If you had an uneasy feeling that 2025 would somehow be the year of Thee Headcoatees, then give yourself a hearty round of applause - because surprisingly, it actually is!

We can indirectly blame the death of our dearly departed Great Ribbon, Mr. Don Craine, for Thee Headcoats making a comeback in 2022. Originally they had only planned to record a tribute EP as Thee Headcoats Sect - together with Don's Downliner Sect colleague Keith Grant Evans - but then they realized they had a few hours left in the studio and figured they might as well record a new Headcoats album. And why not? The result was, without much ado, the album "Irregularis (The Great Hiatus)", which was released by Damaged Goods in 2023. By the end of 2024, even before a Deerstalker tape could be unraveled, the guys were already back at work and another new Headcoats LP was "in the can", originally scheduled for release earlier this year.

BUT then someone somewhere came up with the idea: "Why should only the guys have all the fun? How about we give the Sisters of Suave, Thee Headcoatees, a chance too?" With all the manly cunning and guile at their disposal, Thee Headcoats and Damaged Goods turned on their charm offensive. With sheer determination and tenacity, Ludella Black, Kyra LaRubia, Bongo Debbie and Holly Golightly were dragged out of hiding one by one, where they fought back loudly (which is what they do best) to record the 14 killer songs found on their latest album, cleverly titled "Man-Trap". This was no small feat!

So in early 2025, a recording session was booked at the renowned Ranscombe Studios in Rochester, gin and snacks were prepared, and in no time at all the backing tracks were in the can - Thee Headcoats back as the best backing band and Thee Headcoatees back on vocals. Billy Childish took over the production. Undeterred by a few geographical obstacles along the way, by the end of May the result was a shiny new Headcoatees album!

AND WHAT AN ALBUM! It's at least as good as any of their albums from the nineties and maybe even better... ("Ja-a-a-a!", whispers the ghost of Don Craine.) This mix of great cover versions and some fantastic new songs make for one hell of an LP. Enter "Man-Trap" at your own risk - you know you want to!

And if you're wondering how the girls have spent their time since the release of "Here Comes Cessation" in 1999, a mere 26 years ago (!), read on...

Ludella Black has three solo albums to her name as well as releases with The Masonics and has just recorded with The 5,6,7,8's. She also sang with The Shall-I-Say Quois, along with her friend Kyra. Kyra LaRubia was briefly with The A-Lines in the early 2000's alongside Bongo Debbie & Nurse Julie (of Stuck-Ups / Buffets / CTMF) and worked on a reissue of their album "Here I Am, I Always Am". Music then took a back seat while Kyra concentrated on her PhD in Sport and Exercise Science. She has been a lecturer at the University of Kent since 2005. Bongo Debbie has continued to drum in several bands. She is a member of Ye Nuns (The Monks Tribute Band), The A-Lines, Dutronc and has recently helped out for the Sting-Rays amongst others. Holly Golightl has released nine solo albums since 1999, six of them with Lawyer Dave in The Brokeoffs, sang a duet with Jack White on The White Stripes' album "Elephant" and toured the world. (Look out for her latest album "Look Like Trouble", also out on Damaged Goods Records).