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nineties bands


edwardgroat

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Whatever became of the local bands that played in aberdeen from 1989-1996? I am back in South Africa now but remember going to see some bands in Cafe Drummonds etc and remember the Big Bang. I also remember The Battle Of The Bands. Did any of these bands go on to be signed by record companies?

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Whatever became of the local bands that played in aberdeen from 1989-1996? I am back in South Africa now but remember going to see some bands in Cafe Drummonds etc and remember the Big Bang. I also remember The Battle Of The Bands. Did any of these bands go on to be signed by record companies?

I was kicking about this scene for the last three or four years of your time frame.

Band names that come to mind are: The Lorelei, The Dreaming (later known as Tinderbox), One God Universe, Men Lie, Coast, Phonefreak, MG25, Inertia, The Unflavoured (later The High Sounds), Verge, Taste, Modern Uses for Velcro.

Coast were a Britpop band that got signed to an indie and re-located to Camden. They put out a couple of singles and an album then disappeared.

Bits of Verge, Inertia, and the Unflavoured became Driveblind, signed to A&M/Geffen, lived the dream, moved to LA, released an album, got fucked about by the label and eventually parted ways with them.

This is the best my memory can do with six cans of Duke St's Finest Cooking Lager in it.

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Guest idol_wild

This thread has reminded me to enquire about a band I saw at The Pelican in 1997. They were called Verbal and they did a fantastic cover of I Wanna Be Your Dog. I think I'm correct in saying they were local but I never heard of them again after that gig.

Can anyone shed some light?

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Here's what I know of bands from that era:

The Lorelei did get a record contract with Glasgow based Klub records - released 2 albums and then split in 1997. We reformed 2 years ago with a new frontman - John Martin from The Dawntreaders, and are still on the go, but being older and wider, and with a lot more going on outside music, are playing/recording as and when we can.

Tinderbox/The Dreaming - reformed last year for a one-off charity gig at the Lemon Tree.

Men Lie - became J60, and various members have been in various other bands - most recently Short Notice.

Sunfish - got signed, changed their name to Geneva, released one single (that I'm aware of) that charted in the lower end of the top 40 (I think) - don't know anything else.

One God Universe - members scattered throughout UK and the world.

The Last Divide - recently reformed as a three piece.

Hope that helps jog some memories.

Regards

Flossie

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I was 'out of the loop' with live music during this time. (Fine on the 70s-early 80s). However I remember Coast well (and Paul Fyffe's home studio at Bankhead). My second ever live appearance was supporting Coast and 18 Wheeler at Drummonds in 1991, on bass as part of my nephew's band. The first was in the early 70s and the third was in late 2003.

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we weren't an aberdeen band but played with all of the above.

the mighty human generator called it a day in the late 90's after i moved to canada and reformed for a short spell in 2004.

billy went onto form deviltrain, ali played drums for deviltrain for a short period then hung his sticks and sg up, biz has been involved in many projects and i have sold my soul to the tribute band circuit we may get back together for a 25 year reunion gig.

:band:8-)

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Greenblade anyone? Actually came across a live recording from the Pelican. Not too shabby and some fine musical moments. Remember getting The Big Bonk at Bangers bouncing... We didn't do so well after we travelled to Manchester to play a gig, guitarist got a bit pished through a knife at my head whilst I was telling him to shut the fuck, from under the kitchen table where I was trying to sleep, and I then bopped him the chops putting his teeth through his lip and gashing my knuckle on said teeth spilling bleed all over our hosts house only to be asked in the morning if I had Aids. Sometime later, after a change of geetarist, the singers bird slept with one of the other guys in the band so singer fucked off to Glasgow. End Greenblade!

That could read as if we made it and were living the life eh. The heady rock dubby reggae days.

Atomflask followed a few years later!

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"Greenblade anyone? Actually came across a live recording from the Pelican. Not too shabby and some fine musical moments. Remember getting The Big Bonk at Bangers bouncing... "

"The blade is keen, the grass is green - Greenblade, live in the big city"

I remember your set at the Big Bang very well - completely different from anything else and you did indeed get the place jumping - think I might have a copy of the northsound live recording of the gig somewhere (2 songs each)

Flossie

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"Greenblade anyone? Actually came across a live recording from the Pelican. Not too shabby and some fine musical moments. Remember getting The Big Bonk at Bangers bouncing... "

"The blade is keen, the grass is green - Greenblade, live in the big city"

I remember your set at the Big Bang very well - completely different from anything else and you did indeed get the place jumping - think I might have a copy of the northsound live recording of the gig somewhere (2 songs each)

Flossie

Aaah, My classic adrenalin fueled too fast version of Big City that slowed drastically over the first minute that was there for all 80 Northsound listeners to hear. It's a horrible listen and banned from my house.:laughing:

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Greenblade anyone? Actually came across a live recording from the Pelican. Not too shabby and some fine musical moments. Remember getting The Big Bonk at Bangers bouncing... We didn't do so well after we travelled to Manchester to play a gig, guitarist got a bit pished through a knife at my head whilst I was telling him to shut the fuck, from under the kitchen table where I was trying to sleep, and I then bopped him the chops putting his teeth through his lip and gashing my knuckle on said teeth spilling bleed all over our hosts house only to be asked in the morning if I had Aids. Sometime later, after a change of geetarist, the singers bird slept with one of the other guys in the band so singer fucked off to Glasgow. End Greenblade!

That could read as if we made it and were living the life eh. The heady rock dubby reggae days.

Atomflask followed a few years later!

You've missed out Thee Reverberation sir! what kind of Stalinist Revisionist Denier are you?!

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My apologies Mr R. I have clearly lost track of those heady days due to the fumes from the formented piss filled coke bottles at the rehearsal space! There is another fine example of a band I killed through joining them. Christ I was getting through the genres in the 90's

I came across the original Big Bang at Bonker news paper by the way. Fine pic of Living With Alice in all your big haired and sparyed on jeans glory! I will attempt to scan it and post it up here. May take me a month or I'll ask Jnr to do it for me in a few minutes.

And for the record I'm actually of the Deconstructionist persuasion. Preferring to remove all aquired knowledge and history for the sake of reinvention. Bit like Maddona.

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aberdeen bands in the nineties

Thank you for all the replies on this, I remember some of the bands. I remember the Lorelei, I think they had bagpipes, but I dont remember Greenblade.

It seems a shame that none of these bands went on to greater things, I suppose Aberdeen is quite isolated, and many of the people in these bands will be married with childeren now, possibly this was just a hobby for them at the time. I remember some other names-Kill The Doctor, The Warmth, Cherry 2000(who were shockingly bad) and Bulb.

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I came across the original Big Bang at Bonker news paper by the way. Fine pic of Living With Alice in all your big haired and sparyed on jeans glory! I will attempt to scan it and post it up here. May take me a month or I'll ask Jnr to do it for me in a few minutes.

Yay... I was just thinking about that when I read this thread. I thought I had it somewhere but Christ knows where it went. Scan it!

I remember the Lorelei' date=' I think they had bagpipes[/quote']

Not that I remember ( but that doesn't mean much tbh). The Lorelei was certainly more than a hobby back then - you don't spend three weeks at a time with 8 people sleeping in a transit for fun...

It's certainly fun now though.

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possibly this was just a hobby for them at the time.

Oh, I wouldn't say that. I can't speak for the rest of the bands but to me, playing an instrument and being in a band was the only way for me to get out of Aberdeen - I'm fairly shit at most other things.

Don't worry, I don't hate Aberdeen, I've made my peace with the city a long time now, fucking hated it in my younger years though.

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  • 2 years later...

Christ, this brings back memories!

IIRC, Maple were called Pelt in the '90s. They were ace.

One God Universe were utterly awesome! One of the finest bands I have seen in Aberdeen.

I can still remember how some of the Men Lie tracks go to this day! Likewise Verge, and I can still remember how to play some of their stuff after seeing Nick playing and thinking "thats a great riff, I must nick that in a few years"!!!!

Loveless were pretty cool. Did they not become pretty successful in the USA under the name APB?

The Needles were formed in the 90's.

No mention of the pre-Deadloss band that I can't remember the name of?!?!?!

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