The Magnets
Musical Genre/Type: Electronic
Formed: 1984
25/05/84
The Magnets
Select Elect
Tamworth Arts Centre
26/04/85
Breaking Point
The Sway
The Magnets
Tamworth Arts Centre
30/06/85
Breaking Point
The Magnets
Tamworth Herald – 18/05/84
The Magnets (Formerly Those Attractive Magnets) will be returning to the Tamworth music scene with a vengeance next week when they are headlining at the Arts Centre (see next week’s Musicbox). In the meantime in an effort to show how the band is changing they have this week launched an appeal for a guitarist (preferably who can play keyboards) to join the line-up. If you like the idea but would like to see the band in action first, they will be at the Arts Centre on Friday, May 25. More details from any of the band members via the Tavern in the Town pub.
Tamworth Herald – 25/05/84
Band box full of tricks…
TAMWORTH Arts Centre will be under the spotlight again over the weekend when it plays host to two of the most intriguing gigs in the town for many months.
Tonight sees the welcome return to the town stage of The Magnets who will be playing with enterprising young synth duo Select Elect. And just 24 hours later the hard working Sitting Pretty will be joined by new outfit Love On Board who will be making their first town centre appearance.
Tonight’s concert will be particularly interesting for it will be the first time the immensely popular Magnets will be playing live since reducing their line-up – and their name.
Rikk Quay has left, the words Those Attractive have been dropped from the moniker, and The Magnets are now a totally different proposition.
The once-familiar backing tracks have been dropped and the band are now going to play their new-look set totally live.
As an indication of what the listener can expect, the band have just released a new two-track demo recorded recently at Steve Adams’ studio.
Both songs reveal a new depth and commercial aspect to the Magnets’ sound and both – particularly the magnificent ‘Breath On Breath’ – show that the band has been given a whole new lease of life and should soon be chasing once again the crown as the town’s top band.
Alongside the Magnets will be kindred spirits Select Elect, a band whose confidence and enthusiasm has never faltered since their first impressive gig last November.
Good reaction
The band whose music sounds at times like early Human league, now have several more songs at their disposal and with the right mix and a good reaction from the crowd, Select Elect can do their career a power of good by turning in an entertaining set tonight.
Another band who will be keen to win over the town’s audiences are the new quartet Love On Board who are literally bursting with anticipation to play at the Arts Centre.
The group, who had to delay their debut concert when guitarist Nick Read was involved in a serious road crash earlier this year, have already won a local talent contest although they see Saturday’s gig as their first real test in Tamworth terms.
“We are hoping that Tamworth will like what we have to offer and we are very keen to see how we go down on Saturday,” said Nick.
The band who were recently strengthened by the addition of the energetic Glenn Lewis on bass, say their sound is similar in parts to modern pop outfit Orange Juice and Friends Again.
It is certainly a sound that will never have been heard in Tamworth before and for that reason alone, Love On Board are guaranteed a captive audience.
Also guaranteed an enthralled audience are Sitting Pretty. The band who are now coming under close scrutiny from the record companies, should be releasing their debut single in a couple of weeks and Tamworth fans will be able to hear the contents in their live form by popping along to see the group in action tomorrow.
The weekend’s gigs conclude four such events in the space of just three days. At one time it would have seemed impossible in a place like Tamworth and shows just how the town scene has improved over the past few months.
All it will take is two big audiences at these gigs (which both start at 8pm) to confirm that the Tamworth scene is now healthier than it has ever been.
Sam Holliday
Tamworth Herald – 08/06/84
The Magnets/Select Elect – Tamworth Arts Centre
ALTHOUGH ON a national basis synth music seems to be very much in decline, in Tamworth at least there are still bands trying to make mileage and careers out of much-heralded ‘techno-revolution’.
Of these bands, The Magnets and Select Elect are probably the best known – but judging by the smattering of empty seats at the Arts Centre it seems as if even these groups are finding it difficult to convince would-be gig-goers that the musical statement they are trying to make is still a valid one.
Fans seem to have turned their back on this style of music over the past few months which is a shame as both The Magnets and Select Elect have a lot to offer.
The Magnets particularly come over as a band who, if given the right break, could be very big indeed. With Rikk Quay no longer part of the set-up the band have decided to completely change direction – but have managed to stay on the right road.
Their new material seemed as strong as any from the past and certainly seems less simplistic and straightforward than more traditional Magnet creations.
The rather seductive ‘Breath On Breath’ is a notable highlight where Andy’s vocals add an attractive sideline to a very well written and spacious tune.
Even better was the group’s last composition – an off-the cuff epic-length track which built up gradually and ended on a musical and vocal crescendo unlike anything the band has previously produced. It rounded off their short set nicely and convinced any doubters in the audience that the Magnets are back fresher and more committed than ever.
After a short break, headliners Select Elect took to the stage and delivered their longest set to date. Having seen the band several times, I had a general idea of what they would be like but they still turned in a few surprises. Foremost among these was the sudden appearance of female bassist Joanne Caloon who played in one of the band’s newest and more subtle numbers.
It turned out to be easily the best number Select Elect played all night because whereas the rest of their numbers are a little predictable, the dual guitars used added an extra dimension and point of interest to their set.
The band clearly still have a long way to go but now they are experimenting with new instruments and new ideas, things should soon start to move for them.
For both acts the next few months could be crucial so we must hope that local people will start returning to see synth-orientated music to give this always interesting musical style the sort of reaction it deserves.
SH
Tamworth Herald – 29/06/84
SIMON Hewin, the former Ethis and Anti-Dote guitarist has joined The Magnets in an attempt to change the band’s emphasis on a totally keyboard sound. Simon, best known for his work with Rupert Dale and Gary Preece in the Anti-Dote, will be playing live with the band later in the summer.
Tamworth Herald – 05/04/85
As one old band dies, another old one looks set to spring up again. The Magnets, who have had a voluntary exile for several months are looking to get things moving again, as is their former keyboard player Rikk Quay whose band The Sway play their first gig at JB’s Dudley on Tuesday April 16.
Tamworth Herald – 19/04/85
 I CAN STILL remember the first time I heard Breaking Point’s debut demo. It had me recharged with belief and hope for Tamworth’s music scene and I felt the whole town should go and buy the tape. And I feel exactly the same about this demo.
Quite simply, it is magnificent and is so full of potential that you can just sense the imminent arrival of something very big indeed. What makes it so good is the sheer tour-de-force of the music.
Jealous cynics often dismiss Wolfsbane as tarted-up rock parodies but on this tape all you get is the sheer guts of their rock and roll which is spellbinding.
It leaps out of the cassette deck and grabs you by the neck and rubs your nose in the splendid power of their sound.
Take ‘G.S.B’ a catchy chorus, a Hanoi Rocks guitar line, a thumping melody and a wonderful middle section – just four reasons why ‘G.S.B.’ means great stuff boys to my ears.
Entertaining
“Manhunt” and “The Followers” are also powerful, dynamic and entertaining but the best of all is the rousing “Clutching at Straws”. Here vocalist Blaze Bayley sings with an emotion most ‘rock’ singers would be too embarrassed to attempt.
Throw in another catchy tune (a Wolfsbane hallmark) and best of all a tear-jerking Jase the Ace guitar solo and you have a masterpiece to be put alongside “Ode to Nicholas Romanov”, “Wine and Roses”, “A Kind of Loving” and “Silent World” is the best ever vocal song section.
The excitement I feel about this tape is boundless. Wolfsbane have the live presence, the image and the charisma to go a long way. Now they have the tape to set them off. Put me on the guest list for the Birmingham Odeon lads!
SAM HOLLIDAY
If you have any further information about this band please email: info@tamworthbands.com |
HOME