Slik
Encyclopedia
Slik were a Scottish
pop group
of the mid 1970s, most notable for their UK no.1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976. Beginning with glam rock
and changing their style to soft rock
/bubblegum
. It was the first band with whom singer and guitarist Midge Ure
began to experience musical success, before joining new wave
band Ultravox
.
based band 'Salvation' in June 1970, comprising Kevin and Jim McGinlay
, Nod Kerr, Mario Tortolano and Ian Kenny. Brian Deniston replaced Ian Kenny in December 1970 and Nod Kerr departed in May 1971, followed by Tortolano and they were replaced by Matt Cairns on drum
s and Robin Birrel on keyboards
. Deniston left shortly after this change and they were forced to continue as a four piece outfit for almost a year. Birrel and Cairns then left and they recruited Kenny Hyslop
on drums, Billy McIsaac
on keyboards and Jim "Midge" Ure
on guitar. They reverted to a four-piece band when Kevin McGinlay left in April 1974 to pursue a solo
career.
They changed their name to Slik in November 1974, and linked up with the pop songwriters Bill Martin
and Phil Coulter
, who were also writing for the Bay City Rollers who were teen favourites at the time. Now signed to Polydor
, the band members all adopted pseudonyms - Midge, Oil Slik (Kenny Hyslop), Jim Slik (Jim McGinlay) and Lord Slik (Billy McIsaac). These were dropped after the failure of "Boogiest Band in Town
", their debut single
(which was also on the soundtrack
of the film Never Too Young To Rock), and their suits were exchanged for 1950s style baseball outfits. A change of record label
also saw them signing with Bell Records.
This was followed by their greatest success when their single "Forever And Ever
" reached number one
in the UK Singles Chart
in February 1976. As a result of the single, readers of The Sun
newspaper voted Slik the best new band of the year. The song formula was repeated with their next single, "Requiem", which made the UK top 30 but failed to repeat the success of "Forever and Ever". Ure was injured in a car accident
shortly after the release of the single, resulting in the cancellation of television appearances and a planned UK tour. "Requiem" opens with the first accordes of Joaquín Rodrigo
's "Concierto de Aranjuez
", which had been a number 3 hit just two months before in the UK for Geoff Love
's orchestra
, billed as 'Manuel & the Music of the Mountains'. Following the "Requiem" single, the band's self-titled album was released but this was a commercial failure, peaking only at no.58 in the UK. Subsequent Slik singles failed to chart.
In March 1977 Jim McGinlay left the group and was replaced by Russell Webb
, a university drop-out, who continued for the final Slik gigs.
", on Zoom Records
, whose eponymous song joined the repertoire of The Rich Kids
, Ure's next band. Slik/PVC2 disbanded in September 1977, when Ure departed and moved to London to join The Rich Kids.
Following Ure's departure, Webb, Hyslop and McIsaac added Alex Harvey
's cousin Willie Gardner
to their next band, called The Zones; they released some singles and an album, Under Influence (1979) (which credited Midge Ure among the collaborators), but went their separate ways shortly afterwards. Webb and Hyslop joined The Skids
, and McIsaac retired from the pop music
scene. In the 1990s he formed the Billy McIsaac Band.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
pop group
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
of the mid 1970s, most notable for their UK no.1 hit "Forever and Ever" in 1976. Beginning with 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 changing their style to soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
/bubblegum
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
. It was the first band with whom singer and guitarist Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
began to experience musical success, before joining new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
.
History
Slik were formed as the GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
based band 'Salvation' in June 1970, comprising Kevin and Jim McGinlay
Jim McGinlay
Jim McGinlay was a Scottish bass guitarist who formed along his elder brother Kevin a hard-rock band called Salvation, in Glasgow, which after numerous line-up changes included Midge Ure, future Ultravox frontman and Live 8 contributor, Billy McIsaac and Kenny Hyslop.By 1964, he began his musical...
, Nod Kerr, Mario Tortolano and Ian Kenny. Brian Deniston replaced Ian Kenny in December 1970 and Nod Kerr departed in May 1971, followed by Tortolano and they were replaced by Matt Cairns on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and Robin Birrel on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Deniston left shortly after this change and they were forced to continue as a four piece outfit for almost a year. Birrel and Cairns then left and they recruited Kenny Hyslop
Kenny hyslop
Kenny Hyslop is a Scottish drummer who played with different projects and bands who were varied in different styles, such as glam rock, 1970s teenybop, soft rock, punk, new wave, new romantic, blues and modern electronica.-Biography:Hyslop attended Hermitage School.He joined the band Salvation...
on drums, Billy McIsaac
Billy McIsaac
Billy McIsaac is a musician, who played mainly keyboards since his early days with different pop bands, and still does, with his current ceremony-band The Billy McIsaac Band....
on keyboards and Jim "Midge" Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
on guitar. They reverted to a four-piece band when Kevin McGinlay left in April 1974 to pursue a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career.
They changed their name to Slik in November 1974, and linked up with the pop songwriters Bill Martin
Bill Martin
Bill Martin is a Scottish songwriter, music publisher and impresario.-Biography:...
and Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter is an artist with an international reputation as a successful songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director. His success has spanned four decades and he is one of the biggest record sellers in Ireland...
, who were also writing for the Bay City Rollers who were teen favourites at the time. Now signed to Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, the band members all adopted pseudonyms - Midge, Oil Slik (Kenny Hyslop), Jim Slik (Jim McGinlay) and Lord Slik (Billy McIsaac). These were dropped after the failure of "Boogiest Band in Town
Boogiest Band In Town
"Boogiest Band in Town" was the debut single by Scottish Glam rock band Slik. This was the first single and recording released by Midge Ure, singer and guitarist of the band, formed also by drummer Kenny Hyslop, bassist Jim McGinlay and keyboardist Billy McIsaac. The single was released in the...
", their debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
(which was also on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the film Never Too Young To Rock), and their suits were exchanged for 1950s style baseball outfits. A change of record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
also saw them signing with Bell Records.
This was followed by their greatest success when their single "Forever And Ever
Forever And Ever (Slik)
"Forever and Ever" is a UK number-one single by Slik released in 1975. It was number one for one week in February 1976. It was written by the well established songwriting partnership of Bill Martin and Phil Coulter who had recently split from writing for the Bay City Rollers.The song was originally...
" reached number one
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in February 1976. As a result of the single, readers of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper voted Slik the best new band of the year. The song formula was repeated with their next single, "Requiem", which made the UK top 30 but failed to repeat the success of "Forever and Ever". Ure was injured in a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
shortly after the release of the single, resulting in the cancellation of television appearances and a planned UK tour. "Requiem" opens with the first accordes of Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez , commonly known as Joaquín Rodrigo, was a composer of classical music and a virtuoso pianist. Despite being nearly blind from an early age, he achieved great success...
's "Concierto de Aranjuez
Concierto de Aranjuez
The Concierto de Aranjuez is a composition for classical guitar and orchestra by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. Written in 1939, it is probably Rodrigo's best-known work, and its success established his reputation as one of the most significant Spanish composers of the twentieth century. ...
", which had been a number 3 hit just two months before in the UK for Geoff Love
Geoff Love
Geoff Love was a British easy-listening, and disco orchestra leader. He was born in the industrial town of Todmorden in the West Riding of Yorkshire. His father was a mixed race American-born guitarist and dancer, and his mother an actress. As a child, Love began to learn to play the violin but...
's orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, billed as 'Manuel & the Music of the Mountains'. Following the "Requiem" single, the band's self-titled album was released but this was a commercial failure, peaking only at no.58 in the UK. Subsequent Slik singles failed to chart.
In March 1977 Jim McGinlay left the group and was replaced by Russell Webb
Russell Webb (musician)
Russell Webb is a New Wave bass guitarist who was member of bands like Slik, PVC2 , The Zones, The Skids, The Armoury Show and Public Image Ltd., and collaborated with Richard Jobson and Virginia Astley, and The Who.-Slik and PVC2:In 1977, future Ultravox and Live Aid face, guitarist and singer...
, a university drop-out, who continued for the final Slik gigs.
PVC2
Shortly after Webb joined and a last tour, the band decided to change both genre and name. They chose to call themselves PVC2, and play punk music which was growing in popularity at that time. In the latter half of 1977, PVC2 released "Put You in the PicturePut You In The Picture
"Put You in the Picture" is a song written by Midge Ure, and performed by his group PVC2, who comprised Ure on guitar and lead vocals, Kenny Hyslop on drums, Billy McIsaac on keyboards and Russell Webb on bass guitar...
", on Zoom Records
Zoom Records (Scotland)
'Zoom' was a short-lived record label established in Edinburgh, Scotland founded and funded by successful music shop owner Bruce Findlay in the summer of 1977...
, whose eponymous song joined the repertoire of The Rich Kids
The Rich Kids
Rich Kids were a short-lived, seminal new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from The Sex Pistols. The band also included future Ultravox member Midge Ure, and Rusty Egan, who later went to found Visage.-Career:...
, Ure's next band. Slik/PVC2 disbanded in September 1977, when Ure departed and moved to London to join The Rich Kids.
Following Ure's departure, Webb, Hyslop and McIsaac added Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey (musician)
Alex Harvey was a Scottish rock musician. With The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, he built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era.-Biography:...
's cousin Willie Gardner
Willie Gardner
Willie Gardner was a Scottish musician, who formed part of various pop and rock bands in the 1970s and 1980s, playing guitar. He was a cousin of the glam rock icon Alex Harvey....
to their next band, called The Zones; they released some singles and an album, Under Influence (1979) (which credited Midge Ure among the collaborators), but went their separate ways shortly afterwards. Webb and Hyslop joined The Skids
The Skids
Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson , William Simpson , Thomas Kellichan and Richard Jobson...
, and McIsaac retired from the pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
scene. In the 1990s he formed the Billy McIsaac Band.
Singles
- "Boogiest Band in TownBoogiest Band In Town"Boogiest Band in Town" was the debut single by Scottish Glam rock band Slik. This was the first single and recording released by Midge Ure, singer and guitarist of the band, formed also by drummer Kenny Hyslop, bassist Jim McGinlay and keyboardist Billy McIsaac. The single was released in the...
" (1975) - "Don't Take Your Love Away" (1976)
- "Forever and Ever" (1975) — UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
number 1 - "Requiem" (1976) — UK number 24
- "The Kid's a Punk" (1976)
- "Dancerama" (1977)
- "It's Only a Matter of Time" (1977)
- "Put You in the PicturePut You In The Picture"Put You in the Picture" is a song written by Midge Ure, and performed by his group PVC2, who comprised Ure on guitar and lead vocals, Kenny Hyslop on drums, Billy McIsaac on keyboards and Russell Webb on bass guitar...
" (as PVC2) (1977)
External links
- [ Slik biography] at Allmusic websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...