The Tables

The Tables was an underground/DIY pop group formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1987, by Bartleby (vocals, real name Tore Sørensen#, Robert Birdeye #bass, drums, real name Steinar Buholm#, and Reg Trademark #guitar, real name Ståle Caspersen#, from the ashes of a band called The Bottle Collectors. This trio recorded their first 7” EP called “Diary EP”, released on the new-founded Voices of Wonder label in 1988 #now Voices Music and Entertainment#.

For their first vinyl album, “Shady Whims & Obstacles”, released on their own Schtooopid Records in 1990, they recruited Sandy Shore on Farfisa organ #real name Kjersti Gravklev#, and Mono on drums #real name Benedikte Sterner#. The Tables broke up soon after the release, but the original trio reformed in 1996/97 to record their second album called “Holiday at Wobbledef Grunch”, released on Perfect Pop Records, a small label that was run by the group members and others from the indie-pop scene in Oslo.

However, history repeated itself, the band once again broke up, but reformed in 2000, resulting in their third and final album, “Nevermynd the Hillocks #Treble Without A Cause#”, again on Perfect Pop Records #2002#. The band had a host of different members during their last stage, most of them contributing to their last album. Between their 1st and 2nd album they also recorded 8 songs for a split album with Astroburger, under the name Monsters of Doom, consisting of Bartleby, Reg Trademark, Robert Birdeye, Sandy Shore and Mike Mushroom #real name Mikkel Bay Vold#. All the of The Tables and Monsters of Doom output has been released on CD by Oslo-based Perfect Pop Records. The music on all The Tables’ three albums was a mixture of English 60’s popsike #inspired by the Rubble compilation series on Bam Caruso Records) and early indiepop à la TV Personalities, while the Monsters of Doom tracks were more psychedelic and hard-edged. With their whimsy and part surrealistic lyrics and catchy melodies, The Tables achieved a sort of semi-legendary status in the Norwegian underground and other parts of the world.

Discography

• The Diary EP (Voices of Wonder, 1989)
• The Lantern Light Flexi 7" (1990)
• From Trash To Gloss (fanclubcassette, 1990)
• Live At Bootleg (fanclubcassette, (1990)
• Shady Whims & Obstacles (Schtooopid Records, 1990)
• Lost On Venus Split-LP w/Astroburger under the name Monsters of Doom (Perfect Pop 1991)
• Shady Whimps With Spectacles (fanclubcassette, 1993)
• Excerpt From The Bruce Springsteen Report 7" (Farce Recordings 1995)
• Holiday At Wobbledef Grunch (Perfect Pop, 1997)
• Kjære alle sammen cdep/7" (Voices of Wonder, 1997)
• The Tables Play Idle Race 7" (Kippers Records, 2000)
• See Emily Play/Arnold Layne 7" (Two Zero Records, 2000)
• Nevermynd The Hillocks (Treble Without A Cause) (Perfect Pop, 2003)