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Fischer-Z
Fischer-Z are a British rock group and main creative project of singer, guitarist and poet John Watts. In 1982 Watts temporarily dissolved Fischer-Z and started a solo career under his own name. John Watts has gone on to release both solo and Fischer-Z projects. The original line-up consisted of Watts (vocals, guitar), Steve Skolnik ( keyboards), David Graham ( bass) and Steve Liddle ( drums). The band's name is pronounced ("fisher zed"), a pun on "fish's head" with the "h" dropped, as is usual in many British regional accents. The pun also relies on leaving the "r" unpronounced as in common British non-rhotic accents. Fischer-Z found success across Europe and sold more than two million albums. Joint recordings were made with Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper and Dexys Midnight Runners. Fischer-Z performed alongside James Brown in East Berlin and toured with The Police and Dire Straits. They also toured the US and Canada and were on the bill with Bob Marley on his last fest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Watts (singer)
John Watts is a British musician and multimedia artist. He was born into a family of singers on 27 December 1954 in Frimley, Surrey. Watts began his career as a mental health worker having studied clinical psychology before finding success as a musician with his band Fischer-Z. He currently lives and works in Brighton, UK. Career Fischer-Z Having played the punk and new wave circuit through the early 1970s, Watts formed the band Fischer-Z with Steve Skolnik at Brunel University in 1976. Arriving at a point where punk, art wave, and reggae crossed over, they secured a record deal with UA in 1978 alongside the Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, and Dr. Feelgood. Their first album, '' Word Salad'', was released in 1979 and was a cult success in the UK ( John Peel supported the single "Remember Russia"), but an even bigger critical success and commercial start across continental Europe. There were substantial appearances on The Old Grey Whistle Test and a first Top of the Pops with "T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reveal (Fischer-Z Album)
''Reveal'' is an album by the new wave rock band Fischer-Z. In the summer of 1981 John Watts split up with his group, Fischer-Z, on the grounds that his art could not evolve within the context of the band. Prompted by the encouragement of the well-received Fischer-Z album, '' Red Skies Over Paradise'', Watts soon embarked on a solo career, releasing his first solo album, ''One More Twist'' (1982), followed quickly by his second, ''The Iceberg Model'' (1983). Watts toured extensively and even produced a mini-album for Zulu artist Busi Mhlongo. He released an album entitled ''Quick Quick Slow'' under the name ''The Cry'' in 1984. After touring and releasing an album per year up until 1985 John Watts was trying to resolve his role of constantly touring with that of being a father of two children. Over the ensuing years, he started to develop and record new material with multi-talented musician, Ian Porter. In 1987 John Watts began to record material under the Fischer-Z name ag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fish's Head
''Fish's Head'' was the fifth album under the name Fischer-Z, and second album by the new re-vamped Fischer-Z Fischer-Z are a British rock group and main creative project of singer, guitarist and poet John Watts. In 1982 Watts temporarily dissolved Fischer-Z and started a solo career under his own name. John Watts has gone on to release both solo and ... after being revived in 1987, despite the departure of Denis Haines and Alan Morrison from the group. This album carries on in the same style as its predecessor, '' Reveal''. ''Fish's Head'' included the evocative "Say No" single, with a politically charged black & white Nick Brandt promo clip which was banned by Watts’ own record label on the grounds of it potentially "endangering the lives of their employees worldwide". Track listing All songs written by John Watts. #"Say No" - 4:03 #"Masquerade" - 4:48 #"It Could Be You" - 4:58 #"Sticky Business" - 4:04 #"Huba" - 4:02 #"Oh Mother" - 4:49 #"Just Words" - 4:26 #"It's On ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Going Deaf For A Living
''Going Deaf for a Living'' is a 1980 album by Fischer-Z. This was the second album by Fischer-Z featuring the "classic line-up". The guitar on this album was made more prominent, after their rather keyboard prominent debut. This album, as well the following '' Red Skies Over Paradise'', are considered by fans as the best work to be produced by Fischer-Z. The album featured the singles "Room Service", "Crazy Girl", "Limbo" and the most popular "So Long", which hit #72 in the UK singles chart, #15 in Australia and #26 in the Netherlands. "So Long" was the first single by Fischer-Z to have a video made for it, and still garners regular airplay on radio stations in Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ..., and Australia. Track listing All songs written by John Wat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Word Salad (album)
''Word Salad'' is a 1979 debut album by Fischer-Z. John Watts and Steve Skolnik formed the band in 1976 whilst at Brunel University. John Watts had been travelling up and down the country playing the club circuit. Fischer-Z was playing a crossover of the new wave, punk and reggae genres. In 1978, the band secured a record deal with United Artists, alongside the Buzzcocks, The Stranglers and Dr. Feelgood. Track listing All tracks composed by John Watts; except where noted. #"Pretty Paracetamol" (also known as: "First Impressions", but this name doesn't usually feature on the CD releases) – 3:57 #"Acrobats" (Watts, David Graham) – 2:42 #"The Worker" – 3:36 #"Spiders" (Watts, Steve Skolnik) – 1:42 #"Remember Russia" – 3:29 #"The French Let Her" (Watts, Steve Skolnik) – 3:21 #"Lies" – 3:57 #"Wax Dolls" – 2:46 #"Headlines" – 3:21 #"Nice to Know" – 2:52 #"Billy and the Motorway Police" (Watts, David Graham) – 2:11 #"Lemmings" (Watts, Steve Skolnik) – 3:02 P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Destination Paradise
''Destination Paradise'' was the sixth studio album by Fischer-Z. The album saw a change of record label, and another completely different line-up, still with John Watts as the original member. The album featured several lyrics of John Watt's acute observations of political events. Following the release of the album, Watts as usual, toured and promoted the album extensively, which reportedly helped to garner a new generation of fans, and ''Destination Paradise'' has been regarded as a "dynamic and cinematic" album. Track listing All songs written by John Watts. #"Destination Paradise" #"Will You Be There?" #"Tightrope" #"Say When" #"Caruso" #"Marguerite Yourçenar" #"Saturday Night" #"Mockingbird Again" #"Still in Flames" #"Time for Rita" #"Of All The" #"Count to Ten" #"So Hard" #"Further from Love" Personnel (as credited on CD) *John Watts - singing, strumming acoustics & bashing the occasional Telecaster *Hadji Wasner - riffing, twanging & twirling his electric guitar (and mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, United Artists released ''Forest of the Amazons,'' a cantata by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos adapted from the music he composed for MGM's ''Green Mansions'', with the composer conducting the Symphony of the Air. Brazilian soprano Bidu Sayão was the featured soloist on the unusual recording, which was released on both LP and reel-to-reel tape. United Artists releases included soundtracks and cover versions from the James Bond movies, '' It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963), '' A Hard Day's Night'' starring the Beatles (1964), '' The Greatest Story Ever Told'' (1965), ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (1966), ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (1971), and ''Man of La Mancha'' (1972). The soundtrack album of United Art ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sandhurst, Berkshire
Sandhurst is a town and civil parish in the Bracknell Forest borough in Berkshire, England. It is in the south eastern corner of Berkshire, and is situated west-southwest of central London, north west of Camberley and south of Bracknell. Sandhurst is known worldwide as the location of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (often referred to simply as "Sandhurst", "The Academy" or "The RMA"). Despite its close proximity to Camberley, Sandhurst is also home to a large and well-known out-of-town mercantile development. The site is named "The Meadows" and has a Tesco Extra hypermarket and a Marks & Spencer, two of the largest in the country. A large Next clothing and homeware store is open on the site of the old Homebase. Geography Sandhurst is in South East England near the junction of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. The town has four main districts, from west to east: Little Sandhurst, Sandhurst (central) and College Town, with Owlsmoor to the northeast. North of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1995. Their first single, "Sultans of Swing", from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by hit singles including "Romeo and Juliet" (1981), "Private Investigations" (1982), "Twisting by the Pool" (1983), " Money for Nothing" (1985), and "Walk of Life" (1985). Their most commercially successful album, '' Brothers in Arms'' (1985), has sold more than 30 million copies; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc and is the eighth-bestselling album in UK history. According to the '' Guinness Book of British Hit Albums'', Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK albums chart, the fifth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime minister and the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. As prime minister, she implemented economic policies that became known as Thatcherism. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style. Thatcher studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and worked briefly as a research chemist, before becoming a barrister. She was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959. Edward Heath appointed her Secretary of State for Education and Science in his 1970–1974 government. In 1975, she defeated Heath in the Conservative Party leadership election to become Leader of the Opposition, the first woman to lead a major poli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Old Grey Whistle Test
''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' (sometimes abbreviated to ''Whistle Test'' or ''OGWT'') is a British television music show. The show was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough and aired on BBC2 from 1971 to 1988. It took over the BBC2 late-night slot from '' Disco 2'', which ran between September 1970 and July 1971, while continuing to feature non-chart music. The original producer, involved in an executive capacity throughout the show's entire history, was Michael Appleton. According to presenter Bob Harris, the programme derived its name from a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years before. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys – doormen in grey suits. Any song the doormen could remember and whistle, having heard it just once or twice, had passed the old grey whistle test. On 23 February 2018, a one-off live three-hour special of ''The Old Grey Whistle Test'' was broadcast on BBC Four, h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
