KITSCH
Another small independent label from the Punk / New Wave
years. I have only ever seen one single on the Kitsch label:
'Motorcycle Fantasy', by The Pumphouse Gang (FAD-1; 2/78); a follow-up, 'TA-1'
was apparently planned but not released. The Gang were from the Isle
of Wight; Kitsch was from Hornchurch, Essex. According to 'Billboard'
(11th February 1978) the label was owned by Sammy Vertigo; the Isle of Wight Music site
however gives Howard Berman as the man in charge, which suggests
that Vertigo was an alias. That site also gives an
excellent history of the Pumphouse Gang. According to Music Master the
single was distributed by Lightning. The Gang went on to record three
singles for Splash Records (q.v.): 'Spotlight' b/w 'Lights Out' (SP-001; 8/79);
'Stay With Me' b/w 'Let The Music Play' (SP-008; 1/80); and 'Judy Turn Out The
Light' b/w 'A Girl Like You' (SP-010; 4/80). They were also behind a
'Punk' version of 'White Christmas', released on Ember (EMBS-367; 12/78) under
the pseudonym of Slush.
Copyright 2007 Robert Lyons.