'80s Rock


coverpage

introduction

The Blue Mist

Darkness At Noon

The Pleasureheads

Nutmeg

Flowershop

The Charlottes

The Nightjars

80's Cambs rock

 So who are the new local talents worth watching out for? Andy Bell of Erasure is, of course, Peterborough's most notorious contribution to the world of pop, but top dogs in the city for the last couple of years have been the wonderfully raucous Pleasureheads. In 1986 most people saw them as a joke, but then they were signed to Molesworth Records by Andrew Clifton who pointed out in a review that critics were mistaking their hilarious performances for stupidity. Molesworth were rewarded by their first single being New Musical Express single of the week. The Pleasureheads went on to record EPs and a well-received album for Ediesta until its parent company went bankrupt last Christmas.

1989 saw some excellent live performances by the Pleasureheads, and a memorable John Peel session on Radio 1 in May, but as yet a new EP scheduled to launch their new label has not materialised. In fact, The Fat Tulips, a Nottingham students band led by their former lead guitarist Mark Randall, has had more success on vinyl recently with the single "Where's Clare Grogan Now?"; they have also acquired a following in Huntingdon and Peterborough as support to The Charlottes.

You would be an extremely fortunate person to ever see Sudden Sway perform live, but if you ever see one of their records, buy it! They started life as an energetic new wave dance band but throughout the '80s their sporadic releases have been some of the most bizarre on vinyl: eight recordings (not mixes) of the same song, each on a different single; a keep-fit record for evolving life-forms; a collection of futuristic advertising jingles; the incomprehensible "Spacemate" boxed set of records, charts and "games"; an album of a non-existent rock opera which turns out to be a description of one Saturday in Peterborough in 1976. When they did tour a couple of years ago, they performed in art galleries as a hologram jukebox from a city in the future. They will never be a big name, but they have carved out a niche that is very definitely all their own.

Graham Butt was recognised as one of Britain's best thrash metal guitarists even whilst still attending Bushfield Community School. He recorded several albums with The Destructors, has toured America as a member of English Dogs and The Stupids, and currently leads his own band Wardance. Their own European tour was dogged by disasters but a deal with top hardcore label Roadrunner Records could see them making an impact in 1990.

Another band who could be on the verge of fame are Big Blue World. They are a pop rock band with chart/stadium potential. Their big coup of '89 was to gain sponsorship from Thomas Cook's (the famous Peterborough-based travel agency). They released a promising EP called "Deviation" and have toured widely across the country. Their performances have received praise from the trade press, which gained them major company interest, but recent line-up changes appear to have slowed their progress.

Guitarist Steve Crosby has led several goth-type bands in recent years. With The (Jilted) Brides he has been on the verge of success. They too have frequently suffered changes of membership but his bands are always worth going to hear. The Black Sky, who play in a similar vein and have frequently supported them, also show promise.

Other young guitarists worthy of note are David Reid and Chris Watson. Reid is involved in various bands and solo projects across a wide variety of styles, but has a distinctive icy tone to his playing. Chris Watson is a jazz-rocker whose name has been associated with EMI this year; it is even rumoured that they paid for him to record in New York.

Talking of Watsons, of the older regular pub bands to look out for in Peterborough, the best is Lloyd Watson's band. An outstanding blues-rock guitarist, he was frequently involved in solo projects by members of Roxy Music (look out especially for Phil Manzanera's and Brian Eno's "801 Live") but then went into a relative's business locally. His band often includes Boz Burrell (of Bad Company, Ted Nugent etc.) on bass. Colin Hodgkinson - "an extraordinary virtuoso of the bass guitar" (Jazz - The Essential Companion) - also sits in when back home in the city from recording with the likes of Mick Jagger and Jan Hammer.

continue