Kitchens of Distinction

The lush, dreamlike British pop trio Kitchens of Distinction was formed in London in 1986 by singer/bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales, and drummer Dan Goodwin. Taking their name from a Hygena advertisement, they issued their 1987 debut single "Last Gasp Death Shuffle" on their own Gold Rush label, signing to "One Little Indian" after the record garnered "Single of the Week" honors in the pages of the NME. Two further singles, "Prize" and "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule," followed prior to the release of their 1989 debut LP, Love Is Hell. Despite the critical acclaim given the album as well as its follow-up 1989 EP, Elephantine, much of the early media attention afforded Kitchens of Distinction swirled around Fitzgerald, openly gay at a time when such public candor was quite rare. Though widely considered a cult band, their 1991 sophomore effort, Strange Free World, debuted on the U.K. Top 40, but quickly tumbled off the charts. The Death of Cool followed in 1992, but did little to improve their commercial fortunes, and after 1994's Cowboys and Aliens also failed, Kitchens of Distinctions were dropped by One Little Indian. Upon resurfacing in 1996 on Fierce Panda with the single "Feel My Genie" (released under the name Kitchens OD), the group split; Fitzgerald subsequently continued under the name Fruit.