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strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade fansite
@strawfansite.bsky.social
420 followers 97 following 1K posts
The comprehensive online archive of all things #StrawberrySwitchblade since 2003. Posting about the band, nattering about music in general.

https://strawberryswitchblade.net
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strawfansite.bsky.social
If you were rushing out to buy the new Smash Hits this week in 1984 you'd find future Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant was reviewing the new singles. He declared Strawberry Switchblade's Since Yesterday to be 'one of the few records this week which isn't trying to sound like something else'.
Scan of a section of a page of Smash Hits. It reads: Singles reviewed by Neil Tennant STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE Since Yesterday (Korova) This begins, if I’m not mistaken, with a snatch of something famous by the composer Sibelius, and then ventures into a wistful melody, sung in brittle harmonies which touches the heart. One of the few records this week which isn’t trying to sound like something else.
November 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
One year since the Since Yesterday film! Glasgow Women’s Library are doing a screening on Wed 13 Nov with a panel discussion celebrating the legacy and future of Scotland’s girl bands.

Tickets via sinceyesterdayfilm.com and womenslibrary.org.uk
Since Yesterday
Popstars, Post-Punks and Pioneers - a documentary platforming the trailblazing Girl Bands who challenged a male-dominated industry, acknowledging their rightful place in music history and examining enduring barriers faced by women making music. A colourful mixtape of unheard demos, lost archive and rare performances, written and narrated by musician Carla J. Easton.
sinceyesterdayfilm.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:42 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
We've talked a lot about Strawberry Switchblade's cover of Jolene but it's not the only Dolly Parton song Rose McDowall covered. In 1993, under the name Spell, she & Boyd Rice released Seasons in the Sun, a covers album that included the heartbreaking Down From Dover

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S4c...
Spell - Down From Dover
YouTube video by Mute
www.youtube.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:41 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade's Jill Bryson & Stephen McRobbie of @thepastels.bsky.social. Taken by Peter McArthur, Jill's partner & prime photographer of the early 1980s Glasgow indie scene. They look bored as it's just Peter testing camera flashes. Outside Peter & Jill's flat, West End Park St, c.1982.
Two young people outside a doorway in a sandstone building. Stephen is on the left in a duffel coat, Jill on the right in blue jacket, daisy print dress and very thick eyeliner. Neither looks like they're posing for the camera. The same two young people outside the doorway in a sandstone building, but taken from further back. As before, Stephen is on the left in a duffel coat, Jill on the right in blue jacket, daisy print dress and very thick eyeliner. Both have their hands in their pockets. Neither looks like they're posing for the camera.
October 31, 2025 at 12:23 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade's Since Yesterday was released this week in 1984, accompanied by this brilliant video directed by Tim Pope which perfectly complements the song and the band.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SToF...
Strawberry Switchblade - Since Yesterday [High Quality]
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:47 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Happy birthday to the one & only Rose McDowall, 66 today! The talent, the voice, the endless musical exploration of melancholy beauty, the amazing self-definition & an absolute goth style icon too.

📸 Sin Bozkurt 2016, Peter McArthur c.1983, Gilbert Blecken 1989, unknown
October 21, 2025 at 7:27 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
New screening of the documentary Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands!

This coming Saturday, 25 October, at Galoshans Film Festival, Greenock.

galoshansfestival.co.uk/event/since-...
Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands (15) - Galoshans Mini Film - Galoshans Festival
galoshansfestival.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade's 1982 4-Piece Demo EP now available on grape coloured vinyl. Pressed for Japan earlier this year, a few copies are now available direct from the label @nightschoolrecords.bsky.social:

night-school.bandcamp.com/album/1982-4...
October 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Since Yesterday reviewed on the 'pop panel' segment of BBC kids' TV show Saturday Superstore. The non-musicians disparaged it but the musicians were approving. Delia Smith hated the 'doom & gloom', Midge Ure retorted 'I quite enjoy a bit of misery'!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1zt...
Strawberry Switchblade - Since Yesterday review on Pop Panel (Saturday Superstore, 20 October 1984)
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:44 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
A year ago today Jill Bryson & Rose McDowall were at Glasgow Film Theatre for a panel discussion after a screening of the documentary Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland's Girl Bands. In this clip they look back on Strawberry Switchblade
October 19, 2025 at 2:58 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade record company promotional photos for the press, 1984.

📸1 - unknown
📸2 - Peter McArthur
📸3 - Paul Cox
Black and white photo. Face to face from the side, turned to the camera. Black and white photo, close up of faces. Rose lies down with eyes closed, Jill leans over her from behind and looks at the camera black and white shot from across the room. High contrast so subtle details are lost. Both wear a lot of white polka dots.
October 14, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Strawberry Switchblade fansite
ellekay68.bsky.social
@strawfansite.bsky.social Hope it's ok to ask on here, but if anyone knows of anyone selling a vinyl copy of Spell - Seasons in the sun, I'd be so grateful for the heads up. My daughter is a huge fan of Strawberry Switchblade and is also a fan of all the solo works by both Jill and Rose. Thank you.x
October 10, 2025 at 12:32 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade, September 1985, around the time of their Jolene single.

📸 Mike Prior for No 1 magazine
Close up photo ina studio. Jill has red lipstick, crimped red hair and a hairband with red plastic roses. Rose stands next to her in a black PVC catsuit with black crimped hair and a diamante tiara, with purpley blue lipstick.
October 10, 2025 at 6:35 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade, 1984/5. The person in their 1980s body warmer unintentionally serves to highlight the dramatic pizzazz of the band's aesthetic.
Outdoor photo, unposed, with Jill and Rose smiling at an unknown person. It's a sunny day, on the left is a person turned away from camera with long dark hair, wearing a red body warmer, checked shirt and blue jeans. In the centre is Jill Bryson with red back combed hair and a green strapless dress with black polka dots and black velevet sleeves. On the right is Rose McDowall in a white dress with black polka dots and ra-ra skirt.
October 8, 2025 at 6:47 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Happy birthday to David Balfe, ex-Teardrop Explodes keyboard player & Strawberry Switchblade manager. Balfey produced debut single Trees & Flowers & final single I Can Feel, played keyboards on tracks like Beautiful End, & co-wrote Black Taxi too.

(Pic captions in next post 🧵)
Black and white sepia toned photo of Balfe sat in a chair staring into space next to Jill and Rose. Bright sunny day sat round an outdoor table at a cafe or restaurant. Balfe, Jill and Rose look surprisingly subdued for people who've just bagged a record deal. It has the air of 'we're restlessly waiting for our food, why are you taking a photo?' Rose, Jill and Sakamoto sat at a restaurant table, Balfe stands beside it.
October 2, 2025 at 8:00 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Here's an anomaly - 40 years ago this week Strawberry Switchblade were promoting their electropop cover of Jolene. They mimed to it on BBC TV's kids' show Cheggers Plays Pop. Thing is, it's a unique version - it isn't the 7", the 12", nor the BBC radio session version
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9W...
Strawberry Switchblade - Jolene (different version) (Cheggers Plays Pop, 26 September 1985)
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
September 28, 2025 at 3:50 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
41 years ago today Strawberry Switchblade recorded a Janice Long BBC radio session. Although they'd just completed their album they recorded 3 brand new atmospheric keyboard-based songs & a cover of Jolene. It's a peek into what the 2nd album would have sounded like.

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Strawberry Switchblade - BBC Janice Long session, September 1984 - YouTube
The band's fourth BBC session, recorded 27 September 1984. First broadcast 24 October 1984. Rose McDowall - guitar, vocals Jill Bryson - guitar, backing voca...
www.youtube.com
September 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Alan Horne, head honcho of Postcard Records, interviews Viv Albertine of the Slits, while a pre-Strawberry Switchblade Jill Bryson looks on.

Glasgow City Hall, 26 September 1979 - 46 years ago today.

📸©️Peter Anthony McArthur, used with permission
Black and white photo with Alan in the foreground on the left, looking down as if reading notes, Viv in the foreground on the right mid-speech, and Jill in the background in the centre, chin resting on hand, listening.
September 26, 2025 at 8:35 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
40 years ago today Strawberry Switchblade released a single in Japan, Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye). A squeaky Motown pastiche written by Daisuke Inoue & Rumiko Varnes for a Subaru TV ad, Strawberry Switchblade were just paid to sing on it. In the end only Rose did
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK3O...
Strawberry Switchblade - Ecstasy (Apple Of My Eye)
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2025 at 10:32 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Jill Bryson aged five & in an outfit presciently embroidered with the initials of Strawberry Switchblade. 'That must be 1966 or thereabouts. It's Sadie Simpson's dance academy, the letters look like Js but it's S's. We had to do tap dancing and ballet & all these stupid things'
Sepia toned black and white photo of a young Jill standing with her arms cruciform as if about to start ballet moves, smiling. She's wearing a black leotard embroidered with two large S letters on the chest.
September 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade and Erasure at Jars Discothèque, Brechin, Scotland on 19 September 1985 - 40 years ago today! 🧵
Yellowed photo of Vince Clarke, Andy Bell, Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall sat round a nightclub table. Between Jill and Rose are two young men, one of whom has his arm round Jill and is giving a thumbs up. Jill does not look impressed. Taken a moment before or after the other photo, this has Vince Clarke, Andy Bell, Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall sat round a nightclub table. Between Jill and Rose are two young men, one of whom is talking into Jill's ear..
September 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade on stage, late 1983/early 1984 [📸Kenji Kubo]. After debut single Trees & Flowers was an indie success in summer 1983 they put together a touring band. Simon Booth (aka Emmerson) from Working Week played guitar, with drummer Roy Dodds & bassist John Cook. 🧵
Black and white photo looking up at the stage. Jill Bryson is at the front left, smiling and playing a tambourine. Rose McDowall is at the front right, smiling and playing an acoustic guitar. In the centre further back is a drum kit on a riser played by Simon Dodds, in front of which stands Simon Emmerson playing guitar.
September 18, 2025 at 2:27 PM
strawfansite.bsky.social
New Strawberry Switchblade cover just dropped! Japanese punky powerpop trio The Let's Go's just released Ecstasy (on their new album of covers 'Tracks For Lucks - Swamp Bag Sessions', along with songs by The Who, Serge Gainsbourg, the Clash & the Shirelles. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxmw...
The Let's Go's - Ecstasy (Strawberry Switchblade cover) 2025
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:56 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
New on the Strawberry Switchblade fansite - the gigs page. An overview of the band as live performers, illustrated with tickets, posters, photos, press adverts, the only tour programme, & even the contract from their 1984 support tour with Howard Jones!

strawberryswitchblade.net/gigs/
Gigs - Strawberry Switchblade
A history of Strawberry Switchblade as a live band, including a list of concert performances, tickets, posters, advert and photos.
strawberryswitchblade.net
September 15, 2025 at 8:44 AM
strawfansite.bsky.social
Strawberry Switchblade sample track! Transition (Tsutchie Mix) by Flare (the name used by experimental electronica artist Ken Ishii). He released his album Grip in 1996. Later that year he issued Re-Grip, with each Grip track reworked by a different remixer 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6fa...
Flare - Transition (Tsutchie Mix) (Strawberry Switchblade sample) 1996
YouTube video by Strawberry Switchblade
www.youtube.com
September 13, 2025 at 12:14 PM