Song(s) of the Day # 1,985 JoBoxers

A snapshot from the early Eighties UK Pop scene from one who lived through it. JoBoxers, probably all but forgotten, except for those who were actually in JoBoxers or for whom they were the band. And the world is sufficiently diverse and nuanced that there surely must be some who fall into the latter category.

JoBoxers time in the sun lasted for a few seasons and three singles and an album really. 1983 was the year and music here was shifting from Punk and New Wave to sounds of a more Thatcherite hue. The band were made up of Subway Sect cohorts who had tired of Vic Godard's inability to get his act together and get into the actual charts.

In order to help them do so, they recruited American singer Dig Wayne who changed his name to Buzz and together they churned out three hit singles and an album over the course of the calendar year. They all still sound good to me.

Essentially their sound was an amalgam of Kevin, Vic and Paul. Rowland, Godard and Weller. Oh and Sixties Soul of course. The Early Eighties had a musical seam that was very much in thrall to this kind of thing. JoBoxers had clearly seen On the Waterfront, (the look, the song Johnny Friendly, open and shut case frankly), but it had been a good enough image and sound for Dexys Mk 1 another admitted inspiration.

And it all had sufficient legs to get JoBoxers two Top Ten hits, a further Top Forty one and a Smash Hits cover during the year. It also saw them into the US Top Forty with Just Got Lucky their best song. When 1983 was over so were they essentially but they carried on until '85 before giving up the ghost.

I'm listening to their debut album Like Gangbusters now, and it's good. Full of the jaunty blue eyed soul, R&B and a tinge of Jazz, with roving funky bass that was characteristic of a lot of the best contemporary radio pop music of the time. The band are having a ball and are better musicians than they might have appeared to be on the surface.

So what is remembered of JoBoxers now. Very little probably. They are a throwaway repeated line in a Stewart Lee comedy sketch. Their one song on Spotify, Just Got Lucky, is only there because it features on the 40 Year Old Virgin soundtrack. Judging by Like Gangbusters they deserve more. 

They're precise and sleek and never commit the sins of self indulgence that was characteristic of so many of those with similar record collections throughout the Eighties. They're never Blue Rondo, Curiosity Killed the Cat or Then Jericho. As for Thompson Twins, frankly they blow them out of the water. I'll be keeping an eye out for second hand copies of this in charity shops from now on,