Here's what Rough Trade have to say for themselves :


THE DISCO STUDENTS :my black girlfriend
the disco students formed back in 78, released some criminally under rated singles before splitting up in 1982 after a gig at the futurama festival. they reformed in 2003 and this is their third release from the new version of the band. the main track 'my black girlfriend' is an eerie and minimal post punk style track with vocals similar to early soft cell era marc almond. the other tracks are in a totally different style and the standout is the new version of 'mark e smith's dead' which is a lo-fi thrashy pop song with an obvious fall influence. 7 track cd only release on yeah! yeah! yeah! records.

Review of the Black Girlfriend record by seasoned rock journalist Mick Mercer - from www.mickmercer.com:

THE DISCO STUDENTS MY BLACK GIRLFRIEND Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”They’re making a documentary, about what she sees in me.” A filleted sound with a scratchy energy stuffed into the languid pace of the opening title track almost makes me think of Terry Hall making a good record (I never understood why reviewers praised his turgid Post-Funboy 3 dross) so that’s an irritatingly good start. Their obvious lyrical strength being matched by the music is a step on from the previous records they’d sent me, where the music struggled to play catch up with obvious humour, or was a decorative accessory, but now they have an edge. Twice they include a ‘version’: the punctilious, slippery ‘Mark E. Smith’s Dead’ attacking with a gloriously scabby guitar sound, then a suitably gormless ‘The Most Handsome Man On TV’ wobbling along.‘Kitchen Sink Disco’ is an engagingly shite piece, smearing memories over a psychotic mixture of rhythmical notions, where the bland feeling slowly envelops you, unpleasantly, which is a clever move. ‘My Secretary’ has one glorious line, ”she makes my appointments, she covers me in ointment” but I don’t think we need go there. A simple plinking tune which clomps along with occasionally fading samples of Peel talking about them on his show and using the word terrific, this is another oddly affecting piece, where ‘Nice Little Bust’ is just a chirpy bit of bluster, with lustre. (“I’ve seen your nice little bust, caress it I must.”) Along with the perverse observations the music also manages to clamp down hard on the imagination, and when ‘My Lesbian Sister’ finishes with a dark, throbbing beat and scary keyboards wings, seriously moody, full of sound despite its naff end, it has to be said that whenever the album appears it now threatens to be rather special.http://www.discostudents.com/

Do we need Pop Stars to tell us what to do? You may, my old china - but I bloody well don't. I watched that Madonna documentary last night on Channel Four - "I Want To Tell You A Secret" . Now don't get me wrong, she's a lovely girl etc. But dear me, when she wasn't banging on about Kabbalah she was chastising anyone within earshot with her home-spun "Political" message - something about being nice to one another and that - and lo behold anyone who didn't immediately pat her on the back and tell her that she is indeed , spot on about it all.
It got me thinking - there's Bono of course, Geldof - and now that studenty looking bloke from The Coldplay - all mad keen on telling us what to do. I'm a big fan of Patti Smith - always go to see her when she turns up in London - but I'm afraid, she's another one - Patti loves a rant about war, hunger, the price of fish. Last night Madonna was berating one of her dancers about him not being registered to vote - so the poor lad rushed out, registered - then returned to ask for guidance on who to vote for. Big Michael Moore was also on hand with advice for the feeble minded. Me, I haven't voted since the early 1990's - just think how different the world would be today if I'd actually got down to the polling booth.

Right - approaching post flu fitness - so back to the matter in hand. I work in a cyclical manner ( just listen to me) - something to do with a low boredom threshold I fear. The most recent art form to receive my attention has been painting. I've been daubing canvasses and such in a creative frenzy - when they're completed, I'll pop a few on here for public viewing.
Now the book and CD are out - I'm moving back into the poetry field - my stuff's at www.simoncheetham.com . I played a few gigs in the Summer - to mixed reviews, it must be said. I did a couple of comedy clubs, but it just wasn't me. Everyone else on the bill would have sold their grandmother to get a laugh - my curmudgeonly world weary persona with extra misanthropism did not endear me to either my fellow performers or some( most) of the audience. I also performed as an opening act to some rock bands - where I fared much better. Anyway, the point is, I'm back on the poetry track at the moment - indeed I'm just completing the masterpiece that is " George Michael's Getting Married ( To A Bloke)" - I'll post the finished work up here soon.

Currently riddled with flu, and so therefore somewhat vulnerable to any kind of attack. Just before bedtime last night I read a review on the internet claiming I was "terrible". Went to bed with a heavy heart . But woke this morning to read that the bloke who runs Baggage Reclaim - some kind of moody, arty club in South London thinks I'm ok - and enjoys my work. Obviously one of these people needs taking out and shooting, the other should be immediately made head of A&R at Sony or some other massive corporation. Quite a week really, the release of "Black Girlfriend" and the publishing of "Well Up For It" - my second book - a collaboration with Carl Eldridge. However, the flu has taken the wind from my sails somewhat, and I have been unable to bask in a self satisfied creative glow. Typical, that.

Just received delivery of the Black Girlfriend E.P. Looks good, sounds good too. So glad I got the final track "My Lesbian Sister" on it - brings it all up to date. I've had a couple of conversations with people regarding a live date or two in the New Year, so we'll see what happens there. I now await the reviews.........

Just finished a couple of new songs - "Writer & Broadcaster" is one, the other yet to be named. Sound good to me. I'm getting more proficient on the synthesiser - although I read a quote by Daniel Miller of Mute fame, who says that " only non-musicians make good synthesiser players" - if that's the case, I should be fucking superb.
The new record will be out in a week or so - all done on the mixing and mastering front - just waiting now for the pressing etc.
Just seen the track listing for the new Morrissey album - out in the Spring.
It's true, he DID steal all my ideas - a couple of the titles could be straight from the DS songbook.

A couple of new songs just completed - "Back In Hospital" and " Writer & Broadcaster" - ah! the bastard son of Giorgio Moroder is at it.

Just finished recording a new song - "My Lesbian Sister". It was written, recorded and mastered within three days. I'm so pleased with it, I've stopped the presses and it's being added as a seventh track to the new E.P. It's a Giorgio Moroder / Hamilton Bohannon influenced floor-filler that will in time be recognised as pure genius.

Things progressing nicely for the release of the new E.P. Just waiting now for the artwork/sleeve to be sorted out - and it's done. I've started writing some new material - looking to the next release - we'll see how that comes out. As for any live dates - the plan is to wait until the New Year - see how the CD is received, and take it from there. I would like to take the "new" Disco Student sound to the stage, but again, we'll see. Lots of waiting and seeing on the horizon.

Just back from Bridport where I spent a few days recording some new material - all good. I have now had the Black Girlfriend E.P. all mastered by the marvellous Campbell Downie from the House of Sound - the six tracks sound great, and I can't wait to get them released. A very new DS sound. Whilst I was down in Dorset I went through the hundreds of cassette tapes - some going back to 1977 - that contain all DS output ever. It was a strange experience listening to live gigs, rehearsals and studio recordings - not only the songs, but the out-takes and snippets of conversations from days long gone. The Retrospective project has blossomed - there'll now be 20 songs - but it won't be out until the New Year. All the tracks are going to be digitally re-mastered - and these things take time. Some of the songs I remembered as being good were , to my 2005 ears, not so - and vice -versa. But I've settled on a list 0f 20 - I could have gone to 30 - but no. Keep those others for volume 2, eh.

Here's a funny thing. I was updating the DS Yahoo site - and tried to publish the title of the retrospective release - "I Was A Teenage Disco Student" - but Yahoo wouldn't let me use the word "teen".
Just fancy that.

Preparations for the two Disco Students releases are under way. They will be released on the same day - how about that? Release date - around the end of November. I am currently making my way through hours of tape - from various live dates and studio recordings to pick out any material that should make the retrospective. All most interesting. Thinking of calling the retro record " I Was A Teenage Disco Student".

A sudden burst of activity on the DS front. My Black Girlfriend EP well on the way - cover done - will be out for the end of November. Also on the go - "The Disco Students - A Retrospective" (the rather grand working title, may change that). The Retrospective will contain all eight tracks that were released on vinyl, plus four more never reelased, with two brand new songs to bring things bang up to date.
After six months of much needed rest and recuperation, it's great to get the DS back on track.
I now have the capability to record, produce and release new material in house , so expect a number of new DS releases. All news either here, on the Yahoo group or at discostudents.com

The new Disco Student sound is nearly ready. What's happening is the DS are embracing the new digital world. Oh yes. The new songs will appear on the web - that's as soon as I have tackled the technology, but once that is under control, the plan is to gently release all the new material via the web. First up will be five songs - "Mark E Smith's Dead", "The Most Handsome Man on T.V.", "Black Girlfriend" , "My Secretary" and "Kitchen Sink Disco (23.4.04)".
Exciting, isn't it?

So, Simon & the three Sues - all down in Dorset - recording, writing - walking by the sea and getting it together.
"Shall we " - I ask , " Put a record out on 7" vinyl?" - " Does anyone have those record players these days ?" - Jesus, I don't know - we'd best find out.

Indeed, things have been quiet - but that does not neccessarily mean nothing has been happening. So, the new Disco Student sound is nearly ready for human consumption.
Simon, along with Sue Haphazard, Sue Murderforce and Sue Undeniable have been writing and recording.
The results are somewhat astonishing. Four songs : "My Secretary", "Black Girlfriend", " We are Disco Student" and " Taken As Read" are in the mixing stage. Release date : Autumn 2005.

Heard a mix of "The Most Handsome Man on TV" today. All together a newer, heavier sound. Not unlike Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols - sounds really good. Hope you like our new direction.....

We've just recorded a demo of "Mark E Smith's Dead" and "The Most Handsome Man on TV" - the songs are being mixed, we'll see what we think then go into the studio to record them for the next release.
On another note, a solo Disco Student project is ongoing. I take to the stage in May for a couple of performances at The Dublin Castle, Camden on 11th May and The Wasted Punk Festival in Morecambe on 19th. I've written and recorded some solo songs - "My Secretary", "Nice Little Bust" amongst them, and a batch of "Rock Poetry" - all available for viewing at : www.freewebs.com/rockpoet2005.
Somewhat inspired by Stanley Green, the Protein Man who tramped up and down Oxford Street in the 1970's warning all who'd listen of the perils of too much protein.
Hope you like my new direction......

The new website is now live - www.discostudents.com - it contains the history of the group, photos etc - lots more from the archives to come.
We are now complete again - Gary James has joined the DS - so we're now ready to record and play live again. Gary's style is bigger and stronger than we've had before - fits in well with the new material.