TEESIDE EVENING GAZETTE, Thursday, August 16, 1979
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For that's the title of the single they hope to have released in Britain in time to fill their fans' Christmas stockings. It is one of three songs they wrote for an LP they have just finished recording as backing group for top North American vocal duo, The Hillmans, currently riding high in the Canadian charts. The LP will be released in Canada and when the single is issued on this side of the Atlantic -- under their own name and featuring vocalist Alun Edwards -- it could be the big break for the five semi-pro musicians. They are all Teeside lads who have been in the vocal rock group scene for a number of years. Desperado came together three years ago and steady work in clubs in the area has gained them quite a local following. Pictured waiting for the sound of success from the tape are (left to right): Mike Sandbrook, Colin Bradley, Alun Edwards, Paul Duckers, and John Wittingham. "We are going to have a tape made of our three tracks which will be available at our bookings," explained the bass guitarist, Mick Sandbrook, whose friendship with the Canadian husband and wife team led to the album work. "They sent us over arrangements which we worked on before they arrived, then we went into the studio and recorded 24 songs in just three days -- that was quite a sweat." "It was our first attempt at writing and we're really pleased with the result, we tried to write three songs to reflect the sort of music we like. It's very American influenced." With family and job commitments weighing heavily the thought of going professional,, if they were ever offered the chance, would mean a difficult decision. |
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SINGLES: DEMO CITY ~ April 5, 1980 Neil Hooper surveys your demo cassettes. The best each week wins a record token... or TEN free copies of your cassette. DESPERADO of Stockton-on-Tees get a very full, confident sound on "Lady Luck", most of which is down to their intelligent use of synth. On this number there is a string section keyboard arrangement, but later numbers use it for a brassy fill as well. Always just another part of the arrangement with no emphasis on it just because its an expensive instrument. Their music and approach smacks of clubland, particularly the vocals which have that green silk shirt and bow tie sound about them. "The Joker" again demonstrates the completeness of the arrangements. Any criticism comes down more to personal taste than anything else. I'd like to see a bit less smoothness and rather busier drumming. On the other hand this could well upset the tight balance the band have achieved overall. "Bring Back The Good Times" washes a bit too blandly around the lugholes but has an irresistible lilt to it. If I'm not careful I'll get caught syncopating again. The band obviously know their market and seem to have produced the ideal music for it. The musicianship is faultless, if occasionally laid back, the vocals are almost sickly smooth and the arrangements rich and well observed. |
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