Third Man Records Issues First Official Single From ‘The Roundies’

Third Man Records will release the first-ever official single from the Manchester-based Magic Roundabout. “Sneaky Feelin’“ b/w “Song For Gerard Langley” arrives digitally and on 7-inch vinyl March 12.

In addition, a limited edition 7-inch on pink rainbow splatter vinyl will be available exclusively at Third Man Records storefronts and Rough Trade.

“I walk in to the studio, [His Name Is Alive’s] Warren [Defever] is working away [at remastering the tune],” says Third Man Records’ Dave Buick in a press release about the single. “Feedback, hypnotizing bass line, perfect female vocal harmonies and a drummer so minimal you just know they are standing coming out of the speakers. All I could see was stripes and paisleys. I became instantly obsessed with tracking down this mystery band’s complete discography. ‘They don’t have a discography you say?’ Just like that my obsession had become dangerous and unhealthy.”

Recorded in 1987, “Sneaky Feelin’“ b/w “Song For Gerard Langley” was recently unearthed by Pale Saints’ Ian Masters and then remastered by Warren Defever (His Name Is Alive). A full-length Magic Roundabout archival compilation featuring additional previously unreleased original recordings will follow later this year. 

Armed with leather jackets, charity shop instruments, singles by the Fall and Buzzcocks, good haircuts, a healthy VU obsession and a little “psychedelic inspiration,” the band became known to friends and fans simply as the Roundies. The group established a clubhouse in early 1986 and began rehearsing, recording and gigging, playing shows with the likes of the Pastels, Blue Aeroplanes, Spacemen 3, Loop, My Bloody Valentine and Inspiral Carpets. 

Magic Roundabout only released one song, “She’s a Waterfall (Parts 1 and 2),” which included on Mark Webber of Pulp’s 1987 album Oozing Through the Ozone Layer, a fanzine cassette compilation. There were talks of a flexi-disc that, for whatever reason, never saw the light of day. By the end of the ’80s, Magic Roundabout had all gone their separate ways.

“Magic Roundabout” are “the mysterious missing link between The Velvet Underground and pragVEC,” says Masters. “How did the music industry miss these talented teenagers? They were fucking idiots, that’s how.”

“We all formed bands in the mid-80s,” says Pulp’s Mark Webber, “and Magic Roundabout are one of those that showed so much promise. We all had dreams. Some dreams take longer to come true…”