The idea of the 16 Tambourine was already there in 1981,
when Steve Roberts (vocals) and Tony Elliott (bass, later Tambourine, Catapult) tried
without much success to give shape to a pop act, Total Action. Due to the
difficulties in recruiting stable members to the group, Total Action disbanded
and both Roberts and Elliott went their separate ways. In 1984 Roberts joined
In Dangerous Rhythms (1983-1985) − featuring Rob Hill (keyboards), Denny
Hampson (bass, vocals, former Modern Eon), John Neilson (guitars), and Tony
McGuigan (drums) − whereas Elliott became a member of Sebastian’s Men (1982-85) − featuring Mike McCarroll (ex Personal
Column drums), Ian Copeland (guitars), David Hogg (later Return of The
Toreador, guitars), and Margi Henderson (vocals). In 1985, after the split of
In Dangerous Rhythms and Sebastian’s Men, 16 Tambourines became a reality.
Elliott joined Roberts and fellow In Dangerous Rhythm’s member Hill and started
jamming first with the aid of a drum machine and then bringing in former In
Dangerous Rhythm drummer McGuigan. At the very beginning the band’s repertoire
was the same as In Dangerous Rhythm’s but very early on 16 Tambourines started
rehearsing at the Ministry and gigging quite regularly, releasing a string of original
demos in 1985 of acoustic rock numbers (featuring songs like Don’t Run Away,
What the People Want, Hope (A Man for All Seasons), Jumpin' in the Fire, I
Wouldn't Want to Stop) which provided the band with some radio exposure. In
1987 the line-up was extended with the inclusion of Mike Moran (guitars),
backing vocals (Susan Elleni, Sue Forshaw), and Perry Pineapple (aka Perry
Leach on percussions), while Hill had been previously replace by David Oliver. In
1988 and 1989 the band toured the country supporting Dion, the Squeeze, Hue
& Cry, Wet Wet Wet. Over this period 16 Tambourines wrote and recorded their
first LP for Arista:
How Green Is Your Valley? (1990)
- Bathed In The Afterglow
- April
- Pokey Town
- If I Should Stay
- England
- Baby There Is Nothing Going On
- How Green Is Your Valley?
- A Love Like This
- When Lovers Walk
- This Is Not Love
The same year 16 Tambourines released two singles: original
plans about the release of Baby There Is Nothing Going On changed and If I Should Stay was chosen (b/w Same Old
Story), whereas the second release was How Green Is Your Valley? (including
also Breaking Away, Ich Liebe Frank, The World In A Day). Unfortunately, both
singles failed to chart. Artista dropped the band, which collapsed, and morphed
into The Tambourines.
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