Matchbox are an English
rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
band that formed in 1971, and is still active .
Career
Matchbox were formed in Middlesex, in 1971 by Iain "Houndog" Terry (born 1950), Fred Poke (born 1948), Jimmy Redhead (born 1954) and Wiffle Smith (born 1948).
After 1978, the line-up consisted of Graham Fenton (lead vocalist), Steve Bloomfield (lead guitar, vocals), Gordon Scott (rhythm guitar), Fred Poke (bass guitar) and Jimmy Redhead (drums).
Redhead left in 1973, Smith in 1977 and Lupton in 1978 to tour with
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
. Dick Callan joined Matchbox on guitar, saxophone and violin until approximately 1985, writing many of the band's
B-sides
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
. The band appeared in the 1980 film
''Blue Suede Shoes'' which detailed the revival of 1950s rock 'n' roll music scene at the time.
The band's biggest
hits include "Rockabilly Rebel" (Bloomfield, 1979), "Midnite Dynamos" (Bloomfield, 1980), a cover of
The Crickets
The Crickets were an American rock and roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer-songwriter Buddy Holly in January 1957. Their first hit record, "That'll Be the Day", released in May 1957, peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, ...
' "
When You Ask About Love" (their only top five hit), and "
Over the Rainbow" (adapted musical song, 1980). In Australia, the band and album were dubbed 'Major Matchbox' to prevent confusion with an Australian band of a similar name.
Their last single, "
I Want Out" (Brian Hodgson/Ray Peters/Tony Colton, 1983) from their album, ''Crossed Line'', was produced together with
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including " There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears ...
.
In 1989, Graham Fenton put together a band with Iain Terry, Bob Burgos, Howard Gadd and Greg Gadd. They called themselves Graham Fenton's Matchbox. They
recorded six albums in the early 1990s. The most popular Matchbox line-up reformed in 1995. The band have been playing live all over Europe since their comeback, especially in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland and Sweden. On occasions, Iain Terry and Dave Dix were used as replacements for Bloomfield and Poke.
They have recorded one album since their full 1995 reunion.
Band members
* Line-up 1971–1975: Wiffle Smith, Iain "Houndog" Terry, Fred Poke and Jimmy Redhead
* Line-up 1976–1977: Wiffle Smith, Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Rusty Lupton and Wild Bob Burgos
* Line-up 1977–1978: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Bob Burgos, Rusty Lupton and Graham Fenton
* Line-up 1978–1980: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott and Jimmy Redhead
* Line-up 1980–1981: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott, Jimmy Redhead and Dick Callan
* Line-up 1982–1985: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Brian Hodgson
* Line-up 1985–198?: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Brian Hodgson and Gerry Hogan
* Line-up 1995– : Graham Fenton, Steve Bloomfield, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Fred Poke
Discography
References
External links
*
Another Biography with photos*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matchbox (Band)
English rock music groups
Musical groups established in 1971
Rockabilly music groups
Magnet Records artists