English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
band
Band or BAND may refer to:
Places
*Bánd, a village in Hungary
*Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
* Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania
*Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
of the 1970s, who continue to tour and record new material. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, after they disbanded.
History
The band formed in February 1972, with ex Brinsley Schwarz roadie
Martin Belmont
Martin Belmont (born 21 December 1948) is an English rock and country-blues guitarist, best known for being a founding member of Graham Parker & The Rumour.
Life and career
Belmont was born in Bromley, Kent, England. After working as a roadie ...
on guitar, former
Help Yourself
Help is a word meaning to give aid or signal distress.
Help may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Help'' (2010 film), a Bollywood horror film
* ''Help'' (2021 theatrical film), a British psychological thriller film
* '' ...
collaborator Sean Tyla, also on guitar, ex Help Yourself bassist
Ken Whaley
Ken Whaley (5 November 1946 – 8 May 2013) was a rock music bass guitar player, best known as a founding member of Help Yourself and Ducks Deluxe, and as a member of Deke Leonard's Iceberg, Man and The Tyla Gang. He also played with The ...
, and Magic Michael (Michael Cousins) on percussion. They named themselves after a slot machine at the Severn Bridge Service Station. Cousins was soon replaced by drummer
Tim Roper
Tim Roper (8 April 1951 in Hampstead, London – February 2003) was the English former drummer of the pub rock band Ducks Deluxe (1972–1975), as well as a member of "Reds, Whites and Blues" with Adrian "Ade" Shaw.Flamin' Groovies
Flamin' Groovies is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965, originally co-led by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. After the Groovies released three albums, on Epic ('' Supersnazz'') and Kama Sutra (''Flamingo'' and '' Teenage Hea ...
roadie, Nick Garvey, also joined. Playing more energetic music than most others on the London pub-rock circuit, the Ducks soon had a twice weekly booking at the Tally Ho in Kentish Town,Ducks Deluxe - The Manband Archive retrieved 13 November 2008 and a manager, Dai Davies.
Whaley left, and later rejoined Help Yourself, and in December 1972, the Ducks recorded two tracks at
Man
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromo ...
's Christmas party, one of which,"Boogaloo Babe", was released on a double 10" album ''
Christmas at the Patti
''Christmas at the Patti'' is a live album, recorded at Man's Christmas party, held at the Patti Pavilion, Swansea, on 19 December 1972. The album features Man and Help Yourself with guests Deke Leonard, Dave Edmunds and B J Cole, together wit ...
'', their first appearance on a record.Biguntidy Article on Ducks Deluxe retrieved 13 November 2008
In 1973, the band signed to RCA and released their first single, "Coast to Coast", written by Sean Tyla and Nick Garvey, though Tyla is not credited on the track, because he was trying to untangle himself from a previous publishing deal. They also appeared in BBC TV '' Play for Today'' called ''Blooming Youth''. Their eponymous debut album ''Ducks Deluxe'' was released in early 1974, and "captures something of the fire and excitement that the Ducks' live act generated". Keyboard and bass player Andy McMaster joined from The Sabres, to record a second album, ''Taxi To The Terminal Zone'', but this was regarded as disappointing and McMaster left. The band recorded its first Peel Session in April 1974, after which Garvey left and bassist Micky Groome joined. Despite recording a second Peel Session in March 1975, RCA dropped the band, so they were reduced to issuing an EP, ''Jumpin'' on the French label Skydog.
Tim Roper left so former Brinsley Schwarz members Brinsley Schwarz and Billy Rankin played on the final tour, with the final gig being at the 100 Club in London on 1 July 1975.
In 1978, RCA Victor released the compilation album ''Don't Mind Rockin' Tonite'', featuring six songs from the band's debut LP, three from ''Taxi to the Terminal Zone'' (unavailable in the US at the time), and a few non-album singles. Reviewing the compilation in '' Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies'' (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "The music is pure rock and roll, maybe too pure, combining
the Rumour
The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...
's spirited intensity and
the Motors
The Motors were a British pub rock band formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry (who was replaced in May 1977 by Bram Tchaikovsky) and drummer Ricky Slaughter. Th ...
' cheerful manipulation at a more primitive stage. Fans of the Tyla Gang will dig it."
The Motors
The Motors were a British pub rock band formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry (who was replaced in May 1977 by Bram Tchaikovsky) and drummer Ricky Slaughter. Th ...
, with Rob Hendry (later replaced by Bram Tchaikovsky) and drummer Ricky Slaughter.
Sean Tyla formed " The Tyla Gang", which would later include Ken Whaley, who had joined
Man
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromo ...
after Help Yourself broke up. The Tyla Gang featured Canadian Bruce Irvinere and the former Winkies rhythm section of Brian Turrington on bass and Mike Desmarais on drums. They released two albums, ''Yachtless'' and ''Moonproof'' on the US-based, Beserkley label before the label's UK operation went bankrupt in 1978 and the band disbanded. Tyla embarked on a solo career and released three albums, ''Just Popped Out'', ''Redneck In Babylon'' and ''Rhythm Of The Swing'', the first of which produced Tyla's first Top ten single, "Breakfast In Marin", in Germany in 1980. Tyla and Micky Groome along with drummer, Paul Simmons then joined Man's
Deke Leonard
Roger Arnold "Deke" Leonard (18 December 1944 – 31 January 2017) was a Welsh rock musician, "serving a life sentence in the music business".
Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont joined Brinsley's former keyboard player Bob Andrews to support Graham Parker as Graham Parker & the Rumour, as well as appearing without Parker, as "The Rumour". Belmont later played in Carlene Carter's CC Riders and Nick Lowe's Cowboy Outfit.
Roper, the original drummer, moved to
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
, where he became a well-known figure in local bands. He died in February 2003 from alcohol-related symptoms, following a
nervous breakdown
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...
.
The first
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
, ''Ducks Deluxe'', achieved moderate commercial success after the band broke up, because the members had gone on to greater fame in Graham Parker & the Rumour, The Tyla Gang and The Motors.
Reunion
The band reformed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their original formation. This was at the 100 Club in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
on 9 October 2007. The line-up was Martin Belmont, Sean Tyla, Micky Groome and Billy Rankin. A further
gig
Gig or GIG may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Gig'' (Circle Jerks album) (1992)
* ''Gig'' (Northern Pikes album) (1993)
* ''The Gig'', a 1985 film written and directed by Frank D. Gilroy
* GIG, a character in ''Hot Wheels AcceleRacers'' ...
took place on 9 November at The Musician in Leicester. On 26 January 2008, they played Centre Culturel de Paul Baillart, Massy, near
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, France. On 20 September 2008, they played the PopXiria Festival in Carballo, near
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
in Spain, headlining the final night of the event.
In 2009, Ducks Deluxe toured Sweden from 29 March to 13 April. The band consisted of Sean Tyla,
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...
and
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
; Martin Belmont, guitar and vocals; Kevin Foster (of Hank Wangford & the Lost Cowboys and Los Pisteleros fame)
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
and
backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...
The Inmates
The Inmates are a British pub rock band, which formed after the split of The Flying Tigers in 1977. In 1982, they had a medium-sized international hit with a cover of The Standells' "Dirty Water", and a UK Top 40 hit with their cover of Jimmy ...
) on drums.Hawkhead Records retrieved 21 April 2009 They released their first new material, a mini CD ''Box Of Shorts'' on 18 May 2009, comprising six new studio tracks, produced by Paul 'Bassman' Riley.
A new full album, ''Side Tracks And Smokers'', was released in June 2010 with artwork by famous Stiff Records designer Tobbe Stuhre, and tracks including some recently found and remastered raw mixes of tracks from the early albums, and also some brand new Ducks Deluxe recordings. It was followed in 2011 by a lo-fi live recording, ''Riviera Shuffle'' on Jungle Records which was only available through mail order.
The band completed a 40th Anniversary Tour in early 2012, featuring Brinsley Schwarz back in the line-up after a 37-year absence. Later that year the group recorded a live album in London, ''Rockin' at the Moon'', which was released in 2013.
*"Coast To Coast" / "Bring Back That Packard Car" (1973)
RCA
The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
I Fought The Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for the band in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the ''Rolling Stone'' lis ...
" / "Cherry Pie" (1975) RCA 2531
EP
*''Jumpin EP (1975) Skydog EP-005
Albums
*''Ducks Deluxe'' LP (1974) RCA LPLI 5008: 8-track cassette (1974) RCA LPSI 5008
*''Taxi To The Terminal Zone'' LP (1975) RCA SF 8402
*''Don't Mind Rockin' Tonite'' (Compilation & Bonus tracks) (1978) - RCA NL 71153
*''Last Night Of A Pub Rock Band'' LP (Holland) (1979) Dynamite - BMLP 001 (bootleg)
*''Last Performance Dynamite'' - TAKE DYR 3505 (UK
bootleg
Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to:
* Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially
* Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence:
** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...
of ''Last Night Of A Pub Rock Band'')
*''All Too Much'' - Teichiku TECP-25358
*''Ducks Deluxe'' / ''Taxi To The Terminal Zone'' CD (1992) BMG/Demon/MAU MAU CD 610 and BGO BGOCD539
*''Bonesteak Á La Carte'' - Ten Dollar TDR 065 (bootleg)
*''The John Peel Sessions'' - Hux Records HUX086 (3
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
Sessions from 1973, 1974 and 1975)
*''All Too Much'' / ''Blow You Out'' - Jungle (combines a Ducks Deluxe and a Tyla Gang album)
*''Live at the 100 Club - 9 October 2007'' (bootleg)
*''Christmas At The Patti'' (only one Ducks Deluxe track) LP (1973) United Artists: CD (1997) Point PNTVP110CD: CD Re-mix (2007) Esoteric ECLEC 2018
*''Box Of Shorts'' Mini CD (released on 18 May 2009)
*''Side Tracks And Smokers'' (released on 5 April 2010)
*''Riviera Shuffle'' (released on 7 May 2011)
*''Rockin' At the Moon'' (2013) Mystic Records MYS CD 214
AllMusic Biography
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...