The Trudy

The Trudy are an English pop band formed in Kingston upon Thames in 1979 by former Cardiacs members Peter Tagg^[1] (drums) and Ralph Cade (vocals and keyboards)^[2][3] along with Derek Tagg (guitar) and Sue Smallwood (bass).

The Trudy
Origin	Kingston upon Thames, England
Genres	Pop
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Binkie Solotone Torso Primitive Planet Miron Indisc Vinyl Japan Popfiction Miron Music
Spinoffs	Richard Targett and the Monos, Luminous
Spinoff of	Cardiac Arrest
Members	Del Tagg Peter Tagg Melissa Jo Heathcote
Past members	Ralph Cade Sue Smallwood Lorna Douglas Ian Plummer Philippa Blanchard Jon Bastable Jnr Arturo Bassick Paul Crook Eugene Bezodis
Website	thetrudy.co.uk

In 1980 The Trudy, with the above line-up, released an album Volcano Fo Le Ferret, on Binkie Records along with another Kingston band The Magnificent 7,^[4] with each band featuring on one side of the record.

In 1981 the band were included on the various artist compilation LP The Snoopies Album, which also included The Europeans and Cardiacs among others.^[5]

In 1982 the band released the cassette single Air Commodore.^[6] By this time Sue Smallwood had been replaced on bass by Jon Bastable Jnr and second guitarist Ian Plummer had been added.

Many releases followed on a variety of different labels.^[7][8] Among these was the 1998 EP given free with House of Dolls, a popular mainstream alternative music magazine, on which The Trudy was included, along with The Wedding Present, Claytown Troupe & The Hunters Club.^[9]

A 1986 side-project was released by Peter Tagg/Richard Targett, Victor Champion, Nick Shadow, Minerva Allen and Damien Saxxe-Coburg, all with various links to the band. By the name 'Richard Targett and the Monos', one three-track cassette EP was released under Primitive Records by the name of 'One of Our Satellites is Missing!'.^[10]

In 1991, when they released the album Tune-In To The Trudy Love-Ray!,^[11] the line-up was Peter Tagg, Derek Tagg, Melisa Jo Heathcote Paul Crook and Arturo Bassick (of The Lurkers, Pinpoint and 999).

In 1993 they released the David M Allen & Rat Scabies produced single Big Wheel under the alias Luminous.^[12]

In 2010 the band covered the Cardiacs song "Day Is Gone" on the album Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1 ^[13] on the Believers Roast label.^[14]

In 2012 the singles Dirt Cheap Melody and Bucolics Anonymous were released.^[15]

The Trudy has performed extensively around the UK and headlined venues such as the Marquee and University of London Union.^[16] A flyer for a Marquee gig that The Trudy headlined is in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection.^[17]

As of 2016 the line up was Melissa Jo Heathcote (formerly of The Pukes^[18]), Del Tagg, Paul Crook, Peter Tagg & Eugene Bezodis (of Patrick & Eugene).^[19]

On 26 February 2016 the single "Rocket Heart" was released and was followed by the album Always Never Beautiful Forever on 15 April.^[20]

On 5 March 2021 they released the digital single "Dear Sancho", which was accompanied by a promotional video.^[21] On 10 November 2023 the single "Every Story Ever Told" was released and a forthcoming mini album was announced. ^[22]

Discography

Studio albums

• Volcano Fo Lé Ferret (1980, Binkie Records, with the Magnificent 7)
• Tune-In to the Trudy Love-Ray (1991, Planet Miron Records)
• Always Never Beautiful Forever (2016, Miron Music)

Mini albums

• Outside Time (2023, Miron Records)^[23]

Live albums

• Live at The Square, Harlow (1990, Planet Miron Records)

Compilation albums

• The Adventures! The Suspense!! (2009, Vinyl Japan)

EPs

• Air-Commodore (1982, Solotone)
• Le Shindig (1985, Solotone)

Singles

• "The Invisible Man" (1984, Torso)
• "Captain Scarlet" (1986, Primitive Records)
• "Countdown to Love" (1989, Tune-In to the Trudy Love-Ray)
• "Living on a Moon" (1989, Planet Miron) - flipped version of "Countdown to Love" with B-side becoming A-side
• "Destination Love" (1990, Tune-In to the Trudy Love-Ray)
• "Big Wheel" (1993, Indolent) - released under the alias 'Luminous'
• "Oh!" (2006, self-released)
• "Lost Summer of Love" (2006, self-released)
• "3 Minutes 4 U" (2007, Popficton)
• "Dirt Cheap Melody" (2012, Always Never Beautiful Forever)
• "Bucolics Anonymous" (2012, Always Never Beautiful Forever)
• "Rocket Heart" (2016, Always Never Beautiful Forever)
• "Dear Sancho" (2021, Miron Music)
• "Every Story Ever Told" (2023, Miron Music)

Appearances

• "Day Is Gone" (2010, Leader of the Starry Skies: A Tribute to Tim Smith, Songbook 1)

References

1. Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. Virgin. ISBN 978-0-7535-0159-7.
2. "Band biography at Cardiacs homepage". Retrieved 9 December 2008.
3. Abrahams, Ian (17 August 2017). "Signature Choons". Record Collector. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
4. "The Trudy discography". RateYourMusic.
5. "The Snoopies Album". Discogs. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
6. "Air Commodore (cassette single)". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
7. "The Trudy". Discogs.
8. "Discography".
9. "House Of Dolls EP". Discogs. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
10. "Richard Targett and the Monos". Discogs.
11. "Tune-In To The Trudy Love-Ray! (album)". Discogs. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
12. "Luminous". Discogs.
13. Bland, Ben (21 March 2011). "Leader Of The Starry Skies - A Tim Smith Tribute (Tim Smith Feature)". Stereoboard.com. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
14. "Leader of the Starry Skies – A Tribute to Tim Smith. Songbook 1 – Various Artists – Friends of Tim Smith".
15. "The Trudy – MusicBrainz".
16. "The Trudy".
17. "The Trudy | Planet Miron Records | V&A Search the Collections". 13 September 2019.
18. "The Pukes". sondz.com. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
19. "The Trudy". Facebook.
20. "Always Never Beautiful Forever (album)". Bandcamp. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
21. Babey, Ged (5 March 2021). "The Trudy: Dear Sancho: reviewed - Great, lost pop band re-emerge". Louder Than War. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
22. Babey, Ged (10 November 2023). "Every Story Ever Told (single)". Louder Than War. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
23. Babey, Ged (6 December 2023). "The Trudy: Outside Time (mini album) - album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 11 December 2023.