Small Hours (Debsey Wykes/Saint Etienne)

[pogues01]

I pulled out my Waiting For Herb CD (which I haven't listened to in sometime) and have been listining over and over to the last song "Small Hours".

It's a beautiful song with Spider singing with a female named Debsey Wykes. Does anyone have any info on Debsey ... I'd like to hear more by her.

I did a search and got a hit with her name with another group called Saint Etienne. Is she a memeber of that group? Are they a decent group.

Any info would be helpful.

Peace

[Fyllo]

I got no info about Debsey but i really like that song, especially when the accordion come in.

[Phoenix Saint]

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Debsey%20Wykes:1927282714

I was interested in this post as i used to love St Etienne, and I knew Sarah Cracknell was their primary lead singer. So i googled Debsey, and it appears she was a back up singer for St Et and sang lead on "who do you think you are'. But wait...another link (see above) credits her with the last 2 Pogues albums - I guess she might have done backing vocals on some more songs.

St Etienne are nothing like the Pogues - very English poppy - now I have Nothing Can Stop Us on loop in my head!

[duncan disorderly]

Small hours is a great song i love it
I also liked that st etirnne one
Only Love Can Break Your Heart ,it had a sort of reggae beat to it
the rest of their stuff was a bit euro poppy a bit like ace of base really if i remember right

[Michaelo]

Debsy Wykes sang with Spider on a track on Pogue Mahone- i think it was "Anniversary".

[akindofbuddha]

Debsey also had a band with her husband Paul Kelly called Birdie, which put out 2 full length albums and an EP. Absolutely amazing music, in the female fronted, wistful pop song kind of way. I think she still plays around London very occasionally. And, she is lovely.

[Low D]

She also sang with Fun Boys Three, live at least. James Fearnley mentioned it in his book. Debsey & James were a couple in the early days, before James stole Joe Strummer's girlfriend.

She's got about 75 credits on discogs.com:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/228256-Debsey-Wykes

[AllPhilips]

Debsey also had a band with her husband Paul Kelly called Birdie, which put out 2 full length albums and an EP. Absolutely amazing music, in the female jackpott fronted, wistful pop song kind of way. I think she still plays around London very occasionally. And, she is lovely.

Love Debsey and i got the chance to hear her sing when i was in London a few years ago. Would love to know if there is a way to still buy the EP´s? //Philips

[Low D]

A few for sale here, a bit pricey tho. If you register, you can "follow" releases, though, and receive notice when new copies are listed for sale:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/292344-Birdie-2

[timmyvinny]

In my mid teens I used to 'hump gear' (one level below roadie) for Cambridge bands, one of which was Dolly Mixture. When they played London gigs we often ended up at the Devonshire Arms on Hawley Crescent because Debsey was seeing one of The Pogues, I can't remember who. Very entertaining to witness The Pogues arrive, post gig, after hours in the early 80s!

[firehazard]

In my mid teens I used to 'hump gear' (one level below roadie) for Cambridge bands, one of which was Dolly Mixture. When they played London gigs we often ended up at the Devonshire Arms on Hawley Crescent because Debsey was seeing one of The Pogues, I can't remember who. Very entertaining to witness The Pogues arrive, post gig, after hours in the early 80s!

Great story, thanks for sharing. Those were the days. It was James Fearnley that Debsey was with for a while, he talks about it in his book.

[DzM]

Who says old topics can't get new life? I love that a nearly 17-year-old topic has a fresh contribution, and it's even relevant!