Monday 14 May 2012

From the Top Drawer XXXVIII - The History Of Gardening


Right, I have no knowledge of this band at all other than what I've found posted underneath a video on YouTube. I have no recollection of ever buying this tape either, though I suspect I may have ordered it as a random 'lucky dip' tape from Better Days Distribution when sending off for something else. I thought for years that the name of the band might actually be 'Duck' 'cos that's what it said on the artwork, but it turns out that they were called 'The History Of Gardening' and produced more than one tape during their existence (I only have this one, their third). All I can add is that THOG have a particularly idiosyncratic sound, if U know wot I mean...
'The History of Gardening was a strange little band from East London. They had a revolving and revolting, constantly changing line up of oiks, spotty Herbert's, vagabonds, itinerants, Zeppelin pilots, visionary seers, reefer mystics and the odd person who could play an instrument. A total lack of any ability didn't hold them back from under achieving in the dark underbelly that was the underground, alternative music scene under the bleak, miserable existence that was Thatchers Britain. From 1984 till the early 90's they inflicted upon culture their strange unholy ditties and bizarre tunes. They played regularly all over London mainly for free and benefits for worthy causes. They were more or less the house band for the Bikers pub The Greyhound in Lea Bridge Rd ( why the bikers put up with them we shall never know ) and played dozens of times at the Ruskin Arms, The Plough and Harrow and The Royal Standard in Walthamstow amongst other dives where the landlords didn't have a strict dress code and no sense of smell. They played often with the old Anarcho Punk band The Assassins of Hope, and later Swine and also members of THOG were also key elements in the unique band Bunty Chunks...but since the only people who will read this are the band themselves this is all rather pointless as you know all that, don't you? By the mid 90's the band retreated to a commune in Papua New Guinea to raise Llamas and soon after all contact with them was lost... Culture, common decency and good taste all breathed a sigh of relief with their departure from the music world.'
 from the YouTube page for the track 'Shake Me And I Giggle' which is on the 'Duck' tape.


OK, now you've had a taster, and if you want to dip your organs further into the Duck soup, here we go...


Ripped @320kbps as two side-long tracks (no info or track names given on the artwork)
 - UPDATE -
please take a look at the comments posted below as Tony has supplied much new info there

Download HERE