Adams Family - Sometimes I Wonder

The Adams Family formed in 1984 when Jaki Florek (vocals, former Shattered Dolls, Sharon & The Slobz) joined Bill Freeman (guitars, formerly with the cabaret band Quicksilver), Brian Harcombe (a.k.a. Brain Damage, drums, former Accelerators) and Tim Scott (guitars). This line-up was alternatively and temporarily completed by Tony Doyle (ex Accelerators, Lawnmower) and Glynn on bass, until Bob Davies (form Change to the East) eventually took up bass duties in 1985. In late 1985 he was replaced by Jim Free and Berry Han (a.k.a. Bazhan or Baz Han, former Giant Spacebats) joined on second guitar and Jaki Florek’s sister Lisa on keyboards. Alison Haggarty played viola. For a short period of time (1985-1986) Chris Martin (former Accelerators) was on vocals and Harcombe was replaced by Barry Cox, but by the end of 1986 the Adams Family line-up established as a six-piece unit, featuring the Floreks, Freeman, Harcombe, Free, Han.
The band’s first gig was at the Venue on January 30th 1985 and form that moment on they started gigging quite regularly. The band released three demotapes: in 1985 Florek, Freeman, Harcombe, Scott and Davies issued a five track demo (featuring Alone in the crowd, So Sorry, Here’s Laughing at You Kid, Suicide, You Know What I Mean); in April 1986 Florek, Florek, Freeman, Han, Free, Cox released a six track cassette (Hey Hey Hey, Memories, She Strange, You Can Dream, Meanwhile Back in the Real World, Self Destroyer) and in August a three track demo (featuring The Doll, She Don’t Look Back, Someday). In 1987 Free left to join Crawl and was replaced by Tony ‘Rocco’ Doyle (former Accelerators, Lawnmower). This line-up recorded the band’s first vinyl product, the mini-lp Sometimes I Wonder:

Sometimes I Wonder (1987)

- Sometimes I Wonder
- She Don't Look Back
- Of You
- Back Street City Life
- Memories
- Someday Someday

The pop-oriented music in the lp gained enthusiastic reviews in the music press (The Melody Maker). By the late eighties the band the band stripped down to a 4 piece.

adams family

(see also http://www.myspace.com/theadamsfamilyliverpool )

Hell Fire Sermon - Freak Storm (1987)

In 1987 the Decemberists became the Hellfire Sermons. The same line-up – featuring Colin Pennington (vocals, guitars, keyboards, former Tunnel Users), Andrew Deevey (vocals, guitars), Andrew Ford (bass) and Chris Harrison (drums, former Jenny Lind) – worked on and released the band’s self-financed fist single:


Freak Storm (1987)
- Freak Storm
- Rachel Clean


The single also received enthusiastic reviews in the national music press (NME). While working on the follow-up single the band lost both Harrison and Deevry, respectively replaced, if temporarily, by Roger McLoughlin and Neal Carr (former Jenny Lind) (as credited on the second single’s cover - H.O.N.E.Y.M.O.O.N. b/w Quicksand, Penny Pinching Cathy)

hellfire sermons 1987

(see also: http://www.hellfiresermons.fsnet.co.uk/ )

The Mogodons (a.k.a. Mogadons, Mogodonz) (1981-1982)

Goth act formed in 1981 by Adrian Mitchel (guitars, former Upsets, Dead or Alive and later Love Look Away), Paul Curran (bass, former And the Dance, Knopov’s Political Package and It’s Immaterial, later Love Look Away), Nina Guido (a.k.a. Nina Guido, vocals), Kris Guidio (a.k.a. Kris Guido, vocals) and Paul Barlow (drums, ex And the Dance, sessions with Wah! It’s Immaterial). In 1982 they released an E.P.

Zuvembie (1982)


- Plague In E-Minor
- Zuvembie

- (New) Shadows
- Plague In E-Minor Reprise



The quite ironic review in Merseysound 25 read like this: ‘They sound a bit like a bunch of session-men with spare time on their hands and a studio to play with. At least they are honest (Shadows revisited is pretty accurate to their big man). Quite good fun all the same, especially the spirited and quite uplifting” (Merseysound 25, July 1982). According to sources they also worked on a second single (Are You Dead?), but no trace of it seemed to be left.

zuvembie

The Decemberists (1984-87)

The band formed in 1984 when Colin Pennington (vocals, guitars, ex Tunnel Users) joined Andrew Deevey (guitars, vocals), Andrew Ford (bass), Chris Harrison (aka Chris Hamson, drums, former Jenny Lind) and Karen Jones (vocals). The group became a four-piece in 1985 , when Jones left to pursue a solo career. “An interesting combination of earnest young pop and jazz influenced musicians” (Jamming Magazine, June 1986), playing “limpid melodies with gnashing, low-fi semi-acoustic guitas in time-honoured/well-worn fashion” (NME, December 1985) The Decemberists got as far as supporting James before they become huge. The band recorded several demos, buth only very few of their numbers were released on vinyl. One of them, Gift Horse, was in the track-list of the Merseysound compilation Ways To Wear Coats (see relevant post). A second track, James Is (Still the Same), originally appeared on the Rorschach Testing’s cassette compilation Discreet Campaings in 1985 (along with Cocteau Twins, Durutti Column, Dif Juz and James), and re-released much later on the Sound of Leamington compilation. By the end of 1986 the Decemberists became the Hell Fire Sermons.

decemberists

The Yachts - Live at Hurrah (NYC, 11 October 1979)

In 1979 The Yachts toured the US and Europe (supporting Joe Jackson and the Who) to promote their self-titled album issued earlier the same year. On Thursday, 11 October 1979, the four-piece (Henry Priestman, Martin Watson, Martin Dempsey, and Bob Bellis) played the Hurrah club in NYC (the Yacths also recorded their album in New York with producer Richard Gottehrer).

Yachts: Live at Hurrah (11 October 1979)

- Intro
- Semaphore Love
- In A Second
- Tantamount To Bribery
- Look Back In Love (Not In Anger)
- Instrumental
- Band Intro
- I Can't Stay Long
- Love You Love You
- Heads Will Turn
- Mantovani's Hits
- Yachting Type


Hurrah (1979)

Thanks to our friend Chris for the files and the covers (courtesy of CKY production) on my part and on behalf of this blog users.