On This Day 19/02/1980 Uriah Heep

On this day, 19 February 1980, rock band Uriah Heep played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens. Support was provided by Girlschool. The band featured Cardiff’s John Sloman on vocals.

Ex-Lone Star John Sloman was brought in, a younger singer who played keyboards and guitar and was, in the words of Box, "an all rounder". But almost instantly, Lee Kerslake departed, after a row with Bron, whom the drummer accused of favouritism towards Hensley's material.

Several tracks of the next album had to be re-recorded with a new drummer, Chris Slade (of the Manfred Mann's Earth Band). Conquest LP was released in February 1980 (worldwide except the United States, where it was never released) and received 5 stars from Record Mirror, but, according to Box, "was a difficult album to record" and represented "a confused Heep", even "a mess" (in the words of Trevor Bolder).

The band went on the 10th Anniversary Tour with Girlschool as support and attracted respectable crowds. Hensley was very unhappy, primarily with Sloman, and he explained why:

“The band had chosen John and I had opposed that decision. He was a good musician and he looked great but I thought he had little going for him vocally. The way that he interpreted songs were totally different to the way I had written them. I could understand wanting to move on but this was like the difference between Black Sabbath and Gino Vannelli. We weren't addressing our basic problems, in that we weren't re-establishing our musical direction and John definitely wasn't helping us to do that.”

A meeting at the manager's office concerning the songwriting dissent was the last straw and, in September 1980, Hensley quit. Gregg Dechert, a Canadian who had worked with Sloman in Pulsar, came in and the band went on a 23-date tour of the UK. After recording an album's worth of unreleased material. Sloman left, citing musical differences for a reason. He would later go on to work with UFO, Gary Moore and Robert Palmer.

On This Day 17/02/1986 Aled Jones

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On this day, 17 February 1986, Welsh singer, radio and television presenter, and actor. Aled Jones played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Jones became famous for the cover version of "Walking in the Air", the song from Channel 4's animated film The Snowman, based on the book by Raymond Briggs. The record reached number five in the UK charts in 1985. Although it is often reported that Jones sang the version used in the 1982 film, that was actually performed by Peter Auty, a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy.

In June 1985, Jones was the subject of an Emmy Award–winning BBC Omnibus documentary entitled The Treble. Jones, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, was behind the Santa Claus: The Movie, original motion picture soundtrack, "Every Christmas Eve" of 1985.

Also in 1985, Jones was employed by Mike Oldfield to sing on his single "Pictures in the Dark", a three-voice song, on which he performed with Anita Hegerland and Barry Palmer, but the song did not reach the UK Top 40. In 1986, he sang the theme song for the Siriol Animation film A Winter Story. The song was a modest success, reaching number 51 in the UK Singles Chart.

In 1986, he sang the oratorio Athalia.

On This Day 05/02/1980 The Pretenders

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On this day, 5 February 1980, rock band The Pretenders played Cardiff’s Top Rank promoting their debut album released the previous month. Support was provided by UB40.

The album debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart in the week of its release and stayed there for four consecutive weeks.

Formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon in 1982 and 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.

The band's first single, a cover of the Kinks song "Stop Your Sobbing" (produced by Nick Lowe and recorded at the July Regents Park sessions) was released in January 1979 and gained critical attention. It was followed by "Kid" in June 1979. In January 1980, the band reached No. 1 in the UK with "Brass in Pocket"

Setlist

"The Wait"

Precious

"Talk of the Town"

"Cuban Slide"

"Private Life"

"Brass in Pocket"

"Stop Your Sobbing"

"I Go to Sleep"

"Space Invader"

"The Phone Call"

Kid

"Tattooed Love Boys"

"Up the Neck"

On This Day 02/01/1984 The Damned

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On this day,2 January 1984, punk pioneers The Damned played Cardiff’s New Ocean Club.

Formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist (and later guitarist) Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976),release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977) and tour the United States. Nine of the band's singles charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

In 1984, the Damned performed on the BBC Two sitcom The Young Ones with their song "Nasty", featuring new bassist Bryn Merrick (replacing Paul Gray) and both Roman Jugg and Sensible on guitar.[citation Sensible played his last concert with the band at Brockwell Park before leaving to pursue his solo career.

From the earliest days of the band, Vanian had adopted a vampire-like appearance onstage, with chalk-white makeup and formal dress. With Sensible gone, Vanian's image became more characteristic of the band as a whole.

The Damned on The Young Ones

The Damned signed a recording contract with major label MCA Records, and the Phantasmagoria album followed in July 1985, preceded by the UK No. 21 single "Grimly Fiendish". Other hits from the same album were "The Shadow of Love" with a gloomy gothic sound, and the lighter "Is It a Dream?"

The Damned at the New Ocean ClubPhotos: Anthony Tooze

Setlist

There Ain't No Sanity Clause

Disco Man

Ignite

Stranger on the Town

Wait for the Blackout

Do the Blitz

Melody Lee

Born to Kill

Love Song

Neat Neat Neat

Looking at You

(MC5 cover)

New Rose

Encore:

Smash It Up

Noise Noise Noise

Hippy Hippy Shake

(Chan Romero cover)

Encore 2:

We Love You

(The Rolling Stones cover)

1970

(The Stooges cover)

Encore 3:

Happy Talk

(Rodgers & Hammerstein cover)

Love Song

I Just Can't Be Happy Today

On This Day 21/12/1983 Tina Turner

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On this day, 21 December 1983, singing legend Tina Turner played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

In November 1983, Tina released her cover of Al Green's “Let’s Stay Together ", with Capitol. The record became a hit, reaching several European charts, including a top 10 placement in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Turner's first solo entry into the U.S. charts. It also peaked at the top ten of the Hot Dance Club Songs and Hot Black Singles charts.

The success of the song forced Capitol to rethink its contract with Turner, offering the singer a three album deal, demanding an album on short notice, which had Turner staging what Ebony magazine later called an "amazing comeback." Recorded in two months in London, the album “Private Dancer” was released in June 1984.

Turner sold more than 100 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She received 12 Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and three Grammy Hall of Fame inductions. She was the first black artist and first woman to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Rolling Stone ranked her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Turner has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She was also a 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Women of the Year award. During her lifetime, she earned an estimated $250 million.

Band
Annie Behringer - Singer and Dancer
Lejeune Richardson - Singer and Dancer
Jack Bruno - Drums
Bob Feit – Bass
Kenny Moore – Piano
Chuck O'Steen - Keyboard
James Ralston – Guitar

On This Day 20/12/1988 The Proclaimers

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On this day, 20 December 1988, Scottish duo The Proclaimers played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. The band had just released their second album Sunshine on Leith.

Sunshine on Leith marked a departure from the minimalist acoustics of the group's 1987 debut This Is the Story, toward a rock-oriented full band sound, backed by members of the Fairport Convention and Dexys Midnight Runners.

Review - South Wales Echo

The album's sound draws heavily from American music, such as country and 1950s rock and roll, with homages to the duo's own Scottish culture. The album was a major worldwide hit, particularly in Australia where it was described as the band's "biggest success", reaching No. 2 in the ARIA Charts and being 1989's 12th highest-seller.

The album peaked at No. 3 and No. 6 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom respectively, while also charting in Canada and Sweden, ultimately selling over 2 million copies worldwide, including over 700,000 in the USA.

On This Day 29/11/1984 Swans Way

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On this day, 29 November 1984, Birmingham pop band Swans Way played Cardiff’s Bogiez Rock Club.

The band comprised Robert Shaw (vocals), Maggie De Monde (vocals and percussion) and Rick P. Jones (double bass). They released one album and had a UK Top 20 hit with "Soul Train", before splitting up in 1985.

Swans Way presented a mixture of musical influences, from jazz to classical and pop to disco. After an appearance on the cassette magazine SFX in May 1982, their first single, "Theme from the Balcony" was issued later that year.

Their second single, "Soul Train", gave them their first hit, reaching number 20 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1984. The band subsequently appeared on BBC One's Top of the Pops performing the song on 9 February 1984.

They also released further singles, with varying success. "The Anchor", in March 1984, did not chart, whilst "Illuminations" made number 57 in May 1984, and their third and final hit, "When The Wild Calls", peaked outside the Top 75 at number 80.

The group recorded an album, The Fugitive Kind, which reached number 88 on the UK Albums Chart in November 1984.

The album was issued on CD, but only about 100 copies were pressed. It was re-released on CD in 1997 with extra tracks as The Best of Swans Way and again in 2012 with a different set of bonus tracks under the title of The Fugitive Kind - Expanded Edition.

On This Day 24/11/1989 Clannad

On this day, 24 November 1989, Irish band Clannad played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. The band were about to release their 13th studio album The Angel and the Soldier Boy.

Formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings Ciarán, Pól and Moya Ui Bhraonáin (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin (Duggan).

They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginning as an acoustic folk group mainly performing rearranged traditional Irish songs in Irish, they expanded their sound with original songs in English, vocal harmonies, electronic keyboards, and elements of rock, Celtic, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant.

Initially known as Clann as Dobhar ('Family from Dore') they shortened their name to Clannad in 1973. By 1979 they had released three albums and toured Europe and the US. From 1980 to 1982 they operated as a six-piece with their sister and niece Eithne (Enya). In 1982 they gained international attention with their single "Theme from Harry's Game".

In 1989, Pól Brennan left Clannad to work with Peter Gabriel as a producer for the WOMAD arts festival and as an acoustic specialist. The band continued as a four-piece and wrote, arranged and recorded their next album, Anam (Soul), in under three months, with Ciarán Brennan becoming their producer and primary songwriter.