Life At 21 / Blue Water, White Death

Catalogue Number - DR01 / DR02

Label - Dog Rock Records

Year Of Release - 1979

Quantity Pressed - 500

John Arnold	Dave Batten	Clive Brown	Dave Tweddell	Julian Hallen

 

It started, as these things often do, with rival bands joining forces to trade their varying degrees of crapness for something slightly less......well, crap! 

A suitable sticksman was sought, and turned out to be mean looking enough to have no chance of failing the audition. The band Underdog would like to have been punks, but simply could not bring themselves to play badly enough. Singer Clive Brown had no such qualms and happily shouted down any requests for a decent melody.

FLASHBACK ONE, second ever gig playing at Harlow Town Park supporting Dr Feelgood in front of 2000 punters,  immediately becoming press darlings in the local rag.

Before long the band were decking themselves out to match their new found status. Rhythm guitarist Dave Batten favouring long leopard skin legs, lead guitarist Dave Tweddle specialising in extreme facial contortions brandishing brand a new Gibson SG, girly top and stretch jeans. Bass player John (Arnie) Arnold in dark glasses, slightly unpunkish long hair and baggy shirts.

Drummer Julian Hallen, waistcoated, with tattooed bare arms wider than singer Clive's Pocket sized Rod Stewart torso.

Before long the decision was made to self finance a single, so the band decamped to Spaceward studios in Cambridge where Gary Numan had recently completed his first album. Recording of the two songs featured here on this album was dispensed with in roughly 30 minutes, leaving the remainder of the 12 hour session to get smashed, play Space Invaders and giggle childishly at the poor studio guys struggling in vain for some kind of band input.

FLASHBACK TWO, The band pushing a Volkswagen Beetle whilst out of their boxes on speed along Wardour St to the Marquee Club to perform in the Melody Maker competition finals. Wrecked enough to be outgunned by one hit wonders Splodgenessabounds. A singer in a suspender belt was always going to take some beating!!!

FLASHBACK THREE, Being screamed at hysterically, by a Stevenage pub full of young girls. That eyeliner seemed to have worked wonders.

The whole thing was over in less than 18 months, but the conviction of youth never burned brighter, as the press so naffly put it  ' They won't be Underdogs for very much longer '.......woof woof.

Julian Hallen

Thanks To John Arnold

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