Dweeb – Live At Reading Festival 1996 – August 24, 1996 – John Peel – BBC Radio 1 –
Dweeb, live at Reading Festival 1996 and captured for posterity by BBC Radio 1 and John Peel.
Lo-fi indie band Dweeb, formed in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, launched their career with three singles for acclaimed independent labels – Fierce Panda, Che and Damaged Goods. Afterwards, they surprised many by signing to a major, WEA Records, through their Blanco y Negro affiliate. The group, which comprises leader Kris Dweeb, his sister Lara and the similarly surnameless John Dweeb, formed after seeing a London gig by teenage lo-fi band Bis. They came to the attention of Blanco y Negro managing director Geoff Travis (formerly of Rough Trade Records) after he heard the demo that won them appearances on BBC Radio 1’s Evening Session and the John Peel show. Their first two singles for Blanco, ‘Scooby Doo’ and ‘Oh Yeah, Baby’, highlighted the group’s energetic pop style, with guitars allied to electronic elements, including samples, drum machines and tape loops. Surprisingly, their debut album was recorded with Pete Woodroffe, best known for his work with Def Leppard and (more in keeping with the group’s sound) Tiger.
Sadly, the band split in 1999 and have been largely overlooked ever since, and probably overshadowed by another band named Dweeb, who got started in 2002. No relation of any sort, even though some mentions on some sites confuse the two bands, there is no getting around it, Dweeb of the 90s were turbo-charged and certainly had all the earmarks of a successful band. Even John Peel was a fan and is heard at the end of their show back-announcing.
But like all short-lived bands, all the potential, all the right moves, but something didn’t click, whether it was the label or the audience, it’s always hard to tell.
At any rate, you might want to crank this one up and have a listen. I suspect they may not be familiar to many.
