Red Guitars

The Red Guitars were a English indie rock band active from 1982 to 1986. Based in Hull, the Red Guitars' first single "Good Technology" was a minor hit, selling 60,000 copies. Their third single "Marimba Jive" reached number one on the UK Indie Chart in late 1984. [ [http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/r.htm Cherryred.co.uk] ]

History

Jerry Kidd (vocals) and Hallam Lewis (guitarist) met in 1979 at a Community Arts program in Hull. The two formed the short-lived project, Carnage in Poland. After several line-up changes, including the addition of Mark Douglas, "Hull's only Rastafarian", the band changed their name to the Czechs, billing themselves as "eastern European reggae". After more line-up changes, including the departure of Douglas, the Czechs abandoned their name and reggae sound, becoming the Red Guitars. [ [http://www.redguitars.co.uk/blurb.html Redguitars.co.uk] ]

Playing a mixture of punk, blues, electrified folk and African rhythms, the Red Guitars built a small but loyal national following, playing mostly benefit shows for left-wing causes.

In 1982, the band recorded their first single "Good Technology". In keeping with the band's anti-corporate ideology, the Red Guitars released the single on their own record label, Self Drive Records, selling 60,000 copies.

Constant touring to support follow-up singles "Fact", "Steeltown" and "Marimba Jive" [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/t/theredguitars/ BBC.co.uk] ] , added to the daily pressures of running a record label resulted in internal pressures in the Red Guitars, culminating in the departure of Kidd in 1984. The band continued on without Kidd for a further two years, bringing on Robert Holmes for vocals, but failed to achieve the previous critical or commercial success, although "Be With Me" also reached the top spot on the UK Indie Chart in May 1985. The Red Guitars disbanded in 1986, after their appearance at the Pukkelpop festival near Hasselt, Belgium.

Reunion

The Red Guitars played a one-show reunion at the Winterlude Festival in Hull, on 11 February 2006. [ [http://www.hullrockagainstracism.co.uk/winterlude.htm Hullrockagainstracism.co.uk] ]

Personnel

*Matt Higgins (drums)
*Lou Howard (bass)
*Jeremy Kidd (vocals)
*Hallam Lewis (lead guitar)
*John Rowley (rhythm guitar)

Discography

ingles

* "Good Technology" b/w "Hearbeat Go! Love Dub" (Self Drive Records) 1983
* "Fact" b/w "Dive" (Live) (Self Drive Records) 1983
* "Good Technology" b/w "Fact" (Self Drive Records) 1984
* "Steeltown" b/w "Within 4 Walls" (Self Drive Records) 1984 #91 UK
* "Marimba Jive" b/w "Heartbeat Go!" (Self Drive Records) 1984
* "Be With Me" b/w "Things I Want" (One Way Records) 1985
* "National Avenue (Sunday Afternoon)" b/w "King And Country" - Virgin Records 1986 VS832-12 #99 UK
* "America And Me" 1986 b/w "Marianne" (Virgin Records) 1986 #93 UK
* "Blue Caravan" b/w "Suspicion And Fear" (Virgin Records) 1986 UK

Albums

* "Slow To Fade" (Self Drive Records) 1984- "Remote Control"- "Dive"- "Astronomy"- "Cloak and Dagger"- "Crocodile Tears"- "Shaken Not Stirred"- "Sting In The Tale"- "Marimba Jive"- "Slow To Fade"
* "Tales of the Expected" (Virgin Records) 1986- "Sweetwater Ranch"- "National Avenue (Sunday Afternoon)"- "Be With Me"- "Suspicion and Fear"- "Love and Understanding"- "Storyville"- "House Of Love"- "Trains On Time"- "Marianne"- "Baby Had A Gun"

Retrospectives and collections

* "Seven Types Of Ambiguity" (The BBC Sessions, re-release) (RPM Records) 1993
* "Slow To Fade" plus six bonus tracks (Cherry Red Records) 2002

ee also

*Bands and musicians from Yorkshire and North East England
*List of Peel sessions

References