It was my distinct pleasure – and, really, duty – to introduce Don to the unique yet timeless sound of The Silly Pillows – Jonathan & Hillary Caws-Elwitt – in mid-1988. I had recently experienced their magic through receipt of one of their cassettes for review from OPtion magazine, and as a result was on an immediate mission to “spread the word” about this duo and their very special sound.

Yes, a special sound – original songs with impossibly beautiful yet delicate melodies; intelligent and insightful lyrics often dealing with the very personal yet important little things that comprise the daily lives of us all; calmly expressionistic vocal deliveries with their inimitable ethereal harmonies; and perfectly complementary accompaniment by understated guitar, keyboards, and percussion – and whatever else would be occasionally thrown into the mix.

An ambrosial brew. It’s been described elsewhere as “super-neato psych-pop” and I wholeheartedly agree – but would add that the synthesis of their lyrics and melodies, and the note-perfect execution of both, achieved with an unaffected natural ease and casualness, add a depth that make their songs wholly their own – attempts to duplicate by others would not hit the mark. Even their songs about “silly” things come across at a higher elevation, imbued with a sophistication that separated the Sillies from the rest of the pack.

My wife and I were honored with a short visit from Jonathan and Hillary sometime around 1990, while they were visiting California, and I can attest they were as open and unaffected as their music would suggest. Truly “good people.” They didn’t seem like strangers at all.

Thank you, Sillies, for your role in defining the zenith of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s home-taper “scene.” Your subsequent international successes have been well-earned.

Ken Clinger

As someone who likes to work in the gray area between pop and rock, I was often hesitant to go in a more pop direction, because most musicians in the cassette culture were rock or experimental. It was quite refreshing and inspirational to come across the Silly Pillows, because they were so blatantly and unapologetically pop. I felt free to use major chords and happy rhythms, without any sense of irony.

The Silly Pillows also released 7", LPs and CDs on other labels, notably the Little Teddy label from Germany.

Above, you see a 7" release and to the right, one of their LPs on Little Teddy from 1991.

Ray Carmen

I began trading tapes with Jonathan and Hilary Caws-Ellwit of the Silly Pillows in the late 1980s.  They were among my first four tape trades (the other three being Mike Crooker, Don Campau and Ken Clinger).   They sent me a very charming home-made postcard (which I still have of course!), with a blue and white checkered design on one side (where, at the very bottom right hand corner, the blue and white design was turned sideways...).  The first tape I ever received from them, if memory serves me correctly, was a C90 called New Ears.  I loved the whole sound of the SIlly Pillows--firmly rooted in 60s pop, but with a home-made punky edge to it.  And even though Hilary bowed out of the band later on, I loved her charming sing-song type vocals--she reminded me of Heather from Beat Happening.   I seem to remember most of their cassette releases being C90s or at least C60s.  I was only writing and recording enough songs to do C20 eps at the time and I always felt kind of stupid sending them such meager offerings in trade.  LOL  I was very excited to receive their excellent vinyl offerings, and played them often.  They were one of the few underground cassette artists who released vinyl albums, singles and eps (most of them through the Little Teddy Recordings label).