DARKNESS AT NOON
"Stride On"/"The Raindance"/"Skate The Thin Film"
(Molesworth cassette CAMBS 1)
coverpage
introduction
The Blue Mist
Darkness At Noon
The Pleasureheads
Nutmeg
Flowershop
The Charlottes
The Nightjars
80's Cambs rock
(c) Andrew Clifton 2000-1
Darkness At Noon, named after the Koestler novel, was described by a Huntingdon journalist as a cross between Gary Moore and Depeche Mode. Jason Bunting (ex-Blue Mist; nowadays in Curb) played the pop synth keyboards and Paul Chester (ex-Mithrandir) provided the vocals and heavy rock guitar. Yes, just two. I recall the landlady of The Crown in Peterborough (a venue well-used to punk and metal decibels) storming in at the start of their gig with a "Turn it down!" - only to be dumbfounded by the sight of what seemed less than half a band.
Not only were both gifted young musicians but they understood the potential of new technology. They used delay and repeat effects to build up a remarkably full and lively sound on stage. Occasionally, as on "The Raindance" here, they were joined by Keith Billson (also ex-Mithrandir) on percussion. Locals still enthused about a couple of these gigs over a decade later. Darkness At Noon were also an ideal contrast to their labelmates The Pleasureheads whom they supported several times. That is where most of these tapes were sold in their dozens.
Listening to these songs for the first time in several years, they seem remarkably fresh and assured. Paul is a vocal gymnast on the speedy first track, and their sound of a guitar soloing over gritty synth-pop dance rhythms is still distinctive. The tracks were recorded at Metronome in Chatteris, an excellent studio but shortlived owing to the illness of the owner/producer. Unfortunately Darkness At Noon was equally shortlived, lasting for only a few months in 1986 before Paul moved to Kent. He has returned to Cambridgeshire where he teaches Religious Education, and Keith teaches English in Peterborough.
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