New Young Pony Club
Contact
Since forming late in 2004 it had been up, up, up for the New Young Pony Club.... Creative sparks had flown between the two founder members, Andy & Tahita, right from the start. Well, it would, Tahita, like Eartha Kitt bawling out Iggy Pop. Andy the bastard love child of J.J. Burnell, Nile Rodgers & Trevor Horn. Releasing their first single, though, that had made it really real, y'know?
A 7" only release in February of 2005 'Ice Cream' sold out of it's 1,000 print run in only 3 days. In the Music Press the Ponies had been hailed "as a band to watch, like early New Order over Moroder era Blondie" (Update), "comin' on like a sweeter Rapture" (Tank) or even "disco pulse propelled underground robot rock (alive with blase sex-slave vocals)" (Blender, USA). This last comment was especially nice, as the single was never actually released over there.
More surprisingly though, 'Ice Cream' had been a firm favourite at the UK's premiere indie station XFM. Going to work in the mornings Tahita would hear the Ponies single blasting out her radio "....almost every day. For a month!!!.
This small but perfectly formed success story led the Ponies to think bigger. They'd do more than just , huh, studio tracks. They'd form a band.
First up they'd need a keyboard player. Remembering how Lou, the Pony Club's first proper fan, confessed she'd always fancied being in a band, Tahita decided to call her bluff. Backed into a corner Lou admitted she'd only ever had 5 recorder lessons at an after school play group, "And I was chucked out of that". Following pop's golden rule though they decided to ditch talent for looks. Lou was in. All she would need was some bright stickers on her keys (and a large bottle of vodka by the stage).
With Andy playing Bass they went on a search for guitarists. As a rule though guitar heroes don't do pop, not enough showing off involved. Everyone they met was just Way Too Rock. "Fucking guitarists, they just can't stop doing solos" Andy ranted once after another doomed audition, "I'll have to do it". Which worked out well because Tahita had just met Igor. Now, there's a tradition in all bands since the dawn of time (1979 in post punk years), that tall people play Bass. Igor comes from Kiev, is 6ft 5in tall and looks like all three members of The Police combined. Igor had to play the Bass.
As for a 'real' drummer that chapter looked all but finished when a first rehearsal with a recently out of rehab Echo (the drum machine of Echo and the Bunnymen fame) went pretty well. But then they met Sarah. Five ft six, red hair, eyes blue, arms of steel. Sarah was on the rebound from a ne'er do well German Blues Band. Sarah was ready to smile again. And pound fuck out her drums in the process.
With Lou, Sarah and Igor in tow the Pony Club set about work on their second single, 'The Get Go'. Here's what some people thought of it.......
"I frickin' LOVE the NY Pony Club... absolutely brilliant... especially "jerk me"..."Mylo
"I loved this!!! It made it's way into my box straight away..." Tiga
"Love both their singles ...'ice cream' was played loads at Trash and on Trash radio." Erol Alkan
"Brilliant!" Headman
"Great band. One of the good ones!" Andrew Weatherall
New Young Pony Club are:
Tahita - vocals
Andy - guitar
Igor - bass
Lou - synths
Sarah - drums
