If you had an uneasy feeling that 2025 would somehow be the year of Thee Headcoatees, then give yourself a hearty handshake – for surprisingly, ’tis true! We can indirectly blame the passing of our dear departed Great Ribbon, Mr Don Craine, for instigating a regurgitation of Thee Headcoats back in 2022. Ostensibly booked to record a tribute EP as Thee Headcoats Sect – featuring Don’s fellow Downliner-in-Chief Keith Grant Evans – the chaps found they had a few extra hours to fill in the studio, so they figured they may as well record a new Headcoats album, too. And why not? This materialised, with minimum fuss, as Irregularis (The Great Hiatus) on Damaged Goods in 2023.

Come late 2024 and before you could unravel a deerstalker ribbon the chaps were at it again, and another new Headcoats LP was “in the can”, originally scheduled for release earlier this year. HOWEVER, somewhere along the line, some bright spark pointed out, “Why should the boys get all the fun? How about giving those Sisters of Suave, Thee Headcoatees a look in, too?” Utilising all the masculine wiles at their disposal, Thee Headcoats / Damaged Goods suaveness and charm machine shuddered into action. Through sheer determination and tenacity, one-by-one, Ludella Black, Kyra LaRubia, Bongo Debbie and Holly Golightly were dragged kicking and screaming (the things they do best) out of the woodwork to lay down the 14 killer-diller cuts found on this, their latest long-playing release, the cunningly titled Man-Trap. That’s no mean feat!

So, in early 2025 recording time was booked at Rochester’s prestigious Ranscombe Studios, gin and snacks were prepared, and in the twinkling of an eye the backing tracks were down – Thee Headcoats back in their best rhythm section mode and Thee Headcoatees back singing. Billy Childish took the reins as producer. Undaunted by some geographical hiccups along the way, by late May the result was a shiny new Headcoatees album! AND WHAT AN ALBUM! It’s as good as any of their nineties records – perhaps even better? (“Ev-e-e-en!” whispers the spectre of Don Craine.) With a mix of great covers and some fab new songs, we’ve not only got one hell of an LP, but also two 7” 4-track EPs, featuring another five fresh non-album tracks! Enter Man-Trap at your peril… … You know you want to!