Biography
The Pumpkin Fairies (formed 1988) were a short-lived band by future Slowdive (and later, Mojave 3) members Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell, Nick Chaplin, and Adrian Sell.
Goswell and her friend, Alison, wanted to start a group, so they would show up to play the instruments in Sunday youth group. An ostensibly scattered personality, Alison soon lost interest and abandoned the rock band pursuit, leaving Goswell to play with Halstead.
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Goswell and Halstead sang and played guitar, and had been friends since they were 6 years old. At a Sunday youth group, they began making music in an indie pop band called the Pumpkin Fairies, with bassist Mike Cottle and drummer Adrian Sell. Later Mike Cottle was replaced with Nick Chaplin on bass.
Their only recordings was a seven-song demo tape released on January 2, 1989 and three-song demo tape released in 1989.
The first one, the one mentioned in the timeline, includes: “Everything You Breathe”, “Stephanie Says” (a Velvet Underground cover), “Fifteen Million Smiles”, “You Make Me Feel”, “What Matter With Me” and “Dream On”. 3 songs in each side. This also includes an untitled live ghost track. All songs were written by Neil in this tape. The second tape includes: “Love Me”, “September Chills” and “Jesus”. This tape was single-sided. This was probably recorded after the 7 song demo.
A brief history (written by John Kupchik)
1970 Neil Halstead is born on 7 October in Wokingham, England (near Reading).
1971 Rachel Goswell is born on 16 May in a small village outside Reading, England.
1976-77 Neil's family moves to Sonning Common in Oxfordshire, and that is where he first meets Rachel (at school when they were about six years old).
1978 Rachel begins to learn guitar from her father at the age of 7.
Sometime in the early-mid 1980s Rachel and Neil begin to take classical guitar lessons from Rachel's best friend's mother. They continue to pass each other often, as they attended the same schools. Their friendship develops further.
Sometime in the early-mid 1980s Neil does a paper round, saves up some money, and buys his first electric guitar.
1984 Rachel gets obsessed with Grace Jones.
1985 Rachel gets obsessed with The Smiths.
Sometime in the mid-1980s Rachel discovers the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees from her older brother.
1988 Rachel and Neil get together and form the band the Pumpkin Fairies, along with Nick Chaplin on bass and Adrian Sell on drums.
1989 The Pumpkin Fairies record and release their 7 song cassette demo. It was recorded on 2 Jan 1989 at Reading Berks Rehearsal studios, when Neil was 18 and Rachel just 17.
Approximately a few dozen cassettes were made, complete with B&W photocopied j-cards. The cover image is a picture of Rachel looking up, complete with poofed out goth hairdo, looking sorta like a cross between Robert Smith and Siouxsie. They were sold at the few gigs they played in Reading, and given to friends. It is uncertain how many copies have survived to this day.
On these songs Rachel was the only vocalist, although Neil does sing backup on "stephanie says". This song (albeit a Velvet Underground cover) was the first example of how perfect Rachel and Neil's voices harmonised.
So a few months later the Pumpkin Fairies were no more, and Slowdive emerged in October of 1989. Destined to fade away into the annals of musical history totally unknown and forgotten, the Pumpkin Fairies are nevertheless important as they were the very beginnings of the musical partnership of Rachel and Neil, giving the world (or at least a few dozen people in Reading) a glimpse of the greatness to come.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.