Fragile Friends (1985-87)

In 1985 Fragile Friends went through a series of line-up changes. Cliff Ray joined on trumpets (also for the Paper Doll single), together with Denise D’Arcy on sax (from Zale Out). David Bathe (with Return of the Toreador) was replaced by Steve Eastwood on drums and Paul Fisher by Neil Brighouse on bass (who then left to join Chance). Out goes Brighouse, in come Mike Keane on guitar (from Royal Family and the Poor), although for a short period of time. Within a few weeks another major change takes place around the original members (Mike King and Chas Cole): Maurice Cheetham in on drums, Steve Greenmantle on bass, Phil Johnston on sax and Gary Johnson on trumpet. With this formation Fragile Friends record their second single in May 1985:

 

The Novelty Wears Off (1985)

- The Novelty Wears Off

- Caught on the Hop

- No Good in Your Goodbye

- A Walk in the Sunshine

 (Caught on the Hop was also released on the compilation Sons of Jobs for the Boys)

Faith in Pleasure Magazine, concluding a review of one of Fragile Friends’ gig said: ‘They have already released 2 excellent singles and a third is on the way.’ However  no trace seems to have survived of the third release, and by 1987 Fragile Friends were no more. In 1988 Mike King started a solo career.

novelty

(see also: http://www.michaelwestonking.com/music/

http://www.triste.co.uk/mwk.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Weston_King  )

Fragile Friends (1981-85)

Fragile Friends were born in late 1981, when Mike King (vocals) and Chas Cole (guitars, keyboards) left Tradition. Here’s how Pete Ellis of Merseysound described the band in 1982:

‘Meet Chas, one time lights operator in such hit musicals as Evita and The King and I, and former engineer with OMD, for the five months before Enola Gay. However, not content to bask in other’s glory […] Chas decided to turn performer.

‘Mike modestly claims to have led, in comparison, a somewhat boring life. He left school at 18, a General Music Fanatic’, played in a number of groups until finally joining up with Chas in a 5 piece called Tradition. Fragile indeed, they lasted only 2 months: thus in October 1981 Chas and Mike continued as Fragile Friends […]

‘Living in Southport and with close connections in London, they are very much a non-Liverpool band. Disenchanted by the current trend towards dance or depression which everyone seems to be churning out, they claim to play ‘music of hope’

As to the band first five-track demo, the same magazine comments:

‘Somewhere in between The Room and The System, I was left with the feeling they had much more to offer. Catchy chorus lines and neat, tight drumming, made for a most enjoyable debut sound. Mike’s voice often reminded me of Bono. Never more so than on ‘Who Says?’, a simple piano and vocals number which bore a slightly similarity to the brilliant ‘October’ by U2. The remaining 4 tracks are in a much more poppy vein. The best, by far, being ‘Agree to Differ’ with a punchy almost jazz funk feel. Fragile Friends have talent and firm foundations, but they must build on them.’ (Merseysound # 24, June 1982)

In 1983 the line-up expanded  to a five-piece − mainly for live performances − with the addition of Steve Travis (bass, former Debonaires, later Six), Steve Rimmer (keyboards) and David Bathe (drums, later Return of the Toreador). This formation recorded the band’s second cassette demo with 10 tracks (Emotional Tennis, Moments, Creatures of Habit, April Fool, Smack!, Happy Together, Gift Horse, November in the Rain, I’ll Say It for You, Creatures of Habit – Instr.). In 1984 Travis was replaced by Paul Fisher on bass. The same year the band recorded a third demo (featuring Paper Doll, Colour Blind, Summer Fate, V for Vitality) and eventually their first single, which was released in January 1985.

 

Paper Doll (1985)

- Paper Doll

- What I Call Beautiful

Breakout  Magazine reviewed the single as being ‘quite pleasant […] a good sound with definite chart potential’ (March 1985). Garden Party Magazine wrote about the title-track: ‘Classy it certainly is, well constructed, well arranged, a sad, clever ballad that stays in the mind after a few hearings’ (February 1985).

paper doll

Elegance, Charm And Deadly Danger (1985) [Re-Up]

Elegance Charm And Deadly Danger is a compilation album of St. Helens / Rainhill bands released by Push Records in 1985. Push (acronym for Promotional Umbrella for St. Helens) was formed by a group of local promoters (among whom Dave Evans of the Tractors). The bands featured on vinyl all contributed to the costs, eventually getting their money back from selling records.

Elegance, Charm & Deadly Dangers (1985)

a1. Old Ma Cuxsom And The Soapchoppers - Don't Cry Darling (Daddy Had to Drown The Cat)

a2. Wake Up Afrika - Love Died In The Road

a3. The Riotous Hues - Happen

a4. Us - This Year

a5. Dixie Cartoon - Big Bucks

a6. The Howitzer Brothers - Real Man

a7. The La's - My Girl (Sits Like A Reindeer)

a8. Mave - Samantha Rox

a9. Kingston And The Hunters - Heart And Soul

b1. Post Mortem - Pity

b2.The Aristocrats - Ballistic Boogie

b3. 5,000 Spirits - Saigon Rain

b4. Cassio Viletone - Fingerless Gloves

b5. The Academy Of Unrest - Sensitive

b6. The Happy Gauls - Bad Night At Malibu Beach

b7. The La's - Sweet 35

b8. The Romulan Cloaking Device - Terry Fields And A Pint Of Guinness

b9. Mave - Thania (Come Down To Victor's With Me)

Old Ma Cuxsom: Originally Old Ma Cuxsom & The Soapchoppers (formerly John Noakes & His Amazing Waxy Cuticles) was a St. Helens pop group form in winter 1983 by Hugh Umbidaligo (vocals), Troy Steele (bass), Marcus Gossage (guitars), Colin Smith (keyboards), and Mikey Babbs (drums). Besides the number featured on this compilation the band also released one single in1986 (Don’t scare Me b/w Don’t Cry Darling, + Lightermen, Stevedores & Dinosaurs).
(see also: http://www.myspace.com/oldmacuxsom )

Wake Up Afrika!: Widnes five-piece acoustic group formed in 1984 by Pete Benson, Dave Pichilingi’ Fenlon (vocals) (both formerly with Utopia Dream, Fenlon later 35 Summer), Duncan Lomax (guitar) (ex Perfect, later 35 Summers, Hal), Ian Donohue (guitar), Stephen Hollan (bass), Andy Hignett (drms) and Andy Frizell (sax) (ex Perfect, later Wizards Of Twiddly, Royal Family and the Poor), the latetr replaced in 1987 by John Lyons. The band only released 2-track demo in 1987 (Mr. Christie / The Breadvan), changed their name to Giant Smile, back again to Wake Up Afrika, released a single in1989 (Simple Words b/w God Only Knows + Animal) before splitting and Fenlon and Lomax formin Summer 35 in 1990.
(see also: http://www.myspace.com/35summers
http://www.myspace.com/wizardsoftwiddly )

Riotous Hues: St. Helens act formed around 1984 by David Evans (guitar, vocals, later briefly with La’s), Dave Shaw (guitars, later Old Ma Cuxsom), Sean Edelston (lead gitar) Gaz Capper (drums) and Phil Smith (bass). Mike 'The Captain' Parker occasionally played keyboards (former Ilos, Fatal Impact, Happy Accident, later Us and Space Cakes). Both Smith and Evans later played in the Tractors. The band’s only vinyl releases are the song featured on this compilation and two others appeared on the Secret Liverpool compilation (Lessonless Rainbows, She Left). (see also www.myspace.com/therawhidechomp )

Us: Pop act formed in 1985 by ex-Riotous Hues The Captain (later Space Cakes), Tony Russell (drums, also with Romulan Cloaking Device), and other quite obscure figures such as Jamie and Ste A. The band only released the track appearing on this compilation.

Dixie Cartoon – Punk act from St. Helens fronted by Mike McCauley (later Rawhide Chomp). The only recorded song is ‘Big Buck’ featured on this compilation.

Howitzer Brothers: A group of funny poets from St. Helens.

La's: Originally a garage and R&B band formed in St. Helens in 1984 by Mike Badger (guitars), Lee Mavers (vocals, former Neuklon), John Power (later Cast), Paul Hemmings (guitars), John Timson (drums). Original member Badger – responsible for the band’s name – was asked to leave in 1986. In 1987 Mirk Birchall replaced Timson on drums, and this line-up released their first single (Way Out + Knock Me Down b/w Endless)
(see http://www.thelas.org/forums/ )

Mave: St. Helens poet.

Kingston And The Hunters: St. Helens power pop act featuring Paul Wilson (founder member, later Sweler and American Band Kerosene) and Simon Pratt (later Rawhide Chomp) on drums. The only recorded song is the one appearing on this compilation.

Post Mortem: Punk group from the Rainhill area formed around 1982 by Dr Death (vocals and song writer), Xon Walt (guitar), Paddy Nailbomb (bass), Drum Roll (drums). Only released the number on this compilation. They changed their name to Dr Death and The Mortem Boys, since there was already another band with the same name. (Thanks to Mike for the info)

Aristocrats: Dance-punk group from St. Helens. The only sing left is the number in this compilation.

5,000 Spirits: Pop rock band based in St. Helens. They only released the song on this album.

Cassio Viletone: Pop group from St. Helens.

Academy Of Unrest: St. Helens goth-punk group influenced by the Killing Jokes and early Cure. The line-up included Doug (vocals, guitar), Bun (bass), Brian Carney (keyboards), and Flimb (drums). In april 1985 thy released their first single (Sheol Hex b/w Rise of Doubt + Hope). They are also responsible for opening the Dead Fly in 1984, the first rehearsal room + record label in St. Helens.

Happy Gauls: St. Helens based five-piece punk band fronted by Mike (later manager with the Vernons).
(see: http://www.myspace.com/thevernonsmusic )

Romulan Cloaking Device: Rock’n’roll band formed around 1984 by Mike Shaw, Platty, Tony Russell (drums, also Us) and Jeff Murdon (bass) (both later with Space Cakes). The band only released the track on this compilation and disbanded in 1986.

.

elegance, charm and deadly danger

Keep It Dark (1984-86) [Re-Up]

Keep it Dark is a pop-rock three-piece formed in 1984 by songwriter Jimmy Barrett (vocals, guitars), Paul ‘Reo’ Reason (guitars, vocals, former Ex Post Facto, later US Companion), and Paul Stewart (drums), later replaced by Brian Rawling (former 3D). According to some sources, Terry Kilfoyle (former Asylum, later Big Still, Seconds Out) was added to the line-up on bass at some point. The band played quite extensively the local circuit before getting to eventually release their material on vinyl in1986. The first single (The Dreamer b/w Outsider + What do We Need) was issued in March 1986, soon to be followed by their second one (Don’t Surrender b/w Far from Home + It’s over). Both a-sides were then to appear on the band’s first (and only) Lp.

1st Down And Ten (1986)
- Better Than Me
- Don't Surrender
- If You Be Mine
- Be The One
- Who Can Say
- Dreamer
- Lost Love Forever
- The Outsider
- Far From Home
- Fish Out Of Water

One of the first pieces written about Keep it Dark (Next 14, May 1984) described the band’s live performance as follows:
‘From the sound of this first set by his [Jimmy Barrett] band Keep it Dark, both ears have been well tuned to American AOR for quite a while. […] It’s a sign for all those of you who will confess to listening to CSNY or Bob Dylan to pull up a chair and hear that sort of thing done well.
‘Jimmy reckons he’s been at it ten years himself, and thinks he’s cracked it with this line up. To be honest, the band lapsed too often into dull conventionalism – I heard half a dozen familiar chord changes through the night. But that, and the somewhat samey and one paced arrangements, are bound to change with more time together, and the background in musicianship and confidence is there to encourage experimentation.’

The American press reviewed as follows:
‘Liverpool, England, has spawned yet another pop band that has made its way to the United States after gaining a following at home. Keep It Dark was formed after singer Jimmy Barrett and guitarist Reo Reason saw each other playing in British clubs and decided they had a lot in common musically.
Their debut U.S. release is a modern pop blend of electronic keyboards, horns, guitar and a steady driving drum beat. Keep It Dark`s sound is more of a mesh of pop/rock style than raw-roots rock.
Side 1`s Dreamer is a medium-paced tune with Barrett backed up by a David Sanborn style saxophone. Most of the album`s cuts have a highly produced, studio mixed sound, which is something of a surprise since this band`s success started on the club circuit.
Keep It Dark keeps a pretty steady sound throughout, never really kicking in, and making it hard to decide just what they`re trying to say.’
(see here)

keep it dark