Radio Stars - Back on the road again (Albeit briefly…)

Jan 22nd 2010, London (press pix here)

Radio Stars are delighted to appear as special guests of Eddie and the Hotrods at the 100 Club, 100 Oxford St., London on January 22nd, 2010. Following their long association live during the 70s, Radio Stars splintered into a myriad (three) parts, while Eddie and the Hotrods soldiered on. Perhaps for this reason, the centuries seem not to have taken their toll upon the band; the line-up will feature the original three musicians (Martin Gordon/bass, Andy Ellison/vocals and Ian Macleod/guitar) plus some jobbing drummer or other, as usual.

Biography

Formed in the seventies, Radio Stars emerged from the tail-end of glam to seize the punk reins with abandon. They eschewed the po-faced rigidity of some of their peers, doubtless in part due to their heritage: writer/bassist Martin Gordon was in the ‘Kimono My House’-era Sparks (1974), and vocalist Andy Ellison was formerly knocking around with ‘sonic terrorists’ John’s Children, along with a young Marc Bolan on guitar. Gordon and Ellison formed Jet (1975), paused briefly to change trousers and acquire guitarist Ian Macleod, and became Radio Stars (1977).

BEAVER

Their first single ‘Dirty Pictures’ was championed by John Peel; their first EP, inspired by Germans and entitled ‘Stop It’, contained two tunes which were to become legendary live favourites, ‘No Russians in Russia’ and ‘Johnny Mekon’. Their first album ‘Songs For Swinging Lovers’ (1977) was described as ’sticking out from the fetid morass of garage bands like Nureyev's whatsit through his leotard’, which seemed to sum it up pretty well, especially if you knew your Russian ballet dancers. They toured endlessly and, surprisingly for a band with burgeoning critical acclaim, even garnered a hit. Following their appearance on the UK’s Top of the Pops performing ‘Nervous Wreck’, their live shows devolved into mayhem. Tickets were printed bearing the slogan ‘No riff-raff!’ in an effort to keep stage invasions to a manageable level; no matter, the riff-raff turned up in droves, eager to get both an earful of the band and an eyeful of Gordon’s soft-porn model girlfriend (featured on the cover of their ‘Dirty Pictures’ single) standing obtrusively at the side of the stage.

MOLARS

Their debut album was followed by a classic single, ‘From A Rabbit’. Played to death by the BBC, it was followed by their eponymous anthem ‘Radio Stars’ and their second album collection (‘Holiday Album’, 1978). The album was stuffed full of pop gems for grown-up people, but band molars were being ground down and the writing was on the wall. Exhausted by continuous touring, the band broke up for dental reasons in late ’78, and reconvened the following day without bassist/writer Martin Gordon. The rest is history.

MAMMALS

A compilation album (‘Somewhere There’s a Place for Us’) was issued by Ace in the 90s, and a live album recorded drawn from the 70s gigs was released by Radiant Future (‘Something For the Weekend’) in 2008. Radio Stars’ bass player/songwriter Martin Gordon began a solo career in 2003, and recently released the fifth part of the Mammal Trilogy, entitled ‘Time Gentlemen Please’.

Here for reviews, here for audio! Here for video! Here for tickets for the 100 Club!

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