Boyracer

Boyracer is an English/American power pop band formed in Leeds in 1990. The only original member of the first line-up is Stewart Anderson, the main songwriter. They released their first singles on the UK indie pop label Sarah Records and eventually disbanded in 1996, but after Stewart Anderson married Jen Turrell he reunited the band with Turrell on bass and vocals and Ara Hacopian on drums.



A dizzying tale of glamour, treachery, booze and broken equipment: the official Boyracer story...

1990

Formed in the carpark of The New Inn pub, Wetherby one summer's evening. Inspired to call the band Boyracer whilst gently quaffing ale and watching the local Kev's doing wheelspins in clapped-out Cortinas. Made the first tentative steps to record in Martin Howard's 8-track studio, a.k.a ‘The Dungeon’. He was a crazed genius of a man, and slightly scary. The results of these precious early moments are pretty embarrassing a decade on.

1991

Settled on the early MK1 Racer line up of Adams/Anderson/Chadwick/Guild. Played our first show supporting Beatnik Filmstars. Stewart was wearing a ridiculous polonecked striped top but that aside the evening was, as first gigs go, a success. We could smell the cash and were ready to rock the scene.

Recorded our first single (for Fluff Records) on Keith Richard's birthday, as a sort of tribute to the great man. (That's Keith on the cover y’know). Very weak single in hindsight, and very badly recorded (thank you M.Howard). Still it only cost us 25 quid to record, so can't complain, although we should have recorded Patrick Walker as our first single instead of the god-awful pretentious Railway. Hmmm....

1992

Continued gigging and giggling. Played our first show at the Duchess of York pub, which at the time I remember was quite a thrill as we’d spent a good chunk of our youth in there. Met up with Tim Rippington and started recording in Bristol at his wonderful Southside Studios, thank god. A man with ears and patience.

Recorded the very shoegazeresque 2nd single for A Turntable Friend (‘Naked’). Too swirly in hindsight. But the keyboard drone at the start and end is long enough to be very annoying, which is a good thing. It was around this time band members started sleeping with Clare from Sarah records in an attempt to secure that elusive indie ‘deal’.

Then Richard left the band. Tears outside the Frying Pan chip shop, North Street Wetherby. Richard of course went on to much better things with his 1st love that is Hood. Whittled to a 3-piece, Stew bought a big acoustic bass that fed-back like a muthaf***er and the songs got faster and shorter. Played tons of shows. Enjoyed the r’n’r lifestyle. Played our 1st European tour with Kentuckian soulmates Hula Hoop. Some of the shows (in Belgium in particular) seemed pointless but fun was had by all and we met some fantastic people along the way.

1993

Now a proper Sarah band after passing the audition (ahem), we were ready to upset most of the audience at Sarah parties by being noisy and actually moving whilst playing our instruments. Its true Sarah had letters of complaint that we were ruining the label, and for this they tolerated us. (Oh, and because we were still sleeping with Clare.)

Played lots withEven As We Speak (A Sarah band we loved). Bought their van off them when they returned to Australia which then proceeded to break down consistently. I remember coming back from Sunderland in a snow blizzard on the A1 when the van just stopped moving, all the electrics cut out. We had to leap out the van and push it off the road for fear of a pile up. And then we set off on our 2nd European tour (also with Hula Hoop), and drove around France for a month in it. Crazy. It broke down every day. We was tough back then though.

5th January 1994

Following an argument with our shifty ‘publisher’ S.Hawkins, who insisted on telling Stewart he couldn't sing just as he was recording his vocal tracks, Stewart walked out. James and Simon decided it was more fun to sell T-shirts for the Inspiral Carpets and lick S.Hawkins ass than be in Boyracer. Crooks, who would sell their friends out - the three of them (and you can quote me on that). But of course, Boyracer would not have scaled the dizzy heights of Indiepop stardom had those losers still been involved. It was the kick in the pants that Stewart needed. The best was yet to come.

February 1994

Rumours abound of the group's demise following the acrimonious departure of Simon and James. However, you can't keep a good man down and Stewart recruits three new members: Matty (guitar), Nicola (bass) and Kevin (drums). Within weeks the first full-length album, More Songs about Frustration and Self-Hate is in the bag.

April 1994

The rejuvenated Racer set off to France with the Beatnik Filmstars. Highlights include an afternoon of recording (Best Flipstar ep) in a Bordeaux bar while drinking same bar dry. Lowlights include half the shows being cancelled and staying in a dodgy squat in Toulouse on the night of Kurt Cobain's death.

June 1994

A trio once more (musical and personality differences have forced Kev to quit), the group heads down to Bristol to record their third single for Sarah, Pure Hatred 96. John Peel phones Stewart's mum to ask for a session.

August 1994

New drummer Ged recruited just in time for the trip down to London to record the Peel Session. Stewart buys a new guitar for the occasion and spends half the alloted recording time trying to get it in tune. Happily the session is a success.

September 1994

A few shows supporting The Wedding Present in the UK. The group tries its best to break their equipment. Only Stewart succeeds by blowing up David Gedge's amp.

October 1994

The group sets off on a gruelling US tour with DC's finest, The Ropers plus, on the West coast, the mighty Henrys Dress and the sublime Softies. There is much driving (Mike Schulman demonstrates an incredible lack of need for sleep), drinking and shoddy performance.

Shortly followed by the recording of We Are Made of the Same Wood.

June 1995

Blockbusting tour of...Devon, with...Muse. Nice times in Teignmouth playing crazy golf in the sun. Highlights include dog (plus 3 people) in the audience in Plymouth. Muse owe a lot to the mentorship of the Racer.

August 1995

The last Sarah party on the Thekla, Bristol. Ian Johnson stands in on guitar as Matty takes a well-earned break in Madrid.

November 1995

Mini-tour of Holland with some god-awful band from Lancashire. Highlights include playing in a pokey shop window in Amsterdam while the van gets clamped in the carpark and having to part with all their hard-earned cash to have it removed.

Shortly followed by an all expenses paid long weekend in NYC courtesy of Zero Hour records (one in a long list of misguided spending decisions by said label), for mastering of the In Full Colour lp. Highlights include bleeding Ray Mackenzie's wallet dry in restaurants and at a Yo La Tengo/Pastels show, getting him to buy drinks for all and sundry. Cheers Ray.

April - July 1996

The group sets out on what is to be their final (or so they thought) tour, once again courtesy of the very foolhardy Zero Hour. The tour was terminated prematurely due to excessive spending (phone bill exceeding motel bills) and poor record sales. However, much fun was had in the process.

Sadly, the group couldn't see a future together, so decided, more or less amicably, to call it a day.

But then...

December 2000

Triumphant return of the Racer, with an injection of fresh new talent in the form of Jen (also of Rabbit in Red fame) and Frank (also of Bright Lights fame), playing with an all-star line up (The Aislers Set, Girlfrendo, Comet Gain and Sportique) at the Knitting Factory, NYC. Frank shows his full commitment by breaking his drumkit and his thumb. A new supergroup is born...

May 2001

After Matty is deported and Stewart breaks his collarbone first night of the reunion tour Boyracer is left without a guitarist on the eve of a 42 date tour (see diary). Luckily for Boyracer, Ara is at the show, and fills in learning the songs in one day (a testament to Aras talent, and nothing to do with the easiness of the Boyracer's tunes!). We set off with a new adhoc lineup and the tour is mostly a success.

20th Oct 2001

Jen and Stew are married in Roden Crater, Flagstaff Arizona.

May 2002

To Get A Better Hold… CD released- the first new full length in 6 years is release to much acclaim.

Tour of Australia: Jen, Stew, Ara

Tour of Japan: Jen, Stew, Ara plus Matt Hartmann and Ged McGurn.

April - June 2003

3 month tour of US and Canada with kanda. Lineup: Stew, Jen, Ara +, mid-tour, STS Doolittle on drums.

Aug - Sept 2004

Tour of Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, UK: Jen, Stew, Ara.

Sept 2004 - present

Full-length CDs released:

"Happenstance" CD (Happy Happy Birthday To Me 063, 2004)
"Punker Than You Since '92" 2xCD (555 CD073, 2006)
"A Punch Up The Bracket" CD (555 CD072, 2006)
"Flickering B+W" CD (555 CD075, 2007)

And tours and 7" releases galore...