Strawberry Switchblade was the coolest. Formed in Glasgow, this Scottish new wave/pop duo composed of Rose McDowall (lead vocals) and Jill Bryson (vocals and guitar) formed in 1981. Strawberry Switchblade emerged from the end of the punk era. Their sublime music combines synth-pop, new wave, and goth styles. Their first single, written by Bryson about her agoraphobia, is called "Trees and Flowers". This is the first song I heard by the group and I loved them right away.
They're best known for their 1985 song "Since Yesterday", which hit #5 on the UK charts. I adore the girls' unique, gothic-lolita-esque, fashion sense. Their style is an integral part of the "Since Yesterday" music video where they are dressed in awesome polka-dot dresses, bows, and punky makeup. Strawberry Switchblade was popular in Japan, and it remained that way long after its popularity decreased in the UK. Their ethereal cover of the Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning is one of my favorites of their songs.
From The Manc Review:
Following the success of Strawberry Switchblade, Jill Bryson is now a self-employed artist, while Rose McDowall is still making music, adding her individual brand of magic to "Current 93", "Nurse With Wound", "Death In June", collaborating with Boyd Rice in the band "Spell", as well as singing backing vocals on albums for Felt. An accomplished solo artist, McDowall has continued casting spells, with her melancholic mix of neo-psychedelic folk, baroque and pagan pop.
