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nemo
Newbie
Joined: 01 September 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 3
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| Posted: 01 September 2005 at 3:25am | IP Logged
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Hi All,
Great forum, it seems ATF are very well served on the web.
I first went to see the band post Signs of Change but before the One Rule
single came out. My sister and I were serial ATF show goers - the
Marquee, the Nashville (I think Andy ripped his trousers during Joy at
that one), the Music Machine (Rod Stewart was checking them out that
night I remember), University of London Union, a fancy dress gig where
they gave away a free single, Greennbelt of course, a really superb gig at
the Rainbow in Finsbury Park, and others too numerous. They were
important, we loved them, sincerely, like only teenagers can.
Many memories. Andy's spoken intro to Time to Think ('It's time to
introduce a little atmosphere into the proceedings'), the impossible duel
and timing between his bass and Ivor's drums during Pete's solo on that
song. Pete's priceless expression during his cowbell solo on, I think, Can
You Face It. Andy suddenly intoning 'Pigs in Space!' during Starflight one
time. And the quality of a lot of the songs and playing. Suspended
Animation anyone? Brilliant stuff. Thankfully our parents never quite
realised the phone bill we ran up rigging One Rule onto Roger Scott's
Capital Radio Hitline.
My sister and I made a photocopied fanzine (lot of them about in those
days) and ATF were the big interview in the first issue. We did the
interview with John and Andy in a park in Fulham, just before a gig at the
local Greyhound pub. John recomended us to go and see his cousin's
band there several weeks later: The Vapors. They went on to have a
massive hit with Turning Japanese. The Vapors were produced by Bruce
Foxton of the Jam, so we got an interview with them too...
Eventually, in that callous teenage way, we dumped ATF for another band:
Writz, who went on to be called Famous Names. Another Christian band
but much more art school types. Great fun though ahead of their time in
some ways - people lik Eurythmics came just a little later in the same
territory. Writz and ATF all knew each other and a mainly, but not always
friendly rivalry existed. In our Greyhound interview John openly compared
Writz's first single to a fart. And the late and very much lamented Steve
Fairnie of Writz told us how he planned to send simultaneous telegrams
to Andy and Pete, purporting to be from each other, saying 'We no longer
require your services...' He guffawed a lot at this point.
I may be wrong but I do seem to recall that ATF were a 3 piece when we
first saw them. Much suspicion was aroused by the addition of John
Russell. There were stirrings that he was Andy's 'yes man' and
specualtions that Pete looked, well frankly, pissed off about the whole
thing. John's bright blue jump suite with red lightning bolt motif that he
wore onstage at Greenbelt frankly didn't help matters.
Our main concern though was Ivor. We loved Ivor, always the most
friendly and accomodating to us daft young fans. On one occassion Andy
threw us out of the dressing room, post gig, so he could change. Ivor
opted to change in corridoor so he could keep talking to us. I have the
image of him naked from the waist up applying roll on deodorant as we
asked, you know, nerdy fan type questions. What a guy.
We were concerned at how the band seemed almlost embarrassed
somedtimes by Ivor. There were very few shots of him on Whistle Test, a
strategic cloud covered his ample girth on the back of the Laser Love LP,
his contributions to a band interview in Record Mirror centred around pig
farming not pop music. In short, it seemd like certain people felt he was
holding them back, not conforming to the band's desired image.
So my sister and I did the logical thing. We launched what we called 'The
Appreciate Ivor League'. We made badges, we touted round a petition
demanding Ivor be given a drum solo, amassing hundreds of signatgures
at gigs and at Greenbelt. We gave the petition to Andy before their vitally
important Greenbelt show. He later said he 'forgot' to take it on stage
with him. Gosh he was so nice ands tolerant of us- as were all the ATF
band and crew. However, Ivor got his moment at a Marquee gig some
months later. I wasn't there but my sister was. Apparently the chants of
the growing Appreciate Ivor League became so great that night that they
almost stopped the show and Andy was forced to give Ivor a few bars of
drum solo to introduce, wait for it, One Rule (odd choice I thought, but I
wasn't present). By my sister's account Ivor demurely acquiesed and did
us all proud.
Of course Ivor was gone from the band soon after. Was it really health
reasons!? Or was it to do with image? I went to several of Ivor's solo
shows after his LP (name escapes me but it's in the loft somewhere) came
out; lovely accoustic events. And, of course, I can't forget Ivor's post ATF
Greenbelt set. The compare introduced him, across the PA we heard the
inimitable 'Check it Out' opening drum riff and manic, echoing laugh.
Then, instead of going into the song, it cut to something akin to the
Monty Python theme tune and Ivor came on stage saying 'Hey, I was in a
nearly famous pop band.' Ouch - this was meant to sting somebody at
least!
A few months and gigs later I saw a Melody Maker small ad from ATF
auditioning new drummers. Being a rudimentary sticksman myself I called
up, essentially as a joke. When I got the bus up to an East London
rehearsal room and walked in the band immediately recognised me and
knew I'd be no good, but they were polite and loyal enough to run thru a
couple of songs with me. However they were new-ish ones and I was less
than good. 'Couldn't we do Take Me Higher?' I implored. Their faces lit up.
I banged out the drum intro, we flowed thru the song, John went to town
on his solo (I dismissed all those 'yes man' rumours at a stroke) but then I
botched the end and finished several bars before the rest of the band. It
was great to be in ATF, but it was all over so quick.
After my short slot they took a tea break and Andy told me quite
accurately why I wasn't good enough: my hi hat wrist technique (still an
issue actually). Pete, always indulgent of us, shared his KitKat and a few
encouraging words. In the ensuing days I didn't hear from their
management...
We couldn't get so excited by the new line up. Songs like 'Who's Gonna
Love You?' sounded too polished now, but anyway our teenage growth
spurts told us it was time to move on. A big sign was a Friends of ATF
newsletter, suddenly no longer handwriiten by Andy, informing us briskly
that Pete had left. Our suspicions about John seemed confirmed. We liked
the guy an' all, but this had got political...
The last time I saw Andy was at a Writz / Famous Names Marquee gig. I
thanked him for the audition session. Afterwards a photographer was
taking sexy pictures of Bev Sage draped across the kit flight cases - Andy
laughed a knowing 'sex sells' laugh. ATF's subsequent success, record
company shananigans and bitter recriminations were a shame. They
deserved better - at least a chance to capitalise on the success.
We had great times though - and so many great and utterly transporting
gigs. Thanks guys.
Although with no Andy it must be like the Undertones with no Fergal or
Queen minus Freddie, I hope they're enjoying themselves.
Edited by nemo
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markp12003
Roadie
Joined: 27 September 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 129
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| Posted: 08 September 2005 at 5:12pm | IP Logged
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"rigging One Rule onto Roger Scott's
Capital Radio Hitline."
I thought it was "Life in the City" that we all phoned for?
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nemo
Newbie
Joined: 01 September 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 3
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| Posted: 08 September 2005 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
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Great stuff, glad to hear you did! It was One Rule we rigged though. Every
time he played it Roger Scott would say 'And remember folks, only one vote
each...!'
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markp12003
Roadie
Joined: 27 September 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 129
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| Posted: 08 September 2005 at 5:34pm | IP Logged
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Well I'm sure some of us did "Life in the City" as well. Was Number One every day for at least a week.
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nemo
Newbie
Joined: 01 September 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 3
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| Posted: 08 September 2005 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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That's much better than we did, I think wse were one for a day only, we got
tired after that!
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rapid thomas
Groupie
Joined: 08 April 2005
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Posts: 59
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| Posted: 15 September 2005 at 12:25pm | IP Logged
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Let's not forget that voting on the Capital Hit Line was
extraordinarily more time-consuming than voting for your
favourite X-factor or whatever. 99% of people had phones wil
dials on the front of them - only a flash few had a push-button
phone and even then there was no facility for last number re-
dial.
"And you try telling that to the young people of today - why,
they'd never believe you."
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Timestar
Mega Friend
Joined: 14 July 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 820
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| Posted: 16 September 2005 at 1:21pm | IP Logged
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You mean you didn't have a Trimphone
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Noel
Friend of ATF
Joined: 13 January 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 586
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| Posted: 16 September 2005 at 7:07pm | IP Logged
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We didn't even have a phone, we had to light the paper we stole from the dropouts in cardboard city, and send smoke signals! Never did manage to get 999 for the fire brigade when next door caught fire, we lived next to Cristal Palace.
__________________
http://www.myspace.com/noelstuff
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After The Fire Forums : ATF Chat
Topic: A few memories of ATF...
