titled EP with three new studio tracks. The EP title, like their 1984 theme song, stylizes the name as two words.

The Colour Field presents a four-piece lineup with ex-Teardrop Explodes drummer Gary Dwyer. Side A contains three new songs by Terry Hall and Toby Lyons. Side B repeats the Virgins and Philistines tracks “Faint Hearts” and “Yours Sincerely,” the latter recorded live at Hammersmith Palais along with the earlier “Pushing Up Daisies.”

A1. “Things Could Be Beautiful” (3:24)
A2. “Frosty Morning” (4:21)
A3. “Armchair Theater” (4:58)

B1. “Faint Hearts” (3:55)
B2. “Pushing Up Daisies” (3:50)
B3. “Yours Sincerely” (3:33)

“Things Could Be Beautiful” also appeared as a standard single (b/w “Frosty Mornings”).

Deception

The Colourfield released their second album, Deception, on March 23, 1987, on Chrysalis. Terry Hall and Toby Lyons function as a duo on this release.

Deception contains eight originals by the pair, who each handle multiple sundry instruments. They include covers of Sly & The Family Stone (“Running Away”) and The Monkees (“She”).

Hall and Lyons recorded select tracks in New York with session keyboardist Gregg Mangiafico and drum programmer Sammy Merendino. “Digging It Deep” features backing vocals by Dolette McDonald and Janice Pendarvis, both recent sidewomen for Gary Myrick and Sting. Tears for Fears guitarist Roland Orzabal guests on “Running Away” and “Confession.”

A1. “Badlands” (4:47)
A2. “Running Away” (3:56) is a 1971 Sly & The Family Stone song, written by Sly Stone and Freddie Stewart and included on their fifth studio album, There’s a Riot Goin’ On. Recent covers include 1982 versions by The Raincoats and ex-Josef K frontman Paul Haig.
A3. “From Dawn to Distraction” (3:42)
A4. “Confession” (4:37)
A5. “Miss Texas 1967” (4:13)

B1. “She” (3:22) originated as the opening track on More of The Monkees, the sitcom group’s 1967 second album, written by their production team, Boyce and Hart.
B2. “Heart of America” (5:01)
B3. “Digging It Deep” (3:54)
B4. “Monkey in Winter” (5:16)
B5. “Goodbye Sun Valley” (4:42)

Sessions occurred in the winter of 1986/87 at studios in Paris (Davout) and New York City (39th St. Music). Orzabal made his contribution at Wool Hall Studio in Bath, England.

“Running Away” appeared in February 1987 as an advance single (b/w “Digging It Deep”). In July, they lifted “She” as the second single (b/w “Monkey In Winter”).

Discography: