Forgotten Pop Bands of Leeds

roger_roger · Post by **roger_roger** » Sat 27 Aug, 2011 5:40 pm

I'm interested in stories about any of the "forgotten" bands.The ones that don't make the "Wiki" list.One band I'm particularly keen to learn about were active in the late 80s-early 90s. They were from West Leeds/Bramley, named after the school/street/neighbourhood they hailed from, released a single then disappeared. Any ideas?Roger

simong · Post by **simong** » Sat 27 Aug, 2011 9:57 pm

roger_roger wrote: I'm interested in stories about any of the "forgotten" bands.The ones that don't make the "Wiki" list.One band I'm particularly keen to learn about were active in the late 80s-early 90s. They were from West Leeds/Bramley, named after the school/street/neighbourhood they hailed from, released a single then disappeared. Any ideas?Roger That's a bit vague really, any other clues, record label, title of single?

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Sun 28 Aug, 2011 2:22 pm

Or even the name of the band.

roger_roger · Post by **roger_roger** » Sun 28 Aug, 2011 7:16 pm

i feel sure that they were produced by Dave Creffield, who would later be with the Kaiser Chiefs. Singer's name was Chris Harland..

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sun 28 Aug, 2011 8:33 pm

A quick Google reveals:http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/1237/

book · Post by **book** » Mon 29 Aug, 2011 10:38 pm

I remember seeing some great Leeds bands that didn't make the big time. The Haddon Hall pub was a good venue for them, some names were, Sneakers, Mirror Boys, Dodgy Tactics.

Tasa · Post by **Tasa** » Wed 31 Aug, 2011 9:50 pm

book wrote: I remember seeing some great Leeds bands that didn't make the big time. The Haddon Hall pub was a good venue for them, some names were, Sneakers, Mirror Boys, Dodgy Tactics. I saw the Alwoodley Jets at the Haddon Hall, also at the (former) Allerton pub on Nursery Lane (presumably their stamping ground). They were brilliant! I wonder what they're doing now?

leedslily · Post by **leedslily** » Fri 02 Sep, 2011 3:06 pm

Tasa, try a quick Google - the Alwoodley Jets are all over t'interweb! I don't remember them so well, but recall seeing other local bands such as The Vye and Red Eye in the late 70s, mostly at Viva's wine bar in York Place.

Tasa · Post by **Tasa** » Fri 02 Sep, 2011 4:37 pm

leedslily wrote: Tasa, try a quick Google - the Alwoodley Jets are all over t'interweb! I don't remember them so well, but recall seeing other local bands such as The Vye and Red Eye in the late 70s, mostly at Viva's wine bar in York Place. Thanks for that leedslily! I'll have to have a look at one of their Youtube videos and relive old times

biofichompinc · Post by **biofichompinc** » Sun 30 Oct, 2011 11:58 am

book wrote: I remember seeing some great Leeds bands that didn't make the big time. The Haddon Hall pub was a good venue for them, some names were, Sneakers, Mirror Boys, Dodgy Tactics. Surprising to me that this - and the text shown below from the Fforde Grene thread....Hi PhippsI certainly remember the Rock 'n' Roll nights, used to be Monday as a rule, didn't it? I've just had a look at my list of gigs I kept in the late 70's to early 80's, these are the RnR bands I saw at the Fforde Grene:Matchbox, Don E Sibley's Dixie Phoenix, Flying Saucers, Johnny Storm and Memphis, Shades, Remember This, Johnny and the Jailbirds, Riot Rockers, Johnny and the Roccos, Vernon and the GI's, Crazy Cavan.Hope those names bring back a few memories for you.Other bands I saw at the Ffordey included the brilliant local bands The Sneakers (how I miss them, even now), Dale Hargreaves' Flamingos, Sharp Practice, New King Snakes, and The Prowlers (still playing, saw them this year at the Irish Centre suppporting Wilko Johnson), and more well known acts including Girl's School, Bomber, Lew Lewis & Reformer, The Blues Band, The Dance Band, John Cooper-Clarke, Dr Feelgood, and the Steve Gibbons Band......are the only entries on Secret Leeds about the Sneakers. Back in the mid-seventies they had a legion of fans who followed the fortunes of the band around the pubs of Leeds. Bruno's comment "how I miss them, even now" is fabulously understated and is how I feel too. I saw them at the Broadway, the Staging Post and at the Haddon Hall.Most, if not all of their material was absolutely their own with the words and music written by ( I think) the keyboard player. Their repertoire included "I flew with Braddock", a song dedicated to the Victor comic World War II flying ace, a song called "Vapour Trails" which was released as a single, and a whole host of songs about a character called Lopez.They really did deserve to make it. They were good musicians, the front man was a powerful vocalist and they had a wealth of original material. Only the breakthrough element was missing, or the luck I suppose.I also saw them at Leeds Polytechnic when they were the support band for Graham Parker and the Rumour. Following that gig I became a GP fan too and subsequently saw him with the Rumour in Bradford a couple of times. On the first occasion at St George's Hall he was supported by an American band who were a fantastic live act - Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. They became big but deserved to be even bigger.Just like Sneakers. Unfulfilled promise, but on a different level.I bumped into the Sneakers vocalist in Bradford a few years ago. He was appearing in a music festival and was on his way from a hotel to perform at another location. As I remember, he was dressed as a clown. Still the showman 35 years after the Sneakers days.Don't remember the names of any of the band, although Parkinson seems to come to mind for the keyboard player who was the creative force.