Deaf School
Encyclopedia
Deaf School are an English rock band, formed in the mid 1970s and hailing from Liverpool
. Their style is somewhere in between pub rock
, punk
, glam rock
and art rock
. They originally disbanded after their third album but their influence lived on. As Holly Johnson
, said: "They revived Liverpool music for a generation." The journalist, author and founder of Mojo
, Paul Du Noyer
, went further: "In the whole history of Liverpool music two bands matter most, one is The Beatles
and the other is Deaf School. If that seems like a sweeping statement then consider this: after the pop revolution of the 1960s led by The Beatles and other Merseyside groups, it looked as if the city's music scene had dried up forever. But in 1975 there came a motley band of Liverpool art students called Deaf School"..
rock and folk contest and were suddenly a big deal. We signed to Warners because their A&R guy, Derek Taylor
, had been The Beatles
publicist and when he saw us rehearsing in Matthew Street, he cried his eyes out. . After disbanding, several members continued working in the music industry; singer Bette Bright
went solo, Clive Langer
became one of the foremost record producers of the 1980s and 1990s producing Madness
, Morrissey
, David Bowie
, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Bush
amongst others. Steve Lindsey formed the hit band, The Planets
, scoring a Top of the Pops
appearance with his song "Lines". Enrico Cadillac (real name: Steve Allen) joined Ian Broudie
(former member of Big in Japan) to form The Original Mirrors who released two albums. Allen later formed The Perils Of Plastic with former Attractions
keyboard player Steve Nieve
before going onto a successful pan-European solo career, later taking on the management of Espiritu as well as an A&R
post with Warner Bros. Records
from 1993 to 2004.
In 1988 almost all former Deaf School members reunited for a live date in Liverpool, the performance released as a live album, 2nd Coming, produced by Clive Langer and Julian Wheatley, featuring live versions of their best songs from their 1970s albums with guests including Tin Machine
's Reeves Gabrels
, Nick Lowe
and Lee Thompson from Madness. The Beatles
' publicist Derek Taylor
, who signed Deaf School to Warner Bros., also made the trip to Liverpool.
In May 2006 Deaf School re-formed for a couple of concerts, culminating in an oversubscribed show in Liverpool for the reopening of the New Picket in the newly formed Independent District on 27 May. In September 2007 Deaf School reunited again and played several live shows including a warm up at The Dublin Castle pub in Camden Town
followed by the Carling Academy Manchester and the Carling Academy Liverpool. In December 2007 they played again at the Indigo2 venue at The O2
in London for Madness's aftershow party. In September 2009 the band did shows at The Dublin Castle and The Garage in London before returning to Liverpool for four sell out concerts at The Everyman Theatre, and an appearance at The Hope St. Festival. The three Deaf School albums were re-mastered and included a new booklet with previously unseen band shots and unreleased recordings. It was released in September 2009 on Cherry Red's Lemon label.
The full band augmented by ex-Crackout
drummer Nicholas Millard, played 'The Deaf School Xmas Bash' shows in December 2009 at the 100 Club in London, and the Liverpool O2 Academy, making it ten live appearances in 2009, a first since the 1970s.
Bandmember Thomas Sam Davis (aka Eric Shark) died, aged 59, on 7 January 2010, from lung disease. The band played two concerts in Liverpool in April in tribute, featuring guests such as Suggs
, Ian Broudie
and Kevin Rowland
.
Deaf School announced 9 live dates aka 'The Listen & Learn Tour' in early 2011 including The Garage London and dates in Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool culminating in 2 shows in Tokyo.
A mini album, entitled Enrico & Bette xx was released in 2011 containing five new songs, 'You Turn Away', 'I Know I Know', 'The Enrico Song', 'Goodbye To All That' and 'Scary Girlfriend'.
Deaf School again appeared at The Everyman Theatre Liverpool for 2 emotionally charged 'Goodbye To The Everyman' shows as part of the refurbishment closure events and played the Port Eliot festival July 2011.
1997 – Brighton based theatre production company Hanover Productions staged the world premiere of "2nd Honeymoon – The Musical" at The Brighton Festival. With a book/script written by actor-musician Chris Beaumont it played for 6 successful nights although didn't manage to go further.
Using all of the songs from the album of the same name plus "Darling" and a new number "I Need A Man", the show was performed by ten actor/musicians who collectively played all of the numbers live.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. Their style is somewhere in between pub rock
Pub rock (UK)
Pub rock was a rock music genre that developed in the mid 1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, pub rock was a reaction against progressive and glam rock. Although short-lived, pub rock was notable for rejecting stadium venues and for returning live rock to the small pubs and...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
and art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
. They originally disbanded after their third album but their influence lived on. As Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
, said: "They revived Liverpool music for a generation." The journalist, author and founder of Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
, Paul Du Noyer
Paul Du Noyer
Paul Du Noyer is a British rock journalist and author. He was born in Liverpool and educated at the London School of Economics. He has written and edited for NME, Q, and Mojo...
, went further: "In the whole history of Liverpool music two bands matter most, one is The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and the other is Deaf School. If that seems like a sweeping statement then consider this: after the pop revolution of the 1960s led by The Beatles and other Merseyside groups, it looked as if the city's music scene had dried up forever. But in 1975 there came a motley band of Liverpool art students called Deaf School"..
History
Memories differ, but Enrico Cadillac recalls "We got together in 1974 for the art school Christmas dance. Anyone who wanted to be in it could be. There were about 13 on stage at that time. No one could play – it was based on people we thought were interesting....(we entered and)..won the Melody MakerMelody 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...
rock and folk contest and were suddenly a big deal. We signed to Warners because their A&R guy, Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor was an English journalist, writer and publicist, best known for his work as press officer for The Beatles...
, had been The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
publicist and when he saw us rehearsing in Matthew Street, he cried his eyes out. . After disbanding, several members continued working in the music industry; singer Bette Bright
Bette Bright
Bette Bright is an English rock singer.-Career:In the late 1970s Bright was a singer for the art rock band Deaf School. After Deaf School disbanded, Bright went solo with her backing band, 'The Illuminations'. Band members were Henry Priestman , Rusty Egan and Glen Matlock...
went solo, Clive Langer
Clive Langer
Clive Langer is a British record producer active from the mid 1970s onwards. He usually works with Alan Winstanley. He composed the music for the films Still Crazy and Brothers of the Head. Prior to his record producing career he was a guitarist with the British cult band Deaf SchoolLanger...
became one of the foremost record producers of the 1980s and 1990s producing Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
, Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Bush
Bush (band)
Bush are an alternative rock band formed in London in 1992 shortly after vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale and guitarist Nigel Pulsford met in a London nightclub. Realising they shared a love for such diverse artists as the Pixies, Bob Marley, The Jesus Lizard, MC5, Nirvana, Hüsker Dü, and Big...
amongst others. Steve Lindsey formed the hit band, The Planets
The Planets
The Planets, Op. 32, is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1916. Each movement of the suite is named after a planet of the Solar System and its corresponding astrological character as defined by Holst...
, scoring a Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance with his song "Lines". Enrico Cadillac (real name: Steve Allen) joined Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie is a British singer-songwriter, musician and record producer from Liverpool, England. After emerging from the post punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to form the short-lived groups Original Mirrors and Care in the early 1980s as well...
(former member of Big in Japan) to form The Original Mirrors who released two albums. Allen later formed The Perils Of Plastic with former Attractions
The Attractions
The Attractions were best known as the backing band for Elvis Costello between 1978 and 1986, and again from 1994 through 1996. They also released one album as an independent entity in 1980.-History:...
keyboard player Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve is an English keyboardist, best known for his work with Elvis Costello and the Attractions and Elvis Costello and the Imposters.-Musical career:...
before going onto a successful pan-European solo career, later taking on the management of Espiritu as well as an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
post with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
from 1993 to 2004.
In 1988 almost all former Deaf School members reunited for a live date in Liverpool, the performance released as a live album, 2nd Coming, produced by Clive Langer and Julian Wheatley, featuring live versions of their best songs from their 1970s albums with guests including Tin Machine
Tin Machine
Tin Machine was a hard rock band formed in 1988, famous for being fronted by singer David Bowie. The group recorded two studio albums before dissolving in 1992, when Bowie returned to his solo career...
's Reeves Gabrels
Reeves Gabrels
Reeves Gabrels is an American guitarist, known for virtuosity, versatility, and originality. His compositions and improvisations defy genre and "explore sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most."...
, Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
and Lee Thompson from Madness. The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' publicist Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor was an English journalist, writer and publicist, best known for his work as press officer for The Beatles...
, who signed Deaf School to Warner Bros., also made the trip to Liverpool.
In May 2006 Deaf School re-formed for a couple of concerts, culminating in an oversubscribed show in Liverpool for the reopening of the New Picket in the newly formed Independent District on 27 May. In September 2007 Deaf School reunited again and played several live shows including a warm up at The Dublin Castle pub in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
followed by the Carling Academy Manchester and the Carling Academy Liverpool. In December 2007 they played again at the Indigo2 venue at The O2
The O2 (London)
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
in London for Madness's aftershow party. In September 2009 the band did shows at The Dublin Castle and The Garage in London before returning to Liverpool for four sell out concerts at The Everyman Theatre, and an appearance at The Hope St. Festival. The three Deaf School albums were re-mastered and included a new booklet with previously unseen band shots and unreleased recordings. It was released in September 2009 on Cherry Red's Lemon label.
The full band augmented by ex-Crackout
Crackout
Crackout were a pop punk / rock / jazz influenced trio who formed in Oxford, England in 1997. As well as releasing two albums and a handful of singles, they toured with artists such as Sum 41, Seafood, Haven and Span before disbanding in late 2005. One notable aspect of the band's concerts was...
drummer Nicholas Millard, played 'The Deaf School Xmas Bash' shows in December 2009 at the 100 Club in London, and the Liverpool O2 Academy, making it ten live appearances in 2009, a first since the 1970s.
Bandmember Thomas Sam Davis (aka Eric Shark) died, aged 59, on 7 January 2010, from lung disease. The band played two concerts in Liverpool in April in tribute, featuring guests such as Suggs
Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
, Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie
Ian Broudie is a British singer-songwriter, musician and record producer from Liverpool, England. After emerging from the post punk scene in Liverpool in the late 1970s as a member of Big in Japan, Broudie went on to form the short-lived groups Original Mirrors and Care in the early 1980s as well...
and Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and former frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".-Career:...
.
Deaf School announced 9 live dates aka 'The Listen & Learn Tour' in early 2011 including The Garage London and dates in Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool culminating in 2 shows in Tokyo.
A mini album, entitled Enrico & Bette xx was released in 2011 containing five new songs, 'You Turn Away', 'I Know I Know', 'The Enrico Song', 'Goodbye To All That' and 'Scary Girlfriend'.
Deaf School again appeared at The Everyman Theatre Liverpool for 2 emotionally charged 'Goodbye To The Everyman' shows as part of the refurbishment closure events and played the Port Eliot festival July 2011.
Band members
- Bette BrightBette BrightBette Bright is an English rock singer.-Career:In the late 1970s Bright was a singer for the art rock band Deaf School. After Deaf School disbanded, Bright went solo with her backing band, 'The Illuminations'. Band members were Henry Priestman , Rusty Egan and Glen Matlock...
: vocals - Enrico Cadillac: vocals
- Thomas Sam Davis (aka Eric Shark): vocals (b. 1950 – d. 2010)
- Ian Ritchie: woodwind instruments
- Max RippleJohn Wood (design theorist)John Wood, DipAD, ADF, FRSA is a professor of design in the Department of Design at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He taught many YBA when he was Deputy Head of the Fine Art Department at Goldsmiths between 1978 and 1988...
: keyboards - Clive LangerClive LangerClive Langer is a British record producer active from the mid 1970s onwards. He usually works with Alan Winstanley. He composed the music for the films Still Crazy and Brothers of the Head. Prior to his record producing career he was a guitarist with the British cult band Deaf SchoolLanger...
: guitar - Steve "Average" Lindsey: bass guitar
- Tim Whittaker: drums (d. 1996)
1997 – Brighton based theatre production company Hanover Productions staged the world premiere of "2nd Honeymoon – The Musical" at The Brighton Festival. With a book/script written by actor-musician Chris Beaumont it played for 6 successful nights although didn't manage to go further.
Using all of the songs from the album of the same name plus "Darling" and a new number "I Need A Man", the show was performed by ten actor/musicians who collectively played all of the numbers live.
Albums
- 1976: 2nd Honeymoon
- 1977: Don't Stop the World
- 1978: English Boys/Working Girls
- 1988: 2nd Coming: Liverpool '88
- 2003: What a Way to End It All: The Anthology
- 2009: 2nd Honeymoon + bonus tracks
- 2009: Don't Stop The World + bonus tracks
- 2009: English Boys/Working Girls + bonus tracks
- 2011: Enrico & Bette xx
Singles
- 1976: "What a Way to End It All" / "Nearly Moonlit Night Motel"
- 1977: "Taxi" / "Last Night"
- 1978: "All Queued Up" / "Golden Showers" / "Working Girls"
- 1978: "Thunder & Lightning" / "Working Girls"