The Fallen Leaves are a British garage rock group that formed in Richmond, London in 2004. The group was formed by Rob Symmons (dustbin guitar) and Rob Green (vocals) with Paul Myers (bass). The current line-up features drummer Ian O'Sullivan, formerly of The Aardvarks.

Prehistory

Symmons and Myers, along with Vic Goddard, were founding members of Subway Sect who were managed by Bernie Rhodes. One of the UK's first punk groups, Subway Sect toured extensively with The Clash, recorded two Peel sessions and released two singles before disbanding in mysterious circumstances. Their second single. 'Ambition' was culled from an album that was almost finished but never released and subsequently lost. Myers went on to play bass with Steve Jones and Paul Cook in the Professionals. Symmons, unable to retrieve his guitar from the band lockup, gave up professional music for over twenty years until persuaded out of retirement by old friend, Rob Green. Green had built a reputation singing at Bernie Rhodes' "Club Left" and by performing with Vic Godard's later version of the Subway Sect, once supporting Siouxsie and the Banshees at the Music Machine in 1980.

Formation of the band and changing line-ups

Green and Symmons had been writing songs together on various occasions and in 2004, spurred on by a shared love of 60's garage rock, dressing up for a show, and Green's long-held belief that a good idea trumps a bad song, got into action. The Leaves made their debut at the Stripes Bar at Brentford Football Club on 9 July 2004 – opening for Vic Godard & The Subway Sect. Symmons' Subways colleague, Paul Myers played bass and with "King" James Bradley on drums the group played a five-song set – High And Dry/Trouble/Back To You/Repetition/Revenge. They subsequently appeared at the Monk Club in Richmond over the course of the next few months. In August the band ventured out of London to support The 5.6.7.8's in Nottingham. Pete Townshend offered the band some free studio time at his Eel Pie Studios, near Richmond. The band, with a session drummer, quickly recorded the three tracks that would become the "Trouble" E.P. Paul Myers left the Fallen Leaves in 2005 as the band was starting to play gigs outside London, which was encroaching on his work as an addictions counsellor

2006-present

In 2006, the "Trouble" EP was released as a four-track CD and a 7-inch single on the band's own Parliament Records. Swiss eccentric Daniel Strittmatter, former drummer for Mike Scott, Ian McNabb, The High Llamas and Koala, began drumming for the band around this time. This line-up of the band recorded seven tracks in a session at Gizzard Studio in Bow. Phil King left the band and was replaced by Paul Messis. Messis played with the group up until March 2007 when he left to go travelling. It was this line-up that completed the Fallen Leaves debut album, It's Too Late Now, at Bark Studios, working with producer Brian O'Shaughnessy. By September 2007, the increasing workload of Strittmatter's other projects, including ex-Adam and The Ants sidemen, The Wolfmen, led to his departure from the group to be replaced by Ian O' Sullivan, formerly of psych pop garage band, The Aardvarks. In February 2008, the Leaves recorded three tracks in the 6Music Hub for Tom Robinson. In the spring of 2008, The Fallen Leaves released It's Too Late Now on their own Parliament Records. The album was listed as an early album of the year by the Sunday Times, with a 4/5 star review The Fallen Leaves have continued to play shows in the UK, and in September 2008 crossed the Atlantic to play two shows in New York State and record another radio session, this time 14 songs at WFMU for the Evan "The Funk" Davies show, including four songs from their next album. Ian O'Sullivan left the group in 2012, to be replaced by Bill Lewington. On Bill Lewington's departure from the band towards the end of 2015, The Fallen Leaves were joined by former Chords drummer Brett "Buddy" Ascott, who remained behind the kit until his final appearance at the Fighting Cocks, Kingston on 11 Nov 2023. This was also to be the last live appearance with the band of bassist Gareth "Mountbatten" Evans (2007-2009 & 2021-2023). In between Gareth's stints on bass Matthew Karas (Glassglue, Soil (British band)) played bass guitar (and on "Passing By", harmonica) for the band (2009-2021). 2023 - Ian O'Sullivan rejoins the Leaves.

The Parliament Club

On 26 November 2004, The Fallen Leaves began hosting the Parliament Club at The Blackhorse, Richmond. The headliners for the first Parliament Club were the reformed Downliners Sect. Each Parliament Club evening features The Fallen Leaves, who have been joined by the likes of Billy Childish and the Buff Medways, The Masonics, John's Children, A Nation Mourns and Eater, to name a few. On 21 November 2006 The Parliament Club relocated to the Inn On The Green, Ladbroke Grove and ran until 2011, when the venue closed down. From then until January 2015, the group had a monthly residency at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street.

Discography

Singles

Trouble Label: Parliament Records – PAR001 Released: 2006 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Mono indent=1| Side A: Trouble (Part 1) Side B: Trouble (Part 2) Out In A Forest Label: Market Square Records – MSR—12 Released: 27 Oct 2015 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Limited Edition indent=1| Side A: Out In A Forest Side B: The Inside of a Chair Green Eyes F.C. Label: Parliament Records – PARL10 Released: 25 May 2019 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Limited Edition indent=1| Side A: Green Eyes F.C. Side B: Motor Cycle Girl Begin Again Label: Parliament Records – PARL11 Released: 25 May 2019 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Limited Edition indent=1| Side A: Begin Again Side B: So Much More

EP

Trouble EP Label: Parliament Records – PAR002 Released: 2006 Format: CD, EP, Mono Track list: indent=1| Trouble (edit) Revenge Is Sweet High and Dry Trouble (full length)

Albums

It's Too Late Now Label: Parliament Records – PAR003 Released: 4 Jul 2008 Format: CD, album Track list: indent=1| All That You Choose Happy Times Wednesdays With You Go Now Seven Years Days of Summer Back To You Repetition Higher And Dryer Shining Recorded at Bark Studios and Produced by The Fallen Leaves and Brian O’Shaughnessy. That's Right Label: Parliament Records – PAR004 Released: 30 Nov 2009 Format: CD, album Track list: indent=1| Did You See Her My Phantoms Sylvie Says Is She Somewhere Miss Demeanour The International Brigade Charity Girl Vendetta Listen to My Heart When You're Gone Recorded at Bark Studios and Produced by The Fallen Leaves and Brian O’Shaughnessy. If Only We'd Known Label: Parliament Records – PAR005 Released: 1 Apr 2013 Format: CD, album Track list: indent=1| Against The Grain Always More Ancient & Modern Girl in a Trance Glorious Vain Maybe That's It I Can Make Your Hair Grow Passing By I Made A Mistake War Memorial Recorded at Bark Studios and Produced by The Fallen Leaves and Brian O’Shaughnessy. What We've All Been Waiting For Label: Parliament Records – PAR007 Released: 3 Apr 2017 Format: CD, album Track list: indent=1| Prodigal Son I'm A Man Lavender Girl Funny World Taking A View All That Glitters Promised Land Out In A Forest Motorcycle Girl Good Man Recorded at Bark Studios and Produced by The Fallen Leaves and Brian O’Shaughnessy.

Compilation Albums

Punk Rock For Gentlemen Label: Parliament Records – PARL006 Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation Released: 16 July 2016 Format: CD, Compilation Released: 14 December 2018 Track list: indent=1| Go Now Did You See Here Passing By Is She Somewhere Girls In A Trance Shining Sylvie Says Always More The International Brigade High & Dry Against The Grain Trouble

Live Albums

Maximum Minimum Label: Parliament Records – PARL009 Released: 29 Sept 2019 Format: Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition Track list: indent=1| Prodigal Son Passing By Is She somewhere I made A Mistake Green Eyes Shining Against The Grain Lavender Girl Sylvie Says Out In A Forest Phantoms Trouble The Fallen Leaves live at the legendary Hope & Anchor, Islington. Recorded By Pat Collier, Engineered by Charles Wong