Party Day

Party Day were an English 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]

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.
Associated actsThe Danse Society, Creatures of Habit, Second Coming.
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)

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. "Party Day Indie Goth Music". Party-day.co.uk.
  2. "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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