Tim Smith's Spratleys (formerly known as Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats, and originally Spratleys Japs) are a British psychedelic rock band formed by Cardiacs leader Tim Smith and Joanne Spratley. The band is known to have been inspired by the sound of a malfunctioning Mellotron loaned to Tim Smith by Planet Mellotron coordinator Andy Thompson. The Mellotron is used extensively on the Spratleys Rats recordings. (It has since been repaired). The band's lineup was Tim Smith (bass guitar
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Tim Smith's Spratleys (formerly known as Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats, and originally Spratleys Japs) are a British psychedelic rock band formed by Cardiacs leader Tim Smith and Joanne Spratley. The band is known to have been inspired by the sound of a malfunctioning Mellotron loaned to Tim Smith by Planet Mellotron coordinator Andy Thompson. The Mellotron is used extensively on the Spratleys Rats recordings. (It has since been repaired). The band's lineup was Tim Smith (bass guitar, vocals, Mellotron), Joanne Spratley (vocals, flugelhorn, Theremin), Heidi Murphy (electronics devices and synthesisers), Mark Donovan (guitar) and Viv Sherriff (drums). Murphy, Donovan and Sherriff were allegedly members of a band called the Rev-Ups, which initially formed near Mexico but subsequently moved to the New Forest area of England. (As Spratleys Rats have never played live and the Rev-Ups members have not been seen in public, it's possible that both they and the original band are fictional). The band has released one album - 1998's Pony - and one single - 1999's "Hazel". Both of these were released on Smith's own All My Eye And Betty Martin Music label. Joanne Spratley went on to work with Christian Hayes' project MIKROKOSMOS. The band reformed as Tim Smith's Spratleys Japs in 2016 with a new lineup and released the 7" single "Her/Hands" in 2018. The band name was changed to Tim Smith's Spratleys Rats in 2021 to avoid the use of the ethnic slur Jap.
