The Creepers Explained

The Creepers
Background:group_or_band
Alias:Marc Riley and the Creepers,
The Lost Soul Crusaders
Origin:Manchester, England
Genre:Rock, post-punk
Years Active:1982–1988
Label:In-Tape, Red Rhino
Associated Acts:The Fall
Past Members:Marc Riley
Eddie Fenn
Paul Fletcher (1982-85)
Pete Keogh (1982-85)
Mark Tilton (1986-88)
Phil Roberts (1986-88)

The Creepers were an English rock music group, formed in Manchester in 1982, originally as Marc Riley and the Creepers.[1] After being dismissed from The Fall by Mark E. Smith, Marc Riley formed his own record label (In-Tape) with Jim Khambatta,[2] and his own band. The first single "Favourite Sister" (which featured his former bandmates Steve Hanley, Craig Scanlon and Paul Hanley) was followed up with "Jumper Clown", which poked fun at his previous band's singer. A Peel Session was the source of the next release in 1984, with a compilation of these early releases, Cull, following the same year. First album proper, Gross Out, appeared in June 1984. 1985 saw the release of the second album Fancy Meeting God as well as a swansong live album Warts 'n' All towards the end of the year.

Riley then recruited ex-Membranes Mark Tilton and Phil Roberts of Shrubs, and carried on as simply "The Creepers". With a more sophisticated sound, the first release under this name was a cover of Brian Eno's "Baby's on Fire", with the album Miserable Sinners following later the same year. After signing to Red Rhino, a further single, "Brute" and album Rock 'n' Roll Liquorice Flavour appeared in 1987 and 1988 respectively. Sleeper: A Retrospective followed in 1989.

The band briefly became 'The Lost Soul Crusaders' before splitting up.

Discography

Chart placings shown are from the UK Independent Chart.[3]

Albums

Marc Riley and the Creepers

The Creepers

Singles

Marc Riley and the Creepers

The Creepers

Notes and References

  1. Strong, Martin C.:"The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", 1999, Canongate,
  2. Larkin, Colin: "The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music", 1992, Guinness Publishing, p. 2238,
  3. Lazell, Barry:"Indie Hits 1980-1989", 1997, Cherry Red Books,