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For fans of North London-based BOB life could sometimes be frustrating. Releases were sporadic yet acclaimed. A series of singles and EPs was released during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with four of the last five being NME Single of the Week. When an album was finally recorded, any potential success was undermined by the collapse of the Rough Trade distribution network.

The gaps between releases were sometimes filled by Peel Sessions. Peel chanced upon the band (or was it vice versa?) overhearing their first release - a flexidisc – on the instore hi-fi of a small London independent record shop. In all, BOB recorded three Peel sessions, showcasing tracks that would or would not end up ultimately being committed to vinyl.

Even seeing BOB live could prove to be a challenge. Firstly, fans had to avoid Liverpudlian contemporaries Bob, Bob, Bob and Bob as well as a different London-based band also performing under the ‘Bob’ moniker. This achieved, they then ran the risk of attending one of the gigs that would end up being recounted in the band’s newsletters with a full account of how the PA had broken down and been fixed with the element from an electric kettle. Still, life on the road was not always without glamour for BOB: they did meet major Ron Ferguson – the Duchess of York’s dad – outside a pub once.

Despite the critical acclaim, BOB never really enjoyed the success they deserved. Two singles and a compilation album were released on the Sombrero label (also home to The Siddeleys). The rest of BOB’s releases were self-financed affairs on their own House of Teeth label (“More classics than you can shake a stick at”), although Virgin’s publishing arm stumped up the money for one single. Meanwhile, drummer Dean Leggett’s connection with fellow Jamie Wednesday graduates Jim Bob and Fruitbat earned BOB a support slot with Carter USM at the height of their career.

Singles

Brian Wilson’s Bed/Prune (Your Tree)/ Groove (House of Teeth)

What a Performance/ Piggery/ Deary Me/ Memory of a Free Lunch/ Worra Performance (Sombrero)

Kirsty/ The Hippy Goes Fishing/Banwell Blues (No.2)/ Times Like These (Sombrero)

Convenience/ Thinking Wishful/ I Fall Upon the Thorns of Life! I Bleed!!/ So Far So Good (House of Teeth)

Esmerelda Brooklyn/I Don’t Know/ Esmerelda Brooklyn (instrumental)/ Sink (House of Teeth)

Stride Up ep: Flagpole/ My Blood is Drink/ Daymaker/ Rain (House of Teeth)

Tired/ Skylark/ Tyred/ Time and Again (House of Teeth)

Nothing for Something/ Many Thorns/ Convenience (demo)/ My Blood is Drink (demo)/ Flagpole (demo)/ Tired (demo)/ Bocker Spammy (House of Teeth)

Albums

No Mean Typist (demo tape) Just Like You.../Groove All My Troubles Away/ Smelly Summer/ Julian And James/ Brian Wilson's Bed/ King Con/ George Hamilton IV/ Prune (Your Tree)/ I Fall Upon The Thorns Of Life! I Bleed!!/The Savage Pen/ The Bit Between/ It Was Kevin!!!*/ Memory Of A Free Lunch/ 'Anxious From Mars'/If I Needed Someone

Swag Sack Kirsty/ Piggery/ Smelly Summer/Prune (Your Tree)/ Deary Me/ The Hippy Goes Fishing/ What A Performance/ Times Like These/ Memory Of A Free Lunch/ Groove/ Banwell Blues (No.2)/ So Far, So Good (Sombrero)

Leave the Straight Life Behind Dynamite/ Skylark III, Nothing For Something/Who You Are/ Old Jean Blues/ Take Take Take/ Skylark II/ Trousercide/ Saying Goodbye/ 95 Tears/ The Belly/ Leave The Straight Life Behind (House of Teeth)

BBC Radio 1 Sessions

18/01/88 Peel Esmerelda Brooklyn/Kirsty/Trousercide/Brian Wilson's Bed

29/03/88 Mayo Times Like These/Smelly Summer/Just Like You/It Was Kevin*

15/02/89 Peel Who You Are/Scarecrow/It Was Kevin*/So Far So Good

25/09/89 Peel Extension 'BOB' Please/Throw Away The Key/Bloodline/Wild West 9

* 'It Was Kevin' would ultimately be retitled 'Leave The Straight Life Behind