On This Day 22/10/1975 Showaddywaddy

On this day, 22 October 1975, Rock ‘n’ Roll band Showaddywaddy played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre with support provided by Arrows. The band had just released their second album Step Two.

The band was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, Choise (Dave Bartram, Trevor Oakes, Al James, and Romeo Challenger) and the Golden Hammers (Buddy Gask, Russ Field, Rod Deas, and Malcolm Allured), the latter often known simply as The Hammers. They both played at the Fosse Way pub in Leicester, and soon discovered shared musical tastes.

After playing together in jamming sessions, they joined together permanently, and Showaddywaddy were born. This led to an eight-member band, with the unusual feature of having two vocalists, two drummers, two guitarists, and two bassists. The band's first gig as professional musicians was at the Dreamland Ballroom in Margate, Kent, on 1 September 1973., although the first gigs under the Showaddywaddy name were in 1972.

Showaddywaddy won one programme on the ATV series New Faces, in November 1973, and were runners-up in the "All Winners Final", which was broadcast on 28 December 1973. They have made nearly 300 television appearances, including their own BBC TV special, Showaddywaddyshow, broadcast between Christmas and New Year in 1980. The band also appeared in the 1975 film Three for All, where they performed "The Party" from their 1974 debut album.[citation needed] Their first single, "Hey Rock and Roll" (written by the band), was released in April 1974. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.

On This Day 21/10/1976 Thin Lizzy

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On this day, 21 October 1976, rock band Thin Lizzy played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre on their Johnny the Fox tour.

By the beginning of 1976 the classic lineup of the band had been together for 18 months;Phil Lynott, Brian Downey, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson; and the band’s distinctive take on the classic ‘Wishbone Ash twin-lead guitar’ attack had begun to cut through, on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Jailbreak album was recorded at The Who’s Ramport Studios in Battersea, London, between December ’75 and February ’76, with John Alcock producing. The band had worked up the songs in a small studio in Buckinghamshire in late ’75 so that the arrangements were really tight by the time they got to Ramport, (too tight for Robertson who later complained that he felt restricted by the lack of experimentation at Ramport.) Unknown outside of the band and their label at the time, however, was that this album was their last chance; they were about to be dropped by Vertigo if it didn’t make the charts.

Jailbreak came out on 26th March 1976 and went into the U.K Album Chart at No.60. It peaked at No.10 on its 22nd week and remained on the chart for a total of 50 weeks, 13 of those in the Top 20.

The first single from Jailbreak was The Boys are Back in Town c/w Emerald, released three weeks after the album, on 17th April. It didn’t break into the Singles Chart for nearly 6 weeks, reaching No.48 on 29th May. However, as soon as Radio One and Top of the Pops picked up on it, it rose to No.8 on 3rd July during that long hot summer.

The album’s title track was the next single, peaking at No.31. However, all was not well in the band. During a triumphant U.S tour, where the album had broken into the Billboard chart at No.18, Phil Lynott contracted Hepatitis which meant that the band and crew were quarantined and the tour was cancelled.

While he was ill, Lynott was determined to try and salvage some momentum from the situation and he wrote most of the next album, Johnny the Fox, in a Manchester hospital on an acoustic guitar. In August ’76, Thin Lizzy went back into Ramport with Alcock and recorded the new album in a few weeks, after an aborted attempt to record at Musicland Studios in Munich. While in Germany arguments about musical direction began to surface, mostly between Robertson and Lynott. The Ramport sessions were fraught with tension but they delivered the album on time and Vertigo put out Johnny the Fox in October ’76, just 7 months after Jailbreak. It went straight into the U.K Album Chart at No.11, staying on the chart for 23 weeks. The only U.K single was Don’t Believe a Word c/w Old Flame which was released on 26th November. It spent 7 weeks on the chart, peaking at No.11. In the U.S, the album suffered from that cancelled tour and the lost momentum, reaching No.52.

The band’s touring schedule during 1976, despite recording two albums and Lynott’s illness, was relentless. 65 gigs in the U.K, 14 in mainland Europe and 32 in the U.S meant almost a third of the year was spent on the road. However, as 1976 came to an end, Brian Robertson almost destroyed all of the progress and hard work that Thin Lizzy had made. The night before leaving London for the start of another U.S tour, the Glaswegian guitarist got into a fight and broke his hand. The tour had to be delayed while Gary Moore rejoined the band and the dates were all moved to Jan-March 1977 with Lizzy supporting Queen.

Sadistic Mika Band 20 October 1975

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On this day, 20 October 1975, Japanese band the Sadistic Mika Band played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre supporting Roxy Music.

Formed in November 1971 by husband and wife duo Kazuhiko Katō and Mika Katō, In a time when it was still rare for women to sing in rock bands in Japan, the fact that the Katōs were a married couple was even more unusual. This, combined with their glam rock-influenced fashion, has been cited as ground-breaking for defying gender norms in the country.

Throughout October 1975, the band played live in the United Kingdom supporting Roxy Music on the European leg of their Siren Tour, including a show at Wembley Arena. It was the first ever UK tour by a Japanese rock band.

They were well received by the local music press, including Melody Maker and New Musical Express, and performed on British TV in between concerts. When they group performed "Time to Noodle" and "Suki Suki Suki" on the Old Grey Whistle Test on October 7, 1975, the letters spelling the name of the programme (usually shown hung from the back wall) were spelt as The Old Gley Whistle Test. The band also made an appearance on BBC TV's Pebble Mill at One and were interviewed by Jan Leeming.

After releasing three studio albums and becoming the first Japanese rock band to tour the United Kingdom, the Sadistic Mika Band disbanded in November 1975 when the Katōs divorced.

On This Day 19/10/1966 The Hollies

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On this day, 19 October 1966, Manchester rock/pop band The Hollies played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. Also on their Babies tour bill were The Small Faces, Paul & Barry Ryan, Nashville Teens, Peter Jay & The New Jaywalkers, Robb Storme & The Whispers & Paul Jones.

One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and rhythm guitarist/singer Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north, in east Lancashire.

In October 1966, the group's fifth album, For Certain Because (UK No. 23), became their first album consisting entirely of original compositions by Clarke, Nash and Hicks.

Released in the US as Stop! Stop! Stop!, it reached No. 91 there and spawned a US release-only single, "Pay You Back with Interest", which was a modest hit, peaking at No. 28. Another track, "Tell Me to My Face", was a moderate hit by Mercury artist Keith, and was also covered a decade later by Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg on their Twin Sons of Different Mothers album.

Meanwhile, the Hollies continued to release a steady stream of international hit singles: "Stop Stop Stop" (October 1966, UK No. 2, US No. 7) from For Certain Because, known for its distinctive banjo arrangement; "On a Carousel" (February 1967; UK No. 4, US No. 11, Australia No. 14[6]); "Carrie Anne" (May 1967, UK No. 3, US No. 9, Australia No. 7

On This Day 18/10/1977 Siouxsie and the Banshees

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On this day, 18 October 1977, punk rockers Siouxsie and the Banshees played Cardiff’s Top Rank supporting The Heartbreakers with the Models also on the bill.

Formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts.

Their first live appearance on television took place in November 1977 on Granada Television (based in Manchester), on Tony Wilson's TV show So It Goes. In that month they also recorded their first John Peel session for BBC radio, in which they premiered a new song, "Metal Postcard"; this introduced a "motorik austerity" in the drum patterns, along with "space in the sound" and "serrated guitars". The band described their music as "cold, machine-like and passionate at the same time". When they appeared on the cover of Sounds magazine, Vivien Goldman wrote: "they sound like a 21st century industrial plant".

Q magazine included John McKay's guitar playing on "Hong Kong Garden" in their list of "100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever", while Mojo rated guitarist John McGeoch in their list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" for his work on "Spellbound".

The Times cited the group as "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era".

Initially associated with the punk scene, the band rapidly evolved to create "a form of post-punk discord full of daring rhythmic and sonic experimentation".

Their debut album The Scream was released in 1978 to widespread critical acclaim.

SETLIST

Make Up to Break Up

Scrapheap

20th Century Boy

(T. Rex cover)

Carcass

Psychic

Bad Shape

Love in a Void

The Lord's Prayer

Encore:

Captain Scarlet

On This Day 17/10/1992 Pulp

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On this day, 17 October 1992, rock band Pulp played Cardiff University on their Babies tour. Also playing the same night at another venue at the University were the Manic Street Preachers.

An NME article wrongly listed the October 17 show as the Manic Street Preachers headlining with Pulp as support, despite the fact they were playing different venues at the university.

Pulp had recently released their single Babies which is considered to have kickstarted their success.

Pulp were formed in 1978 at The City School in Sheffield by Jarvis Cocker, then 15 years old, and Peter Dalton, then 14. Cocker's original preference was to name the band after the film Pulp starring Michael Caine, though it was decided that this was too short. Instead, the two took inspiration from a copy of the Financial Times which listed the Arabicas coffee bean in its commodity index. Cocker and Dalton used this, with a slight spelling change, and the band became "Arabicus".

On This Day 16/10/1974 Badfinger

On this day 16 October 1974, Welsh band Badfinger played Cardiff’s Top Rank supporting another Welsh band Man.

formed in Swansea in 1961. Their best-known lineup consisted of Pete Ham (guitar), Mike Gibbins (drums), Tom Evans (bass), and Joey Molland (guitar). Initially known as the Iveys, the band renamed themselves Badfinger, after the working title for the Beatles' 1967 song "With a Little Help from My Friends" ("Bad Finger Boogie"). From 1968 to 1973, Badfinger recorded five albums for Apple Records and toured extensively, before they became embroiled in the chaos of Apple's dissolution.

Crises in band management, money, and band leadership were creating growing frictions within Badfinger. Guitarist Joey Molland's wife, Kathie, had been taking a more assertive role in the band's politics, which did not endear her to the rest of the band, particularly Ham.

Just before the start of rehearsals for an October 1974 UK tour, Ham suddenly quit Badfinger during a management meeting, standing up and shouting "I don't want Kathie managing the band! I'm leaving". He found a cottage in Wales, where he hoped to build a studio. He was quickly replaced by guitarist/keyboardist Bob Jackson, who was then idle after previous involvement with the Fortunes.

During Ham's three-week hiatus from the band, Polley tried to interest record companies in Ham as a solo act, but under pressure from Warner Brothers, Ham rejoined the band in time for the tour, as the company made it clear that it would have little to no interest in promoting Badfinger if Ham was not a part of it. Jackson remained as full-time keyboardist, making the band a quintet. After the UK tour, Molland quit of his own accord to pursue a solo career in December 1974.

On This Day 15/10/1984 Hanoi Rocks

On this day, 15 October 1984, Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks played Cardiff’s New Ocean Club on their Two Steps From The Move Tour. Support was provided by Johnny Thunders.

Formed in 1979, they were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and popular in Japan.

By 1984, the band was considered to be on the verge of an international breakthrough when they released their first major label album for CBS and headed for their first US tour.

In early 1984, Hanoi Rocks and Bob Ezrin recorded Two Steps from the Move,in New York and Toronto. Ezrin had invited Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople to help with the songwriting, and Hunter brought Jack Bruce (formerly of Cream), who in turn brought Pete Brown, to the recording sessions. Brown wrote a lot of lyrics, but the only one the band used was "Smoked a lot of sky, drank a lot of rain", in "Million Miles Away".

By the end of April the new album was almost ready for release, but Ezrin and the label thought that the album was missing a hit, so they recorded Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Up Around the Bend",[8] which was already a favorite of Michael Monroe and Nasty Suicide.

In May 1984, Hanoi Rocks went on tour in Bombay and Japan. In Japan, excitement over the band led to sold-out concert halls and fans following the band everywhere. Even in Finland people were baffled by the extent of the band's popularity in Japan.

The Japanese tour was followed by a tour across England and Scotland. British magazines raved about the band, and were certain that the next record would be their breakthrough. In June, the single "Up Around The Bend / Until I Get You" was released, but it also appeared as a double single and as an EP. A music video for "Up Around the Bend" was also produced. At the time it was the most expensive music video for any Finnish band. The song climbed to number 61 on the UK singles chart,and got radio airplay in America.

After a July tour in England, Two Steps from the Move, whose title was changed from Silver Missiles and Nightingales at the last minute, was released. It was their most successful album in the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number 28. "Underwater World / Shakes" and "Two Steps From the Move" were released as singles in the UK, and right away the band went on tour with Johnny Thunders.

In November the single "Don't You Ever Leave Me / Oil And Gasoline" was released, by which time the new album had sold 200,000 copies—most of them in the U.S. (60,000), Britain (50,000), and Finland (20,000). In the US the album sold 44,000 copies in its first two weeks.

After a Swedish tour, the band toured America until Michael Monroe fractured his ankle onstage at USA Sam's in Syracuse, New York, on 29 November, resulting in some of the dates being canceled. Los Angeles shows were all sold out in less than half an hour.

Setlist

Two Steps From the Move

Back to Mystery City

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

I Can't Get It

Visitor

Underwater World

High School

Motorvatin'

Don't Never Leave Me

Tragedy

Malibu Beach Nightmare

Taxi Driver

Million Miles Away

(aka Never Get Enough)

Up Around the Bend

(Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)

The Train Kept A-Rollin'

(Tiny Bradshaw cover)

Lost in the City

Until I Get You

I Feel Alright

Pills

(Bo Diddley cover)

Gloria

(Them cover)