(c’83-’85) Danny Hagan (bass), Jo Bartlett (vocal/guitar), Mike Highgate/Auton (drums), Dom/Rudy Carroll (vocal/guitar).

Bartlett and Hagan formed The Service in February ’83. Hagan had just left Strictly Hush-Hush and together with Mark ?, a drummer friend of Hagan’s, they banded with a keyboardist. By July ’83 Mark had left for Africa – the result of musical differences – and been replaced by Highgate/Auton and the keyboard player had taken employment at Lightwater Country Club; then in late ’83 Carroll joined on guitar.

Sleeve (front) of the 12″ single “It Makes Me Realise” [DREAM 003] from ’85

At some point they re-branded as Go! Service and in September ’84 joined Fenton Weills to support Television Personalities as they toured Germany, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. This Camberley band were by then signed to the Dreamworld Records label and quickly released the 12″ single “It Makes Me Realise” [DREAM 003] in ’85. This was backed by “Real Life” and “I Just Don’t Know”. That same year they once again supported label mates The Television Personalities around Europe. In November ’85 the band supported The Housemartins.

1 December 1985: Buzz Club flyer for The Blow Monkeys, supported by Go! Services and Zaz Turned Blue held. Source: Karen Stratton via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia

Towards the end on ’85 Bartlett and Hagan had started The Buzz Club, and the club’s second outing, at The Agincourt, Camberley featured The Blow Monkeys, supported by Go! Service. By December ’85, The Buzz Club had moved to the West End Centre, Aldershot, with the first gig there being The June Brides on 7 December, again with Go! Service in support. When Go! Service disbanded in ’86; Bartlett, Carroll, and Hagan teamed up with Kevin Morey to form Bluetrain.

In ’96 the compilation “Dreamworld 1985-1987” was released on Vinyl Japan [ASKCD57] and included the band’s single “It Makes Me Realise”

In ’96 the compilation “Dreamworld 1985-1987” was released on Vinyl Japan [ASKCD57] and included the band’s single “It Makes Me Realise”. Three Go! Service tracks were also included on Bluetrain’s “Some Greater Love” retrospective compilation released in 2008. Most recently, “Real Life” was added to “C86” by Cherry Red Records [CRCDBOX12] when they expanded the seminal compilation to a three CD set in 2014.

Bartlett and Hagan would go on to form Poise.

Tracks:


Gallery:

Page 11 of Obsession No.1 fanzine, and the first page of The Service interview. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor
September 1984: Tour poster for Go! Service support of Television Personalities European Tour
20 September 1984: Tour poster for Go! Service support of Television Personalities at Forum Enger, Enger, Germany
Sleeve (back) of the 12″ single “It Makes Me Realise” [DREAM 003] from ’85
2 November 1985: Go! Service supported The Housemartins at The Room at The Top, Haverstock Hill. Source: C86
2 April 1986: TV Personalities with Film Poets, and Go! Service played The Clarendon, Hammersmith. Source: C86 & All That: The Creation of Indie in Difficult Times
Three Go! Service tracks were also included on Bluetrain’s “Some Greater Love” retrospective compilation released in 2008
Go! Service’s “Real Life” was added to “C86” by Cherry Red [CRCDBOX12] in 2014.
Go! Service

Links:
Jo Bartlett’s Go! Service profile: https://indiethroughthelookingglass.com/jingle-jangle-c-86/