Blue (Scottish band)
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Blue was a Scottish pop/rock musical band, which was formed in Glasgow in 1973.
Original band members
- Hughie Nicholson (born 30 July 1949, Rutherglen, Strathclyde, Scotland) — Guitarist / vocalist / keyboardist
- Ian MacMillan (born 1947, Paisley, Scotland) — Bass guitarist / vocalist
- Timi Donald (born 1946, Bristol, England) — Drums
Career
Formed and fronted by ex-Marmalade guitarist Nicholson, Blue signed to RSO Records and released eponymous debut album the same year. Nicholson was a member of Marmalade between 1971 and 1973, writing fifteen songs to fulfil their Decca recording contract including the hits 'Cousin Norman, Back On The road, and Radancer before he left to form Blue. He wrote the majority of Blue’s material, including their most recognised number - "Gonna Capture Your Heart". Earlier in his life, he had been a member of the 1960s Scottish rock outfit, The Poets.
Debut single "Little Jody" on RSO Records, was a turntable hit but failed to chart. It was recorded before the late Jimmy McCullough joined the band, a revised version of the it appeared on a compilation CD 'Blue 20'around 2003, and was highly praised by Radio 1 presenter John Peel attracting a certain amount of airplay,when it was originally released but did not chart. They then added another guitarist, Robert 'Smiggy' Smith (born 1946, Kiel, Germany) before recording and issuing their second LP - Life in the Navyfor RSO.
This revised line-up did not last for long, following a dispute with RSO, only MacMillan and Nicholson remained. The duo then added Charlie Smith (drummer) and David Nicholson (Bass), and it was this line-up that signed to Elton John's Rocket Records Label and scored a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart entry, and UK Singles Chart Top 40 hit[1], with "Gonna Capture Your Heart" their debut release from the 'Another Night Time Flight' album which was produced by Elton and Clive Franks. Blue were to release two other singles from the album which were turntable hits but failed to enter the top forty singles chart. They released one other album for Rocket Records 'Fools' Party'in 1979 before parting with the company and re-locating to Los Angeles, California, where they spent 3 years compiling new material and playing the local clubs like The Roxy with 'The Band'(Bob Dylan's), The Troubadour, The Palomino, Madame Wong's and the Central Club (later The Viper). Unsuccessful in securing a record contract with their new material, they returned back to the UK in 1983, shortly after Blue released the single 'Don't Wanna Make You Cry'/ 'Moonlight' on the Zuma Label (ZOOM 1). Hugh Nicholson also released 'Love You Made A Fool Of Me' (ZOOM 4), and whilst continuing to record with Ian MacMillan also wrote and produced four songs for Gary Numan 'Radio Heart' 'London Times' 'All Across The Nation and 'Like A Refugee (I Won't Cry)' All entered the UK Singles chart apart from 'Like a Refugee.'
In 2003 the remaining personnel Hugh & David Nicholson and Ian MacMillan took the then high flying boy band Blue to court. It was a high profile High Court case over the use of the band’s name. But the 1970s band Blue under extreme pressure from the judge who had opined that "it is not difficult to distinguish between the present day pop group, and the original users of the group's title". subsequently came to an agreement that they could continue to share the name.
For the Full history of Blue and current releases please visit www.ncorps.eu
Discography
Albums
- Blue - (1973) - RSO
- Life in the Navy - (1974) - RSO
- Another Night Time Flight - (1977) - (Rocket)
- Fool’s Party - (1979) - (Rocket)
- "Country Blue" - (1999) - (Record Label)
- "L.A. Sessions" (1999) - (Record Label)
- "Blue 20" (Greatest Hits, 2002?) - (Record Label)
- "Heaven Avenue" (2003?) - (Record Label)
Chart single
- "Gonna Capture Your Heart" - (1977) - No. 18 (UK); No. 88 (U.S.)