Big Daisy

BIG DAISY’s only vinyl product has long been considered one of the premiere NWOBHM collector’s items and let’s face it, it has everything going for it.

- Year of release: 1980, prime NWOBHM time.

- Label: the highly sought-after Ellie Jay.

- Monochrome picture sleeve: yes.

- Cool image on picture sleeve: no matter what you think of BIG DAISY’s music, you gotta love that picture sleeve. More on this later….

- Music: You get not just one but TWO great tracks on this single, both done in a very competent and rather unique style. The songs are somewhat proggy and owe a nod towards the more intelligent side of mid-late 70s rock, but BIG DAISY do not sound dated in any way. I think this is where I’m supposed to mutter some vague RUSH reference. ‘Fever’ is the more powerful number, but it balances a delicate atmosphere within its verses with the more forcefully delivered chorus. ‘Footprints on the Water’ (cool title that) is similar overall, coming across as rather high-minded but delivered in a very enjoyable manner that doesn’t emphasize the arty tendencies…did I mutter something about RUSH yet?

The band did record at least one demo tape back in the day that featured several other strong numbers, such as ‘UFO’ and ‘Look to the East’, which demonstrated that the single was not a fluke- the lads really did have a knack for writing this style of sophisticated yet highly enjoyable music. The material has thankfully been reissued for all to enjoy, as the original single is a beast to find, especially if you want that picture sleeve.

So getting back to that sleeve, for years I lost a lot of sleep trying to figure out why the hell the band included a cartoon sketch of a fat lady in an olde-timey swimsuit on the cover. I mean that’s just weird, right? Before hearing the band I wondered if the art signified a fondness for AC/DC, as maybe the image was paying homage to ‘Whole Lotta Roise’ (‘Whole Lotta Daisy’ probably wouldn’t have worked as a band name). Eventually longtime Corroseum contributor bigfootkit explained to me that postcards featuring, uh, amply proportioned bathing beauties is some kind of fucked-up, long-term kitsch cottage industry in the UK. And they wonder why they lost all the bloody colonies. I’ll tell you why; it’s because the revolutionaries weren’t busy wanking while staring at postcards featuring Bethany the Portly Florist prancing about Pendine Sands while on holiday, that’s why! But at least it answers the question of what’s up with that funky sleeve art. So rest well, gentle reader, and definitely check this one out if you get a chance, it’s one of the highlights of the NWOBHM despite falling a bit outside the standard Metal norms.

This single can be easily placed among the 10 best 7" of the NWOBHM genre so try to listen it by all means. The charismatic vocals of Mervyn Spence (Trapeze, Wishbone Ash) makes this item shining like a diamond!! "Footprints on the water" and "Fever" are very dynamic songs, quite heavy for the early 80s period. To me this single is as good as Marquis De Sade 7" or Virtue 7" and it's a pity it was released by Ellie Jay, a label that used to release singles in micro quantities-so everything under this label is extremely rare and expensive (e.g Bollweevil 7"). In the last years Spence has released two solo albums under the name O'Ryan. NWOBHM funs should try to listen to it by all means.