We have two wonderful local bands to introduce this month – one that released their first single back in 1982, and the other who just recently formed.

Four-piece power pop band Cassie is fronted by Barnet’s Debbie Coles. The band originally launched in the early 1980s and their only single Change My Image was released soon after in 1982. As the band like to tell it, the single became “instantly obscure.” They split up within a few years of recording an album’s worth of songs.

But, decades later, their fate changed. In late 2019, a New York label came across the 1982 single by chance and re-released it. The song will be featured in the new series of Netflix drama Lucifer. Think- ing that all their other recorded material had been destroyed in a fire, Debbie delved into her attic and discovered music tapes from numerous recording sessions that hadn’t seen the light of day for 40 years. In Christmas last year, Cassie’s first album Te Light Shines On was finally released.

With the new lease of like, the band started to write again, resulting in the single Don’t Let The Music Stop out now. It’s a fun, catchy number, with singer Debbie channelling Blondie and Pre- tender’s presence. Their follow-up Take Some Responsibility (out on 6th December) captures more of that 80s sound interlaced with fresh power-pop vocals.

Too young to have such a backstory as yet, Barnet-based alternative rock trio Playdead tell me that they’re quiet and unassuming when you meet them, but they’re aware that their music reflects the polar opposite. With a nod to bands like The White Stripes, Death from Above and Royal Blood, they create their own sound of beefed-up guitars, fired-up drums, and great vocal attack from lead singer, Finn. In late 2020 they released an EP Blacklight followed up by two singles in 2021 Greed and their recently released Sugar under the Regent Street Records label. Listen out for their new single coming out later this month on all streaming services, and they’ll be playing live very soon near you.

For more information about Playdead Visit artbio.link/playdeadbanduk

Cassie’s original single ‘Change My Image’ and album ‘The Light Shines On’ are available on vinyl through Reminder Records reminderrecords.com and across all streaming platforms.