Pete Townshend - Peppermint Lump

I have this Stiff Records single by Angie that was written and produced by Pete Townshend, who also plays and sings background on it. A fun little song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iTwYN2lME

 

nice guitar solo and vocals by pete. the single is rather easy to find. there was a 12" too.

 

A brilliant little piece of perfect pop from Pete (& company)!!! I was first exposed to this in the mid-90's in New York City- the Stiff 45, feel in love with it & had my friend play it over & over...thanks for bringing back the memory
Anyone know the tale behind how this came to be, and who "Angie" the little girl lead vocalist is?
Here's the best I could come up with...
...and...it says the song was written by "J. Asher"? not Pete...
http://goodnbadvinyl.blogspot.com/
Text:

Angie - Peppermint Lump

OK - So it's really Pete Townshend. See? there's Pete right on the cover. Pete produces, plays guitar and sings background vocals. And apparently he likes young schoolgirls! Must have been before he liked boys!

Released in August 1979 on the fledging Stiff Records label (Elvis Costello, Ian Drury, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, etc.). I don't know a lot about this. Songwriter credits are J. Asher (Jane? I doubt it.). I think Angie is Pete's daughter. But maybe not. Stiff Records says her name is Angela Turner. But below her name is Porter. Oh well, who cares.



Ah-Ha! here's a little more info.

Artist: Angie
(real name: Angela Porter)
Was a pupil at the Corona stage school. She appeared on numerous British TV programs. Stiff's press release at the time read: " A blatant attempt to corner the market of pre-teen and post-punk singles buyers".


Here's what became of her (at least several years ago)!

Biography
BURNT OUT STABLE GIRL formed in November 1998

The nucleus of the band are:-

Angie Porter (Vocals)
Paul Tierney (Writer/Producer)
Fraser ''Kipper'' McCormick (Writer/Producer)

Angie Porter is no stranger to the singing game.
As a child she worked with legendary producer Trevor Horn, providing backing vocals for Buggles'' number one hit, ''Video Killed The Radio Star''.
Aged eleven, she teamed up with The Who'' s Pete Townshend and released a single, ''Peppermint Lump'', on the seminal Stiff label. It was Radio One''s Record Of The Week.
At sixteen she signed a deal with Peer Music Publishing.
After a period spent training horses at Newmrket Racecourse, Angie answered an advert in Melody Maker. It was a move which led her to London and BURNT OUT STABLE GIRL, the stadio-based production team that consists of:-

Paul Tierney

Paul has been a successful music journalist for the past eleven years. His opinions and insights have graced the pages of many publications, including: i-D, Record Mirror,'' Ministry, Attitude and Flipside. He is currently Dance Music Editor of Top Magazine.
In 1996 he formed the band Belter, writing and producing tracks that impressed everyone from Faithless'' Rollo to EMI Music Publishing.
A life long music fan, Paul brings with him a finely tuned ear and the lyrical bite of a mis-spent youth.

Fraser ''Kipper'' McCormick

Kipper has been in bands all his life.
At eighteen he sang with the Bournemouth-based group, The Cabin Boys, playing pubs and clubs across the south coast.
Moving to London, he later formed Navajo, a band fronted by ex-Jet Vegas vocalist, Michael Duignan.
In 1997, as Just Another Project, Kipper teamed up with club DJ, Keith Fielder and released three well received singles. Kipper does a lovely Force Legato.

BURNT OUT STABLE GIRL are currently seeking a deal.

Last year they performed two highly impressive showcases in central London and intend to spend the rest of 2000 building on their steadily growing following.

 

Here another one of Pete track:

"Life To Life"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_5gomxU8_A

 

Has this ever come out on CD?

 

Not that I've found, not even on either of the Stiff box set compilations. Shame because its a great little single.

There is a digital version on the Stiff Single Collection Vol 3. That's available on iTunes, Amazon and eMusic. All 7 volumes of Stiff Singles are worth exploring.

 

Correction: there are at least 9 volumes of Stiff Singles.

 

This song had a pretty nifty pic sleeve, as well. I remember seeing it at the record shops when it came out, but never actually heard it until this thread and the YouTube link above.
Yikes, her voice is annoying <imho>! Good guitar and vocals from Pete, though.

 

It's a clever and very catchy record and for what it is I think her voice works perfectly.

Given that the 60s music press implied that Pete was influenced by "Excerpt from a Teenage Opera" (i.e. Grocer Jack) its interesting that he tried this kind of thing. Interesting too that Angie came from the Corona school - which is also where the kids on Grocer Jack came from.

 

Here is the promo 12". There are quite a few more P.T. "rarities" songs out there