Josef K
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
November of that year saw the release of the nervy Chance Meeting single on the one-off Absolute label. Allen Horne and Orange Juice member Edwyn Collins struck a verbal deal with the band for their Postcard imprint, who released a series of the bands singles. The first was a double pack with the funk/soul-influenced Orange Juice gracing one half, which helped break ground on the press-derived Scottish Sound. In late 1980 the band recorded an LPs worth of material in less than two weeks. The somewhat slickly produced Sorry for Laughing was canned by Horne and the band for tilting the sound toward the rhythm section, rather than highlighting the guitars and sounding live. A few months later, the band recorded another album, entitled The Only Fun in Town. Committed in less than a week, this one was released officially, hitting the top position of the U.K. indie chart. Notably, it was the only full-length released by the band, as well as the Postcard label. Having released a record and playing a number of successful shows, Haig determined that the band neednt accomplish anything more and disbanded his group. Ross went off to join Orange Juice, and also spent time with fellow Scots Aztec Camera. Haig began a solo career, eventually working with such talents as Alan Rankine, Billy Mackenzie, Cabaret Voltaire, and Mantronix. Weddell and Torrance were part of the Happy Family with Nick Currie (better known as Momus).
A number of posthumous releases followed shortly after the bands departure. Young and Stupid was issued by Supreme International Recordings in 1987, compiling singles, a session for the BBC, and stray tracks from the shelved first album (it has been reissued twice since then with varying content). Les Temps Modernes coupled Sorry for Laughing with The Only Fun in Town on CD in 1990 (since the original release, it has been reissued by Rev-Ola and LTM once again) . Marina issued a compilation of the bands finer moments in 1998, entitled Endless Soul.
