The Onset
Encyclopedia
The Onset were formed in 1987 by Mike Badger
after he left his former band The La's
. Mike teamed up with local Liverpool legend Danny Dean on guitar, Hamish Cameron on Piano and Colin Becket on Drums. The first demo "Let's Go Home" can be found on the 2006 compilation CD, Lo Fi Electric Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
(Gen11)
(Rock Family Trees)
Their sound was heavily influenced by American bluegrass and country music merged with a dose of punky rock 'n' roll. On hearing the demo Geoff Davies of Liverpool's independent record label Probe Plus Records arranged for the band to record their first LP The Pool Of Life
(Probe 19).
The Pool Of Life was recorded at Ameritz Studios in Birkenhead during May 1988. Ten musicians contributed to the LP, but by the time of its release, the Onset's lineup had stabilised to just five. Mike and Danny being joined by Simon Cousins
(from Wiltshire Folk Rock band Ophiuchus
) on bass, Tony Russell on drums, and Paul Hemmings
(from the La's) on guitar, slide and mandolin. The LP was greeted with rave reviews by the Music Press but failed to make any impression, with little radio or TV air play. The band made promotional videos for two tracks from the album, "Too Proud To Start" and "Precious Love
".
Recording Sessions followed in 1989 at various Liverpool Studios, however no further releases until 1990 when the Onset recorded in London with Dave Dix (of Black's "Wonderful Life" fame) as their producer. With Dave Dix they recorded three songs, "What Say You", "First I Feel You" and "Two Step Angels". These were released in 1990 as the What Say You
EP (Onset 1) on the Furious Fish label. To promote the EP the Onset filmed a video for "First I Feel You", playing at Liverpool's Pier Head in the old Atlantic Liner Terminal.
The musical styles on the What Say You EP had developed from the Country and Bluegrass sounds of The Pool Of Life. There was still a Country influence, but they had become more electric incorporating elements of Folk Rock and Pop, which gave them a rather distinctive sound. John Hodgkinson of Shout Magazine stated that "The title track (What Say You) is literate Rockabilly with synchronistic lyrical pointers to Mandella and Hendrix, 'First I Feel You' is a glorious slice of chiming, jangling pop ,that storms the brain and lays siege to the memory cells."
The Onset recorded three more tracks in 1991 at Liverpool's Pink Studios in the hope of producing a further EP. However, the record never materialised. There were changes to the bands line up at the end of 1991, which saw Paul Hemmings leave to join Ian Broudie
and the Lightning Seeds
and Si Cousins depart to play with Brian Morrow and former Onset musicians Roger Llewellyn and Nick Hrydowy, as the Catfish.
Bernard Nolan rejoined the Onset on Bass Guitar and Double Bass and the band continued as a four piece. With Bernie's arrival the essence of the Onset's music became more acoustic, returning to its Rockabilly / Bluegrass roots. This acoustic roots feel was enhanced in 1993 when the band were joined by two ex-Catfish - Brian Morrow on percussion and the multi-talented Roger Llewellyn on guitar, vocal, banjo, fiddle and harmonica. In October 1993 the band recorded sessions for a new Probe Plus release. This was followed in by a further session in February 1994. The seven songs from these sessions were added to nine from the original The Pool Of Life LP and released as The Pool Of Life Revisited
CD (Probe 40) in 1994.
1994 saw the departure of Bernard Nolan and Brian Morrow and the return of Simon Cousins on bass. The band recorded in late 1994 and early 1995 at Ian Broudie's Studio, with ex-Onseter Paul Hemmings as the Producer. These later recordings captured both the Country Bluegrass elements of the band's sound and the Indie / Pop feel. Piano, banjo, organ, fiddle and harmonica give a varied pallet of colour and texture. Many of the songs remain unreleased, but a few were included on the 2005 CD eponymously entitled The Onset
(Gen10), released by Mike Badger on his Generator Label. The Onset CD contains a selection of the bands music from all it various incarnations, covering the period from 1989 to 1994.
More Onset tracks were released in 2008 as part of Mike Badger's Country Side
CD, which covers a twenty year period of his career from 1988 to 2008.
The Onsets final recording session was an acoustic session on Spencer Leigh's show On The Beat, for BBC Radio Merseyside in 1995. The band were broadcast playing an unplugged version of the song "Walking Tall". This recording appears on compilation CD Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
(Gen9) released on the Generator Label in 2003.
The Onset toured constantly, playing many of the UK's Universities and Colleges as well as Clubs, Pubs and Art Centres. They played the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1989, were regular visitors in Europe and made it to Glastonbury Festival
in 1992.
Four films of the Onset playing live exist - Rainhill Youth Club St.Helens in 1988, the Earthbeat Festival at Liverpool's Sefton Park in 1989, London's New Pegasus in 1990 and The Celebration Festival at the Albert Dock Liverpool in 1991. Some footage from these shows can be viewed on Youtube.
Reminiscences of the Onset can be read online in Tim Peacock's Interview with Mike Badger for Whisperin and Hollerin Magazine in January 2008. Follow the link.
Mike Badger
Michael Clifford "Mike" Badger is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist and sculptor from Liverpool, England. He was co-founder of The La's and went on to form alternative country/roots rockabilly band The Onset in 1988 and The Kachinas in 1996...
after he left his former band The La's
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...
. Mike teamed up with local Liverpool legend Danny Dean on guitar, Hamish Cameron on Piano and Colin Becket on Drums. The first demo "Let's Go Home" can be found on the 2006 compilation CD, Lo Fi Electric Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
Lo Fi Electric Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
Lo Fi Electric Excursions is the second of a brace of album released by Mike Badger featuring a compilation of his various musical incarnations including the La's and The Onset. Its sister album being Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions...
(Gen11)
"The most arresting group in captivity. These new sweethearts of the rodeo are from Liverpool. Leader Mike Badger formerly founded and led the La's. His new band is a sort of mid-90s amalgam of the Electric Prunes meets Del Shannon meets Cat Mother and The All Night News Boys meets The Rockets meets pre Liege And Lief Fairport Convention meets Keleidoscope meets Help Yourself meets Bo Diddley meets The Fifth Avenue Band meets the Burritos, with traces of John Sebastian, Gene Clark, Poco, Phil Ochs and other great sniff-snaff thrown in. Younger than yesterday, fresher than tomorrow - The Onset"— Pete Frame
Pete Frame
Peter 'Pete' Frame is a music journalist, who produced outlines of the history of rock bands for various magazines . He founded the English Alternative rock magazine ZigZag in April 1969 and acted as its editor, from its beginning until February 1973, and again from March 1976 until July 1977...
(Rock Family Trees)
History
The Pool of Life
The Pool Of Life is the first album released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Probe Plus Label in 1988. The story of the boundless Universe and all its wondrous Worlds. Dedicated to Rainbow Warriors, Freedom Fighters and Sun Dancers....
(Probe 19).
The Pool Of Life was recorded at Ameritz Studios in Birkenhead during May 1988. Ten musicians contributed to the LP, but by the time of its release, the Onset's lineup had stabilised to just five. Mike and Danny being joined by Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of Liverpool indie country rock band The Onset and folk rockers Ophiuchus. He studied music at the Liverpool Music College and has a degree in philosophy from Liverpool University...
(from Wiltshire Folk Rock band Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
) on bass, Tony Russell on drums, and Paul Hemmings
Paul Hemmings
Paul Hemmings is a Liverpool based musician and photographer. He played with The La's, Mike Badger and The Onset and Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds...
(from the La's) on guitar, slide and mandolin. The LP was greeted with rave reviews by the Music Press but failed to make any impression, with little radio or TV air play. The band made promotional videos for two tracks from the album, "Too Proud To Start" and "Precious Love
Precious Love (The Onset song)
"The Onset were formed in 1987 by Mike Badger and guitarist Danny Dean, who had met the previous yearon a short lived scheme for unemployed musicians. Precious Love was first played to three people at The Pink Parrot in Liverpool, though this unashamed ode to love eventually reached as far as...
".
Recording Sessions followed in 1989 at various Liverpool Studios, however no further releases until 1990 when the Onset recorded in London with Dave Dix (of Black's "Wonderful Life" fame) as their producer. With Dave Dix they recorded three songs, "What Say You", "First I Feel You" and "Two Step Angels". These were released in 1990 as the What Say You
What Say You
What Say You is the only EP released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Furious Fish Label in 1990.-Track listing:All lyrics by Mike Badger...
EP (Onset 1) on the Furious Fish label. To promote the EP the Onset filmed a video for "First I Feel You", playing at Liverpool's Pier Head in the old Atlantic Liner Terminal.
The Onset recorded three more tracks in 1991 at Liverpool's Pink Studios in the hope of producing a further EP. However, the record never materialised. There were changes to the bands line up at the end of 1991, which saw Paul Hemmings leave to join 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 the Lightning Seeds
Lightning Seeds
The Lightning Seeds are an English alternative rock and pop band from Liverpool, England formed in 1989 by Ian Broudie , formerly of the Big in Japan band....
and Si Cousins depart to play with Brian Morrow and former Onset musicians Roger Llewellyn and Nick Hrydowy, as the Catfish.
Bernard Nolan rejoined the Onset on Bass Guitar and Double Bass and the band continued as a four piece. With Bernie's arrival the essence of the Onset's music became more acoustic, returning to its Rockabilly / Bluegrass roots. This acoustic roots feel was enhanced in 1993 when the band were joined by two ex-Catfish - Brian Morrow on percussion and the multi-talented Roger Llewellyn on guitar, vocal, banjo, fiddle and harmonica. In October 1993 the band recorded sessions for a new Probe Plus release. This was followed in by a further session in February 1994. The seven songs from these sessions were added to nine from the original The Pool Of Life LP and released as The Pool Of Life Revisited
The Pool of Life Revisited
The Pool Of Life Revisited is the second album released by Mike Badger and The Onset and their first on CD. It was released by the Probe Plus Label in 1994.-Track listing:# Rakin 'Em Down - 0.19# The Taker – 2:57...
CD (Probe 40) in 1994.
1994 saw the departure of Bernard Nolan and Brian Morrow and the return of Simon Cousins on bass. The band recorded in late 1994 and early 1995 at Ian Broudie's Studio, with ex-Onseter Paul Hemmings as the Producer. These later recordings captured both the Country Bluegrass elements of the band's sound and the Indie / Pop feel. Piano, banjo, organ, fiddle and harmonica give a varied pallet of colour and texture. Many of the songs remain unreleased, but a few were included on the 2005 CD eponymously entitled The Onset
The Onset (album)
The Onset is the third album released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Generator Label in 2005. The CD presents a selection of songs recorded during the period 1989 to 1994.-Track listing:# First I Feel You - 3.00...
(Gen10), released by Mike Badger on his Generator Label. The Onset CD contains a selection of the bands music from all it various incarnations, covering the period from 1989 to 1994.
More Onset tracks were released in 2008 as part of Mike Badger's Country Side
Mike Badger's Country Side
Mike Badger's Country Side features a compilation of Mike's country style songs from 1988 to 2008, including previously unreleased material from his solo projects and his back catelogue with The Onset...
CD, which covers a twenty year period of his career from 1988 to 2008.
The Onsets final recording session was an acoustic session on Spencer Leigh's show On The Beat, for BBC Radio Merseyside in 1995. The band were broadcast playing an unplugged version of the song "Walking Tall". This recording appears on compilation CD Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions by Mike Badger & Friends
Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions is the first in a brace of album released by Mike Badger featuring a compilation of his various musical incarnations including the La's and The Onset. Its sister album being Lo Fi Electric Excursions. Lo Fi Acoustic Excursions was released by the Generator Label in 2004...
(Gen9) released on the Generator Label in 2003.
Discography
- The Pool Of LifeThe Pool of LifeThe Pool Of Life is the first album released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Probe Plus Label in 1988. The story of the boundless Universe and all its wondrous Worlds. Dedicated to Rainbow Warriors, Freedom Fighters and Sun Dancers....
LP (1988), Probe Plus Records - What Say YouWhat Say YouWhat Say You is the only EP released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Furious Fish Label in 1990.-Track listing:All lyrics by Mike Badger...
EP (1990), Furious Fish Records - The Pool Of Life RevisitedThe Pool of Life RevisitedThe Pool Of Life Revisited is the second album released by Mike Badger and The Onset and their first on CD. It was released by the Probe Plus Label in 1994.-Track listing:# Rakin 'Em Down - 0.19# The Taker – 2:57...
CD album (1994), Probe Plus Records - The Onset (album)The Onset (album)The Onset is the third album released by Mike Badger and The Onset. It was released by the Generator Label in 2005. The CD presents a selection of songs recorded during the period 1989 to 1994.-Track listing:# First I Feel You - 3.00...
CD album (2005), The Generator Label
Live shows
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 1992.
Four films of the Onset playing live exist - Rainhill Youth Club St.Helens in 1988, the Earthbeat Festival at Liverpool's Sefton Park in 1989, London's New Pegasus in 1990 and The Celebration Festival at the Albert Dock Liverpool in 1991. Some footage from these shows can be viewed on Youtube.
Reminiscences of the Onset can be read online in Tim Peacock's Interview with Mike Badger for Whisperin and Hollerin Magazine in January 2008. Follow the link.