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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZALARM, TheUK rock quartet formed '81 in South Wales. Mike Peters (b 25 Feb. '59, vocals, guitar) and Nigel Twist (b 18 July '58, drums) formed a band called the Toilets; Dave Sharp (b 28 Jan. '59, guitar) and Eddie MacDonald (b 1 Nov. '59, bass) joined and (all 17-year-olds) called the band Seventeen, after a Sex Pistols song. Signed by Miles Copeland (Police manager) to his IRS label, their single ''68 Guns' '83 set the tone: loud 'revolutionary' rock drew comparisons with early Clash. Less bombastic 'Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?' reached top 30. Mini-album The Alarm was followed by Declaration '84 with melodic aspects, acoustic bias and empty rhetoric. They began to incl. acoustic treatment of Welsh poem 'The Bells Of Rhymney' in '84 shows, demanding comparison with the Byrds of 20 years before; pompous rock appealed to audiences unaware of 'protest' music of '60s or political aspects of '70s punk. Strength '85 was no advance, but their best charting in USA; Eye Of The Hurricane '87 was followed by Electric Folklore '88 recorded live in Boston; Change '89 was prod. by Tony Visconti in both English and Welsh editions, trying to capture the Celtic rock market, but a pretentious video for 'A New South Wales' had them looking and sounding very American, as rock groups must. Standards '90 and Raw '91 failed to reach top 100 USA albums. |