The Fire Engines were a post-punk band from Edinburgh, Scotland. They were initially active between 1979 and 1981. Their first single was the "Get Up And Use Me" / "Everything's Roses", released on the Codex Communications label in 1980, which was given 'Single of the Week' in both NME and Sounds. The band signed to Fast Product and issued further singles and a largely instrumental album, Lubricate Your Living Room (1981) on Fast subsidiary Pop:Aural.

They reformed for concerts between 2004 and 2006, and again in 2017. The Fire Engines were an influence on many bands that followed, including Franz Ferdinand and The Rapture, with Meat Whiplash and The Candyskins both taking their names from Fire Engines songs.

History

The Fire Engines comprise David (Davy) Henderson (vocals/guitar), Murray Slade (guitar), Graham Main (bass), and Russell Burn (drums). The band name was inspired by a 13th Floor Elevators song. Henderson, Main, and Burn had previously been members of The Dirty Reds, along with Russell Burn's brother Tam Dean Burn, while Slade had played in Station Six.

"Get Up and Use Me" was given 'Single of the Week' in both NME and Sounds. Further singles followed and a largely instrumental album, Lubricate Your Living Room (subtitled 'Background Music for Action People!'), in 1981, released on Fast subsidiary Pop:Aural. Their most successful single was "Candy Skin", released in 1981, but after the follow-up, "Big Gold Dream" failed to repeat its success, the band split up on 31 December 1981. and released a limited edition collaboration single with Franz Ferdinand; The seven-inch single contained a Franz Ferdinand cover of the Fire Engines song "Get Up and Use Me" with Fire Engines covering Franz Ferdinand's "Jacqueline". Graham Wann later joined as guitarist. The band released a single on the Creeping Bent label in 2007, two singles through a German label in 2008 and one more in 2009. Their debut album, Cucumber, was released in 2010, partially produced by Boards of Canada (who produced the third single). It was released on vinyl in 2011.

In August 2017 the band reformed again to play a benefit for Leith Theatre along with Irvine Welsh and Ewen Bremner.

Discography

Albums

Lubricate Your Living Room (1981) - UK Indie #4

Compilations

  • Aufgeladen und Bereit fur Action und Spass (1981)
  • Fond (1992)
  • Codex Teenage Premonition (2005)
  • Hungry Beat (2007)
  • Chrome Dawns (2024)

Singles

  • "Get Up and Use Me" / "Everythings Roses" (1980), Codex Communications - UK Indie #9
  • "Candyskin" / "Meat Whiplash" (1981), Pop:Aural - UK Indie #7
  • "Big Gold Dream" / "New Thing in Cartons" / "Sympathetic Anaesthetic" (1981), Pop:Aural - UK Indie #15
  • "Discord" (2006), Domino ¹

¹ from John Peel session tracks "Discord" and "Candyskin"

Legacy and influence

The history of The Fire Engines from 1979 to 1981 is covered in 2015 documentary film Big Gold Dream, which takes its name from the band's final release on the Pop:Aural label.

The Fire Engines were an influence on many bands that followed, including Franz Ferdinand and The Rapture, with Meat Whiplash and The Candyskins both taking their names from Fire Engines songs.

References

  • The Fire Engines at Acute Records