Any Trouble
Encyclopedia
Any Trouble are a British
rock
band, originating from Crewe
, England
, best known for the early 1980s recordings.
, Chris Parks and Tom Jackson. Soon after, Mel Harley and Phil Barnes completed the line up. After Tom Jackson left, the band was fronted by Clive Gregson. The remaining four were the first Any Trouble line-up to record.
and their first release Where Are All The Nice Girls was perhaps their most successful. The album was produced by John Wood
(Fairport Convention etc.) and the band gained instant notoriety for gaining a Melody Maker
front cover with a gushing article by Allan Jones
. In some ways the band's career never recovered from this early rush of success and Gregson's singing was unfairly compared to that of Elvis Costello
.
Wrong End of The Race) but even the might of EMI
could not bring the band success.
After a solo album of his own Gregson joined Richard Thompson's road band for a time before continuing an extended solo career. Andy Ebsworth was one of the members of Ryder
, the purpose-made pop group which represented the United Kingdom at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest
.
, Chris Parks and Martin Hughes, plus Mark Griffiths
on bass, re-formed to record a new album which was released on the re-born Stiff Records label on 10 September 2007. The album was titled Life in Reverse and featured thirteen new Gregson songs. It was produced by John Wood, and had unique artwork by the Stiff Records designer Tobbe Stuhre. The band played a reunion gig at the Jazz Cafe in London to celebrate the release.
SINGLES
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, originating from Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, best known for the early 1980s recordings.
Early days
Founding members were Clive GregsonClive Gregson
Clive Gregson is an English singer/songwriter, musician and record producer. He has toured in bands, provided backup for well-known musicians, and written songs that have been covered by Kim Carnes, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith.-Solo:At the end of 1984 Gregson released his first solo record,...
, Chris Parks and Tom Jackson. Soon after, Mel Harley and Phil Barnes completed the line up. After Tom Jackson left, the band was fronted by Clive Gregson. The remaining four were the first Any Trouble line-up to record.
Signed to Stiff Records
Any Trouble signed to Stiff RecordsStiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
and their first release Where Are All The Nice Girls was perhaps their most successful. The album was produced by John Wood
John Wood (music producer)
John Wood is an English sound engineer and producer, best known for his work with Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Cat Stevens, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, the Incredible String Band, Pink Floyd, Nico and Squeeze.-Career:...
(Fairport Convention etc.) and the band gained instant notoriety for gaining a Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
front cover with a gushing article by Allan Jones
Allan Jones (editor)
Allan Jones is a British music journalist and editor.Following graduation, Jones took a job in the stock room of Hatchards on Piccadilly. While there he applied for a writing opening at the rock weekly Melody Maker with a letter that concluded, "Melody Maker needs a bullet up its arse. I’m the gun...
. In some ways the band's career never recovered from this early rush of success and Gregson's singing was unfairly compared to that of Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
.
Move to EMI America
Endless touring and the release of a second album Wheels In Motion produced by Mike Howlett (and with Martin Hughes replacing Mel Harley on drums), nevertheless did not further their status and, by 1984, the band had moved to EMI America after exiting Stiff. By now the line-up consisted of original members Gregson and Barnes with the addition of Andy Ebsworth on drums and Steve Gurl on keyboards. Two albums followed (including the double albumDouble album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
Wrong End of The Race) but even the might of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
could not bring the band success.
After a solo album of his own Gregson joined Richard Thompson's road band for a time before continuing an extended solo career. Andy Ebsworth was one of the members of Ryder
Ryder (band)
Ryder was a purpose-made pop group led by Maynard Williams whose primary purpose was to represent the United Kingdom at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest in Bergen, Norway. Ryder performed the song "Runner in the Night" which was placed 7th. They were criticised in the media for being a particularly...
, the purpose-made pop group which represented the United Kingdom at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1986
The Eurovision Song Contest 1986 was the 31st Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 3 May 1986 in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway. It was the first occasion on which Norway played host to the contest...
.
Re-formation
In 2007, following the re-release of several Any Trouble albums on CD, Clive GregsonClive Gregson
Clive Gregson is an English singer/songwriter, musician and record producer. He has toured in bands, provided backup for well-known musicians, and written songs that have been covered by Kim Carnes, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith.-Solo:At the end of 1984 Gregson released his first solo record,...
, Chris Parks and Martin Hughes, plus Mark Griffiths
Mark Griffiths
Mark Griffiths is a British musician famous for touring with Neil Innes in his touring ensemble of the fictional Beatles parody The Rutles where he performs Rutles songs and other songs from his career such as his songs from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. He also plays with Cliff Richard's backing...
on bass, re-formed to record a new album which was released on the re-born Stiff Records label on 10 September 2007. The album was titled Life in Reverse and featured thirteen new Gregson songs. It was produced by John Wood, and had unique artwork by the Stiff Records designer Tobbe Stuhre. The band played a reunion gig at the Jazz Cafe in London to celebrate the release.
Band members
- Clive GregsonClive GregsonClive Gregson is an English singer/songwriter, musician and record producer. He has toured in bands, provided backup for well-known musicians, and written songs that have been covered by Kim Carnes, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith.-Solo:At the end of 1984 Gregson released his first solo record,...
(Vocals/Guitar) - Chris Parks (Guitar)
- Tom Jackson
- Mel Harley (Drums)
- Phil Barnes (Bass)
- Martin Hughes (Drums)
- Steve Gurl (Keyboards)
- Andy Ebsworth (drums)
Where are they now
- Clive Gregson is still a full time musician, working in AmericaUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Chris Parks is now working in the UK as a music software developer
- Tom Jackson went into social work. Worked again with Gregson in The Oatcake Brothers
- Phil Barnes worked producing music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for bands such as OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
; now produces TV adverts - Mel Harley runs a design & marketing company and property business
- Andy Ebsworth is now a music technology lecturer at Coulsdon Sixth Form and Croydon Colleges.
Discography
ALBUMS- Where Are All The Nice Girls (1979) - handmade
- Where Are All The Nice Girls SEEZ 25, (1980) - reissued 2007
- Wheels in Motion (1981)
- Live At The Venue (1981)
- Any Trouble (1983)
- Wrong End of The Race (1984)
- Girls Are Always Right - The Stiff Years (2002)
- Where Are All The Nice Girls - Deluxe Reissue (2007)
- Life in Reverse (2007)
SINGLES
- Second Choice/The Name of the Game/Bible Belt (recorded live at the Venue) BUY 79 (1981)