Matchbox (band)

Matchbox are an English rockabilly band that formed in 1971, and is still active as of 2019.

Matchbox
OriginMiddlesex
GenresRockabilly
Years active1971–present
LabelsMagnet Records
Websiterockabillyrebel.co.uk
MembersGraham Fenton
Steve Bloomfield
Jimmy Redhead
Gordon Scott
Fred Poke
Past memberssee below

Career

Matchbox were formed in Middlesex, in 1971 by Iain "Houndog" Terry (born 1950), Fred Poke (born 1948), Jimmy Redhead (born 1954) and Wiffle Smith (born 1948). After 1978, the line-up consisted of Graham Fenton (lead vocalist), Steve Bloomfield (lead guitar, vocals), Gordon Scott (rhythm guitar), Fred Poke (bass guitar) and Jimmy Redhead (drums). Redhead had left in 1973, Smith in 1977 and Lupton in 1978 to tour with Chuck Berry. Dick Callan joined Matchbox on guitar, saxophone and violin until approximately 1985, writing many of the band's B-sides. The band appeared in the 1980 film Blue Suede Shoes which detailed the revival of 1950s rock 'n' roll music scene at the time.

The band's biggest hits include "Rockabilly Rebel" (Bloomfield, 1979), "Midnite Dynamos" (Bloomfield, 1980), a cover of The Crickets' "When You Ask About Love" (their only top five hit), and "Over the Rainbow" (adapted musical song, 1980). In Australia, the band and album were dubbed Major Matchbox to prevent confusion with an Australian band of a similar name.[1] Their last single, "I Want Out" (Brian Hodgson/Ray Peters/Tony Colton, 1983) from their album, Crossed Line, was produced together with Kirsty MacColl.

In 1989, Graham Fenton put together a band with Iain Terry, Bob Burgos, Howard Gadd and Greg Gadd. They called themselves Graham Fenton's Matchbox. They recorded six albums in the early 1990s. The most popular Matchbox line-up reformed in 1995. The band have been playing live all over Europe since their comeback, especially in (Germany), France, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland and Sweden. On occasions Iain Terry and Dave Dix were used as replacements for Bloomfield and Poke.

They have recorded one album since their full 1995 reunion.

Band members
  • Line-up 1971–1975: Wiffle Smith, Iain "Houndog" Terry, Fred Poke and Jimmy Redhead
  • Line-up 1976–1977: Wiffle Smith, Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Rusty Lupton and Wild Bob Burgos
  • Line-up 1977–1978: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Bob Burgos, Rusty Lupton and Graham Fenton
  • Line-up 1978–1980: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott and Jimmy Redhead
  • Line-up 1980–1981: Steve Bloomfield, Fred Poke, Graham Fenton, Gordon Scott, Jimmy Redhead and Dick Callan
  • Line-up 1982–1985: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Brian Hodgson
  • Line-up 1985–198?: Graham Fenton, Dick Callan, Jimmy Redhead, Brian Hodgson and Gerry Hogan
  • Line-up 1995– : Graham Fenton, Steve Bloomfield, Jimmy Redhead, Gordon Scott and Fred Poke

Discography

Studio albums
Year Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS[2] FIN[3] GER[4] NZ[5] UK[6]
1976 Riders in the Sky
  • Released: August 1977 (UK)
  • Label: Charly (CR 30157)
 - - - - -
1978 Settin' the Woods on Fire
  • Released: August 1978
  • Label: Chiswick (WIK 10)
 - 20 - - -
1979 Matchbox
  • Released: November 1979
  • Label: Magnet (MAGL 5031)
  • Released in North America as Rockabilly Rebel
  • Released in Australia as Major Matchbox
 32 2 - 26 44
1980 Midnite Dynamos
  • Released: September 1980
  • Label: Magnet (MAGL 5036)
 - 4 28 - 23
1981 Flying Colours
  • Released: August 1981
  • Label: Magnet (MAGL 5042)
 - 20 - - -
1982 Crossed Line
  • Released: May 1982
  • Label: Magnet (MAGL 5052)
 - - - - -
1985 Going Down Town
  • Released: April 1985
  • Label: Magnum Force (MFLP 038)
 - - - - -
2006 Comin' Home
  • Released: 12 May 2006
  • Label: Vampirette (VAMPCD107)
 - - - - -

Live albums
Year Title Details
2010 Live – Rockin' Bristol in 1978
  • Released: 7 December 2010
  • Label: Jungle (TCB5858CD)
2015 Access All Areas
  • Released: 29 June 2015
  • Label: Edsel (AAACDVD030)
  • Includes DVD of concert
2018 Live – Rockin' Bristol in 2018 40 Years On
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: Killer Tone
  • Includes DVD of concert

Compilation albums
Year Title Details
1993 Rockabilly Rebels – 16 Classic Tracks
  • Released: 15 March 1993
  • Label: Magnet (4509 91882-2)
1994 All Time Hits
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: New Star
  • Canada-only release
2001 Four Greatest Hits
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Magnet (BOXCD02)
  • Mini-album
2003 26 Original Hits
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Mach (131/500)
2005 The Platinum Collection
  • Released: 13 January 2005
  • Label: Warner (5101 11832-2)
2014 The Magnet Records Singles Collection
  • Released: 16 June 2014
  • Label: 7T's (GLAM CDD 149)
2020 The Albums 1979-82
  • Released: 31 January 2020
  • Label: Cherry Red (QGLAMBOX174)
  • 4 CD box-set

Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
AUS[2][7][8] AUT[9] BE (FLA)[10] DEN[11] ESP[12] FIN[3] GER[13] IRE[14] NL 40[15] NL 100[16] NZ[17] SA[18] SUI[19] UK[6]
1975 "Rock 'n' Roll Band" - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1978 "Rock Rollin' Boogie" - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1979 "Black Slacks" - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Rockabilly Rebel" 12 12 - - 7 3 17 21 - - 1 - 9 18
"Buzz Buzz a Diddle It" - 17 7 - - 17 45 - 4 6 37 16 - 22
"Palisades Park" (released under the name 'Cyclone') - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1980 "Matchbox" (Germany-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Midnite Dynamos" 57 15 8 10 - 7 8 9 3 3 - - 4 14
"When You Ask About Love" 55 16 22 - - - 29 3 20 18 - - - 4
"Over the Rainbow/You Belong to Me" (medley) - - - - - - 42 23 - - - - - 15
Love Is Going Out of Fashion (France-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Back Here in Boston" (France-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1981 "Babe's in the Wood - - 25 10 15 - 44 - - 41 - - - 46
"Please Don't Touch" - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Only Wanna Rock" (Germany-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Love's Made a Fool of You" - - - - - 13 66 - - 40 - - - 63
"Angels On Sunday" 86 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I'm a Lover Man" (Japan-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Lonely Little Girl" (Japan-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1982 "One More Saturday Night" - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
"Riding The Night" - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"24 Hours" (Germany-only release) - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1983 "I Want Out" (featuring Kirsty MacColl) - - - - - - 58 - - - - - - -

References
  1. "Rockabilly Originality". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  2. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 190. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. Timo (12 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit MARM - MAT". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  6. "MATCHBOX | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  7. Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1980". Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  8. Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1982". Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  9. "Das österreichische Hitparaden- und Musik-Portal". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  10. "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". ultratop.be. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  11. "Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  12. "spanishcharts.com - Forum - I have Spanish chart archive! (General)". spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  13. "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  14. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  15. Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "Matchbox". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  16. "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  17. "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  18. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (M)". rock.co.za. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  19. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
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