Formed in Leicester, England during 1987, the British pop group Diesel Park West assembled singer and guitarist John Butler with guitarists Rick Willson and Rich Barton, bassist Geoff Beavan, and drummer Dave Anderson. After securing a contract with Food Records, the EMI imprint, the five musicians introduced themselves through the single “When the Hoodoo Comes.” A full year of road work and new material followed, during which they delivered further 45s such as “Jackie’s Still Sad,” “All the Myths on Sunday,” and “Like Princes Do,” before unveiling their debut album Shakespeare, Alabama in 1989.
Although reviewers responded favorably, the record failed to connect commercially. The band gained wider attention by contributing a cover of Jesus Jones’ “Info Freako” to Food’s 1989 Christmas EP, yet Diesel Park West soon withdrew from both touring and studio activity in order to refine their songwriting. During the resulting hiatus Food released the 1990 compilation Flipped, a collection of B-sides and unreleased tracks. The all-new album Decency appeared the following year, again without commercial impact.
For the next project Food asked for an album of covers, yet only a run of EPs emerged, each spotlighting a version of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” The band then left the label and returned on Demon in 1993 with the leaner Diesel Park West vs. the Corporate Waltz. After moving to Permanent Records and replacing bassist Geoff Beavan with Ian Michie, they issued Freakgame in 1995. The retrospective Left Hand Band: The Very Best of Diesel Park West arrived in 1997, followed by the new set Hip Replacement in 2001.
