A brief biography.
1980-1983 - Our first incarnation.
Rob Rix Gary Blatch (& Miq Rybak)
Rob had a Portastudio in his bedroom and that was where we recorded a couple of dozen tracks over 2 or 3 years after the Exploding Hamsters split up.
There was one "real" studio recording, in 1982 which ended up on a Compilation album 'Best of the Rest Volume 1' on Indigo Blue records in 1983.
Click here to see more details about it.
Second Coming...
Building a Sea Wall of Sound
The internet provided us with the opportunity to record together for the first time since we both had hair. Armed with laptops, DAWs and Garageband on or ipads, we got back into the groove by re-recording one of those early demos, 'A Book'.
'A Book' became the first track from the Sea Cadets in 30 years to be played on National Radio - on Tom Robinson's BBC Introducing Mixtape on 10/03/2014.
(Radio play would become harder to get, the next track with airtime was 'Leave my Billy alone', which was played by Tom Robinson on his BBC Introducing Mixtape show three years later ! (on October 9th 2017)
(We're last on - Tom says the track is bizarre - but that he "keeps coming back to it". Attaboy Tom...
Its too late (Im here Donny Don) was played on BBC Norfolk Introducing on January 27th 2018.
First Single
Chameleon / Lessons are Learned - Rural Tension Records ARTS2
Again, 'Chameleon' was one of or earlier demos, rerecorded how we'd like to have done it originally.
Also featured on 'Sail Again'
The entry for 'Chameleon' on 45cat.com - the copy used for the image is the copy we sent to Chris Hawkins at 6Music.
(Probably fished out of his bin and ended up on ebay.....)
First Album
Sail again was released on Rural Tension records in 2014.
This was a 50/50 mixture of early demos and newly recorded tracks.
Long sold out of its only pressing, it has recently been re-released, click here to buy a copy.
The Bandcamp player below will let you stream/purchase the album.
Second Single
Hamsters are playing / Lost In Time
These tracks were released on streaming services but we like actual records so made a few for ourselves....
Second Album
'Here Come the Sea Cadets' was released on Rural Tension records in 2019.
We were well into our stride by now and more of the tracks on this album were our own. BBC Introducing Norfolk played a few of the tracks.
The original limited pressing sold out on pre-order but can now be ordered again by clicking here
The entire album can be streamed or downloaded by clicking on the Bandcamp player below.
Third Album
'Live at the Apollo' was released November 2020.
Order a CD copy by clicking here
The entire album can be streamed or downloaded on Bandcamp by clicking the player below.
Click here to see The Sea Cadets Discography (Discogs)
Fourth Album
'We are the Sea Cadets' was released in February 2022 on Bandcamp and to be released later in an expanded edition on CD.
The album can be streamed or downloaded from Spotify.
Click here to see a trailer for the album
Click here to see the album on itunes
Click here if Apple Music is more your style
Hi peeps,
you won`t remember me but I remember most of you (Gary & Miq) sorry Rob.
So what started as a web search ended up as a warm hearted emotional trip down memory lane,Gary I met you back in the hamster days through your brother (it was me that answered the phone one day when John Peel called you). saw some pic`s of you glad to see you have not changed that much.
So I guess that gust leaves you Miq really glad to know your OK,hope the rest of the family are as well I met them round at Stash`s with you,one of many fond memories my old friend.
sorry I did not keep in touch.
love Steve( Hunstanton hippy )
Hello Steve,
Cheers for the memories, Miq is on Twitter so I’ll pass on your message.
Take Care