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Party Day
OriginWombwell, Barnsley, West Yorkshire, England
GenresGothic rock, indie rock, post-punk
Years active1982–1988
LabelsParty Day Records, Rouska Records, PIAS Recordings (Play it Again Sam Records), Torment Records, Strobelight Records.
Past membersMick Baker - drums (1982–1988)
Martin Steele - guitar, vocals (1982–1985)
Carl Firth - bass, vocals (1982–1986)
Greg Firth - guitar (1982–1983)
Dean Peckett - guitar, vocals (1985–1988)
Paul Nash - guitar, vocals (1986–1988)
Shaun Crowcroft - bass (1986–1988)

Party Day were a goth/indie rock band formed in 1982 in Wombwell near Barnsley, West Yorkshire, England, originally a four-piece consisting of guitarists Martin Steele, Greg Firth, bassist Carl Firth and drummer, Mick Baker.[1] Their sound was described as being "hard knuckleduster goth with post-punk overtones".[2]

History

The band were formerly called 'Further Experiments' (1979–81)[1] but regrouped as Party Day in 1982. They released their first single, "Row the Boat Ashore" c/w "Poison" on their own label, Party Day Records in 1983,[1] and was well reviewed - "their simpering and delightful sound is a thing of beauty".[3]

Their second single, "The Spider" was described as "Excellent punk junk howl"[4] and was played on John Peel's BBC Radio 1.[5] We shall hopefully continue to see them rip up the roots of this bland desolate music industry.[6]

Much of Party Day's music was "very melancholic at heart but with a drop of venomous punk inside",[2] and as with their second album, Simplicity, their music stayed with you - "the attractive, though slightly over-wrought black sheep, "Glorious Days", which could have brought a lump to Mario Lanza's trousers."[7]

Party Day released Rabbit Pie on the compilation Giraffe in Flames Aaz Records[1] to worthy acclaim. "Highlight though is Party Day's effort, a meaty guitar based number, Rabbit Pie. The threesome are coming on by leaps and bounds and Giraffe in Flames is worth buying just for them."[8]

They had a strong following in Yorkshire, and were credited as being part of both the local scenes of Sheffield [9] and Leeds "No strangers to the local circuit, Party Day have gigged consistently for almost a year".[10]

After the first album, Glasshouse[1] there was a change in personnel with Martin leaving due to ill-health.[1] Other members came in, but by 1988 they broke up after abandoning their unfinished third album.[1]

Party Day were exciting to watch live; Sounds said "They roar along, driven by a good old-fashioned pumping drum-kit, and every so often one of those elusive moving chord-sequences falls into place, leaving you completely startled"[11] and also in the NME, "They hold their guitars like loaded AK47's. They throb".[12]

For Party Day, great success and major exposure were always just a step away.[13]

Since their demise there has been quite an interest in the band. They were included within Mick Mercer's book Gothic Rock: All you ever wanted to know but were too afraid to ask, published by Pegasus 1991 (UK) ISBN 1-873892-01-2 and Cleopatra Records 1993 (USA).

Their song "Atoms" has been included on a couple of later but favourable Gothic compilations, most notable with Germany's Strobelight Records.[1] And still today, their songs can be found aired on the gothic club dance floors of Europe.[14][15]

Discography

Singles

  • "Row The Boat Ashore" c/w "Poison" (1983, Party Day Records)
  • "Spider" c/w "Flies" (1984, Party Day Records)

EPs

  • "Glasshouse EP" (1985, Rouska Records)

Albums

  • Glasshouse (1985, Party Day Records)
  • Simplicity (1986, Party Day Records)

Compilations

  • "Party Day" on Real Time 5 (1983, Unlikely Records [cassette])
  • "Rabbit Pie" on Giraffe in Flames (1984, Aaz records [12" vinyl])
  • "Rabbit Pie" on Band-It No. 14 (1984, [cassette magazine])
  • "Athena" on Four Your Ears Only (1984, Play it Again Sam [12" vinyl])
  • "Opium Gathering" on Raw Red Heat (1984, Flame Tapes [cassette])
  • "Spider" on Raging Sun (1985, Rouska Records [12" vinyl])
  • "Borderline" on Bites and Stabs (1985, Torment Records [12" vinyl])
  • "Let Us Shine" on Torn in Two (1986, Torment Records)
  • "Let us Shine" on Zarah Leander's Greatest Hits (1987, Rouska Records [CD])
  • "Atoms" on Strobelights Vol.3 2006 Strobelight Records [CD])
  • "Atoms" on Return of the Batcave - Vol. 1 (2008, internet only [CD])

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Party Day Indie Goth Music". Party-day.co.uk.
  2. ^ a b "Invisible Guy". Webcache.googleusercontent.com.
  3. ^ Zigzag Magazine, singles review, July 1983
  4. ^ Tibet, Sounds, 19 May 1984
  5. ^ "The Perfumed Garden: John Peel - 2nd July 1984". Theperfumedgarden.blogspot.com. 16 December 2014.
  6. ^ Richard Rouska, Rouska Magazine, 1984
  7. ^ Mick Mercer, Melody Maker, album reviews, 12 July 1986
  8. ^ Martin Lilleker, The Star (Sheffield), album review, 11 February 1984
  9. ^ "Killfromtheheart.com". 77.killfromtheheart.com.
  10. ^ NEM. Leeds Other Paper, 27 January 1984
  11. ^ Mr Spencer, Sounds, 19 May 1984
  12. ^ Susan Williams (aka Seething Wells), NME, 3 March 1984
  13. ^ Granuaile, ZigZag Magazine, February 1986
  14. ^ "DJ Martin Oldgoth, The Last Cry 30th Anniversary, July 2015 (Brighton)" (PDF). Party-day.co.uk.
  15. ^ DJ Dragnet, League Of Extraordinary Dj’s Setlist, Nov 2016 (Amsterdam)
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