Adam, Scott , Eds and Mark once lived together in Hounslow (near to
London's Heathrow Airport) and rehearsed in their garage. That they all play guitar is an
indication of how unrestricted their musical potential is and after a handful of low-key
shows (before even playing outside London) they had fans. The Blue Army, a posse in home
made T-shirts, their number swelled steadily and continues to do so. Nowadays there's even
a party of fans that tour the UK to watch soundchecks. To this day whether in scene' or
out, The Bluetones remain one of the strongest band cults in the UK.
The Bluetones, court
nothing attention-wise, yet retain their fiercely devoted fans. Deeply into music and
football (Mark and Adam played at the 1997 Coca Cola Cup Final at Wembley Stadium - a
pre-match showbiz friendly) these are some of the most laid back so-called "pop
stars", ever. London's Evening Standard newspaper article* called them "too nice
to be superstars" when interviewing them about Return To The Last Chance Saloon.
First heard by
the general public was lead track on the (now highly sought after) Fierce Panda EP Return
To Splendour, "No.11", the eleventh song that The Bluetones wrote (now called
"Bluetonic"). It became a favourite with Radio 1's Evening Session. The
Bluetones supported Strangelove, Shed Seven, The Charlatans and Supergrass at the end of
1994 then released 2,000 7"-only copies of "Slight Return"/"The
Fountainhead" on their own Superior Quality Recordings label. Most of the 7"s
sold out by mail order before the pressings came back !
Although The
Bluetones were subsequently chased - literally - by hordes of cheque waving record
labels, they performed "Slight Return" on Channel 4's "The White Room"
while still unsigned and continue to release on Superior Quality Recordings to this day.
The first
headline tour and proper single were both hits. "Are You Blue Or Are You Blind"
(June 1995) reached No. 31. The tour ended with hordes of fans being turned away from
London Dingwalls while Summer 95 Festival appearances at Leeds Heineken Festival,
T-In-The-Park and Reading won many new hearts. They ended 1995 touring Sweden (where they
were already popular) and supporting Oasis in France. Their debut trip to Japan in
December of that year was met with Bluemania. Packed dates and media frenzy meant that
they were invited to return before they even left Japan!
In 1996
Bluemania hit the UK. Next single "Slight Return" reached No.2 then debut LP
"Expecting To Fly" flew to No.1, receiving poetic praise from fans and media
alike.
A fourth
consecutive hit single "Cut Some Rug" (No.7), two more sell-out tours, in-store
fan-frenzies, a headline at 96's Sound City, a hysteria-filled return to Japan, the
special guests slot at Paul Weller's "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" at Finsbury Park
(in front of 30,000 people) and headlining the NME stage at T-In-The-Park confirmed that
there was an atmosphere of devotion and near hysteria at live shows. As one reviewer
remarked "when the Bluetones hit the stage the crowd goes ballistic".
The
Bluetones added to their legend when their first American/Canadian tour (September 1996)
sold out in advance. The very first American Bluetones live show was in New York where the
West Beth Theatre became Cafe Bluetonic for one night - blue drinks, blue lights,
blue drapes, blue everything! It was a sell-out with queues around the block and became
the party that rounded off CMJ 1996.
Across the
Atlantic in the UK "Marblehead Johnson" was No.7 in the singles charts,
accompanied by "Marblehead Johnson - the Big Performance" video where the band
were made up in the fat suits' that Eddie Murphy used in "The Nutty Professor".
Still in
non-serious mood, The Bluetones changed instruments for a TV appearance on "The
Noize". Scott played drums, Eds played bass, and as they all look pretty similar,
only their fans could tell! Their music though, remains serious. Something which has
become more apparent with the release of their second album.
By now The
Bluetones were beyond "Britpop" or any other tag, and in a league of their own.
Mark's deep, dark lyrics are from his mind, not a highly qualified education. Their music
appeals to every age from the studied listening and/or jumping hordes at the back of the
balconies to the squealing youngsters in front of the stage. The gigs are a high.
They ended 1996
with large-capacity shows in Glasgow, Birmingham and London's historic roundhouse - which
later appeared as a video for their mailing list.
1997 started
with a Brit nomination for Best New Band and a one-off show at Manchester Boardwalk for
Radio 1/Comic Relief (free to get in and £5 to get out!). They aired some new songs to
rapturous applause and started getting regular queries about Return To The Last Chance
Saloon!
The Bluetones
headlined the second stage at Glastonbury and V97. These, their first outdoor appearances,
were storming successes! "this is what the Roses at Reading should have been"
(NME). The gang with the perfect mix of sparkling tunes, cred, attitude, cult, charm
and wide appeal had also, by now completed the follow up to their platinum debut album and
were trying out those new numbers to great reactions.
Having taken
1997 off' to record, they returned to the top ten with "Solomon Bites The Worm",
the first taster from, "Return To The Last Chance Saloon". Released on
March 9th 1998, that album was welcomed with mixed reactions verging from "What?
No Slight Return!!?" to "Brilliance!". The Bluetones are not
dependent on the approval or not of the media and The Blue Army ensured that "Return
To The Last Chance Saloon" went gold quickly and goes down a storm live. The sleeves
of the 1998 releases proved Scott not only to be an ace on the bass, but also talented
artist.
Outside of the
UK, "Return To The Last Chance Saloon" was taken very seriously and The
Bluetones spent quite a few months of 1998 raising the roof at locations around the
globe. Their Australian tour sold out well in advance with newly won devotees flying from
city to city to catch the band over and over again. The Bluetones have been invited back,
also to Japan, where they also have devoted fans who follow them literally everywhere.
Apart from being mobbed at every opportunity, partying with Super Furry Animals and
"one of Boris Yeltsin's minders" they also experienced a mini-earthquake while
on the eighth floor of a building in Nagoya!
Shaken but not
stirred, The Bluetones, returned to the UK for another sell-out tour and another chart hit
with "If...", quite possibly one of their biggest live favourites ever!
When The
Bluetones first arrived on the scene they said "we would rather be loved by one
hundred people than quite liked by a thousand". Things haven't changed there. With no
"CD2" and compilation album inclusions they are less about self promotion than
being a way of life with thousands of friends. Years later, with their potential only just
starting to get realised The Bluetones are a beloved national treasure.
The Bluetones
made new friends on a Summer tour of the European Festival circuit, then returned to the
UK with a new single/Top 40 "Sleazy Bed Track". (Sleazy indeed, a glamour model
recognised her bum on Scott's CD artwork and offered to pose naked with the band!). Their
first main stage appearance at a UK festival was at Reading where they rocked 45,000
people with their winning formula of a big rock sound, pretty melodies and anthemic
lyrics.
"4 Day
Weekend" was sold by The Bluetones/Superior Quality Recordings themselves by mail
order and on tour (immediately having to re-press copies to satisfy demand). Their
November 98 tour was joyous defiance itself. Highlighting the support among music fans for
the truly independent spirit of "the last gang in town". The Bluetones appeared
on TV's The Money Programme due to their success as a business without a record
label, and over the internet.
The Bluetones
headlined London Astoria on January 20th of the NME Brats week - a complete sellout with
an atmosphere so joyous and raucous that it bordered on hysteria. A week later they sold
out The Queens Hall at The Royal Festival Halls to play a live radio session for John
Peel. The seated venue didnt remain one for long as The Blue Army danced their way to the
front of the stage, enjoying themselves so much that Radio 1 commented on them (well, you
could also hear them singing and chanting "blue army" too!)
Despite the music press
fabricating stories that The Bluetones were about to split and The Bluetones had
been dropped by their record label (?) their last two live outings were legendary
occasions made even more epic by the unbelievable support of their fans - one of the most
vociferous followings aroound.
Their sell-out
NME Brats show was one of the few gigs not filmed for TV, so there was no evidence to
disprove the "it's all over" slagging that they received on Brats TV to
accompany the previous invented rumours, but members of The Blue Army filmed The Astoria
(so the truth will out).
As people, The
Bluetones already inhabit the hearts of many. Singer, Mark, is quite possibly one of the
funniest people in pop - a slot on The Fast Show (UK television comedy) wouldn't go amiss
- they are all so down to earth and have many mates amongst their fans! They are a close
knit unit who use cyberspace and a mailing list to circulate information about what is
really happening with them.
The Bluetones
are doing it for themselves. They begin recording their third album in April 1999, the new
songs from it that they played in January have already received favourable responses from
the audience and reviews from critics. The Bluetones remain unique. Serious music with a
great sense of humour!
Shades Of Blue =
The Blues = The Bluetones
www.bluetones.co.uk
The Bluetones, Jam X,
P.O.Box 3836, London NW3 1YR.
Return To The
Last Chance Saloon
Tone Blooze * Unpainted Arizona * Solomon Bites The Worm * U.T.A. * 4-Day Weekend * Sleazy
Bed Track * If... * The Jub-Jub Bird * Sky Will Fall * Ames * Down At The Reservoir *
Heard You Were Dead * Broken Starr (Superior Quality Recordings)
more bluetones links at
underground superstars page (including The Blue Army) and more pix etc to come
UK Discography
No11
(bluetonic) Return To Splendour - Fierce Panda
Slight Return / The
Fountainhead (blue vinyl) Superior Quality Recordings
Are You Blue Or Are You
Blind? / Stringalong / Driftwood # 31
Bluetonic / Colorado Beetle
/ Glad To See Y'Back Again # 19
Slight Return / Dont Stand
Me Down / Nea Hair On't # 2
Expecting To Fly (album) # 1
Cut Some Rug / Castle Rock /
The Devil Behind My Smile # 7
Marblehead Johnson / The
Simple Things / Nifkin's Bridge # 7
Soloman Bites The Worm / I
Was A Teenage Jesus / I Walked All Night # 10
Return To The Last Chance
Saloon (album) # 10
IF.... / Blue Shadows / The
Watchman # 13
Sleazy Bed Track / The
Ballad Of Muldoon / Blue # 35
4 Day Weekend / Mr Soul /
Pretty Ballerina
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