On This Day 26/11/1993 Little Angels

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On this day, 26 November 1993, rock band Little Angels played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Little Angels formed in Scarborough, England in May 1984, under the name of Zeus and then to Mr Thrud in September 1985, settling on Little Angels during recording of the Too Posh to Mosh mini-album at Fairview Studios, Willerby, Hull in 1987.

Little Angels were successful in the UK with four best selling albums, including a number 1 in the UK Albums Chart in 1993 with Jam, plus 11 hit singles. They enjoyed a high profile in the UK, supporting Van Halen and Bon Jovi, amongst others. In an act of generosity Van Halen gave the band their entire backline for free at the end of the UK tour.

Setlist

She's a Little Angel

The Way That I Live

Don't Confuse Sex With Love

That's My Kinda Life

Womankind

Product of the Working Class

Sail Away

(Acoustic)

No Solution

Eyes Wide Open

Kicking Up Dust

Young Gods (Stand Up, Stand Up)

Forbidden Fruit

I Was Not Wrong

Too Much Too Young

Encore:

Boneyard

The Wildside of Life

Sharp Dressed Man

(ZZ Top cover)

On This Day 25/11/1997 M People

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On this day, 25 November 1997, dance band M People played their second night at Cardiff International Arena on their Fresco tour with support provided by Andrew Roachford.

The band had just released their fourth studio album Fresco. It includes the Top 10 singles "Just for You" and "Angel St", the single "Fantasy Island", and a cover version of the Roxy Music song "Avalon". The album reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart, and was supported by a large UK arena tour. The tour confirmed M People as one of the UK's most successful live acts of the 1990s.

Fresco became M People's last studio album to date as the group has not released any new material since. Various hit collections followed as well as two solo albums from lead singer Heather Small. By the end of 1998, Fresco had sold over 750,000 copies in the UK.

Review - Amanda Baillie - South Wales Echo

Setlist

One Night in Heaven

Excited

How Can I Love You More?

Sight for Sore Eyes

Search for the Hero

Just for You

Fantasy Island

Never Mind Love

Smile

Red Flower Sunset

Angel St

Avalon

On This Day 24/11/1989 Clannad

On this day, 24 November 1989, Irish band Clannad played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. The band were about to release their 13th studio album The Angel and the Soldier Boy.

Formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings Ciarán, Pól and Moya Ui Bhraonáin (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin (Duggan).

They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginning as an acoustic folk group mainly performing rearranged traditional Irish songs in Irish, they expanded their sound with original songs in English, vocal harmonies, electronic keyboards, and elements of rock, Celtic, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant.

Initially known as Clann as Dobhar ('Family from Dore') they shortened their name to Clannad in 1973. By 1979 they had released three albums and toured Europe and the US. From 1980 to 1982 they operated as a six-piece with their sister and niece Eithne (Enya). In 1982 they gained international attention with their single "Theme from Harry's Game".

In 1989, Pól Brennan left Clannad to work with Peter Gabriel as a producer for the WOMAD arts festival and as an acoustic specialist. The band continued as a four-piece and wrote, arranged and recorded their next album, Anam (Soul), in under three months, with Ciarán Brennan becoming their producer and primary songwriter.

On This Day 23/11/1988 The Snapdragons

On this day, 23 November 1988, alternative rock band The Snapdragons played Cardiff’s Square Club.

The band signed to Native Records, who released their first single, "The Things You Want", in 1988, and in February that year they recorded a session for Simon Mayo's BBC Radio 1 show.

"The Things You Want" was included on Volume VI of the Indie Top 20 series of albums (and later on Cherry Red Records' C88 compilation). The band's debut album, Dawn Raids on Morality, was produced by Pat Collier and released in 1989.

In 1989, they also recorded a session for the BBC Radio 1 DJ, John Peel. The band toured the UK and supported other Native Records acts, such as The Darling Buds and Richard Hawley's debut band, Treebound Story.

The band were amongst indie bands tipped to do well in 1990, alongside James, The Family Cat, Asia Fields and The Wood Children.However inconsistent performances by the band, and the departure of John Sullivan and later "Spike" Mullings, hindered the band's ability to reach a wider audience.

On This Day 22/11/1989 Bob Mould

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On this day, 22 November 1989 American musician Bob Mould principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for alternative rock band Hüsker Dü, played Cardiff University.

The band dissolved after a show in Columbia, Missouri, on the band's 1987 tour. Grant Hart was trying to quit heroin using a supply of methadone, but the bottle had leaked. Hart still played the show, but Mould and Greg Norton were concerned he would be unable to play the remaining shows due to withdrawal.

While Hart insisted he could perform, Mould had already canceled the remaining dates. Hart quit the band four days later. Mould has said that the breakup was about "three people going their separate ways," referring to Hart's drug use and new relationship, Norton's recent marriage and new business, and Mould himself having just quit a lifelong drinking habit. Mould decided to officially end the band on January 26, 1988 during a discussion at Hart's parents' home.

Review - Adrian Colley - South Wales Echo

After Hüsker Dü broke up in 1988, Mould sequestered himself in a remote farmhouse in Pine City, Minnesota,having quit drinking and drugs, and wrote the songs that would make up his first solo album.

Signing to the newly formed Virgin Records America label, 1989's Workbook eschewed Mould's trademark wall-of-noise guitar for a lighter tone. Drummer Anton Fier (of The Feelies and later The Golden Palominos) and bassist Tony Maimone (of Pere Ubu) served as Mould's rhythm section.

The album peaked at number 127 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the single "See a Little Light" reached number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

On This Day 21/11/1989 Rik Mayall

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On this day, 21 November 1989, actor, comedian and writer Rik Mayall played Cardiff’s St David’s on his Ton Up tour. Support was provided by Andy De La Tour.

He formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and was a pioneer of alternative comedy in the 1980s.

Mayall starred in numerous successful comedy series throughout his career, including The Young Ones (1982–1984), The Comic Strip Presents... (1983–2012), Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987), The New Statesman (1987–1994), and man more.

Review - Steve Duffy - South Wales Echo

In the 1986, Mayall had a No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart, when he and his co-stars from The Young Ones teamed with Cliff Richard to record "Living Doll" for the inaugural Comic Relief campaign.

Mayall played Rick one last time in the Comic Relief stage-show and supported the Comic Relief cause for the rest of his life.

In the early 1990s, Mayall starred in humorous adverts for Nintendo games and consoles. With money from the ads, he bought his house in London which he called "Nintendo Towers".

On This Day 20/11/1988 Salt-N-Pepa

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On this day, 20 November 1988, American hip hop rap group Salt-N-Pepa played Cardiff University. The group had just released their second studio album A Salt with a Deadly Pepa.

The album spawned three singles, the top-10 R&B entry "Shake Your Thang"; the top-20 R&B entry "Get Up Everybody (Get Up)"; and "Twist and Shout", which peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart. The album's title is a play on "assault with a deadly weapon".

Formed in New York City in 1985, they comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper).

Their debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986), sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making them the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The album included the single, "Push It", which was released in 1987 as the B-side to their single "Tramp", and peaked within the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On This Day 19/11/1972 Wizzard

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On this day, 19 November 1972, Glam Rock band Wizzard played Cardiff’s Top Rank. The band had just released their first single Ball Park Incident which reached No 6 in the UK singles chart.

Leader Roy Wood had left ELO, taking band members Bill Hunt (keyboards and french horn) and Hugh McDowell (cello) with him, as well as ELO's sound engineer, Trevor Smith. Despite press reporting a fallout between Wood and co-founder/leader Jeff Lynne, Wood denies that he and Lynne ever had a real row, blaming it on press fabrication and insisting that "We never had a real row and we're still mates now." In fact, Wood claimed that he left the group because he foresaw a fallout between him and Lynne due to their increasing differences of opinion (which he felt were caused, indirectly, by the band's management) and wanted to avoid it.

The band made their live debut at The London Rock and Roll Show at Wembley Stadium on 5 August 1972. Wizzard's second appearance was at the Reading Festival later that month. With Wood's distinctive warpaint make-up and colourful costume, not to mention regular appearances on BBC Television's Top of the Pops in which members and friends, including Wood's girl friend, singer Ayshea Brough, variously appeared in pantomime horses, gorilla costumes or as roller-skating angels, often wielding custard pies for good measure, Wizzard were one of the most picturesque groups of the British glam rock era.

In 1972 they scored their first Top 10 hit with "Ball Park Incident", which made No. 6 for three weeks from 13 January. Their biggest hit was with their second single. "See My Baby Jive", Wood's faithful and affectionate tribute to the Phil Spector-generated 'Wall of Sound', made No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It sold over one million copies globally, and was awarded gold disc status. The follow-up, "Angel Fingers", also topped the charts for one week. Wizzard's songs often included lengthy instrumental improvisations.