By the end of side one, you’re convinced singer Suzy May is a Shangri La, a Ronette or a Twinkle who has had her heart broken by a Bobby, a Johnny or a Joe, wrote Andy Hurt in his 5-star review of the Deadbeats On Tar Beach in Sounds magazine. Originally issued in 1985 on French independent label New Rose, the album was recorded at Jackson’s, producer Vic Maile’s studio. The band were fans of 50s rockabilly, 60s girl groups and 70s punk and had a policy of using vintage equipment and instruments, so Maile’s all-valve desk was perfectly suited to their sound. While it went largely unnoticed in the UK, On Tar Beach became New Rose’s second biggest-seller (after the Cramps) and the Deadbeats travelled throughout France playing to sold-out crowds at venues such as the Rex in Paris, Chez Paulette in Toul and the Heartbreak Hotel in Sète. This expanded version, with seven bonus tracks, marks the album’s first UK release. Sleeve notes are by the band’s guitarist, Tony Berrington.
