In 1992, Custard released their first self-published album titled “Buttercup/Bedford” after winning the Australian Academy of Music’s Encouragement Award the previous year. They used the prize of $500 recording time to quickly record about 13 songs in eight hours, marking their debut album. [1]

The album had a dual title, with some artwork referring to it as “Buttercup” and others as “Bedford.” This is due to a communication error between the creators of the booklet and back cover artists (Glenn Thompson & Robert Moore). [2]

The release had a troubled start, manufacturing delays led to a significant delay of eight months before the album was available on CD [3]. To compensate for this, Custard gave away copies of the album on cassette.[4]

During the manufacturing fiasco, Custard went on several tours in Sydney and Melbourne and managed to secure a deal with RA, a subsidiary of rooArt. RA wanted to release an EP, but Custard insisted on using tracks from their previous album. As a result, their debut EP titled “Gastanked” under RA included one track recorded before signing with the company and five new tracks. [5]

Finally, towards the end of 1992, the shipments of “Buttercup/Bedford” arrived, although it was after the release of their EP “Gastanked.”

Due to its self-published nature, the album has not appeared on any streaming sites and has largely been a rarity to find online, with most sites links to download no longer working. Dave McCormack has expressed that maybe it should stay offline. [6]

Reception

Due to it’s obscurity and the fact that it was released before the band was signed, there haven’t been many reviews by formal publications offline & online. However, among fans, it is generally well-liked for its funky and quirky songs and its 70s prog-rock style.