(above)Pnu Riff & the Exploding Thumbs at the Big Chill
From left to right: Aaron Fletcher, James Nye and Paul Butler.
On the far left you can just see Mike Clevitt emerging from the wings.
Before there were Bees there were Pnu Riff and The Exploding Thumbs. The Bees' lead singer and composer Paul Butler recorded several albums, with contributions from his friends, under these names. It was left-field, often very funky, a bit psychedelic, a bit jazzy - excellent stuff. Often intricate and multi-layered, the music he produced on record proved challenging to perform live. At first, Paul perfomed on drums with a live player (often Simon Leach on alto sax and additional percussion) and some sequenced material. But this compromise was never easy or entirely satisfactory.
Pnu Riff performed Comfy Club and Bula live on Robert Elms' BBC Radio London show - I think early in 1998. The band then consisted of Butler, Simon Leach, James Nye (who played keys and did the arranged the songs) and Aaron Fletcher. Mike Clevitt (now drummer with the Bees) joined to play percussion, and various sax players and trumpeters (including Tim Parkin of The Bees) joined when available. The enlarged band, which included excellent young guitarist Julian Nelson on bass, performed gigs at the North Pole in Winchester, Ventnor Winter Gardens on the Isle of Wight, Fabric in London, and perhaps most successfully at the Big Chill, Larmer Tree Gardens summer1998.
The only published live recording was that made for Gilles Peterson's Worldwide show in December 1998. The band, with Max Brennan guesting on bass, went up to London to record in a professional studio at the BBC's expense. However, there was a power-cut, and after hours of waiting around, we all went home and just recorded the tracks in Paul's shed. It was certainly a blessing in disguise; we could do it the way we wanted, and everything seemed to come together in a quite magical way. There are some fanastic moments on those recordings which Peterson broadcast soon after, and they're very funky.
By that time though, Paul Butler had recorded an early version of The Bees' Punchbag which found its way via Mike Hazell to the ears of We Love You Records (a division of Wall of Sound - in 2003 they signed to Virgin). Clearly things were moving in a different direction, and, after a lot of head scratching over names, The Bees were born.
The tracks on The Bees' first album Sunshine Hit Me were mainly recorded in the way that the earlier Pnu Riff ones were, by Paul multi-tracking himself in the studio. Occasionally Aaron lent a hand, and two of the tracks (Zia and Sunshine) were joint compositions by Paul Butler and James Nye (who also played keys and sax on those tracks). Mike Clevitt guested on bass on No Trophy. But once The Bees were born, Pnu Riff and the Thumbs were no more.
You can still capture the flavour of those early days by getting hold of the albums and singles listed below. Paul also appeared on many recordings with Max Brennan and Pat Watson of Delta T which are worth seeking out.
PNU RIFF:
Pnu Riff Live Sessions (vinyl EP) (Holistic, 1999) Recorded live on the Isle of Wight, December 1998 for broadcast on Gilles Peterson's BBC Radio 1 Worldwide Show. Tracks: Bula, Sweet Cakes, Ear Fluff. Personnel: Paul Butler (drums, trumpet, composer), Max Brennan (bass guitar, percussion), James Nye (Fender Rhodes, keyboards, soprano saxophone, percussion), Simon Leach (alto saxophone, percussion, guitar), Aaron Fletcher (percussion and synths), Mike Hazell (congas), Steve Dunjey (thumb piano and percussion). Everyone shouts and sings.
Cat Scratch (CD) (Holistic, 1998) Tracks: Bula, Kids In Control, Throwing Seeds, Wild Bull, Roots 'n' Fruits, The Stomping of Thy Feet, Four Arms, Owa Owa, Sweet Cakes, Ear Fluff, Watching the Fingers Play, Feet First, We An Island (Featuring "The Shed Band"). Featuring Paul Bulter and Simon Leach.
Cat Scratch (vinyl) (Holistic, 1998)
Between the Downs (CD) (Holistic, 1997) Tracks: Comfy Club, U Think U Know Me, 3rd Ear, Cosmic Dancer, Bhagavather, Tauro, Goalie to God, Bumpy slide, Sweat on Wood, Cushioned Soul, Heavenly Trump, Zip Me Up. Featuring Paul Butler with Max Brennan, Chris Ferris and Aaron Fletcher.
Between the Downs (vinyl) (Holistic, 1997)
Comfy Club (vinyl single) (Holistic, 1997
Tauro (vinyl single) (Holistic, 1997)
THE EXPLODING THUMBS:
Beginning of Blue (CD) (Holistic, 1999) Tracks: It Za Mozzie, Shakers and the Tambourine, Bears Don't Scare Me, Cathedral, Beginning with Blue, Handy Villas, Catapult and the Cliff, Midwater, I Goes This Way, Sky Holds the Sun, Skijump. Featuring Paul Butler, Simon Leach, Aaron Fletcher, Chris Ferris, Tim Watkins.
Beginning of Blue (vinyl) (Holistic, 1999)
Flying Without Wings (import) (Holistic, 1998) Tracks: Too Many Buns, Got Time to Be Born, Hairy Mouth, Speak Highly, Red Cliff, Thumb Dub, Goose Map, On Me Bonce, Desert Song, Chewy, Falcon Jam, Things Are Tame, Full Swing Live at the Park. Featuring Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher.
Flying Without Wings (vinyl) (Holistic, 1998)
She Ep vinyl 12" single(Holistic, 1998)
Photo by Sophie Shamim
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Since 23rd May, 2004