Rather bemused to learn from UK music periodical Shindig! about a beloved ‘cult’ English rock band named Stackridge who released an original composition entitled “Dora, The Female Explorer” in 1971:
Oddly, the article neither mentioned the popular Nickelodeon character of the same name, nor indicated whether the band received any hush money from Viacom. It’s worth noting that “Dora’s Super Soccer Showdown” was the last episode to premiere in 2014 — the same year Zero to 180 posted this investigative hit piece.
The band has matured considerably musically and is even allowing a little funk to creep into its delicate rock image. Thankfully it has not matured in its ideology which is still very much one of gentle sarcasm at the expense of childhood images – as evidenced by the titles of some of the songs: ‘Dora The Female Explorer‘, ‘Benjamin’s Giant Onion‘.
Currently in the charts with “If I Had You” (Rialto Records), The Korgis bear little resemblance to Her Majesty’s fave breed of canine.
They are, in fact, James Warren and Andy Davis, who both hail from Bath and are escapees from loony West country group Stackridge.
Stackridge were responsible for such classic non-hits as “Dora The Female Explorer“, “Do The Stanley” and “Purple Spaceships Over Yatton” and became a much-loved band with a small but fanatical following.
The Korgis unleashed themselves last winter with a single called “Young ‘n’ Russian” / “Cold Tea” which went down as well as the latter, but undeterred they are now beginning to take off.
Their final album (also on Rialto) is called The Korgis and was recorded in a Bath flat — vocals in the lounge, guitars in the kitchen and percussion in the dining room.
