On This Day 18/05/1982 Altered Images

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On this day, 18 May 1982, Scottish pop band Altered Images played Cardiff’s Top Rank. The band had just released their second album Pinky Blue.

The album reached No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart, while the singles charted well, with "I Could Be Happy" peaking at No. 7, "See Those Eyes" at No. 11 and "Pinky Blue" at No. 35 on the official singles chart. This was to be their highest placed album in the charts

Their hits included "Happy Birthday", "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Don't Talk to Me About Love". mainstream pop music, having six UK top 40 hit singles and three top 30 albums between 1981 and 1983. Their hits included "Happy Birthday", "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Don't Talk to Me About Love".

Former schoolmates in Glasgow with a shared interest in the UK post-punk scene, Clare Grogan (vocals), Gerard "Caesar" McInulty (guitar), Michael "Tich" Anderson (drums), Tony McDaid (guitar), and Johnny McElhone (bass guitar), were all members of the Siouxsie and the Banshees official fan club.

When they learnt the Banshees were going to play in Scotland, they sent a demo tape to Billy Chainsaw, who managed the official Siouxsie fan club, with a note asking "can we support them on tour?" The Banshees gave the band a support slot on their Kaleidoscope British tour of 1980. Altered Images's name referred to a sleeve design on the Buzzcocks' single "Promises", and was inspired by Buzzcocks vocalist Pete Shelley's constant interfering with the initial sleeve designs.

Prior to finding fame with Altered Images, she had appeared in the 1981 film Gregory's Girl.
Bassist Johnny McElhone went on to perform with Hipsway and eventually Texas.

On This Day 20/05/2009 Here And Now - Best Of The Eighties - Tour

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On this day, 20 May 2009, the Here And Now tour came to the Capital performing at the Cardiff International Arena.

The tour consisted of seven dates in the UK. Originally the tour would have had Boy George as headliner, but after he was sentenced to prison earlier in the year, he was replaced by Rick Astley.

Other acts included in the line-up were, Kim Wilde, Nathan Moore (from Brother Beyond), Hazel O'Connor, Altered Images, Howard Jones and Kid Creole & the Coconuts.

Set list and running order

Nathan Moore -

He Ain't No Competition

Be My Twin

The Harder I Try

Hazel O'Connor -

D-Days

Will You

Eighth Day

Kid Creole & the Coconuts -

Stool Pigeon

I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby

Annie I'm Not Your Daddy

Altered Images -

I Could Be Happy

See Those Eyes

Don't Talk To Me About Love

Happy Birthday

Howard Jones -

Pearl in the Shell

Things Can Only Get Better

Hide and Seek

Like to Get to Know You Well

What Is Love?

New Song

Kim Wilde -

Never Trust a Stranger

Cambodia

If I Can't Have You

Another Step (Closer to You)

Chequered Love

You Came

You Keep Me Hangin' On

Kids in America

Rick Astley -

Together Forever

She Wants to Dance With Me

When I Fall in Love

Take Me to Your Heart

Cry for Help

Whenever You Need Somebody

Never Gonna Give You Up

On This Day 18/05/1982 Altered Images

Images may be subject to copyright

On this day, 18 May 1982, new wave/post punk band Altered Images played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Former schoolmates with a shared interest in the UK post-punk scene, Clare Grogan (vocals), Gerard "Caesar" McInulty (guitar), Michael "Tich" Anderson (drums), Tony McDaid (guitar), and Johnny McElhone (bass guitar), were all members of the Siouxsie and the Banshees official fan club.

When they learnt the Banshees were going to play in Scotland, they sent a demo tape to Billy Chainsaw, who managed the official Siouxsie fan club, with a note asking "can we support them on tour?". The Banshees gave the band a support slot on their Kaleidoscope British tour of 1980.

Altered Images's name referred to a sleeve design on the Buzzcocks' single "Promises", and was inspired by Buzzcocks vocalist Pete Shelley's constant interfering with the initial sleeve designs.

With additional guitarist Jim McKinven (formerly of Berlin Blondes), they recorded their debut album, Happy Birthday (1981), largely produced by Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

The band also worked briefly with producer Martin Rushent for the title track, which became the band's third single and their biggest hit.

The song reached number 2 in the UK (for three weeks) in October 1981, catapulting the band to fame. They quickly became established as a major new wave act, and were subsequently voted Best New Group at the NME Awards and Most Promising New Act in the 1981 Smash Hits readers poll.

After a successful headlining tour, the band retained Rushent as their producer and released their second album, Pinky Blue, in May 1982. It reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart and provided three more top-40 hit singles with "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and the title track, but was perceived as a disappointment by the British press.

"I Could Be Happy" was the group's only foray onto the US charts, with the single peaking at number 45 on the Billboard Dance Chart.