Random Hold
Encyclopedia
Random Hold was a British rock
band from 1977 to 1980.
interest, the band signed to Polydor Records
.
In late 1976, Dulwich College
schoolmates David Ferguson (keyboards) and David Rhodes (guitar) formed a musical unit together, after attending a gig by the band 801
, featuring Phil Manzanera
and Brian Eno
. The two Davids felt that 801 was too mainstream, underused the talents of its members, and that they could do better themselves. The duet initially bore the name "Manscheinen", playing in an experimental/electronic genre.
Another Dulwich alumnus, Simon Ainley (Eric Smith Explosion, 801), joined on guitar in April 1978, and then in August, so did another, Bill MacCormick
on bass. MaCormick had a substantial musical pedigree, having played extensively with Quiet Sun
, Matching Mole
and 801. After trying various drummers and conducting endless auditions the band finally recruited David Leach.
The five piece line-up produced a very dark, post-punk sound, with vocal duties shared between the members. Their first major exposure in the music press was not to come until a December 1978 interview, and article by Allan Jones, in Melody Maker
magazine. Increasingly frantic negotiations with many companies led to the band signing to Polydor Records
for recording purposes on 19 March 1979. Separate contracts were made over the next two months for publishing with Tony Stratton-Smith
's Hit and Run Music and for management with Gail Colson of Gailforce. After some exploration of the possibility of working with Peter Gabriel
, Colson arranged for recording of Random Hold's first album to start in July 1979, produced by another Gailforce artist, Peter Hammill
.
However, the line-up shifted again in June. Leach was replaced, due to medical problems, by Pete Phipps formerly of (The Glitter Band
). Simon Ainley was sacked, on the grounds that his style was too light and poppy for the band. This change propelled David Rhodes into the lead role. Polydor wanted a single
to be released, and the track "Etceteraville" was chosen, and was released in October. Regular, well-reviewed gigs at the Marquee Club
, London, and a tour with XTC
suggested that better things might have been on the horizon, but the next release, a 5-track EP "Avalanche", sold badly. The full-length album
, The View From Here, got some positive reviews when it was released in February 1980, at the beginning of a month-long tour with Peter Gabriel. However, Polydor announced that they were dropping the band, shortly after the end of the tour.
The band continued to operate on their saved advances, were scheduled to tour the US with Gabriel through June and July 1980, and still had their publishing and management companies. A company (Passport Records) was found to distribute an album in the US to coincide with the tour. However, on return to the UK, the two Davids sacked MacCormick for stylistic differences. MacCormick in turn claimed back from Gailforce the money that he had personally invested in the band at the outset, and Random Hold was left penniless and inoperative.
Within a few weeks, the band members had started to go their various ways. Rhodes consolidated his position as Peter Gabriel's lead guitarist. Ferguson did revive the Random Hold name for a new band in 1981-2, signed to RCA
. That line-up included Pete Phipps (drums), Andy Prince replaced by Nigel Hardy and later Martyn Swain on bass, Steve Wilkin on guitar and Susan Raven on vocals. They released one album, Burn the Buildings.
Ferguson was able to have pressed a few hundred copies of the double album
, Avalanche (including all pre-1982 released material). CD releases by Voiceprint in 2001 were The View From Here, compiling the complete pre-1982 releases and some live material, and Over View, archive material documenting the evolution of the band, mainly produced by MacCormick.
for film and television scores until his death in 2009. Phipps joined XTC
later, and he also played for Roger Chapman
, Eurythmics
, and Mike Rutherford
.
MacCormick was in business as a record producer
for a while afterwards, he withdrew from music activities later in favour of a political career with the Liberal Democrats
. Leach is a television executive. Ainley is now in business as a landscape architect.
Singles and EPs popped up in different song permutations during the band's lifetime.
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 from 1977 to 1980.
History
The first line-up featured David Ferguson (keyboards) and David Rhodes (guitar and vocals), plus Simon Ainley (guitars and vocals), Bill MacCormick (bass) and David Leach (drums). After a handful of gigs and record labelRecord 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,...
interest, the band signed to Polydor Records
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...
.
In late 1976, Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
schoolmates David Ferguson (keyboards) and David Rhodes (guitar) formed a musical unit together, after attending a gig by the band 801
801 (band)
801 were an English experimental rock band that were originally formed in 1976 for three live concerts by*Phil Manzanera *Brian Eno...
, featuring Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera is a musician and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music. In 2006 Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On An Island and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and North America...
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,...
. The two Davids felt that 801 was too mainstream, underused the talents of its members, and that they could do better themselves. The duet initially bore the name "Manscheinen", playing in an experimental/electronic genre.
Another Dulwich alumnus, Simon Ainley (Eric Smith Explosion, 801), joined on guitar in April 1978, and then in August, so did another, Bill MacCormick
Bill MacCormick
Bill MacCormick is an English bassist and vocalist. He was a member of the bands Quiet Sun with Phil Manzanera, brother Ian MacCormick and others; Matching Mole with Robert Wyatt and others; 801 with Manzanera, Brian Eno and others; and Random Hold...
on bass. MaCormick had a substantial musical pedigree, having played extensively with Quiet Sun
Quiet Sun (band)
Quiet Sun were an English progressive rock/jazz fusion band from the Canterbury Scene consisting of Phil Manzanera , Bill MacCormick , Dave Jarrett and Charles Hayward .-History:...
, Matching Mole
Matching Mole
Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline". Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear...
and 801. After trying various drummers and conducting endless auditions the band finally recruited David Leach.
The five piece line-up produced a very dark, post-punk sound, with vocal duties shared between the members. Their first major exposure in the music press was not to come until a December 1978 interview, and article by Allan Jones, in 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...
magazine. Increasingly frantic negotiations with many companies led to the band signing to Polydor Records
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...
for recording purposes on 19 March 1979. Separate contracts were made over the next two months for publishing with Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith was an English rock music manager, and entrepreneur. He was best known as founder of London based independent record label Charisma Records which he began in 1969. Groups he managed included The Nice , Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator...
's Hit and Run Music and for management with Gail Colson of Gailforce. After some exploration of the possibility of working with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Colson arranged for recording of Random Hold's first album to start in July 1979, produced by another Gailforce artist, Peter Hammill
Peter Hammill
Peter Joseph Andrew Hammill is an English singer-songwriter, and a founding member of the progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Most noted for his vocal abilities, his main instruments are guitar and piano...
.
However, the line-up shifted again in June. Leach was replaced, due to medical problems, by Pete Phipps formerly of (The Glitter Band
The Glitter Band
The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973. The...
). Simon Ainley was sacked, on the grounds that his style was too light and poppy for the band. This change propelled David Rhodes into the lead role. Polydor wanted a 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...
to be released, and the track "Etceteraville" was chosen, and was released in October. Regular, well-reviewed gigs at the Marquee Club
Marquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
, London, and a tour with XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
suggested that better things might have been on the horizon, but the next release, a 5-track EP "Avalanche", sold badly. The full-length 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...
, The View From Here, got some positive reviews when it was released in February 1980, at the beginning of a month-long tour with Peter Gabriel. However, Polydor announced that they were dropping the band, shortly after the end of the tour.
The band continued to operate on their saved advances, were scheduled to tour the US with Gabriel through June and July 1980, and still had their publishing and management companies. A company (Passport Records) was found to distribute an album in the US to coincide with the tour. However, on return to the UK, the two Davids sacked MacCormick for stylistic differences. MacCormick in turn claimed back from Gailforce the money that he had personally invested in the band at the outset, and Random Hold was left penniless and inoperative.
- "Melody MakerMelody MakerMelody 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...
, 16 August 1980: In last weeks' issue, Random Hold were looking for a new bass player. This week, they're also looking for a new keyboardist, drummer and guitarist. In other words, Random Hold have split up."
Within a few weeks, the band members had started to go their various ways. Rhodes consolidated his position as Peter Gabriel's lead guitarist. Ferguson did revive the Random Hold name for a new band in 1981-2, signed to RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. That line-up included Pete Phipps (drums), Andy Prince replaced by Nigel Hardy and later Martyn Swain on bass, Steve Wilkin on guitar and Susan Raven on vocals. They released one album, Burn the Buildings.
Ferguson was able to have pressed a few hundred copies of the double album
Double 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....
, Avalanche (including all pre-1982 released material). CD releases by Voiceprint in 2001 were The View From Here, compiling the complete pre-1982 releases and some live material, and Over View, archive material documenting the evolution of the band, mainly produced by MacCormick.
Recent news
Rhodes continues as a member of the Peter Gabriel Band. Ferguson worked as a composerComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
for film and television scores until his death in 2009. Phipps joined XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
later, and he also played for Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman , also known as Roger "Chappo" Chapman and Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the Progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1967 and also the rock, R&B band Streetwalkers formed in 1974...
, Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
, and Mike Rutherford
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
.
MacCormick was in business as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for a while afterwards, he withdrew from music activities later in favour of a political career with the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. Leach is a television executive. Ainley is now in business as a landscape architect.
Discography (incomplete)
- Etceteraville (1979); LP
- The View From Here (1980); LP, re-released as double-CD, studio and live (with an announcement of Peter Gabriel)
- Burn The Buildings (1982); LP
- Overview (2001); Collection of both demo and studio work of all RH line-ups 1977 - 1980; CD
Singles and EPs popped up in different song permutations during the band's lifetime.