Tinkerbell's Dope Ring were formed in 1991 and stopped in 1994. During that time they recorded an EP (Audrey Hepburn EP), an album (Beetsmakespitpink), two double A sided singles (Ram/America, and Mindless/Tangles & Knots), played about 300 gigs round Scotland and supported Radiohead (twice), The Joyriders, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, Fish (!?) and many more.

So what happened?

Start

Jim Gellatly (then of Moray Firth Radio, but later, Northsound and now Beat 106) included an early version of 'audrey hepburn' (by Seven Yellow Canaries - and yes there are no excuses for this name or Tinkerbell's Dope Ring for that matter) on his Groove Machine compilation tape in 1990. At the end of 1990 Tinkerbell's Dope RIng was formed with Tom Fraser, David on bass and Richard on drums But after we got invited to play a gig on Skye which went incredibly well the drummer and bass player refused to play a gig the next day at Nigg Ferry so we split up. In January 1991 Mike Wheeler on drums and Sue Allen on bass joined Tom Fraser and the Tinks were off again. In February 1991 we re-recorded Audrey Hepburn along with Mindless(Space to Let), Industrial Relations and Sweet Conceit (written by Sue Allen, with Sue on guitar and vocals and Tom Fraser on bass) and released it as a 7 inch vinyl ep on our own floppy records label ('audrey hepburn ep.. a little gem', 'great...3 out of 4 tracks are really good'). Sue Allen left shortly after the recording and Scott Shaw took over as bass player. We then played the infamous Inverness Hayloft, The Lemon Tree, and many other places across the central Highlands.

In the summer of 1992 we organised a 22 date tour round the Highlands and Islands ending with The Shock Of The North Faultline Festival headlined by the Joyriders ('But the night belonged to TDR', 'It was Tinkerbell's Dope Ring who really got the place jumping') and then Mike Wheeler moved to Glasgow and Tom Fraser moved down to Edinburgh where Tinkerbell's Dope Ring continued.

Middle

With a new bass player XXXXX XXXXXX, and then another Robert XXXXXXXXX we continued gigging in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Then in February 1993 we recorded the album Beetsmakespitpink.

Beetsmakespitpink was produced in 7 days at Ice Station Zebra, Edinburgh. Jon King (Olympic Studios producer for Motorhead, Elvis Costello, The Cult (She sells Sanctuary), Anita Dobson) was the producer and did a great job. We recorded Angel on the loose, Fire in Babylon, Jamie Lee, Meet Mr Nasty, According to the bear, Cut me loose, Green eyes strikes back, Student love, Pets, Straw roofs, and Popstar.

The End

In 1993 Tinkerbell's Dope Ring gigged all over Scotland supporting Radiohead in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Brainiac, Sidi Bou Said, going to Letham and XXXXXXXXXX, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness. In November we recorded the Ram/America (in a crisis of singing confidence, we got XXXX to sing America) single and made a video for Ram, and played sessions for BBC Radio Scotland. In May 1994 we recorded the Mindless/Tangles and Knots single and made a video for Mindless. By 1994, though we were playing an early version on Skunk and trying to play Skewhiff (both later to be tantrum songs).  But the Tinks didn't really like them. And Mik and nikki and i had taken and inspirational trip around then and that had put me off Tinks - nikki and i wanted something bigger and slower.  We formed tantrum 6am 1st Jan 1995.

BAND

Tinkerbell's Dope Ring were, by the end, Tom Fraser (guitar, vocals), Mike Wheeler (drums), Arthur Finlay (Guitar) and Deke Patton (bass, vocals). There were nine other bass players in all including: Arthur Finlay, Scott Shaw, Robert Nicholson, Dave, Sue Allen and Tim.

MUSIC

Punky, indie guitar pop.

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