Dead or Alive - Live at Pickwick’s (1981) [Re-Up]

Dead Or Alive's beginnings with a live gig from Pickwick’s in Liverpool in 1981.
After the shifting between the old Nightmare in Wax and a new yet fluctuating entity (over thirty changes of line-up, according to interviews at the time), eventually Dead or Alive was born including Pete Burns and Martin Healy (both survivors of NIW), Sue Jones, Adrian Mitchell (former Stopouts and Upsets), and Joe Musker (ex Fourmost).
Merseysound journalist Graham Jonees remembers the Pickwick live show: "Having only seen the band at Pickwick's where, after the initial surge of energy had worn off I became bored with the relentless barrage of noise, I tentatively broached this criticism of their sound... and met with totoal agreement. They all realise the need for variation and are attempting to introduce some slower (although not laid back! songs). 'The trouble is,' complains Pete, 'I feel stupid singing slow on stage'" (August 1981)

Live at Pickwick’s (1981)

1. Name Game

2. I'm Falling

3. Number 11

4. Nowhere To Nowhere

5. Unknown (Buddha In Me)

6. Whirlpool

7. Girls Song

8. Unknown

9. I'm On Fire / Unknown

10. Unknown

11. Candles In The Rain (Flowers Pt 1)

12. Flowers

DoA Pickwicks 1981

(cf. http://us.geocities.com/saramandaia2002/deadoraliveearly.html )

Da Books (1986)

In 1986 Tony Prescott (keyboards) left the band. After a gig under the name of the Flys, Owen Moran (vocals), Peter Deary (vocals, guitars) and John Legget (drums, later Steppn’ Razor) decided to continue as a three-piece act, under the shortened name of Da Books.

In March 1986, with the contribution of such musicians as Brenda and Gerry Kenny (respectively on percussion and bass), Dave Clarke (violin), Da Books released the single Living for the City (7” and 12”)

Living for the City (1986, 12”)

- Living for the City

- All I Want Is Everything

- How Could You Be So Low?

- Giving up the Acid

- England May as well Be Cuba

The single was followed by the album Big Dream.

You can listen to the 12” here (thanks to our friend Mikeyten at fade2gray)

Cook da Books (1985)

In March 1985 Cook da Books (Moran, Prescott, Deary and Leggett) released their sixth single, featuring a new track backed with a re-recorded version of Piggie in the Middle 8 (coupled with a long version of Low Profile for the 12” version). This was to be the last release as Cook da Books.

cdb - hurt

Cook Da Books (1984)

In 1984 Cook the Books (Moran, Prescott, Deary and Leggett) issued two more singles. The first to appear was Caress Me like a Flower, in February:

- Caress Me like a Flower (1984):

- Caress Me like a Flower

- Say Something Good

(The 12” version also included Caress Me Like A Flower (Snorkel Jacket Mix), In The Papers and In The Papers (MK- 2)) (see here)

Later that year, in November  the band’s fifth single came out, Golden Age.

 

Golden Age (1984)

- Golden Age

- Soho

(The 12” version also included Golden Age CD mix and Up in Smoke)

goldenage

(Thanks to our friend Mikeyten and his great fade2gray blog)

Cook Da Books (1983)

In 1983 Cook Da Books (Moran, Prescott, Deary and Leggett) became quite big in France after providing a bunch of songs for the teenage movie La Boum 2 (namely Your Eyes, Get it Together, Silverman). Your Eyes went straight to number one. This unexpected success pushed them to plan and release an LP for the French market:

Outch (1983):

- Heart Of Fire
- Rich Men Don’t
- Wouldn’t Want To Knock It
- Sankapou
- Falling
- Piggie In The Middle Eight
- Who Are You To Cry?
- Soho
- This Is Not The Time
- Up In Smoke
- Say Something Good 
(see here)

In the same period they re-release their first single (Piggie in the Middle Eight, this time backed with I Wouldn’t Want to Know it) expressly for the French market. For their Kiteland label they re-released their second single, just reversing the order of the tracks (Low Profile b/w Rich Men Don’t), and in September they put out their third single:

I Wouldn’t Want to Know it (1983)

- I Wouldn’t Want to Know it

- Up in Smoke

- In Da Papers

(see here)

boum-ost

(Thanks to our friend Mikeyten and his great fade2gray blog)

Cook Da Books (1982)

In 1982 Cook the Books (Moran, Prescott, Deary and Leggett) became Cook Da Books. In May the band provided a song for the compilation cassette Crackin’ up at the Pyramid (this Is not the Time, then re-issue on their fist LP) an in October they released their second single:

Rich Men Don’t (1982)

- Rich Men Don’t

- Low Profile

(Curiously, the single will be re-released in 1983 featuring Low Profile as the a side and Rich Men Don't as the b side.)

Here’s how The End Fanzine (#9, November 1982) reviewed the single:

‘Cook Da Book have their second single out, it’s on their own Kite label. It’s called Rich Men Don’t. Which is one of the strongest songs, and it’s well produced. But I actually prefer the B side, Low Profile. Which is great. So go out and buy this one, ‘cos you’ll be getting two very good tracks, and you’ll be giving them the push they need. It’s easily as good as Piggy in the Middle Eight. Good sounds!’

here

Cook the Books (1980-1982)

Cook the Books was formed in 1980 in Kirkby by former members of The Dogemz and Brooklyn (both bands of the pub/cabaret circuit). The original line-up included Kevin ‘Kunky’ Kelly (former Brooklyn, later Lager Lager, guitar and vocals), Peter ‘Digsy’ Deary (former Brooklyn, vocals, guitar), Owen Moran (bass, vocals), Tony Prescott (later Steppin’ Razor, keyboards), and John Leggett (drums). In 1981 Kelly left the band, and in 1982 the band released the fist reggae-flavoured single, inspired by the 1981 Toxteth riots and other local scandals (with lyrics penned by John Smith, the band manager, and production by Denis Bovell).

Piggie in the Middle Eight (1982)

- Piggie in the Middle Eight

- Gone to Black

Here’s how Merseysound (#22, March 1982) reviewed the single:

‘Cook the Book song of the summer of 81. Guitars chink, organs swirl uneasily as the lyrics sway from anger at the press to pictures of streets of fire. Much of the passion is lost in the mix. The dub b side is much more satisfying musically, the group spreads its wings taking us on a search through the archive of T.V. cop theme tunes’

piggie