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Old Sheff bands of the 80's +90's

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Hi Mark,

Protex Blue eh? I'll keep an eye out for you, and your son's band, if you let me know what they're called.

My son, Adam, plays in 'Church of the Holy Dollar' as guitarist and 'The Strangers' as drummer, although apparently he's in the process of starting another band, probably to be called 'Taken by Tina' (Yes, that's Tina who played keyboards in Splash, my wife and aforementioned son's mother). So, if see any of those names in the gig guides, i'll no doubt be there.

I think you're right about the mutual appreciation bit. I used to enjoy watching whoever else was on when we were playing. But it seems different now. At most of the gigs i've been to with Adam's lot, each band has their own mates watching, who all then leave without watching anyone else. Even most of the bands do it. The Strangers were at the grapes last night, with The Xcorvettes and Avangaad, and i don't think anyone except the Xcorvettes watched anyone else's set. If each band and their friends had stayed upstairs all night it would have been almost full, and a much better atmosphere. Might be something to do with the bar being downstairs, but it's not much better at The boardwalk.

Right, enough moaning, see you.

Paul

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Hey Mark,

here's a coincidence. Some months ago my mate Tony lamb was telling me how someone he worked with at Slater Printing played in a punk band. Nick Short was his name, who i didn't know, but i remembered his brother Jon, who played bass for March the Third. Having looked at your site, turns out the band in question is Protex Blue. Small world eh?

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hi the singer with eat dont hula has a pub, forest on rutland road sings,very good night out saturdays

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I was drummer with The Rickies (hardly an original name but the guitarists all played Rickenbackers, see) in 1989/90. We were a four-piece original outfit who relied on the Mersey Sound and look.

 

We played local gigs, places like the Greyhound, Attercliffe; Hallamshire, West St. (my knuckles are still on the walls by the stairs), Gossips (we supported Boy On A Dolphin once), the long-gone Domino and The Rising Sun in Nethergreen. We became a tight unit with great vocal harmonies and the musicianship was excellent.

 

Sadly, Meadowhall was on the drawing board and the band's bass guitarist worked on site. He won a competition and won a cash prize. Eddie Healy (Mr Developer Himself) heard the song (which won the 'suggestions' competition) and paid for us to go into Axis Studio and record it and shoot a video at Meadowhall during summer 1989.

 

We spent days shooting the video, longer than it took to record the record 'The Steelwork Years'. It seemed everything else was put on hold while we recorded this supposed single and shot its accompanying video.

 

Thus, by the time we recorded the song's b-side (in a private studio in Dronfield) I'd grown very tired of being the group's drummer and subsequently left April 1990.

 

But when I recall those gigs, I remember the fun I had, playing to good audiences and having a beer or nine at the same time. As for the studios and everything else (lugging equipment up those stairs at the Hallamshire, for example) I don't miss it that much.

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Anyone go see Bill Murrey & The Boys From Bury? All from Sheffield and the leader singer wasn't called Bill Murrey 8) weird

It was Phil Murray and the boys from bury:)

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Hey Mark,

here's a coincidence. Some months ago my mate Tony lamb was telling me how someone he worked with at Slater Printing played in a punk band. Nick Short was his name, who i didn't know, but i remembered his brother Jon, who played bass for March the Third. Having looked at your site, turns out the band in question is Protex Blue. Small world eh?

 

Nick I was at school with- he was a drummer(very good one too), played in various bands, started off supporting Pulp with his brother Jon in a band called Crude around 1981/82ish, Jon who's a bit older I think is still playing round and about, but cant remember name of his band.

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The three Sheffield groups that I had a fondness for were Danse Society, Harbourkings and the wonderful Comsat Angels. I am sorry if I am stating the obvious naming these 3 bands as all of them had a degree of success compared with some groups mentioned on this thread. I enjoyed the 2 CD`s released by Harbourkings very much and the Comsats were simply a gem of a band who have influenced hundreds of musicians and are rightly lauded as one of the UK`s best groups.

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PM me when you are next roadieing (is there such a verb) for you son with venue and date.

 

 

Hi Mark,

i know you asked for a PM, but we're talking promotion here.

My son's band The Strangers are launching a 4 track EP (recorded at Steelworks) with a gig at DnR, just down from The Boardwalk on Wed 27th September.

Interestingly enough, the bassist from one of the other bands, Vasquez, is my old next door neighbour (and older than me!)

If you want to hear them before deciding whether to come try their myspace page.

 

http://www.myspace.com/thestrangersband

 

Be nice to see you there, although recognising you might be a problem after 20-odd years. Hopefully you've not changed a great deal.

Paul

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Vasquez??? Who dat den?

 

I will be there at DNR, older, wiser, balder (that's gonna be the name of my debut solo album.. when I learn to play guitar, learn to sing and learn to write decent songs) :D .

 

And, I recall Splash/Snap14 (not sure if they'd changed their name by then) playing with Rough Copy at The Marples in a Rock Against Racism Benefit in 1980, cos I took some pictures.

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Ha hA,

Online then, Richard.

 

I remember them photos, That was my first gig, and I was frozen to the spot for most of it. Remember the long exposure shot you took to get some blurry motion shots, but i looked normal apart from a blurred hand.

Could have played keyboards for Sparks with movement like that. (Although Russell Senior was always second-in-line for that job)

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Hi Mark,

i know you asked for a PM, but we're talking promotion here.

My son's band The Strangers are launching a 4 track EP (recorded at Steelworks) with a gig at DnR, just down from The Boardwalk on Wed 27th September.

Interestingly enough, the bassist from one of the other bands, Vasquez, is my old next door neighbour (and older than me!)

If you want to hear them before deciding whether to come try their myspace page.

 

http://www.myspace.com/thestrangersband

 

Be nice to see you there, although recognising you might be a problem after 20-odd years. Hopefully you've not changed a great deal.

Paul

 

Hi Paul,

 

Missed a few of your posts over the last couple of months.

Will be there for sure at DnR and will ask Pete to come too as I am back in touch with him. Yes Nick is the drummer with Protex Blue, the longest lasting at six years. His brother, John is still working and did the Bandaoke at The Walkabout on Sunday nights.

 

Mark

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