Web searches turned up a few small details (such as the band being from Northern Ireland). Research began in earnest when, on April 11th of 2002, I ordered every Cruella de Ville record I could locate. Most were found via GEMM.com and NetSounds.com. The total came to US$305.86 for 29 records:
The labels and covers provided source material for more web searches and by May 7th I had put together a half-decent fan site.
If you know someone mentioned on these pages please bring it to their attention so they can provide corrections, clarifications, or (best of all) new insights into the life and times of this band. They can contact me at CruellaDeVille@John-Wasser.com.
If you know someone or something NOT mentioned on these pages which should be, please bring it to my attention. You can contact me at CruellaDeVille@John-Wasser.com.
After Cruella de Ville she switched to writing. She wrote a play titled "Together Against Him" and in 1995, under the name Phil O'Brien, she wrote a novel titled "Memories of the Irish Israeli War" (ISBN 1-899690-00-X). A blurb on the back cover describes it as "A love satire for the post Gulf War era". In 1996 she was a director of "New Futurist Books", the publisher of her book. Best guess on location: London.
He now runs a video studio in central London, often used by casting directors to video film auditions. He also plays acoustic bass and banjo in the London-based five-piece traditional Irish band "Beyond the Pale".
Mike went on to become a popular radio personality and disk-jockey for Radio Ulster. He created the show "Across the Line" which to this day showcases local Irish bands, particularly new bands.
The most recent information I have is from the BBC Northern Ireland 2000-2001 annual review:Mike Edgar is currently head of the Entertainment, Events & Sport division.
Recent picture from the BBCNI web site:
| Copyright Year | Cover | Title | Label | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 |
|
Drunken Uncle John (DUJ) Side A: Drunken Uncle John Side AA: Those Two Dreadful Children |
Good Vibrations | GOT-16 |
| 1982 |
 |
Those Two Dreadful Children (TTDC) Side A: Those Two Dreadful Children Side AA: Drunken Uncle John |
Good Vibrations Polydor |
GOOD 1 |
| 1982 |
 |
I'll Do the Talking (Good Vibrations label) (IDTT-GV) Side A: I'll Do the Talking Side B: Blues, Blues, Blues |
Good Vibrations | GOOD 2 (S 82 CUS 1603) |
| 1983 |
 |
Gypsy Girl (7-inch) (GG7) Side A: Gypsy Girl Side B: Blues, Blues, Blues |
EMI | EMI 5412 |
| 1983 |  |
Gypsy Girl (12-inch) (GG12) Side 1: Gypsy Girl Side 2 Track 1: Blues, Blues, Blues Side 2 Track 2: Gypsy Girl (edit) |
EMI | 12EMI 5412 |
| 1984 |  |
I'll Do the Talking (CPL label) (IDTT-CPL) Side A: I'll Do the Talking Side B Track 1: Hollywood Hong Kong Swing Side B Track 2: Oceans |
CPL | CPL-5 |
| 1984 |  |
Hong Kong Swing (7-inch) (HKS7) Side A: Hong Kong Swing Side B: Drunken Uncle John |
Parlophone | R6075 |
| 1984 |  |
Hong Kong Swing (12-inch) (HKS12) Side A: Hong Kong Swing (manic mix) Side B Track 1: Drunken Uncle John Side B Track 2: Hong Kong Swing |
Parlophone | 12R6075 |
Mudd Wallace - Musician, producer, and recording engineer at Homestead Studios, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Belfast photographer best known for his landscape photography of Northern Ireland. See: http://www.scenic-ireland.com/ChrisHill.html.
(From David Samuel Barr of Warburton Productions/Zachary Associates)
Roy Wood is, of course, the legendary musician & songwriter best known
as the founder & leader of The Move, Wizzard, and Electric Light Orchestra
(although he left early in that group's career), and as a solo artist.
He has also produced many recordings for various other artists, including
the "Annie in Wonderland" solo album by his then-girlfriend Annie Haslam,
the lead singer of Renaissance. His official website is http://www.roywood.co.uk/.
(From a 1983 interview with Colum Muinzer regarding the production of
Hong Kong Swing):
"We chose Roy Wood because we liked his records; we didn't want to take full
responsibility for producing our own album and risking that it wouldn't be
any good, so we decided to use a producer as a safety measure. Roy produced
the back-tracks, but unfortunately he wasn't very well at the time so he
left, and we continued with the help of Dick Plant, our engineer".
(From David Samuel Barr of Warburton Productions/Zachary Associates)
Dick Plant is a veteran recording engineer and producer who probably is best
known for his work with Renaissance and The Shadows, among many others. He
also is a guitarist and, currently, half of the duo, The Vibratos, with Warren
Bennett, http://www.vibratos.co.uk/.
(From a 1983 interview with Colum Muinzer regarding the production of
Hong Kong Swing):
Roy (Wood) produced the back-tracks, but unfortunately he wasn't very well
at the time so he left, and we continued with the help of Dick Plant, our
engineer. Dick really deserves most of the production credits for he co-produced
the tracks with us and has been, quite literally, brilliant. Make sure you
stress what a brilliant engineer Dick is, and mention that he has worked
with Cliff, The Shadows, ELO, and Wizzard -and that The Shadows have just
recorded one of his songs for their next album...".
"They were one of my first big jobs as a young photographer. I was quite nervous and shot it in Holborn Studios (London). They had this wonderful dress made by this guy who did costumes for the Royal Shakespeare Company."
Kerstin Rodgers is still a photographer and working in London. She specializes in portrait, reportage, and stills. If you like her work on the Gypsy Girl cover and want to hire her, you can contact her by e-mail at kerstinrodgers@hotmail.com.
Another perspective on the shoot from Philomena Muinzer: "...the make-up girl hired was very young and unconfident and I think she spent about 2 hours making up my face.Ê We didn't know how long makeup artists took, because we'd never had them before.Ê But I later realised it was a huuuugely long time." Ê
"The costume designer was talented - but he was a theatre person who was rather star struck by the idea of bands, and not only did he show up at the shoot, but he also brought the woman who had sewed the costume, and she brought her baby who had put out its hip and was wearing a pair of huge plaster cast diapers with each diaper leg separated at a fixed distance from the other by a stick in between."
David Samuel Barr (Warburton Productions/Zachary Associates) suggests that this might be a reference to Kate & Anna McGarrigle, the famed Canadian singing sister duo. http://www.mcgarrigles.com/
Colum said this in a 1983 interview: "Beatrice Lillie is the most brilliant person I've ever seen in my life. She's a 'thirties comedy actress and singer who was married to Lord Peel; she was ninety recently, but she has had a stroke and is now blind and living in an old people's home. Anyway, 'Hong Kong Swing' is a 'thirties musical extravaganza based on her work"
In 1995, under the name Phil O'Brien, she wrote a novel titled "Memories of the Irish Israeli War" (ISBN 1-899690-00-X). A blurb on the back cover describes it as "A love satire for the post Gulf War era". In 1996 she was a director of "New Futurist Books", the publisher of her book.
Currently resides in or near London.
Currently resides in or near London.