Tamworth Bands History : 1988 : March
02/03/88
Kubla Khan
Racer
Fetch Eddie
Spiral Eye
Kraze
Tamworth Arts Centre
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Catch 23 – TSB Rockschool Heat, The Dome
ALMOST exactly two years ago, I wrote my very first review of a new band called Catch 23. in it I said that here was a band with ‘literally hordes’ of talent, excellent songs and tremendous promise. ‘They are truly a band bursting with potential’ I concluded and for once it seems my prophecy was right.
In just 24 months, the band has played superb gig after superb gig, released a fine single and become respected by the whole local music scene for their genuine sincere outlook to music both on and off the stage. But all that pales into insignificance compared to last week’s triumph in the illustrious setting of the Dome. For that was Catch 23’s ‘magnus opus’, the moment when the world outside Atherstone and Tamworth saw what it had long know – these five boys have destiny.
For as you may have seen in last week’s Herald, Catch 23 won this regional heat of the TSB Rock School contest and now go forward into the final in Bradford in three week’s time. What makes their win even more commendable was that they were up against seven other schools or college-based bands whose quality both excited and amazed me.
The regional heat – which covered the whole of the West Midlands and the whole of Wales – saw fine music everywhere with two talented all-female groups, one slick Welsh pop band and even a talented rock outfit made up of a trio of blind musicians.
The standard was magnificent (no surprise considering these eight finalists had been chosen from hundreds of entrants) and it was clearly going to take a very special Catch 23 show to win them the vote. And, what did we get? A very special Catch 23 show – that’s what!
The band had just 12-15 minutes to capture the hearts of eight stoney-faced judges. They probably did it within 30 seconds as they launched into a spellbinding version of ‘Everybody’ which turned the Dome into a mass of dancing as 130 travelling Atherstonians let it all hang out.
Next up came the Jam style ‘Facing Up’ and then came a moment of sheer majesty – a stunning and quite beautiful rendition of ‘Hurt Me’ dominated and dazzled by lovely keyboard work by Nick Smith. Completing the short set was a rip-roaring version of ‘Love Explosion’ which almost literally brought the house down (that’s what explosions do)! And then, with a final cheeky Steve Webster smile, the band headed for the dressing room.
Two more bands followed and then came half-an-hour of sheer torture. No, Marillion did not make a guest appearance, but the judges went out and made their decision – a decision which seemed like months arriving.
My heart was pounding so hard it could have acted as an alternative bass drum, but eventually Steve Gibbons arrived on stage told the audience that Catch 23 were wonderful and BRMB disc jockey Les Ross announced they have won.
The scenes that followed the announcement will remain with me for a very long time. There were tears aplenty everywhere and people were buzzing around the room as if they had won the gold medal. Catch 23 had not only seen off every school-based pop band in the West Midlands and Wales but they had booked themselves a place in the national final with a chance to win £2,000 worth of equipment and a guaranteed slot on ITV on Easter Saturday.
In Bradford, the home of the final, they will meet seven other regional heat winners and will be judged by an amazing collection of celebrities including Robert Plant (ex-Led Zep) and producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman. If they win there, the future will be golden indeed and even if they don’t they will have something to treasure forever.
As for myself, well the elation I felt leaving the Dome was genuine and overwhelming. Catch 23 have become close personal friends because their honesty and enthusiasm off stage is the same as it is on. They are truly the nice guys of local music, and nice guys as they say rarely win. Well they did. If I hadn’t been such a macho, hard-faced, emotionless type of guy I think I would have cried as well.
SAM HOLLIDAY
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Taking a new stance
The Dance Stance have recruited two new members to their ranks. First is a Hinckley-based keyboard player called Richard Ward and second is a young trombonist called Simon Hall. Both have made an immediate and impressive impact on the band who are busily writing new material before hitting the road again in the spring.
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
A new band influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain and Fields of Nephilim are on the lookout for a bass player and singer. The group – as yet un-named – are based in both Tamworth and Atherstone and want a ‘screaming, groaning’ singer and a bass player with more enthusiasm than experience. If this sounds like you, contact Paul.
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Tamworth Borough Council is to have a representative on the Tamworth Rock Festival committee. He will be Labour councillor Dick Hudson who will attend committee and general meetings in the run up to the council-supported festival. The next FULL meeting of the festival will be on Sunday, March 13 and all bands are requested to attend. More details next week.
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Wolfsbane have been chosen to headline Birmingham’ biggest rock festival of 1988. The event – the Birmingham Indoor Rock Festival – will last for 12 hours at Goldwyns nightclub in the city centre and will also feature groups such as Starfighters, Marsha Law, Slowburner, Rebel and Ark. It will go ahead on Easter Bank Holiday Monday (April 4) and one of the organisers describes it as the most important event in Midlands rock. For the wonderful Wolfsbane to have the top billing for such a show proves what I said last week that this area is becoming THE centre of Midlands music. Tickets for the festival cost £3.00.
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Four turn up the power on finals night
TAMWORTH’S highly successful Battle of the Bands reaches its exciting climax tonight (Friday) at the Arts Centre. Four bands will line-up in the event aiming to win the award as Tamworth’s most promising new band for 1988.
So far the contest has provoked good crowds, fine concerts and its usual share of elation, disappointment and controversy. Tonight promises to be just as tense and exciting as four bands attempt to win the overall award won in past years by One On One, Breaking Point and most recently Wolfsbane.
To decide who should win the prizes there will be ten judges. They are: Steve Webster and Nick Smith (Catch 23), Graham Walters (Shellshock), Pam Patten and Ian Gibbons (Rathole), John Reeman (DHSS), Ian Harwood (Rape in Yellow), Chris Edden (A5), Dave Caswell (Jabberwockie) and Alan Bayliss (The Parade). They will be judging the following four bands.
THE CONSPIRACY
Heat One winners and a group who have made a dramatic impact locally since their formation some months ago. After first conquering Tamworth, they have now earned praise in both Atherstone and Lichfield and are soon to spread their wings further. Their passionate new-wave-based Cult-rock had been compared to many bands but still has that extra, vital ingredient of originality. If they win tonight it will be the icing on a bountiful cake of recent success.
NEW AGE GYPSIES
Heat Two winners and another group who have developed very quickly since their early beginnings. Starting originally as a hippy band, the group soon smashed this concept with a sound that was far heavier and more direct that the whimsical late Sixties image they attempted to portray. Solidly supported in Atherstone and increasingly popular in Tamworth, they have a vitality and enthusiasm which could well be rewarded with victory tonight.
KRAZE
In as winners of Sunday’s heat and having attained the highest marks in the contest so far, could well be THE band to beat. Strong, powerful metal music from a band with a hallmark of quality.
SCREAM DREAM
Probably my favourite new band (along with Spiral Eye) to have emerged from the contest, the Dreamers have taken their place for being the highest scoring throughout the four weeks. Modern influences abound but these boys are very much their own scene-setters and they could be dark horses for inevitable glory.
All four bands will be given their usual 20 minutes to win over the Arts Centre judges and the corwds before the eventual winner is chosen. They will be awarded the title Tamworth’s Most Promising Band 1988 – Battle of the Bands Winners for the Tamworth Young people’s Arts Festival and will join the hall of fame with Breaking Point, One On One and Wolfsbane.
In addition to carrying the title for 12 months the winners will pick up a cash prize of £75 and individual ‘Battle of the bands’ trophies which will be theirs to keep. In addition of all goes to financial plan there should be one or two extra goodies on offer to winners and losers alike because above all, the final of the ‘Battle of the Bands’ is always a fun night and a cracking concert to boot!
If the past couple of ‘Battle’ finals is anything to go by, tonight will be packed to the rafters and the atmosphere will be red-hot. Get along at 8pm (any later and you may miss a moment which you shouldn’t) and get set for a wonderful exhibition of the very best of new music in the local area. The winners will have a marvellous title to carry around with them for 12 months. The losers will have the satisfaction of knowing they at least reached the last four, and all the punters should have a night to remember for the rest of the year.
The battle lines are drawn – let battle commence.
Will all bands get to the Arts Centre by 5pm. Will judges arrive by 7.45pm.
04/03/88
Battle of the Bands – FINAL
The Conspiracy
New Age Gypsies
Kraze
Scream Dream
Tamworth Arts Centre
Tamworth Herald - 04/03/88
Battle of the Bands – Final Heat
WELL, what a night this turned out to be. Around 200 sweaty punters, four sweaty bands and a marvellous good-humoured atmosphere that was a pleasure to be part of. And here is how it all went…
Spiral Eye
My favourite band of the night and a group for whom I predict great things in the future. An amazing introduction set the scene for 20 minutes of Velvet-clad Sixties drug-culture pop with Floydisms everywhere and even a touch of mid-Seventies Swell maps. Baz, who I once described as the coolest man in the universe, remains in that exalted position and has more charisma than an American TV evangelist. And no doubt just as many skeletons. Each track was different but all retained that same mesmerising, meandering mood. More of an experience than a show. Absolutely ace.
Kraze
Professional, punchy and laden down with natural style. I always had more than a sneakig admiration for Kara and Powerplay and this new combo have taken the best of both those and added new impressive touches. The girls provided talent as well as the inevitable glamour and the band emerged with a rousing finale which totally won over the audience. And – oh yes – a mention to the remarkable, wonderful and incredible Carl Anthony has had his name left out in the past and I was threatened with a chainsaw if I did not put his name in lights. So there you are Carl, now put away that chainsaw.
Kubla Khan
Compared afterwards by one of the judges as sounding like Bruce Springsteen, which is probably the second greatest compliment you can give to mortals (no prizes for guessing the first). It didn’t sound that Brooce-like to me but there were definite classy mid-Seventies, mid-American touches in there with some impressively produced guitar work spotlighting a dreamy feel. A tight, well-rounded commercial set from a band who have a real dollop of class.
Racer
Maybe I had seen ‘Bad News’ just a little too soon before this but Racer came over as a rather undramatic heavy band whose charisma didn’t shine as it did on their impressive demo. To their credit they played a solid, administered set and produced one gem in the slower ‘Feelings Never Change’.
SAM HOLLIDAY
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
Screaming in to take the honours
DELIGHTED SCREAM Dream won the 1988 Tamworth Battle of the Bands title on Friday night after a thrilling final. Another jam-packed Arts Centre audience was treated to four exciting, contrasting performances before judges delivered their eagerly-awaited result.
It led to scenes of wild excitement from the Scream Dream camp which was no surprise considering this was only their second ever concert.
What made the Dreamer’s success even more remarkable was that in the heats leading up to the final they had only finished second. But that highest-scoring second was enough to inch them into the final and there they produced a far better performance which left their three opponents beaten.
To lose in a final is always a disappointment but New Age Gypsies, Conspiracy and the excellent Kraze have every reason to feel proud for their fighting shows which won over large percentages of the audience.
It all began with the eventual winners, Scream Dream. They emerged from a blanket of suffocating dry ice with a power-blasting sound which immediately caught the audience’s attention. With the addition of the always impressive Ted Wilson, the guitar sound in particular was irresistible, layering stylish melody line upon stylish melody line and being backed with some thumping, gritty bass and drum work.
Fronting the band with an aggressive, confident show was vocalist Steve, a man who looked good, sounded powerful and probably wished there wasn’t quite so much smoke obscuring his natty haircut.
The set was all over far too quickly but by the time it finished I was convinced that here is a new Tamworth band of real charisma, talent and ability. They were going to take some beating.
Next up were New Age Gypsies who led the Atherstone assault on the Tamworth title with a show which I thought was the best I have ever seen from them. Any rough edges from previous shows had been clinically rooted out and discarded leaving the New Agers with clear crystalised sound with one foot in the Eighties and one in the Sixties. The band, and their travelling support, seemed happy with the show. Could the standard be maintained we asked ourselves?
Kraze said a resounding ‘yes’ within the opening seconds of their set which followed next. The outfit, who had been so impressive in the heats kept up that high standard with a varied well-balanced and powerful show.
The classy Graham Phelps led the guitar attack with an accomplished air and the mixture of males and female vocals made a refreshing and invigorating change. Best number was the superb “Dance Till Dawn” but altogether this was a very, very good show from a band who are ideal for the metal connoisseur and very palatable to your average poppy-punter.
Completing the show were The Conspiracy, the only band who seemed to suffer from nerves on the night. As a result this was not the best Conspiracy show we have witnessed but as the pressure started to lift at the tail end of the sent, we began to see that old fire again culminating in a dazzling version of “Passion Burning”. Paul Bethel again impressed all who saw him and heard him although rock and roll credibility dipped somewhat when he had to take his mom home straight after the show! Still she seemed to quite like the concept.
Following The Conspiracy’s departure from the stage, ten judges headed for their special room to make the ultimate decision on who was the Tamworth Young People’s Arts Festival winners for 1988. They all had to mark on two things – performance and potential – which summed up the idea that this was to find the area’s most promising new band. All ten judges (who came from widely different musical backgrounds to ensure there was no ‘fix’) thought differently but at the end of the day two bands were outstanding in the scores – Scream Dream and Kraze.
Ultimate
I don’t normally name the second band but as they came so close I feel Kraze deserve a hearty pat on the back. But this year it was Scream Dream who took the ultimate position and accolade. In just two shows they have already established themselves a a major force and there is no doubt that the confidence-booster that they have received by winning the prestigious award, will put them in very good stead for the future.
A fine band and a fine competition. As usual there were moans and groans afterwards but what we had seen were four excellent concerts which had all produced bumper attendances and kept the area’s music scene on the rock and roll boil. The battle is now over and all bands, judges and crowds must lay down their arms and join forces for the next major event – tonight’s ambitious ‘Scum Ball’ project at the Assembly Rooms.
11/03/88
Scum Ball
Scream Dream
Spiral Eye
Mr. Cyn
New Age Gypsies
The Detroit Sinners
Assembly Rooms
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
A UNIQUE concert takes place tonight (Friday) at the Assembly Rooms. Under the banner of “The Scum Ball”, the special concert is designed to be another major display of the area’s rising musical talent spotlighting five relatively new acts.
Among these are new Battle of the Bands winners Scream Dream plus three other groups who sparkled in the contest – Spiral Eye, Mr Cyn and New Age Gypsies. And to complete a strong line-up we find a totally new and not entirely serious act who call themselves The Detroit Sinners.
“The Scum Ball” is so unusual in that in the spirit of the Tamworth Rock Festival it has been totally paid for by all the bands on the show. The Assems does not come cheap and with all the attendant PA costs and more, it means all five groups had to put their hands deep into their pockets to ensure that we could all go to the ‘Ball’.
The five bands all see the concert as a chance to further discover the talents that were graphically unveiled during the ‘Battle of the bands’. One of the bands, Spiral Eye, say that all the groups will be playing longer, stronger sets than in the ‘Battle’ and will be offering one or two additional extras.
It should be a real party atmosphere and all the Scum Ball organisers hope that a successful turnout at Tamworth’s top venue will mean that more concerts of this kind will find their way onto a stage which has welcomed the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in former glory years.
The bands on offer – with the exception of the Detroit Sinners – should now be known to local audiences thanks to the Battle of the Bands. Scream Dream of course will come fresh from their triumph last Friday and will no doubt still be in celebratory mood at being acclaimed as Tamworth’s Most Promising New Band. Their sound has its roots in modern Sisterhood and latter-day punk and involves sterling guitar work and punishing vocals. The New Age Gypsies offers a rock-base dose of hippydom! While the Spiral Eye contingent offer a hippy-based dose of hippydom! Their debut show at the Arts Centre was both amazing and eye-opening and combines Velvet Underground sounds with a later Sixties atmosphere and attitude which was quite intoxicating. It will be very interesting indeed to see how that translates to the wider theatre of the Tamworth Assembly Rooms.
Completing the quartet of bands who you will already know are the ‘new’ One On One – Mr. Cyn. The band opened their account with a professional, stylish show in the ‘Battle’ contest which would probably have won them a place in the final had it not been such an amazingly strong heat.
Unlike the more alternative-based bands on the ‘Scum Ball’ line-up, Mr. Cyn should appeal to people who like to hear rock in all its various shades and anyone who likes to hear first-class arrangements and first-class musicians. As for The Detroit Sinners they are a real ‘wait and see’ act who feature a host of interesting musicians and cause wide smiles whenever their name is mentioned. Watch that space.
So five different bands and one very different concert. The Assembly Rooms is a lovely, credible setting for rock concerts and if tonight’s show is the success everyone is hoping for, it could be opening its doors on many more occasions yet. All the musicians who set up the ‘Scum Ball’ (which starts at 7pm and goes on until 12.30am) deserve support and credit so if you want to support a worthwhile show and enjoy a fine concert to boot get along to the Assembly Rooms tonight.
It costs a mere £1.50 on the door and there are not many balls you can get into for that meagre amount.
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
WITH THE Battle of the Bands now out of the way, all attention is switching to the summer Tamworth Rock festival.
The event, only four months away now, will take over the next few weeks and that organisational build-up will start in earnest this Sunday with a full meeting for ALL bands and organisers.
On the night the bands will be able to hear news of the healthy financial situation that is starting to build up and an agenda will be worked out for future events.
The success of the ‘Battle’ contest shows that interest in the Rock Festival will still be at a premium so every band who wants to get involved must turn up on Sunday night to be counted and registered.
The meeting as ever, will be at the Tavern in the Town, starting at 8pm and anyone who is still interested in being involved but cannot get along contact Sam Holliday or Rikk Quay before the night.
As a final point this is not the fund-raising record auction suggested at the last meeting – that will now be later.
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
Sa, Sa, a modern ambitious pop band playing chart influenced music are on the lookout for a dedicated strong drummer. If you want to know more about this exciting new band ring Steve Holland.
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
Rock fans will be heading for the Arts Centre again on Sunday night when a double-header takes place featuring Racer and Roulette. The two bands, who have both gone down well in previous Arts Centre shows are offering listeners a thundering, metal experience and it all gets under way at 8pm.
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
Soul fans take note…minibuses are being organised to go from Tamworth to Northern Soul all-nighters all round the country. Anyone interested contact Dan Collins.
Tamworth Herald - 11/03/88
Enthusiastic guitarist and bass player from Tamworth/Atherstone based group The Bizz seek lead guitarist and drummer to complete the line-up. Influences include everything from The Clash to the…If you’re interested ring Carl.
13/03/88
Racer
Roulette
Tamworth Arts Centre
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