Photo: Karl Lang

Discography:

Singles:

• I Remember (12") FON - ELM 1986
• My Life's Example (12") FON -ELM8 1986
• Swimming In The Heart Of Jane (12") Native1989
• Take It (12") Native Records - NTV 43 1989

Treebound Story, Maze Bar, Sheffield.

THE ONLY feasible way of entering the Maze Bar tonight would be with the aid of a machete. Lacking such an implement, I have a shot with a touch of karate. Hai yah! My hand rebounds from the impenetrable mass of bodies with a pained numbness and my thumb pokes me in the eye.

"Do you realise that we've pulled more people here tonight than any other Sheffield band ever?" asks guitarist Richard in wide-eyed wonderment. In slit-eyed discomfort, I imform him that I had an inkling.

This man holds a great deal of responsibility for my pained and parched state. If there has ever been a guitarist of his ilk in this city, no one can recall his, her or its name. Tonight he meanders, cascades, blasts, blends and boogies with a series of songs so excellent as to seem inevitable. Since I last saw them in November, Treebound Story have added a brashness to their repertoire, a ploy I had naively considered them incapable of.

"We've got a lot of material," explains drummer Rob. "We got pissed off doing a lot of slow songs so now we do some faster ones." Makes sense. "We just write songs that reflect on all our moods," expands vocalist Paul. Such moods! "One night we could all come on in black and be really mysterious if we picked a set of songs of that style," continues bassist Paul. "We could pick another set, play it in just our underpants and be really vile," chimes in the guitarist. "especially in my underpants."

Treebound are a Story of darkness and light, sadness and cheer, their tales have netted them a Peel session on the strength of a demo tape. In Newcastle, one of their few dates (so far) away from the comforts of the home crowd, they succeeded in seducing an audience for the Hoodoo Gurus to whom they were playing support. "Our dressing room was a bog," they recall, "and we had to leave when the Gurus's bassist wanted a pee. He was shy."

Local entrepreneur Amrik Rai has selected Treebound Story for his FON label, where they currently reside alongside the stunning Chakk. His enthusiasm is such that he pours his predictions of the Treebound's imminent stardom into ears he's declined to commune with for aeons. Their secret?

"Were just a fairly ordinary bunch of wankers." Such self-effacing modesty. Treebound Story are actually an exceedingly talented bunch of wankers, and they're coming your way soon... Pete Marchetto, Sounds, March 1986