B-Movie (band)

Last updated

B-Movie
B Movie.JPG
B-Movie performing at Hope and Anchor in London, 2013
Background information
Origin Mansfield, England
Genres
Years active
  • 1979–1985
  • 2006
  • 2011–present
Labels
Members
  • Steve Hovington
  • Paul Statham
  • Graham Boffey
  • Rick Holliday
Past members
  • Al Cash
  • Adi Hardy
  • Mike Peden
  • Martin Winter (aka Smedley)

B-Movie are a new wave band from Mansfield, England, initially active in the first half of the 1980s. [1]

Contents

History

The band's original line-up included lead vocalist and bassist Steve Hovington, guitarist Paul Statham, keyboardist Rick Holliday and drummer Graham Boffey. [1] B-Movie's initial 1980 EP releases, the Take Three 7-inch and Nowhere Girl 12-inch, were issued on the small UK indie label Dead Good Records. They were eventually signed to the Some Bizzare label, and their song "Moles" was featured on the original 1981 Some Bizzare Album. [1]

In 1981, B-Movie signed with Phonogram imprint Deram, and had their biggest UK commercial success with the single "Remembrance Day", which reached No. 61 on the UK Singles Chart. [2] The follow-up single, "Marilyn Dreams", failed to chart.

In 1982, they re-released "Nowhere Girl" as a single, which reached No. 67 in the UK, [2] but there was no immediate follow-up or studio album.

A revolving door of members started at this point. Drummer Boffey left and was replaced by Andy Johnson, while Martin Winter (aka Smedley) joined on bass. Next, Holliday left in 1983 to form Six Sed Red with Soft Cell associate Cindy Ecstasy (their biggest success came when Six Sed Red's song "Dream Baby" was covered by Bananarama on that band's 1984 eponymous studio album). Statham switched from guitar to keyboards and was briefly replaced by Stuart McLean (Charming Snakes) for a tour of Israel. B-Movie then resurfaced in early 1984 (with Al Cash on drums) with the single "A Letter from Afar", produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez but it only reached No. 81 on the UK Singles Chart. Cash then left, leaving B-Movie as a three piece of Hovington, Statham and Winter augmented by session players. [1]

Towards the end of 1985, they finally released a studio album on Sire Records called Forever Running, containing re-recorded versions of their two hits, but both it and the single "Switch On - Switch Off" were flops despite a tour to promote them. The band broke up soon after. [1]

Frontman Hovington formed a band called One in the late 1980s with Seven Webster and drummer Bob Thompson, releasing an album and two singles on Chrysalis. He later formed another band called Laughing Gas, releasing one 7-inch single.

B-Movie performing at Hope and Anchor in London, 2013 B Movie - Steve.JPG
B-Movie performing at Hope and Anchor in London, 2013

After his departure, Boffey joined Slaughterhouse 5, releasing two singles, "Pathetic Girlfriend" and "Things She Did", and a studio album, Wide Open on IRS. After this venture, Boffey and Davy Lawrence formed Enormous.

Guitarist Statham collaborated with ex-Bauhaus lead vocalist Peter Murphy, successfully participating as part of Murphy's solo backing band, the Hundred Men. He co-wrote and performed on Murphy's solo studio albums Love Hysteria [3] (1988) and Deep (1990). He co-wrote Dido's first single "Here with Me", which became an international hit single, and also the title track of her debut studio album No Angel (2001), which has sold almost 20 million copies. Statham also co-wrote several songs, including "Return of the King", on Simple Minds lead vocalist Jim Kerr's first solo studio album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr .

After a long hiatus, B-Movie reformed and played one-off shows in October 2004 (with the original line-up) and March 2006 (featuring Hovington and Statham) at The Metro nightclub in London, followed by additional one-off shows from the original line-up in Mansfield, Nottingham, London and Germany.

In 2012, they digitally released the track Echoes, their first new release in 22 years. This was followed in 2013 by the Distant Skies EP and The Age of Illusion album, both available digitally and on CD. The band played a short tour in June 2013, visiting Portsmouth, Cambridge, London and Nottingham.

Their third studio album, Climate of Fear, was released on 18 March 2016. It included new material as well as a re-recorded version of "Nowhere Girl".

On 23 July 2018, B-Movie previewed two tracks from the forthcoming Take 2 EP on Statham's label Loki Records. [4] [5]

Discography

B-Movie performing at Electrowerkz in London, 2015 B Movie Keyboards at Electrowerkz.JPG
B-Movie performing at Electrowerkz in London, 2015
B-Movie performing at Electrowerkz in London, 2015 B Movie at Electrowerkz.JPG
B-Movie performing at Electrowerkz in London, 2015

Studio albums

Singles and EPs

Compilation albums

Compilation appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extended play</span> Musical recording longer than a single but shorter than a full album

An Extended Play (EP) is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 15 to 30 minutes. An EP is usually less cohesive than an album and more "non-committal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The The</span> English post-punk band

The The are an English post-punk band. They have been active in various forms since 1979, with the singer-songwriter Matt Johnson as the only constant band member. The The achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the UK, with 15 chart singles, and their most successful studio album, Infected (1986), spent 30 weeks on the chart. They followed this with the top-ten studio albums Mind Bomb (1989) and Dusk (1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride (band)</span> English rock band

Ride are an English rock band formed in Oxford in 1988. The band consists of vocalists and guitarists Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, drummer Laurence "Loz" Colbert and bassist Steve Queralt. They have been recognised as one of the key pioneers of shoegaze, an alternative rock subgenre that emerged to prominence in the United Kingdom during the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soft Cell</span> English synthpop duo

Soft Cell are an English synth-pop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

<i>Troublegum</i> 1994 studio album by Therapy?

Troublegum is the second major label album by the Northern Irish rock band Therapy? It was released on 7 February 1994 via A&M Records. The album features a more punk-oriented style compared to the likes of Stiff Little Fingers and the Undertones rather the band's previous noise rock-influenced works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blancmange (band)</span> English synth-pop band

Blancmange are an English synth-pop band formed in Harrow, London, in 1979. The band were a duo for much of their career, composed of Neil Arthur (vocals) and Stephen Luscombe (keyboards). They came to prominence in the early 1980s, releasing four UK top-20 singles: "Living on the Ceiling", "Waves", "Blind Vision" and "Don't Tell Me". They released three studio albums during that decade: Happy Families (1982), Mange Tout (1984) and Believe You Me (1985).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Less Than Jake</span> American punk band

Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes, Roger Lima, Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxophone).

<i>Dead Letter Office</i> (album) 1987 compilation album by R.E.M.

Dead Letter Office is a rarities and B-sides collection by R.E.M., released in April 1987. The album is essentially a collection of many additional recordings R.E.M. made from before Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as B-sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions indicating the band's disparate influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Aerosmith, Roger Miller, and fellow Athenians Pylon ("Crazy").

Lois Maffeo is an American musician and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. She has been closely involved with and influenced many independent musicians, especially in the 1990s-era Olympia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. music scenes.

<i>Mutant Moments</i> 1980 EP by Soft Cell

Mutant Moments is the debut EP by synthpop duo Soft Cell. Only 2000 copies were pressed, originally by Big Frock Records, then later by a Japanese fan club, making the record extremely rare and prized by collectors and fans alike. The duo, who attended Leeds Metropolitan University, originally developed a cult following with their performances which routinely included bizarre sexual imagery and visuals representing sexual themes. Some examples include instances where singer Marc Almond would smear his body with cat food, simulate sexual intercourse with a full-length mirror, or appear onstage in drag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rezillos</span> Scottish band

The Rezillos are a punk and new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, the Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, but instead took a more light-hearted approach in their songs, preferring to describe themselves at the time as "a new wave beat group". Their songs are heavily influenced by 1950s rock and roll, 1960s English beat music and garage rock, early 1970s glam rock, with recurring lyrical themes of science fiction and B movies; their influences mirrored those of US bands the Cramps and the B-52s, who were starting out at the same time. The Rezillos' biggest hit in their home country was the UK Top 20 single "Top of the Pops" in 1978, but they are best known outside the UK for their cover version of "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight", which was featured on the soundtrack to Jackass: The Movie in 2002. Since the Rezillos recorded it, the song has been covered by other punk bands, including Youth Brigade and Murphy's Law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nowhere to Run (song)</span> 1965 single by Martha and the Vandellas

"Nowhere to Run" is a 1965 song by Martha and the Vandellas for the Gordy (Motown) label and is one of the group's signature songs. The song, written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, depicts the story of a woman trapped in a bad relationship with a man she cannot help but love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.K. Subs</span> English punk rock band

U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. One of the first hardcore punk bands, elements of rhythm and blues music - including harmonica - also remained an occasional element of their work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World in My Eyes</span> 1990 single by Depeche Mode

"World in My Eyes" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 17 September 1990 as the fourth and final single from their seventh studio album, Violator (1990). The song peaked at number two in Denmark and Spain, number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Some Bizzare Album</i> 1981 compilation album by various artists

Some Bizzare Album is the first album issued by Some Bizzare Records. It was released in 1981 as a sampler of the label's musical ethos. The acts were not signed exclusively to the label at the time.

The following list details the discography of the British independent record label, Some Bizzare Records. The label is notable for hosting such artists as Soft Cell, The The and Marc Almond. The discography is broken down into different media type sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Seas (song)</span> 1984 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Seven Seas" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released on 6 July 1984 by Korova. It was the third single to be released from their fourth studio album Ocean Rain (1984). It reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the Irish Singles Chart.

The Wall were a punk rock band formed in Sunderland, England, in early 1978. They have released two studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Some Bizzare Records</span> British record label

Some Bizzare [sic] Records was a British independent record label owned by Stevo Pearce. The label was founded in 1981, with the release of Some Bizzare Album, a compilation of unsigned bands including Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, The The, Neu Electrikk and Blancmange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is the Day</span> 1983 single by the The

"This Is the Day" is a song written by Matt Johnson and originally released as a single by his band The The on 2 September 1983. It reached number 71 on the UK Singles Chart. A version of the song was included on the band's debut album Soul Mining, released in October 1983.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 38. ISBN   1-85227-969-9.
  2. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 37. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. Raggett, Ned "Love Hysteria Review", AllMusic, retrieved 2010-06-05
  4. "Somewhere Cold | B-Movie". 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  5. "Paul Statham". Facebook.com. Retrieved 31 October 2019.

Sources