China Crisis
Encyclopedia
China Crisis is an English
pop
/rock
band
. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby
, near Liverpool
, Merseyside
with a core of vocalist/keyboardist
Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon. Their output was pop music similar in style to that of New Wave
but with strong similarities to the post-punk
movement of the early 1980s, namely inclusion of a broader range of musical influences and occasional flirtation with political commentary. Throughout their career, China Crisis has seen moderate success in the United Kingdom
with ten hit single
s between August 1982 and January 1987 and six album
s, as well as commercial success in Western Europe, Australia and the Americas
.
, Steely Dan
, David Bowie
, and Brian Eno
, Daly and Lundon played with various Knowsley
post-punk groups. Daly then spent time tinkering with synthesizer
s and a drum machine
. Along with Lundon, Daly began writing songs. The pair eventually asked drummer and percussionist Dave Reilly to join them, and in 1982 they released their debut single
"African and White" as China Crisis on the independent record label
, Inevitable. In June 1982, they supported the former Television
guitarist, Tom Verlaine
, at London's Venue.
and recorded their debut album, Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun To Entertain, which was released in December 1982. A re-release of "African & White" became China Crisis' first hit
in the United Kingdom, reaching #45 in the UK Singles Chart
. The follow-up single, "Christian", made UK #12 in early 1983 and brought them to national prominence. By this time, Reilly had left the band, but was still credited on the record sleeve as a guest on the single, along with new member Steve Levy playing oboe
and saxophone
. The album peaked at #21 in the UK Albums Chart
. During this period the band toured supporting Simple Minds
(as discussed in interviews on the DVD
Live in Concert at the Paul McCartney Auditorium Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts).
Adding Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass
) and Kevin Wilkinson
(drums) to the line-up, a second album, Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two
, was released in November 1983. Tracks included the singles "Tragedy and Mystery" (released six months earlier) and "Hanna Hanna" as well as the title track, "Working With Fire & Steel", which became a hit single in Australia. The album was a Top 20 success in the UK, and China Crisis spent 1984 and 1985 making their biggest chart
run, beginning with their only UK Top 10 hit single, "Wishful Thinking", which peaked at #9.
Their third album, Flaunt the Imperfection
, was produced by Walter Becker
of Steely Dan
fame and reached #9 in the UK Albums Chart in May 1985. China Crisis was so honoured to directly work with Becker that they 'officially' listed him in the group as a quintet consisting of Daly, Lundon, Johnson, Wilkinson, and Becker on the album's credits. Walter Becker was living on Maui, Hawaii, when he was approached by Virgin to work on this project, and he had to leave his expecting partner Eleanor to assist. Walter never formally appeared with the band, and the subsequent tour featured new keyboard player Brian McNeill. Johnson was now credited as co-writer with Daly and Lundon.
The album was previewed by the #14 UK hit single "Black Man Ray", which also enjoyed critical acclaim and international success. The follow-up, "King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)", was a Top 20 UK single at #19, but it would prove to be the band's last substantial hit. A third release from the album, "You Did Cut Me", stalled at UK #54. They simultaneously released a video compilation, Showbiz Absurd.
In 1986, the band collaborated with producers Clive Langer
and Alan Winstanley
(who worked with Madness
) on What Price Paradise
, which included "Arizona Sky", the album's first single release, and another Australian hit, "June Bride". All the band were now credited as songwriters. A second single from the album, "Best Kept Secret", made UK #36 in early 1987. It was to be the band's final Top 40 hit single.
The five-piece band worked with Becker once more on 1989's Diary of a Hollow Horse
, which earned critical acclaim though little commercial success. It spawned the singles "St Saviour Square" and "Red Letter Day", both achieving the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart. Becker produced of most of the album's tracks, but this time was not credited as an official band member.
The band's last studio album, Warped By Success
, was released in 1994, following the band's parting of ways with the Virgin label. The album produced their final studio chart single, "Everyday The Same", which briefly edged into the UK Top 100. Although Johnson and Wilkinson both made small contributions, the band was now listed as comprising Daly, Lundon, producer Terry Adams and sound engineer Mark Phythian. In 1995 they released a live
unplugged album and video entitled Acoustically Yours, which proved to be their recording swansong. This featured one last single, a live version of "Black Man Ray", and also saw a return for Johnson, Wilkinson and McNeill.
Since 1992, there have been four compilation album
s of their work for the UK and US markets and three live DVDs. The first of these, entitled "Collection", made the Top 40 in the UK album charts in 1990.
On 17 July 1999, drummer Kevin Wilkinson committed suicide by hanging himself at the age of 41. Wilkinson had played with a wide variety of bands including The Waterboys
, Fish
, The Proclaimers
, Squeeze and with Howard Jones
. In 2000 Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians.
, Ruby Turner
, Steve Gibbons Band etc.) who has notched up more than ten years with the band.
In December 2002, China Crisis' Daly and Lundon held a one night unplugged venue in Manila
, Philippines
, with the support of a local band, Rivermaya
. They toured the UK during January and February 2007 as part of their 25th anniversary. In June 2008, it was announced they would be the support act for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
's UK October tour. In February 2009, the band performed a fund raising gig for The Friends of Meols Park
.
Additionally, gigs were played at The Robin 2, Bilston
, Wolverhampton
on 20 February 2009, and in Stone, Staffordshire
on 22 February 2009. Daly's art exhibition 'How To Live & Love Your Life' was held at Kirkby Art Gallery, Kirkby, Knowsley, Merseyside from 23 February to 10 May 2009. China Crisis played at Fort Perch Rock on the Wirral on 8 August 2009, and at the Rewind Festival
in Henley-on-Thames
, Oxfordshire
, on 22 August 2009. The same month they played at The Mathew Street Festival
in Liverpool.
They returned to the Philippines to perform at Eastwood City
on January 20, 2011 and played to sell-out crowds at the Rewind Festivals in Perth (Scotland) and Henley-on-Thames in August 2011. Another concert in the Philippines was held on September 9, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center
, together with Ex-Simple Minds
with further shows in the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong that followed. At recent shows China Crisis's two lead musicians have been joined by 23-year old Siân Monaghan on drums.
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...
pop
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...
/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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
, near Liverpool
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...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
with a core of vocalist/keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon. Their output was pop music similar in style to that of 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...
but with strong similarities to the post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
movement of the early 1980s, namely inclusion of a broader range of musical influences and occasional flirtation with political commentary. Throughout their career, China Crisis has seen moderate success in the United Kingdom
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...
with ten hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s between August 1982 and January 1987 and six album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s, as well as commercial success in Western Europe, Australia and the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Early days
Sharing an affection for Stevie WonderStevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, 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...
, and Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
, Daly and Lundon played with various Knowsley
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
post-punk groups. Daly then spent time tinkering with synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. Along with Lundon, Daly began writing songs. The pair eventually asked drummer and percussionist Dave Reilly to join them, and in 1982 they released 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...
"African and White" as China Crisis on the independent 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,...
, Inevitable. In June 1982, they supported the former Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
guitarist, Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...
, at London's Venue.
Chart success
The band was signed to Virgin RecordsVirgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and recorded their debut album, Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun To Entertain, which was released in December 1982. A re-release of "African & White" became China Crisis' first hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in the United Kingdom, reaching #45 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 ...
. The follow-up single, "Christian", made UK #12 in early 1983 and brought them to national prominence. By this time, Reilly had left the band, but was still credited on the record sleeve as a guest on the single, along with new member Steve Levy playing oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. The album peaked at #21 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. During this period the band toured supporting Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
(as discussed in interviews on the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
Live in Concert at the Paul McCartney Auditorium Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts).
Adding Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Kevin Wilkinson
Kevin Wilkinson
Kevin Wilkinson was a musician based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.- Career :Born Kevin Michael Wilkinson in Stoke-on-Trent, he is credited as a former official member of several successful British pop groups, including The League of Gentlemen , The Waterboys , China Crisis and Squeeze...
(drums) to the line-up, a second album, Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two
Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two
Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two is the second studio album by English musical group China Crisis.-Track listing:All tracks written by Daly/Lundon.#"Working with Fire and Steel" – 3:41#"When the Piper Calls" – 4:04...
, was released in November 1983. Tracks included the singles "Tragedy and Mystery" (released six months earlier) and "Hanna Hanna" as well as the title track, "Working With Fire & Steel", which became a hit single in Australia. The album was a Top 20 success in the UK, and China Crisis spent 1984 and 1985 making their biggest chart
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....
run, beginning with their only UK Top 10 hit single, "Wishful Thinking", which peaked at #9.
Their third album, Flaunt the Imperfection
Flaunt the Imperfection
Flaunt the Imperfection is the third studio album by English musical group China Crisis.-Track listing:All tracks written by Daly/Johnson/Lundon.#"The Highest High" – 4:16#"Strength of Character" – 2:50#"You Did Cut Me" – 4:18...
, was produced by Walter Becker
Walter Becker
Walter Carl Becker is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist and a co-writer of Steely Dan.-Career:...
of Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
fame and reached #9 in the UK Albums Chart in May 1985. China Crisis was so honoured to directly work with Becker that they 'officially' listed him in the group as a quintet consisting of Daly, Lundon, Johnson, Wilkinson, and Becker on the album's credits. Walter Becker was living on Maui, Hawaii, when he was approached by Virgin to work on this project, and he had to leave his expecting partner Eleanor to assist. Walter never formally appeared with the band, and the subsequent tour featured new keyboard player Brian McNeill. Johnson was now credited as co-writer with Daly and Lundon.
The album was previewed by the #14 UK hit single "Black Man Ray", which also enjoyed critical acclaim and international success. The follow-up, "King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)", was a Top 20 UK single at #19, but it would prove to be the band's last substantial hit. A third release from the album, "You Did Cut Me", stalled at UK #54. They simultaneously released a video compilation, Showbiz Absurd.
In 1986, the band collaborated with producers 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...
and Alan Winstanley
Alan Winstanley
Alan Kenneth Winstanley is a British record producer active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Clive Langer.-Notable studio albums produced by Alan Winstanley and Clive Langer:* One Step Beyond... – Madness...
(who worked with 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...
) on What Price Paradise
What Price Paradise
What Price Paradise is the fourth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1986. The CD version featured one bonus track: "Trading in Gold", originally released on the B-side of the "Arizona Sky" single....
, which included "Arizona Sky", the album's first single release, and another Australian hit, "June Bride". All the band were now credited as songwriters. A second single from the album, "Best Kept Secret", made UK #36 in early 1987. It was to be the band's final Top 40 hit single.
The five-piece band worked with Becker once more on 1989's Diary of a Hollow Horse
Diary of a Hollow Horse
Diary of a Hollow Horse is the fifth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1989. The CD version featured one bonus track: "Back Home".-Track listing:...
, which earned critical acclaim though little commercial success. It spawned the singles "St Saviour Square" and "Red Letter Day", both achieving the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart. Becker produced of most of the album's tracks, but this time was not credited as an official band member.
The band's last studio album, Warped By Success
Warped By Success
Warped by Success is the sixth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1994.-Track listing:#"Hands On the Wheel" – 4:10 #"Always" – 5:06 #"Everyday the Same" – 5:49...
, was released in 1994, following the band's parting of ways with the Virgin label. The album produced their final studio chart single, "Everyday The Same", which briefly edged into the UK Top 100. Although Johnson and Wilkinson both made small contributions, the band was now listed as comprising Daly, Lundon, producer Terry Adams and sound engineer Mark Phythian. In 1995 they released a live
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
unplugged album and video entitled Acoustically Yours, which proved to be their recording swansong. This featured one last single, a live version of "Black Man Ray", and also saw a return for Johnson, Wilkinson and McNeill.
Since 1992, there have been four compilation album
Compilation album
A 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...
s of their work for the UK and US markets and three live DVDs. The first of these, entitled "Collection", made the Top 40 in the UK album charts in 1990.
On 17 July 1999, drummer Kevin Wilkinson committed suicide by hanging himself at the age of 41. Wilkinson had played with a wide variety of bands including The Waterboys
The Waterboys
The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
, Fish
Fish (singer)
Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
, The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
, Squeeze and with Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
. In 2000 Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians.
Recent activities
Since the late 1990s, China Crisis has concentrated on live performances with only original founder-members Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly being constant throughout, although a number of other musicians have served long spells, most notably guitarist Colin Hinds (Paul CarrackPaul Carrack
Paul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
, Ruby Turner
Ruby Turner
Ruby Turner is a British R&B and soul singer, songwriter and actress. In 1967, she relocated with her family to Handsworth, Birmingham, England when she was nine years old...
, Steve Gibbons Band etc.) who has notched up more than ten years with the band.
In December 2002, China Crisis' Daly and Lundon held a one night unplugged venue in Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, with the support of a local band, Rivermaya
Rivermaya
Rivermaya is one of the most influential, critically acclaimed and significant Filipino rock band formed in 1993. They are one of the several bands who spearheads the 90s Philippine alternative rock explosion...
. They toured the UK during January and February 2007 as part of their 25th anniversary. In June 2008, it was announced they would be the support act for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
's UK October tour. In February 2009, the band performed a fund raising gig for The Friends of Meols Park
Meols Park
Meols Park and Recreation Ground is located in Meols on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Nearest village to Meols is Hoylake. Meols Park consists of a small playground area and a larger grassed area with a football kickabout area. The park straddles School Lane and is bordered by Mumfords Lane,...
.
Additionally, gigs were played at The Robin 2, Bilston
Bilston
Bilston is a town in the English county of West Midlands, situated in the southeastern corner of the City of Wolverhampton. Three wards of Wolverhampton City Council cover the town: Bilston East and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston, and...
, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
on 20 February 2009, and in Stone, Staffordshire
Stone, Staffordshire
Stone is an old market town in Staffordshire, England, situated about seven miles north of Stafford, and around seven miles south of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. It is the second town, after Stafford itself, in the Borough of Stafford, and has long been of importance from the point of view of...
on 22 February 2009. Daly's art exhibition 'How To Live & Love Your Life' was held at Kirkby Art Gallery, Kirkby, Knowsley, Merseyside from 23 February to 10 May 2009. China Crisis played at Fort Perch Rock on the Wirral on 8 August 2009, and at the Rewind Festival
Rewind Festival
The Rewind Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in , Remenham, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. It was first held in August 2009....
in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, on 22 August 2009. The same month they played at The Mathew Street Festival
Mathew Street Festival
The Liverpool Mathew Street Music Festival is a free music festival held annually in Liverpool, with Mathew Street as its central attraction.-Description:It is also the largest annual free music festival in Europe...
in Liverpool.
They returned to the Philippines to perform at Eastwood City
Eastwood City
Eastwood City is a commercial and residential development located in the Libis area of Quezon City in the Philippines. It is developed by Megaworld Corporation. It currently hosts 12 luxury residential condominium towers, with several more being developed....
on January 20, 2011 and played to sell-out crowds at the Rewind Festivals in Perth (Scotland) and Henley-on-Thames in August 2011. Another concert in the Philippines was held on September 9, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center
Smx convention center
The SMX Convention Center is the largest private venue in the Philippines for trade events, industry conventions, corporate functions, and international exhibitions. Its building is located in Pasay City, right beside the Mall of Asia , and is considered an important part of the Mall of Asia Complex...
, together with Ex-Simple Minds
Ex-Simple Minds
Ex-Simple Minds are a Scottish New Wave/rock band, formed in 2009 by Derek Forbes and Brian McGee, both former members of the New Wave bands Simple Minds and Propaganda...
with further shows in the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong that followed. At recent shows China Crisis's two lead musicians have been joined by 23-year old Siân Monaghan on drums.
Singles (1981-1996)
- "African and White" INEV 011, Inevitable, UK - 1981 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 ...
#45, AUS #75 - "Scream Down at Me" VS 495, Virgin, UK - 1982
- "No More Blue Horizons" VS 521, Virgin, UK - 1982
- "Christian" VS 562, Virgin, UK - 1982 UK #12
- "Tragedy and Mystery" VS 587, Virgin, UK - 1983 UK #46
- "Working with Fire and Steel" VS 620, Virgin, UK - 1983 UK #48, AUS #47 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs #27
- "Wishful ThinkingWishful Thinking (China Crisis song)"Wishful Thinking" is a song by English pop group China Crisis, released as the third single of their 1983 album Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two. It reached #9 in the UK charts in early 1984, becoming their only top 10 hit single in that country...
" VS 647, Virgin, UK - 1983 UK #9, AUS #57 - "Hanna Hanna" VS 665, Virgin, UK - 1984 UK #44
- "Black Man Ray" VS 752, Virgin, UK - 1985 UK #14, AUS #30
- "King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)" VS 765, Virgin, UK - 1985 UK #19
- "You Did Cut Me" VS 799, Virgin, UK - 1985 UK #54
- "The Highest High" VS 829, Virgin, UK - 1985 UK #82
- "Arizona Sky" VS 898, Virgin, UK - 1986 UK #47, AUS #52
- "Best Kept Secret" VS 926, Virgin, UK - 1987 UK #36
- "St. Saviour Square" VS 1168, Virgin, UK - 1989 UK #81
- "Red Letter Day" VS 1188, Virgin, UK - 1989 UK #84
- "African and White (The Steve Proctor remixRemixA remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
)" VS 1197, Virgin, UK - 1990 - "Everyday the Same" 12STA001, Stardumb, UK - 1994 #99
- "Black Man Ray (Live)" tlg cd 006, Telegraph, UK - 1996
Studio albums (1982-1994)
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
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| 1982 | Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun To Entertain Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain is the debut album by English musical group China Crisis.-Track listing:All tracks written by Daly/Lundon/Reilly.#"Seven Sports for All" – 3:18...
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21 | - |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Silver |
| 1983 | Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two is the second studio album by English musical group China Crisis.-Track listing:All tracks written by Daly/Lundon.#"Working with Fire and Steel" – 3:41#"When the Piper Calls" – 4:04... |
20 | - |
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| 1985 | Flaunt the Imperfection Flaunt the Imperfection Flaunt the Imperfection is the third studio album by English musical group China Crisis.-Track listing:All tracks written by Daly/Johnson/Lundon.#"The Highest High" – 4:16#"Strength of Character" – 2:50#"You Did Cut Me" – 4:18... |
9 | 171 |
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| 1986 | What Price Paradise What Price Paradise What Price Paradise is the fourth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1986. The CD version featured one bonus track: "Trading in Gold", originally released on the B-side of the "Arizona Sky" single.... |
63 | 114 | |
| 1989 | Diary of a Hollow Horse Diary of a Hollow Horse Diary of a Hollow Horse is the fifth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1989. The CD version featured one bonus track: "Back Home".-Track listing:... |
58 | - | |
| 1994 | Warped by Success Warped By Success Warped by Success is the sixth studio album by English musical group China Crisis. It was released on CD, LP and Cassette in 1994.-Track listing:#"Hands On the Wheel" – 4:10 #"Always" – 5:06 #"Everyday the Same" – 5:49... |
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Live albums and compilations
- Collection: The Very Best of China Crisis V 2613, Virgin, UK - 1990 - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#32 - Diary: A CollectionDiary: A Collection-Track listing:# Black Man Ray# Animalistic # Hampton Beach# Red Letter Day# Diary Of A Hollow Horse # Strength Of Character# When The Piper Calls# Christian# A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter# Hanna Hanna...
CD VVIPD 117, Virgin, UK - 1992 - Acoustically Yours (Live) TLG CD 005, Telegraph, UK - 1995
- Collection: The Very Best of China Crisis (US-Only Reissue) CD CAROL 1117-2, Caroline, US - 1997
- The Best of China Crisis CLP 0350-2, Purple Pyramid, US - 1998
- Wishful Thinking (Repackaged Acoustically Yours and Warped by Success) SMDCD 117, Snapper Music, UK - 1999
- Scrap Book Vol. 1 (Live at the Dominion Theatre) (Concert from 1985) CHVP101CD, Crisis, UK - 2002
- Diary: A Collection (Copy-protected reissue, changed album art) 7243 5 95404 2 1, EMI Gold, EU - 2003
- China Greatness Live (Souvenir disc, available only for the Philippines 2011 SMX Concert fan signing session)