The Tempest - The singles (1985-86)

The Tempest was a five-piece formed by Mike Sheerin in 1984 including Lyn Smith (vocals), Ian Finney (guitars), Stuart Dunning (bass) and Steve Dolder (drums, former Prefab Sprout).

This is how Jamming described the band:
‘The Tempest hardly comply with the dictionary definition of their name – violent, stormy, agitated. The supremely melodic, almost whimsical qualities of their music seems more in tune with that Shakespeare play from which ‘tis rumoured they drew their inspiration. There’s nothing ordinary about this Liverpool band – intent on garnering a reputation for producing pleasing tunes with acoustic instruments rather than soul-less static synths.
‘However conventional and dull this may sound, The Tempest’s frontman and songwriter Mike Sheerin has a flair for songwriting comparative to Morrissey and Lloyd Cole but with added optimism and energy. It was this innate talent which probably contributed to the band’s association with Glenn Tilbrook [from Squeeze, ndt] who produced their debut single ‘Always the Same’ and their new release ‘Bluebelle’ […]. The connection extends to The Tempest joining the Squeeze tour in October [1985].
Meeting Mike is an experience which is impossible to eradicate from te memory. Resembling a younger version of Leonard Rossiter à la Rigsby, the similar characteristics are apparent, as he hurtles through conversation, spewing out philosophical reflections and silly anecdotes in the same breath. Underneath his zany humour and subtle sarcasm lies an astute mind ready to slide into overdrive. […]
‘“I want to get as much fame as possibly as I can but not fortune or adulation, critical acclaim. I want to be massively famous and on everyone’s lips so that when I open my gob – they will listen. It’s merely a vehicle for something bigger and better”. […]
‘The first single ‘ Always the Same’ conveyed the futility of our existence – in both our lives and loves and echoes that old saying which is passed on from generation to generation. Coming from Mike, this perception is quite surprising as he appears such a spirited and idealistic person.
‘Once he becomes animated, his imagination tends to take him over and the rest of the band seem to be forgotten. Bu however strong willed and eager he may seem, it will still take the efforts of all five members of the Tempest to put them on the path to success. Something which Mike readily acknowledges.
‘“We’re five individuals – all with something different to offer. I’ve listened to bands who’ve signed for huge amounts of money and they can’s even play their guitars properly. The only trouble with us is that we’re too different – there’s nothing simple for people to latch onto”’. (Jamming, October 1985)

The Tempest released four singles, starting from April 1985:

Always The Same (1985)
- Always The Same
(b/w Love In The Winter Time)

Bluebelle (1985)
- Bluebelle
(b/w I Want To Live)

Didn't We Have A Nice Time? (1986)
- Didn't We Have A Nice Time?
(b/w The Physical Act)

Andrea Miller, reviewing the third single in NME (24 May 1986) wrote:
‘ Not many people write three-minute throw-away pop songs these days. […] Even fewer write three-minute throw-away pop songs about not being afraid of dying, and fewer still would intimate to any journalist that their purpose in this business (never mind this planet) is a good deal larger than being a popstar. […]
‘But then only The Tempest has Mike Sheerin, who’d cringe at being called a typical Liverpudlian but whose motor mouth, flights of wild fancy and insane humour could convince you he is. He is intense and intensely naïve, truly believing that pop songs can change the world and he is just the chap to do it. Sheering has a Tin Pal Alley attitude to music, backed up with a desperate need to get in the chart – skating the switchblade between pap compromise and pop credibility, between being utterly meaningless and having, as he would put it, ‘A Message’.
‘Yet the guy is probably not as crazy as I think he is. Glen Tilbrook has been convinced enough of Sheerin’s talent to stake his reputation on it and produce their yet-to-be-released album and all three of their singles to date: a sparkling little song, ‘Always the Same’, the rather disappointing ‘Bluebell’ [sic], and their current stab at the chart, ‘Didn't We Have A Nice Time?’ – a Country and Western-type number which sounds, in true Tempest style, utterly catchy and immediate. The lyrics though are a little different.
“‘Didn't We Have A Nice Time?’ is vaguely related to the reincarnation, not saying that it happens, but that if you’re going to have fun to make sure you don’t hurt anyone,” Sheering says. “The song says that we’re going to die but don’t fear death – don’t reminisce about mistakes because then we’d be frightened to do anything and we’d all be living in the same way. Try something, but not anything to hurt somebody.”
‘That said, ‘Didn't We Have A Nice Time?’ has more than a social conscience in its favours – a bustling, boppy little number that seems predestined to be played between the news and ‘First Love’.’

Although a self title album was recorded for Magnet in 1986, and produced by Tilbrook, it was never released. The band released a fourth single instead:

Lazy Sunday (1986)
- Lazy Sunday
(b/w You’ve Always Got Something to Say)

After the single, and after being dropped by Magnet, the band split up.

tempest

Roy White (1985-86)

Roy White began his career in music in 1977 when he co-founded Berlin with Johnny ‘Riff’ Reynolds (guitar, later 3D), James Mealy (bass), Gerry Garland (sax, both later Victims of Romance, Bamboo Fringe), and Roy Banks. When Banks left and was replaced by Brian Rawlins (later Liverpool Express, 3D, Keep it Dark) the band changed the name to Fun. This ‘progressive rockband’ had one track (I Heard You Called My Name) released on the compilation Street to Street Vol. 1 in 1978 (see relevant post). In 1979 Fun became Victims of Romance, as Reynolds left to join 3D and Steve Torch and Hambi (former Tontrix) were added to the line-up. In 1980 members of Victims of Romance went their separate ways, whereas White and Torch collaborated with Jayne Casey (former Big in Japan , later Pink Industry) in the Pink Military (White and Torch are among the personnel playing on the Pink Military’s Blood and Lipstick Ep, Sept. 1979, see relevant post).In 1980 Roy White and Steve Torch’s partnership got established and the duo began to release a series between 1980 to 1984.
In 1985 the due split and Roy White started working as a solo artist (mainly with the support of the same session musician who had worked with White and Torch, namely Jim Mealy (guitars), David Levy (bass), Charlie Morgan (drums), Jackie Robinson (a.k.a. Jaq Robinson, vocals), Di Wright (vocals). In September 1985 Roy White debuted as a solo artist releasing his first single:

Strange to Be with You (1985)
- Strange to Be with You

(b/w We Are America)

In December of the same year the accompanying Lp followed:

Shanty (1985)

- Stand In Line

- Don´t Stop Tommorow

- Sophie´s Choice

- Criminal Mind

- Shanty

- Strange To Be With You

- Shoot Myself

- Nothing To Remind Me

- Angel Loves Joe

- Ice On The Sun

- Reputation

- Lest We Forget

The cassette release apparently contained 4 bonus tracks. The album was not positively received and reviewed by the music press. For instance, this is what Robin Gibson wrote in Sounds:
‘Some of his album is unselfconscious and pleasant, and thus ready to be foolishly enjoyed. But much of it harbours grand intentions which fall very flat - to a point of boredom’ (January 4, 1986)

In February 1986 a second single followed:

Lest We Forget (1986):
- Lets We Forget
- Nothing to Remind Me
- Criminal Minds

After his experience as a soloist, White was joined King Of Fools in the nineties, which released an in 1991. and later formed The Truemen.

Roy White’s album Shanty can be found at the great site Rip it Up, here.
Thanks to Mikeyten for the great blog.

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

Buster - Buster (1977)

In 1977 Buster (Pete Leay, Rob Fennah, Kevin Roberts, Les (Brians) Smith) released their first LP

Buster (1977)
- We Love Girls
- Saturday Night
- I Was Born To Sing Your Song
- Pretty Legs
- Daybreak
- Born To Be Wild
- Love Rules
- She's My Girl
- I'm A Fool
- Listen To What The Man Said
- Sunday
- We Love Girls


According to sources, Buster released other 2 albums (Buster 2, and Buster Live), but they seem to have been released only for the Japanese markets. In 1978 interest around the band started to fade and by 1979 Buster ceased to exist as a band. After a short period as The Jax, Pete Leay quit, Rob Fennah started to write with younger brother Alan and perform as a duo, and also managed to get Merseyland Alternative Radio (MAR), a local radio station, to play some of their demos. In 1981, Buster's original members Les Smith (Baines) Kevin Roberts joined the line-up and the band took the name of the Alternative Radio, which in the meantime had been closed down (see relevant post).


buster (1977)

(Ripped from the original LP for the PPC Blog)

(see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_(band)
http://www.myspace.com/busteruk
http://www.myspace.com/peteleay )

Buster - Singles 1976

Buster was first heard of in late 1974 ad consisted of Pete Leay (lead guitar), Rob Fennah (rhythm guitar, later Alternative Radio), Kevin Roberts (bass, later Alternative Radio) and Les Brians (a.k.a. Les Smith, drums). Buster originated from The New Attraction, a trio formed in 1973 consisting of Leay, Roberts ad Smith, which performed regularly in the cabaret circuit through the North West. In 1974 Fennah was added to the line-up on guitar and the four-piece (with average age of 17) renamed Buster. In 1975, they were spotted by established songwriters Ronnie Scott & Steve Wolfe who penned their first single Sunday. According to some sources the band recorded and released two singles in 1974 (Superstar b/w Ring Around and Motor Machine b/w Rainbows and Colours) - but this might be another band altogether since the songs are credited to Baker/Morgan. The first ‘official’ single was released in May 1976:

Sunday (1976)
- Sunday
- Salt Lake City (Silver Gun)

The record was an instant success but it was not meant to stay given the sudden rise of the punk movement. The Buster turned to the Japanese market. The same year they released other two singles:

Beautiful Child (1976)
- Beautiful Child (b/w Daybreak)

Love Rules (1976)
- Love Rules
- Who Told You

buster - singles (1976)

The Front Room - Joe Public (1981)

Obscure band which collaborated (consisted of?) such figures as Mike Percy (later Moderates, Dead or Alive), Dave Griffiths, Kevin Marr, Bolly, Mooey, Joe Riley, David Alton, Al Moneypenney, David Mathiesan. The band apparently recorded one only single in August 1981:



Joe Public (1981)
- Joe Public (b/w Camera)


Merseysound reviewed the single as follows:
‘If title like ‘Joe Public’ suggests a down-right-sounding People’s Protest then the first single by The Front Room will come as a surprise. A continuous mesh of voices over a synthesized riff suggests nothing so much as The Games’ ‘Planet War’ from the recent Street to Street album. My complaint is that ‘Joe Public’ (‘written for the benefit of the kids in Liverpool’) seems to have something to say and this sophisticated treatment obscures most of it. The recent ‘We Want to Work’ single proves that you can be clear without being disastrously clumsy, and The Front Room should bear this in mind. The sound isn’t unattractive although it works less well on ‘Camera’, the B-side, where the synthesizer gets in the way of some Bowie-ish vocals and deadens the whole song. Well-meaning though.’ (Merseysound 18, September 1981)

In 1982 The Front Room changed their name to A Second Language.


front room


(thanks to our friend Multihit)

Steve Torch

Steve Torch, after working as an engineer for Open Eye records, became actively involved with the music scene in 1979 when he released his first single:



Live in Fear (1979)
- Live in Fear
- Fear
- Smoke Your Own

Sounds reviewed the issue as follows:
‘Steve Torch is a 22-year old Liverpudlian singer-songwriter who does a good line in singer-songwriter-style riffs but then proceeds to stamp his own personality over the top with his hoarse, straining voice. Even with the demo-quality on this small label the song has class and more than a hint of commercial potential so what he’d do with a major company behind him is anyone’s guess.’ (May 5, 1979)

In the same year, Torch joined Victims of Romance, with Hambi (former Tontrix), and on that occasion he met Roy White (former Berlin, Fun) with whom he also collaborated to other musical projects, like Jayne Casey’s (former Big in Japan) Pink Military (White and Torch are among the personnel playing on the Pink Military’s Blood and Lipstick Ep, Sept. 1979, see relevant post), and later (1980) formed the duo White and Torch (see relevant post).

steve torch

(thanks to our friend Bas for the audio files)
(see also http://www.stevetorch.co.uk/ )

The Stopouts (1977-79)

The Stopouts formed in late 1977 in Birkenhead and consisted of Steve Grace (ex Nasty Pop, later Return of The Toreador, on vocals and guitar), Sue James (later Upsets and Dead Or Alive, on bass and backing vocals) and John Jones (later Upsets, on drums). They were the first act to record for Skeleton Recs, for which they released their first and only single in 1978:

Strange Thoughts (1978)
- Strange Thoughts
- Just For You And Me in December

The b-side also appeared on the compilation A Trip tom the Dentist (1980). In 1979 the band split and James and Jones joined the Upsets.

strange thoughts