The Delmonas — The UK All Girl Garage Band Who Rocked The 80s
The Delmonas look straight out of the 60s. With their garage rock mix of covers and originals, they don’t sound too far off, either. But this was a band from the 80s, and thanks to a recent reissue, they’re being rediscovered.
But who were The Delmonas?
While the band’s lineup changed over the years, the original members were Louise Baker, Sarah J. Crouch, and Hilary Bockham. Sarah and Hilary had started as The Milk-Boilers and made their recording debut in 1983, providing backing vocals on The Milkshakes’ After School Session album.
Louise Baker then joined them and provided vocals for The Milkshakes’ Boys, a cover of American girl group The Shirelles, made famous in 1963 when The Beatles first covered it for their debut LP.
Louise later reflected on joining the lineup,
“I don’t remember having any burning desire to sing or perform and certainly never thought of it as particularly serious. It was just fun.”
When The Delmonas (originally The Del-Monas, two words) released their debut EP Comin’ Home Baby in 1984, Thee Milkshakes appeared as the backing band, now with an extra e in their name. The EP features self-deprecating liner notes, introducing the band as “three adolescent, acned, adenoidal young ladies…from…
