Kristina Records in Dalston, London have a great array of used indie vinyl and, on a recent visit, I treated myself to this 12″ by Hangmans Beautiful Daughters, justifying the pricey purchase by promising to write about it on here.

I’ve been looking for this EP for a while after hearing the lead track ‘Love Is Blue’ – a song so stunningly good I can’t believe it’s not regarded as an indie classic. Based around a chiming 12-string Rickenbacker riff and folky, Nico-esque vocals, it comes over like a cross between Fairport and the Velvets. As played by The Byrds.

The band made this four-track EP (released in March 1987) and one six-track mini-album, ‘Trash Mantra’, which contained a cover of The Shadows Of Knight’s ‘Darkside’ and came out the following year. Both of these were later combined on a US release via Voxx. Bassist Philip King recalls their brief career:

“Hangmans Beautiful Daughters were fronted by Dan Treacy’s girlfriend, Emily Brown. Her name was taken from the Television Personalities’ song ‘A Picture Of Dorian Gray’ and she also put on the celebrated C86 night Room At The Top with Dan at The Enterprise in Chalk Farm. On the first EP she was backed by the rhythm section from The Servants (myself on bass and drummer John Wills), Gordon Dawson on 12-string electric guitar and Sandy Fleming on rhythm guitar. Sandy was also a photographer and took the pictures on the sleeves of Felt’s ‘Poem Of The River’, Nikki Sudden’s ‘Robespierre’s Velvet Basement’ and the single sleeves for the TVPs’ ‘I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives’ and Apple Boutique’s ‘Love Resistance’. She can also be seen briefly in Edwyn Collins’ ‘Don’t Shilly Shally’ video.

“Dan produced and co-wrote the lead song ‘Love Is Blue’ and also ‘Don’t Ask My Name…’ and released the EP on his label Dreamworld – it was originally called Whaam! but Dan changed the name after allegedly being paid to do so by Wham!’s manager, Simon Napier-Bell. The label was based out of Dan’s council flat near Clapham South. He lived in the same block as TV magician Ali Bongo and would even get his mail sometimes! Hangmans Beautiful Daughters would often support the TVPs in and around London and even went on a European tour with them in 1987.”

Dan Treacy is currently recovering after being hospitalised last October. If you’re reading this, Dan, get well soon.