The Bureau are not only back together, they are about to release their second ever album, and their first in 27 years.
The Bureau had a massive hit with ‘Only For Sheep’ in Australia but the British ska band failed to match the Aussie success on their home turf.They split after their one and only album.
The origins of The Bureau came from Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Ex-Dexy’s members Pete Williams, Geoff Blythe, Steve Spooner and Stoker formed the band in late 1980 with Mick Talbot, who after the split formed the Style Council with Paul Weller.
The other members were Rob Jones and Archie Brown from a group called The Upset.
Two singles were released in the UK but failed to chart. The band had recorded the album ‘The Bureau’ but their label Warner decided not to release it in England. It only came out in Australia and Canada.
In 2005, England was finally granted the release of the 1981 album, complete with a bonus live album.
The Bureau reformed for two gigs in 2005 with Crispin Taylor replacing Stoker on drums.
After the gigs, they gathered in the studio to start work on their second album ‘...And Another Thing’.
The current line-up for The Bureau is Geoff Blythe (tenor sax), Paul Taylor (trombone), Archie Brown (vocals), Mick Talbot (keyboards), Pete Williams (bass), Crispin ‘The Pump’ Taylor (drums).
According to the band’s info, “This album has been made against the odds - fired by belief in the music and commitment to a friendship forged by hard times”.
Watch The Bureau Only For Sheep here:
