Matchbox (band)

Matchbox
Origin	England
Genres	Rockabilly
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Magnet Records
Website	rockabillyrebel.co.uk
Members
Graham Fenton Steve Bloomfield Jimmy Redhead Gordon Scott Fred Poke
Past members
see below

Matchbox is an English rockabilly band that formed in 1971, and is still active as of 2011^[update].

Career

Matchbox was formed in 1971 by Iain "Houndog" Terry, Fred Poke, Jimmy Redhead and Wiffle Smith. After 1978, the line-up consisted of Graham Fenton (lead vocalist), Steve Bloomfield (lead guitar, vocals), Gordon Scott (rhythm guitar), Fred Poke (bass guitar) and Jimmy Redhead (drums). Redhead had left in 1973, Smith in 1977 and Lupton in 1978 to tour with Chuck Berry. Dick Callan joined Matchbox on guitar, saxophone and violin until approximately 1985, writing many of the band's B-sides.

The band's biggest hits include "Rockabilly Rebel" (Bloomfield, 1979), "Midnite Dynamos" (Bloomfield, 1980) and "Over The Rainbow" (adapted musical song, 1980). Their last single, "I Want Out" (Brian Hodgson/Ray Peters/Tony Colton, 1983) from their album, Crossed Line, was produced together with Kirsty MacColl.

In 1989, Graham Fenton put together a band with Iain Terry, Bob Burgos, Howard Gadd and Greg Gadd. They called themselves Graham Fenton's Matchbox. They recorded six albums in the early 1990s. The original Matchbox line-up reformed in 1995. The band has been playing live all over Europe since their comeback, especially in Germany, France, Holland, Spain, Finland and Sweden. On occasions Iain Terry and Dave Dix were used as replacements for Bloomfield and Poke.

They have recorded one album since their full 1995 reunion.

Iain Terry Born in ""

Fred Poke Born in ""

Jimmy RedHead Born in ""

Wiffle Smith Born in ""

Band members

• Line-up 1971-1975: Wiffle Smith, Iain "Houndog" Terry, Fred Poke and Jimmy Redhead
• Line-up 1976-1977: Wiffle Smith, Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Rusty Lupton and Wild Bob Burgos
• Line-up 1977-1978: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Bob Burgos and Graham Fenton
• Line-up 1978-1980: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott Waters and Jimmy Redhead
• Line-up 1980-1981: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott, Jimmy Redhead and Dick Callan
• Line-up 1982-1985: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Brian Hodgson
• Line-up 1985-198?: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Brian Hodgson and Gerry Hogan
• Line-up 1995-2011: Graham Fenton, Steve Bloomfield, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Fred Poke

Partial discography

Albums

• 1976 - Riders in the Sky
• 1978 - Settin' the Woods on Fire
• 1979 - Rockabilly Rebel (aka Matchbox) - UK #44^[1]
• 1980 - Midnite Dynamos - UK #23^[1]
• 1981 - Flying Colours
• 1982 - Crossed Line
• 1985 - Going Down Town
• 1998 - Comin' Home
• 2010 - Live in Bristol 1978

Chart singles

• "Rockabilly Rebel" (1979) - UK #18
• "Buzz Buzz a Diddle It" (1980) - UK #22
• "Midnite Dynamos" (1980) - UK #14
• "When You Ask About Love" (1980) - UK #4
• "Over The Rainbow - You Belong to Me (medley)" (1980) - UK #15
• "Babes in the Wood" (1981) - UK #46
• "Love's Made a Fool of You" (1981) - UK #63
• "One More Saturday Night" (1982) - UK 63^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 354–355. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• Official website
• Matchbox discography at Discogs