Big Flame (often rendered 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 EP ("Sink") on their own Laughing Gun label, they joined the Ron Johnson roster for a series of mid-1980s singles as well as an appearance on the NME's C86 compilation.[1]
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.
In addition to releasing five singles and a compilation EP, Big Flame also recorded four sessions for the John Peel Show. Big Flame were a major influence on Manic Street Preachers. In a 1991 interview, Richey 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".[2]
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 Brown, 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-inch 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, FAC 196.
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, and performed with a reformed A Witness in 2014. Since 2008 he has revived The Great Leap Forward and continues to release albums on a sporadic basis.[3]
^Gabriel, Clive (1991) "Art is just short for Arthur", Lime Lizard, October 1991, Lime Lizard Ltd., ISSN 0961-8104
^"This Is Our Decade Of Living Cheaply And Getting By, by The Great Leap Forward". Thegreatleapforward.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
External linksedit
Fan site with good information on Ron Johnson Records
listings of John Peel Sessions
bIG fLAME recorded live at John Peel ICA rock week 4 October 1984
January 01, 1970
flame, band, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, flame, band, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, o. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Big Flame band news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2010 Learn how and when to remove this message Big Flame often rendered 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 EP Sink on their own Laughing Gun label they joined the Ron Johnson roster for a series of mid 1980s singles as well as an appearance on the NME s C86 compilation 1 Big FlameOriginManchester EnglandGenresIndie rock post punkYears active1983 1986LabelsRon Johnson Laughing GunPast membersAlan BrownGreg KeeffeDil GreenWebsiteFacebook 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 In addition to releasing five singles and a compilation EP Big Flame also recorded four sessions for the John Peel Show Big Flame were a major influence on Manic Street Preachers In a 1991 interview Richey 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 2 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 Brown 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 inch 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 FAC 196 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 and performed with a reformed A Witness in 2014 Since 2008 he has revived The Great Leap Forward and continues to release albums on a sporadic basis 3 Greg Keeffe was professor of sustainable architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds until May 2012 and is now Professor of Architecture at Queen s University Belfast Dil Green is now an architect based in London Contents 1 Discography 2 Tracks released on other complications 3 References 4 External linksDiscography edit Sink Illness Sometimes 7 inch EP Laughing Gun Records own label 1984 Rigour 7 inch EP Ron Johnson Records 1985 Tough 7 inch EP Ron Johnson Records 1985 Two Kan Guru compilation 10 inch EP Ron Johnson Records 1985 Why Popstars Can t Dance 7 inch EP Ron Johnson Records 1986 Cubist Pop Manifesto 7 inch EP Ron Johnson Records 1986 Cubist Pop Manifesto 12 inch EP Constrictor Records 1987 Rigour CD compilation album of all the above Drag City Records 1996Tracks released on other complications edit New Way Quick Wash And Brush Up With Liberation Theology on cassette NME C86 1986 Debra on Commercially Unfriendly CD Gott Discs 2005 Cuba on Death To Trad Rock CD Cherry Red Records 2009 Debra on Scared To Get Happy CD Cherry Red Records 2013 New Way Quick Wash And Brush Up With Liberation Theology on CD NME C86 Cherry Red Records 2014 Why PopStars Can t Dance on Manchester North Of England CD Cherry Red Records 2017References edit Colin Larkin ed 1992 The Guinness Who s Who of Indie and New Wave Music First ed Guinness Publishing p 35 ISBN 0 85112 579 4 Gabriel Clive 1991 Art is just short for Arthur Lime Lizard October 1991 Lime Lizard Ltd ISSN 0961 8104 This Is Our Decade Of Living Cheaply And Getting By by The Great Leap Forward Thegreatleapforward bandcamp com Retrieved 17 June 2021 External links editFan site with good information on Ron Johnson Records listings of John Peel Sessions bIG fLAME recorded live at John Peel ICA rock week 4 October 1984 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Flame band amp oldid 1169221845, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
