Tony Moore (musician)

Tony Moore's background in the music industry has been eclectic and diverse. The first band he joined in 1977 was (the then unknown) Iron Maiden. A fan of progressive rock, Moore was working in the Hi-Fi department of Debenhams store in Bristol, and had just bought a small Korg synthesiser when he saw an advertisement in the Melody Maker for a keyboard player for a London band. This turned out to be Iron Maiden. He contacted Steve Harris (who shared a fondness for progressive rock), then auditioned and was invited to join the band. He moved to London to begin rehearsals. At that time members of the band all had day jobs and rehearsed once or twice a week. As this was the height of the pub rock era, their first gig with the new line-up was at a pub called The Bridgehouse in Canning Town.

In Moore's own words:[1]

The whole gig was a bit of a blur (as live performances often are). The adrenaline, the nerves, the concentration all played their part to produce a misty memory of the event.

However, I think it is right to say, everyone felt there was something fundamentally not right in what was happening. For my part, I felt that the whole show felt a little pub rock and amateurish, I didn't think that my contribution was actually enhancing the band.

In many ways it was an important bad gig. I think that, had the gig gone well, we may have struggled on with that lineup when, in hindsight, it was so obviously wrong.

The following weeks produced a sense of unrest within the band and a feeling that things were unspoken and resentments and frustrations were being suppressed just below the surface. I remember the last rehearsal I had with the group, in a railway arch midway between Elephant and Castle and Blackfriars Bridge, where things seemed strained and un-natural.

I think I realised at that point, that the band didn't really need a keyboard player. No matter how much I liked and respected Steve's dream, and passion and energy, I didn't seem to fit in.

Moore decided to leave to join Tanz Der Youth soon afterwards, as he felt keyboards did not suit the sound Iron Maiden were looking for. Iron Maiden would later evolve into a more progressive act, with keyboards featured on every album since 1988. In Tanz Der Youth, he began working with Brian James (from The Damned) releasing a single I'm Sorry on RADAR Records, touring in support for Black Sabbath and The Stranglers, before moving on to join a progressive rock band called England. In the early 1980s, he formed his own group called Radio Java and made an album at Abbey Road Studios that spawned a number-one hit single in the Netherlands, before disbanding after the label closed down.

In 1986, Moore was invited to play live keyboards with a new band called Cutting Crew who went on to have a worldwide hit with "(I Just) Died in Your Arms". For two more years he toured the world and recorded with the band, at which point he signed a solo deal with a small independent label in London. He released one single to critical acclaim (including airplay from Bob Harris) before joining forces with Argentine singer-songwriter Marie Claire D'ubaldo. He co-wrote and co-produced tracks for her debut album on Polydor, which sold over 250,000 copies worldwide.

In 2001, Moore performed his own composition, "That's My Love" in the A Song For Europe contest, hoping to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. He finished second in the competition, behind Lindsay Dracass. He had written other songs for the contest in earlier years.

In 2005, after several years concentrating on club management, Moore resumed his solo musical career and began recording his own material independently. He announced his intention to produce an album, with almost no budget, no major record company backing and only nine days to record, mix and master the final product. This resulted in a 13-track solo album entitled Perfect and Beautiful, recorded at Sphere Studios in London, released in July 2005.

In March 2006, Moore toured America, performing in Nashville, Austin, Los Angeles and New York and has continued to perform live on his return to the UK in April 2006.

More recently, Moore has been touring acoustically in pubs all over the Home Counties. He also performs regularly at The Bedford, Balham and The Regal Room in London.

Early in 2008, Moore became the regular presenter of a one-hour live show called Let's Talk Music for the Maltese television station One TV. Broadcast every Thursday night at 8.35 pm (Maltese time), it features a panel of music professionals who discuss different aspects of the music business and answer questions from the audience, together with live performances by celebrity guests. He also has a regular Thursday morning preview slot on the show One Breakfast.[2]

In October 2010, Moore was presented with a BASCA Gold Badge Award for his unique contribution to music.[3]