Before The Smiths: Orange Juice, Postcard Records and the Sound of British Indie

1980. Glasgow. Postcard Records. Orange Juice. 'Falling and Laughing'.

One of the foundational indie bands of the early 80s British pop scene, back when the term “indie” meant something: the forever underrated Orange Juice, with Edwyn Collins at the front, whose 67th birthday is today.

'Falling and Laughing' was their debut single and the first record released by Postcard Records, one of the defining British independent labels of the era.

The jangling guitar tradition of The Byrds. Nods to Television and the Velvets. Even a touch of Lou Reed in Collins’ phrasing (pain, pain, pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-in). Soul. Funk. Disco. Post-punk. And a lyrical vulnerability that would become central to British indie pop.

This was 1980.

Before Manchester and The Smiths, formed in 1982, came to define British indie for a generation, there was Glasgow, Postcard Records and Orange Juice, already combining jangling guitar pop, soul, funk and post-punk into something new. A new sound for the independent Britain.

I can almost picture Morrissey in his bedroom on King’s Road in 1980, daydreaming of fronting a band and quietly taking notes…

“Only my dreams satisfy the real need of my heart.”
Edwyn Collins, 'Falling and Laughing'.

Happy birthday to Edwyn Collins. Thanks for the music.