ARTIST: Dubious Brothers
TITLE: Absolute Bethlehem 1st press

PRODUCT INFO: 1987 LP Vinyl On 'Fend For Yourself' Records. The Dubious Brothers were a UK band operating largely between 1986 and 1990 in and around the Leamington Spa (UK) area. Their music was often based around music hall, light jazz and traditional dance genres, but used sampling heavily to create a more orchestral sound. Composers Erik Satie and Kurt Weill were also a strong influence.

In contrast to the backward-looking music, the lyrics were normally current political satire. The British establishment were mercilessly mocked, and often those opposing them too. With "The Dog Ate My Poll Tax Form" it's clear who was in the wrong, but "What a lovely day for a Hunt Sabotage" is slightly more ambigous. An audience of several hundred university students dancing a rhumba made sense when they were also singing "South America welcomes the Nazis". Other themes included the mundanity of middle class life and the frustrations of broken dream.

The core of the band was a five-piece - vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, but they were augmented by two dancers dressed in surgeon's gowns and masks who would also operate various dadaist machines on stage. The main band were dressed as various establishment throwbacks - WWII pilots and airmen, undertakers in frockcoats etc.

The band were hugely popular at the University of Warwick where they were treated as returning gods after every gig. But with limited popularity elsewhere, they disbanded in the early 1990s.

TRACKLISTING:

SIDE 1 1. An Englishman's Home Is His Toilet 2. Martin Peters 3. Falling Masonry 4. Brittania's Grand Machine 5. Easter Egg Remains SIDE 2 1. South America Welcomes The Nazis 2. Life With The Misfits 3. Oh! Mother Borden 4. Absolute Bethlehem 5. Could Have Been

CAT.NO: FFY 008

LABEL: Fend For Yourself

YEAR: 1987

CONDITION:-
Vinyl Side 1: Ex+
Vinyl Side 2: Ex-
Sleeve: VG+