Ochre
5
began life as a bedroom tape Dannie Vallely made using cardboard
boxes for drums - a la The Byrds - and employing the vocal talents
of his sister Joanne Vallely.
The tape was sent to Alan McGee who, predictably, loved it. Weeks
later The Jesus and Mary Chain turned up on Joanne's doorstep
in East Kilbride demanding the band join them for a Creation Records
launch night in Glasgow.
A band was formed for the event featuring Dannie Vallely (guitar/keyboards),
ex-Mixers Grant Morrison (rhythm guitar) and Ulric
Kennedy (bass) with Pete Haggerty (drums).
Ochre 5 were the only band on the bill that night who did not
go on to record a single for Creation, presumably due
to McGee's unhappiness on discovering so many ex-Mixers in a band he
thought he liked.
This short-lived line-up produced a number of demos but ceased trading
when Pete went off to Iceland and Ulric left to become The Catalysts.