THE BERRY LANE
THE BERRY LANE
Band / 1982-2026
Though Jeff performed with eleven different professional bands around Essex in the early eighties, his first full time outfit was The Berry Lane between 1982-1983, which came out of Basildon, very big at the time for electronic and New Wave music. Acts such as Yazoo and Depeche Mode used the same rehearsal rooms as The Berry Lane, the address of which gave the band its name.
Notable gigs included The Basildon Ball-zup, rumoured to be Alison Moyet’s 21st Birthday party. Other live shows were mostly around Essex and the South-East of England.
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their first live performance, The Berry Lane re-united in 2023 to create new recordings of some of their original songs. The first to be released was the single Someone (Touch Me), peaking at number ten in the official LGBTQ Music Chart. 2024 saw two further singles, Life's Worth Livin' and Shout!
In 1983, Jeff paired briefly with drummer Jeff Moody as Tzotzil for a theatrical showcase at Radclythe Manor in Buckinghamshire. A song written by Jeff called The Tzotzil had been earmarked as a possible single, with a Spanish lyric version on the flip side. Jeff's solo versions found their way on to his 1985 debut album Circus.
Jeff Kristian (Vocals/Keyboards), Chris Burdon (Guitar/Vocals), HECTOR (Bass/Vocals), John Chamberlain (Drums #1/VOCALS), JEFF MOODY (DRUMS #2/VOCALS).
MUSIC
I'LL GET ME COAT
THE BERRY LANE ALBUM / 9TH NOVEMBER 2026 / 12" VINYL, CD, AAC, MP3, M4A, FLAC, STREAM / MR BINKS MEDIA
12" VINYL SIDE ONE: Locked Away From The Sunshine / Gypsy Girl / If I Told You / Life's Worth Livin' / Love Turns Cold / Don't Talk To Me About Love / When You Are A King
12" VINYL SIDE TWO: Someone (Touch Me) / Leaving This Town / Day After Day / Innocence / Shout! / My Love
CD: Locked Away From The Sunshine / Gypsy Girl / If I Told You / Life's Worth Livin' / Love Turns Cold / Don't Talk To Me About Love / When You Are A King / Someone (Touch Me) / Leaving This Town / Day After Day / Innocence / Shout! / My Love / Life's Worth Livin' (La La Mix) / Someone (Touch Me) (Sack The Drummer Mix)
The Berry Lane's first album I'll Get Me Coat, featuring the singles Someone (Touch Me), Life's Worth Livin', Shout!, Locked Awa From The Sunshine and When You Are A King.
LIFE'S WORTH LIVIN', DAY AFTER DAY AND SHOUT! WORDS AND MUSIC BY JEFF KRISTIAN, LOCKED AWAY FROM THE SUNSHINE, IF I TOLD YOU, LOVE TURNS COLD, SOMEONE (TOUCH ME) AND MY LOVE WORDS AND MUSIC BY STEVEN PARR. GYPSY GIRL, DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT LOVE, LEAVING THIS TOWN AND INNOCENCE WORDS AND MUSIC BY CHRIS BURDON. WHEN YOU ARE A KING WORDS AND MUSIC BY JOHN HILL AND ROGER HILL. PRODUCED BY JEFF KRISTIAN AT SPARKIE'S LITTLE MUSIC FACTORY, KENT.
WHEN YOU ARE A KING
THE BERRY LANE SINGLE / 19TH OCTOBER 2026 / CD, AAC, MP3, M4A, FLAC, STREAM / MR BINKS MEDIA
When You Are A King / Day After Day
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their first live performance, The Berry Lane re-united in 2023 to create new recordings of some of their original songs. The fifth to be released was the single When You Are A King, originally a 1971 bubblegum-pop song by White Plains, backed with baroque-pop Day After Day. Both songs are from the forthcoming The Berry Lane album I'll Get Me Coat.