THE AMAZONS

One of the bands on the early Stoke Musicians Collective scene. Did one gig at Stoke Poly, then became BE JUNGLE.

THE AMAZING GREEN PARADOX BAND

A band from 1981 playing acid rock.The band included MICHAEL O’DEMPSEY (songwriter & electric 12-string), GEOFF BLUNDELL on keyboards (who also played in another local band called BREEZE with MICHAEL O’DEMPSEY), LES HEWITT on lead guitar, ROBERT O’DEMPSEY on another lead guitar, DAVE HICKMAN on drums – he also played in GOLGOTHA. On bass was SLAUGHTER, also on bass was a guy called JULIAN DODD. ROBERT O’DEMPSEY went on to play in many groups,and promoted many mainly folk gigs. MICHAEL O’DEMPSEY played keyboards with the MAGIC MUSHROOM BAND and the ambient trio TUU, later moving to New Zealand.

THE ALTERNATORS

This band from the early 80s were made up of students from Keele University.
More information required.

ALTERN8

 

From Stafford, ALTERN8 consisted of 2 producers, MARK ARCHER & CHRIS PEAT. They originally started out as NEXUS 21 as a pure techno act, but they decided to produce hardcore and rave under the name ALTERN8.

ALL THE RAGE

Formed by PETE NORCOTT & IAN BELFIELD, both ex THE FITZ, with TONY BOYLE  [ex SQUARE PEGS] on guitar and vocals and ERIC DOWNEY on guitar and trumpet. PETE later formed THE KETTLE ONS.

ALL THE MADMEN

CHRIS BAILEY – vocals, MICK RICHARDSON – synths, NEALE DOWN – synths, RICHARD SMITH aka CAVALIER aka JAH SMITH – drum machine.

Cavalier aka Richard Smith

The brain child of MICK & NEALE, ALL THE MADMEN were formed in 1980 from the ashes of punk bands DEDKATZ and BEYOND THE WALL, taking off in a completely different direction, with an electronic sound reminiscent of The Human League, Gary Numan, & Depeche Mode.
After initially approaching former DISCHARGE drummer ACKO as a potential front man, the duo recruited former BEYOND THE WALL singer CHRIS BAILEY. Debuting at a house party in August 1980 supporting STRANGE BROOD, the band went on to play a number of gigs in the Newcastle area – The Bear, El Syds, Ritzy’s, etc.
Recorded a three track demo at Bumble Studio in August 1980, including a cover of Alice Cooper’s Schools Out with JULIE VAUGHAN on ‘schoolgirl backing vocals’, one track – Superior Life – was eventually released on the Slip Records compilation CRY HAVOC in February ’81. By this time the band had split up due to ‘musical differences’. The track was played a number of times on John Peel’s Radio One show.
MICK & NEALE worked on a number of further projects together including DECADES BY NIGHT, THE FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN, RED FETISH, and THE CONE; CHRIS & RICHARD left the local music scene, CHRIS occasionally working as a roadie for DISCHARGE.
In 2006 ALL THE MADMEN were approached by Obscure Identities 1980, a Californian independent record label, with a view to releasing a vinyl album! Around the same time, Superior Life appeared on an unofficial German release ‘None Night of Flexipop Vol. 6’ : http://www.discogs.com/release/1103672
In 2010, the track Living Is A Nightmare opened an unofficial American download only release, CRISPY NUGGETS VOL.1: http://crispynuggets.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/various-artists-crispy-nuggets-vol-1.html
The album DO YOU HEAR THE SIRENS CALLING was eventually released in August 2010.http://www.discogs.com/All-The-Madmen-Do-You-Hear-The-Sirens-Calling/release/2502873
A follow up – IN A DIFFERENT PLACE – came out in 2011.
http://www.discogs.com/All-The-Madmen-In-A-Different-Place/release/3283766
Another unofficial release containing Superior Life – NOW THATS WHAT I CALL MINIMAL 80’S VOL 12 -appeared in 2010.
CHRIS BAILEY died on New Year’s day 2011.

2016 saw yet another rehash of the band’s output get a vinyl release https://www.discogs.com/All-The-Madmen-Tape-Recordings-1980-1983/release/8869759

 

THE ALERT

Macclesfield punks.
More information required.

AGENT BLUE

One of the bands featured on this site that really should have made it big, AGENT BLUE were an indie/punk quintet from the Oakhill/Boothen area, comprising NIC ANDREWS (vocals), MATT JONES (drums), CALUM MURPHY (bass), JOSH HILL (guitar) and MARK TAYLOR (guitar & backing vox). Their 2004 single “Crossbreed” came out in late 2004. The three-track release followed on the heels of the singles “Snowhill” (Fierce Panda) and “Something Else”. Conspicuous due to their crunching guitars and raucous attitude, the band were noticed by Universal and subsequently signed. AGENT BLUE split with Universal in 2005 and set out as independents to wreak musical havoc on their own terms. The band split in the summer of 2007.
DEAN BRINDLEY, father of CALUM, at one time managed GRACE, FLIGHT 505, THE LEMMINGS, SQUIBNOCKET FARM, & THE KILLJOYS.

A NUL NOISE

4-piece mid-80s punk band, heavily inspired by Crass. Fronted by NICK RHEAD, the former drummer with THE IMMORTALS. Ex FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN member MARK TURNER played guitar, JULIE SKUCHA on violin, and the drummer was BILL ‘JOCK’ WHITE, who was previously involved with DAY FIVE. Released one track, Hibakusha, on a compilation album on Crass Records entitled Bullshit Detector 3 – http://www.discogs.com/release/565584. Hibakusha was produced by NEALE DOWN, ex ALL THE MADMEN, DECADES BY NIGHT, THE FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN, THE CONE, & TIGER CLUB. JULIE SKUCHA had previously worked with THE FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN. NICK RHEAD formed NO POPPIES.

A BAND CALLED DORIS

Also known as DORIS, and ABC DORIS, this outfit originated from Holmes Chapel. AOR style music, they contributed the song Many Miles from Home to the Stoke Musicians Collective’s album CRY HAVOC. Also released singles on their own ABCD record label – Living Danger b/w Sitting Here Waiting in 1981 was ABCD1, and Gypsy Lady in 1982 was ABCD3, which indicates that there may have been another single ABCD2.
Line-up: AMBROSE PARTINGTON – keyboards, PETE MOSS – gtr, bass, vocals, PAUL HELSBY – drums, and the main man BOB WEBB – vocals, gtr, bass.