The Woodentops

The Woodentops

The Woodentops are a London indie rock group formed in 1983. The original line-up includes Rolo McGinty, Simon Mawby, Alice Thompson and Paul Hookham. The group develops out of South London art-house warehouse parties and busking, and rehearses at Panni Bharti’s warehouse near Clapham Junction, where it works until 1988.

Style and early development

The band’s sound draws on electronic and experimental influences, including Kraftwerk, Can and Suicide, but it develops into a fast, hypnotic acoustic style of its own. Early reviews place them alongside groups such as Violent Femmes and The Feelies, but Rolo McGinty’s writing pushes them towards less easily categorised material. Panni Bharti also designs the band’s vinyl, CD artwork, film and stage presentation, linking the music to a wider visual-art context.

Recordings and recognition

The Woodentops release their first single, “Plenty”, on Food Records in 1984. They then support artists including Julian Cope and Everything But the Girl. John Peel selects them for several BBC sessions and continues to champion them. Rough Trade Records signs the group, and they issue singles including “Move Me”, “Well Well Well” and “Good Thing”. Their album Giant reaches the mainstream charts, while their singles and albums also reach number one in the independent charts. The live album Hypnobeat Live holds the top indie position for several weeks and leads to “Why Why Why”, which becomes one of the early hits of the late-1980s Ibiza club scene.

Further releases, touring and later activity

The second studio album, Woodenfoot Cops on the Highway, follows in 1987, with two singles from the album and a final single, “Tainted World”, played on New York’s garage station by Tony Humphries. Frank de Freitas and Benny Staples form the band’s core rhythm section. The Woodentops tour worldwide and later take a long break before returning to perform again in 2006. In 2009 they appear at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall with original artwork collaborator Panni Bharti, and the line-up includes Rolo McGinty, Simon Mawby and Frank de Freitas, with Paul Ashby on drums and Áine O’Keeffe on keyboards. They then tour Europe and appear at Glastonbury and other UK festivals in 2010.

Collaborations and other work

The Woodentops collaborate with Tackhead, Gary Lucas, Gods and Monsters, Lee Scratch Perry, Arthur Russell, Adrian Sherwood, Andy Partridge, John Leckie, Bob Sargeant, Arthur Baker and Bang the Party. They also receive the first Paul Oakenfold remix and appear in the first film by French director Olivier Assayas, Desodre.