My favourite record, age 13
Some old groups resist nostalgic rehabilitation, being just too irredeemably naff to ever be reclaimed by the passing of time allowing a new appreciation of their talent. There have been times when, for example, Abba, Barry White, ELO or disco-era Bee Gees have made me cringe with embarrassment but when the dust of youth settles you look back and see incredible pop craftsmanship and forget that you were ever put off by their lack of coolness or their poor choices in trousers and hairdos.
I can't imagine that ever happening with Showaddywaddy, they were and will always be a rather cheesy novelty act, dressed up like cartoon Teddy Boys in their rainbow-colored drapes and brothel creepers and having hits (lots of them) with limp cover versions of 1950s rock and roll tunes like "Three Steps To Heaven" and "Under The Moon of Love". They weren't even as good as Mud who had a similar image but at least had the good fortune to have their songs written for them by Chinn and Chapman. The only good thing I can think of to say about them was that their drummer was called Romeo Challenger which I think is one of the greatest pop names ever.
I'm pretty sure I thought they were a bit rubbish even when I was a kid but Lord how I loved their 1975 single "Sweet Music" which was one of the few hits they wrote themselves. When I was alone at home I'd play it at full blast (well, as "full blast" as our crappy mono record player could manage) and would literally pump my fist in the air to the chorus (oh, the shame) as if it was some banging rock anthem. Listening to it now it's not nearly as hard rocking as I thought it was back then, but the chorus is catchy as hell and it has a more of a Glam Rock edge than their usual fare so maybe there was a halfway decent Glam band lurking inside their drape jackets, or maybe they really were as duff as I thought. Probably the latter.
Download: Sweet Music - Showaddywaddy (mp3)
7 Comments:
Definitely the latter, Lee. I remember seeing them on New Faces with Noel Gordon from Crossroads as one of the judges. She said something like they were very noisy but it was a wonderful noise. I remember when Darts came along I thought they were a much more authentic rock'n'roll band, which looking back is nonsense.
The first record ever given to me was The Amazing Darts - I was 6 or 7 and I loved it. Under The Moon Of Love is utterly fantastic though.
I even wrote to Jimmy Saville asking to perform with Darts, and cried for weeks when somebody else other than me was successful in this regard.
I'm over it though.
No. Really.
*sobs*
I was rather looking forward to rescuing my copy of Showaddywaddy's Greatest Hits 1976-78 from the dust-gathering stack of dodgy old LPs by the 'radiogram' at the Aged Ps, but the old man's chucked it : (
Showaddywaddy guitarist Trevor Oakes' son Scott used to play football professionally for Leicester City, fact fans.
As far as I'm concerned, there is no reason to be ashamed of any music you have ever loved. If it brings you joy, it must be good, play it loud and proud!
I remember being told that the black guy left because he didn't like the way all the rest of them were doing cocaine all the time.
If you look at them and think 'too much coke', it all makes sense.
Romeo - the black guy - is still with 'em!!! I drink with him in my local! They still earn a very tidy living especially in Germany....
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