Girls at Our Best!

The group initially consisted of vocalist Judy "Jo" Evans, guitarist James "Jez" Alan, bassist Gerard "Terry" Swift and drummer Chris Oldroyd. They took their new name from a line in their track "Warm Girls", released as the B-side to their self-financed 1980 debut single "Getting Nowhere Fast". The single, released in April 1980 on their own Record Records, reached No. 9 on the UK Indie Chart. Oldroyd departed to join Music for Pleasure, and was replaced by Paul Simon (formerly of Limmie Funk Limited, Neo, Radio Stars, the Civilians and Cowboys International). Second single "Politics", backed by "It's Fashion!", was released in November 1980, also on Record Records. It was distributed by Rough Trade, reaching No. 12. Simon was replaced by Darren Carl Harper (formerly of the Expelaires) before Girls at Our Best! recorded their session for John Peel on 17 February 1981, which was first broadcast 23 February 1981. The group's next single, "Go for Gold", issued in June 1981 by Happy Birthday Records, became their biggest Indie Chart hit, reaching No. 4. ==Other projects==

Evans made a guest appearance on Thomas Dolby's 1982 album The Golden Age of Wireless (Dolby had guested on synthesizer on Pleasure). After leaving Girls at Our Best!, Simon formed the Fallout Club with Dolby, and later worked with Ken Lockie and Glen Matlock. In the 1990s, he formed Ajanta Music with his brother Robin (guitarist for Ultravox and Magazine). ==Legacy==

"Getting Nowhere Fast" was covered by The Wedding Present, and included as a B-side on the latter's 1987 12" single "Anyone Can Make a Mistake". "Getting Nowhere Fast" was featured in the soundtrack of the 2023 Netflix mini-series Who Is Erin Carter?. The song "Politics" is featured in the Netflix series 'Ripper', as a backdrop to changing women's fashions around the late 70s when the post-punk music scene coincided with the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. ==Members==

• Judy "Jo" Evans – vocals (1979–1982) • James "Jez" Alan – guitar (1979–1982) • Gerard "Terry" Swift – bass (1979–1982) • Chris Oldroyd – drums (1979–1980) • Paul Simon – drums (1980) • Darren Carl Harper – drums (1980–1981) • Rod Johnson – drums (1981–1982) ==Discography==

Studio albums • Pleasure (1981, Happy Birthday Records) UK Indie Albums No. 2, UK Albums No. 60 Singles and EPs • "Getting Nowhere Fast" (1980, Record Records) UK Indie Singles No. 9 • "Politics" (1980, Record Records) UK Indie Singles No. 12 • "Go for Gold" (1981, Happy Birthday Records) UK Indie Singles No. 4 • "Fast Boyfriends" (1981, Happy Birthday Records) UK Indie Singles No. 19 • The Peel Sessions EP (1987, Strange Fruit Records) UK Indie Singles No. 27 ==References==