Racing Cars

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Racing Cars
Origin Rhondda Valley, Wales
Genres Pop
Years active 1973 — present
Labels Chrysalis Records, Angel Air
Website Link

Racing Cars are a Welsh pop band, formed in the Rhondda Valley, Wales in 1973.[1]

Career

They were signed to one of the biggest British record labels of the time, Chrysalis Records.[2] Racing Cars's debut album yielded their only hit single with "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" It reached number fourteen in the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and was inspired by the film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Touring to promote their debut releases, Racing Cars backed Bad Company in 1976, including dates at Earls Court and the York Theatre Royal. Without any similar further chart appearances, Racing Cars ultimately acquired the dreaded one hit wonder label. However, the band was sufficiently established on the touring circuit to issue two further albums (Those albums included bit parts for the session pianist Geraint Watkins; American saxophonist Jerry Jumonville; The Bowles Brothers Band (on vocal harmonies); and, perhaps most significantly, the former Swinging Blue Jeans member, Ray Ennis). These never reached the same commercial heights, and Racing Cars split up for the first time in the late 1970s. In 1980 Morty released a solo album 'Love Blind.' In 1981 Morty joined a band called The Bleeding Hearts with musicians Paul Rosser, Bob Watkins & Dave Iles, it was suggested by Morty that they call themselves Racing Cars, as it was his name. When this band came to an end, lead vocalist Morty has sung backing vocals for artists including The Beach Boys, Tina Turner and Bryan Adams. Morty got together with local musicians and formed the Gareth Thomas Mortimer Band (GTM Band). When he eventually joined forces again with Graham Hedley Williams, Paul Rosser came back into the band and this was the start of the reformation. During their reformation, he said "We were a bit reluctant. We're a bit long in the tooth and a bit out of touch but we finally said yes." They continue to play gigs across Europe, after reforming in 2000 with a new album, Bolt From The Blue and a gig at the Cardiff International Arena. Their most recent album Second Wind was released in October 2007.[3] Racing Cars performed their last concert together on 11 April 2009 at the Parc and Dare theatre, Treorchy, though they made an appearance at the tribute concerts for Man guitarist Micky Jones in Pontardawe on 18 September 2010. They also reformed for a one-off concert 'Rock At The Park' at Merthyr Tydfil's Football ground, however these were without Simon Davies (Keyboards).

Band members

  • Graham Headley Williams (guitarist)
  • Gareth Mortimer (guitarist / lead vocalist) – aka Morty
  • Simon Davies (keyboardist and vocals)
  • Colin Griffin (drummer)
  • Chris Thomas (bassist)
  • Robert James Wilding (drummer)
  • David Land (bassist)
  • Ray 'Alice' Ennis (guitarist)
  • Paul Saurin (keyboards)
  • Paul Rosser (drummer and vocals)
  • Bob Watkins (bassist)
  • Dave Iles (guitarist)

Discography

Single

  • "They Shoot Horses Don’t They?" – (1977) – UK No. 14 / AUS No. 32

[4]

Albums

  • Downtown Tonight (1976) – (Chrysalis) – UK No. 39
  • Live in Concert (1977) – (ROIR)
  • Weekend Rendezvous (1977) – (Chrysalis)
  • Bring On the Night (1978) – (Chrysalis)
  • Bolt from the Blue (2000) – (Angel Air)
  • Second Wind (2007) – (Angel Air)

[4] [5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Racing Cars at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  2. ↑ BBC Wales mini biography
  3. ↑ Racing Cars official website
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 447. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  5. ↑ Discography for Racing Cars at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-23.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.