BIG fLAME
Encyclopedia
Big Flame were a post punk/Indie rock
three piece band, based in Manchester
, England and active from 1983 to 1986. The members were Alan Brown (bass, vocals), Greg Keeffe (guitar) and Dil Green (drums). After a debut single (Sink) on their own Laughing Gun label, they joined the Ron Johnson
roster for a series of mid-eighties singles as well as an appearance on the NME
's C86
compilation.
On the reverse of the "Two Kan Guru" compilation, it was jokingly stated that Green and Brown played in the original line up of Wham!
with George Michael
and Andrew Ridgeley; incredibly, this was accepted as fact by many people.
In addition to releasing 5 singles and a compilation EP, Big Flame also recorded four sessions for the John Peel
Show. Big Flame were a major influence on the Manic Street Preachers
. In a 1991 interview, Richie Edwards stated "The 80s, for us, was the biggest non-event ever, like C86. All we had was Big Flame. Big Flame was the most perfect band. But we couldn't play their records 'cos they were too avant garde".
The group also operated beyond the confines of the band itself. Keeffe and Green hosted a night at Manchester's Man Alive club which they christened "The Wilde Club" providing a useful venue for groups other than their own. This spirit was also reflected in Ugly Noise Undercurrents which was a band-swap concept conceived by Alan to provide emerging groups with a facility for securing gigs in towns and cities beyond their home base. The Allez Ugly newsletter was the primary driver for this.
After the band split in 1986, Brown joined Ron Johnson labelmates A Witness on drums, touring the UK and Europe and appearing on several records (the 12" EP 'One Foot in the Groove' and Strange Fruit Double Peel Sessions) and three sessions for BBC Radio One DJ John Peel. He left A Witness in 1988 to form solo project Great Leap Forward
, while Keeffe joined Meatmouth (with Mark Whittam and Nicholas Blincoe
) who released "Meatmouth is murder" on Factory Records
, Fac196.
After a break from music, Alan Brown teamed up with Daren Garratt (of Pram
) and Vince Hunt (of A Witness
) in the band Marshall Smith, releasing an album 'Colours' in 2006 on the Euphonium label.
In 2007 Alan Brown joined Sarandon
as bass player.
Greg Keeffe is now Professor of sustainable architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University
, Leeds.
Dil Green is now an architect based in London.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
three piece band, based in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England and active from 1983 to 1986. The members were Alan Brown (bass, vocals), Greg Keeffe (guitar) and Dil Green (drums). After a debut single (Sink) on their own Laughing Gun label, they joined the Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson Records
Ron Johnson Records was an UK independent record label based in Long Eaton operating between 1983 and 1988. The label contributed five tracks to the NME's C86 compilation. Run by Dave Parsons, the label released records by artists such as Big Flame, The Shrubs, A Witness, The Great Leap Forward,...
roster for a series of mid-eighties singles as well as an appearance on the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
's C86
C86 (music)
C86 is a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine NME in 1986, featuring new bands licensed from independent labels of the time. As a phrase, C86 quickly evolved into shorthand for a guitar-based musical genre characterised by "jangly" guitars and fey melodies, although other...
compilation.
On the reverse of the "Two Kan Guru" compilation, it was jokingly stated that Green and Brown played in the original line up of Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
with George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
and Andrew Ridgeley; incredibly, this was accepted as fact by many people.
In addition to releasing 5 singles and a compilation EP, Big Flame also recorded four sessions for the John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
Show. Big Flame were a major influence on the Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
. In a 1991 interview, Richie Edwards stated "The 80s, for us, was the biggest non-event ever, like C86. All we had was Big Flame. Big Flame was the most perfect band. But we couldn't play their records 'cos they were too avant garde".
The group also operated beyond the confines of the band itself. Keeffe and Green hosted a night at Manchester's Man Alive club which they christened "The Wilde Club" providing a useful venue for groups other than their own. This spirit was also reflected in Ugly Noise Undercurrents which was a band-swap concept conceived by Alan to provide emerging groups with a facility for securing gigs in towns and cities beyond their home base. The Allez Ugly newsletter was the primary driver for this.
After the band split in 1986, Brown joined Ron Johnson labelmates A Witness on drums, touring the UK and Europe and appearing on several records (the 12" EP 'One Foot in the Groove' and Strange Fruit Double Peel Sessions) and three sessions for BBC Radio One DJ John Peel. He left A Witness in 1988 to form solo project Great Leap Forward
Great Leap Forward (band)
The Great Leap Forward was a band formed by former Big Flame member Alan Brown, when his previous band split up in 1987. Great Leap Forward was essentially a solo project, although various musicians were added for live performances. The sound was more melodic and danceable than his earlier band,...
, while Keeffe joined Meatmouth (with Mark Whittam and Nicholas Blincoe
Nicholas Blincoe
Nicholas Blincoe is an English author, critic and screenwriter. He is the author of six novels, Acid Casuals , Jello Salad , Manchester Slingback , The Dope Priest , White Mice , Burning Paris...
) who released "Meatmouth is murder" on Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
, Fac196.
After a break from music, Alan Brown teamed up with Daren Garratt (of Pram
Pram (band)
Pram are an experimental band who formed in the Balsall Heath/Moseley area of Birmingham, England in 1990.-History:Originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Rosie Cuckston and Matt Eaton went to school together. They moved to Birmingham in the late 80s, schoolfriend Andy Weir keeping in touch...
) and Vince Hunt (of A Witness
A Witness
A Witness were an alternative rock band formed in 1982 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, by Rick Aitken , Vince Hunt and a drum machine, in 1986 replaced by Alan Brown...
) in the band Marshall Smith, releasing an album 'Colours' in 2006 on the Euphonium label.
In 2007 Alan Brown joined Sarandon
Sarandon (band)
Sarandon are an English indie rock group, formed in London in 2003, who have so far released two albums.-History:Initially formed by singer/guitarist Simon Williams , drummer James Higgott and bass player Joe Morris , the group played their debut show in central London after having rehearsed only...
as bass player.
Greg Keeffe is now Professor of sustainable architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
, Leeds.
Dil Green is now an architect based in London.
Discography
- "Sink" / "Illness" / "Sometimes" - 7" EP, Laughing Gun Records (own label), 1984
- "Rigour" - 7" EP, Ron Johnson Records, 1985
- "Tough" - 7" EP, Ron Johnson Records, 1985
- "Two Kan Guru" (compilation) - 10" EP, Ron Johnson Records, 1985
- "Why Popstars Can't Dance" - 7" EP, Ron Johnson Records, 1986
- "Cubist Pop Manifesto" - 7" EP, Ron Johnson Records, 1986
- "Cubist Pop Manifesto" - 12" EP, Constrictor Records, 1987
- Rigour - CD compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of all the above, Drag City Records, 1996