Blyth Power are a British rock band formed in 1983 by singer and drummer Joseph Porter, formerly of anarcho-punk bands Zounds and The Mob.[2] The band's music shows strong influences from punk rock and folk music and Porter's lyrics often centre on themes from mythology and history.
Established in 1983 and named after a railway locomotive,[3] the one constant in an ever-shifting lineup has been drummer, vocalist, and songwriter Joseph Porter (real name Gary Hatcher, born 21 February 1962 in Templecombe, Somerset, England), who formed the band with Curtis Youé, another former member of anarcho-punk band The Mob.[4] The band have subsequently been through many line-up changes; their 1990 album Alnwick and Tyne featured Jamie Hince, later of The Kills, on lead guitar.
The band's first release was a cassette, A Little Touch of Harry in the Night, in 1984.[4]
Since 1993, Blyth Power recordings have been released on their own label, Downwarde Spiral. Since 2000 they have cut back on their touring schedule due to various personal commitments, but they have organised an annual mini-festival, the Blyth Power Ashes. The festival takes place in August of each year, and combines live music with a cricket match featuring band members and their associates. From 2011 the event moved to The Plough, in Farcet Fen near Peterborough due to its ever-increasing popularity. From 2015 to 2019, The Ashes took place at The Hunters Inn in Longdon, near Tewkesbury.[5]
Joseph Porter has also been involved with various side-projects, such as doing solo guitarist/vocalist performances and collaborating in two other bands, Red Wedding and Mad Dogs & Englishmen.
Musical styleedit
The band's lyrics often deal with episodes from history, ranging from the Trojan War to the Cod Wars, as well as aspects of English culture such as cricket, village life and trains, as well as a lot of politics.[2] Porter is an avowed trainspotter, and in August 1998 the band appeared on the LWT religious affairs television programme Holy Smoke! in a slot in which musicians discussed their individual religions — with trainspotting cited as his religion.[6]
Membersedit
Current membersedit
List of current band members
Title
Details
Joseph Porter
Joined: 1983
Instrument: Drums, Lead Vocals (sometimes plays acoustic guitar)
"Reality Asylum" - cover version of the song by Crass on the compilation album You've Heard It All Before (1993)
Related albumsedit
When Death Went to Bed With a Lady (1998, Joseph Porter solo album)
Going Down with Alice (2000, album by Mad Dogs and Englishmen, including Joseph Porter)
Red Wedding (2004, acoustic album by Steven Cooper and Joseph Porter)
Videosedit
Do the One About the Horse (1990)
Live in Harlow (1995)
Referencesedit
^Hall, Duncan (18 December 2015). "Cult folk-punks Blyth Power play in support of rail renationalisation under Brighton Station". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^Harris, Craig. "Blyth Power Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
^ abcdefghLarkin, Colin (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave. Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 58. ISBN0-85112-657-X.
^"Blyth Power : News Page". Blythpower.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
^Holy Smoke!. Season 2. Episode 5. 17 August 1998. LWT.
^Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN0-9517206-9-4.
^"Blyth Power". Discogs.com. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
^ abc"Blyth Power Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
External linksedit
Blyth Power official site
April 10, 2024
blyth, power, power, station, station, british, rock, band, formed, 1983, singer, drummer, joseph, porter, formerly, anarcho, punk, bands, zounds, band, music, shows, strong, influences, from, punk, rock, folk, music, porter, lyrics, often, centre, themes, fro. For the power station see Blyth Power Station Blyth Power are a British rock band formed in 1983 by singer and drummer Joseph Porter formerly of anarcho punk bands Zounds and The Mob 2 The band s music shows strong influences from punk rock and folk music and Porter s lyrics often centre on themes from mythology and history Blyth PowerOriginSomerset EnglandGenresFolk punk 1 Years active1983 presentLabelsAll the MadmenMidnight MusicDownwarde SpiralAnagram RecordsMembersJoseph PorterAnnie HatcherDion LayBen BaileyHugo HatcherThe band have released more than a dozen studio albums since 1993 on their own label Downwarde Spiral Records Contents 1 Career 2 Musical style 3 Members 3 1 Current members 3 2 Former members 3 3 Timeline 4 Discography 4 1 Albums 4 2 Studio albums 4 3 Live albums 4 4 Compilation albums 4 5 Singles 4 6 Appearances 4 7 Related albums 4 8 Videos 5 References 6 External linksCareer editEstablished in 1983 and named after a railway locomotive 3 the one constant in an ever shifting lineup has been drummer vocalist and songwriter Joseph Porter real name Gary Hatcher born 21 February 1962 in Templecombe Somerset England who formed the band with Curtis Youe another former member of anarcho punk band The Mob 4 The band have subsequently been through many line up changes their 1990 album Alnwick and Tyne featured Jamie Hince later of The Kills on lead guitar The band s first release was a cassette A Little Touch of Harry in the Night in 1984 4 Since 1993 Blyth Power recordings have been released on their own label Downwarde Spiral Since 2000 they have cut back on their touring schedule due to various personal commitments but they have organised an annual mini festival the Blyth Power Ashes The festival takes place in August of each year and combines live music with a cricket match featuring band members and their associates From 2011 the event moved to The Plough in Farcet Fen near Peterborough due to its ever increasing popularity From 2015 to 2019 The Ashes took place at The Hunters Inn in Longdon near Tewkesbury 5 Joseph Porter has also been involved with various side projects such as doing solo guitarist vocalist performances and collaborating in two other bands Red Wedding and Mad Dogs amp Englishmen Musical style editThe band s lyrics often deal with episodes from history ranging from the Trojan War to the Cod Wars as well as aspects of English culture such as cricket village life and trains as well as a lot of politics 2 Porter is an avowed trainspotter and in August 1998 the band appeared on the LWT religious affairs television programme Holy Smoke in a slot in which musicians discussed their individual religions with trainspotting cited as his religion 6 Members editCurrent members edit List of current band members Title DetailsJoseph Porter Joined 1983 Instrument Drums Lead Vocals sometimes plays acoustic guitar Annie Hatcher Joined 1995 Instrument Keyboards Harmony VocalsDion Lay Joined 2023 Instrument GuitarHugo Hatcher Joined 2019 Instrument GuitarBen Bailey Joined 2014 Instrument BassFormer members edit List of former band members Title DetailsNeil Keenan Joined 1983 Left 1986 Instrument GuitarCurtis Youe Joined 1983 Left 1986 Instrument BassAndy Morgan Joined 1985 Left 1986 Instrument Harmony VocalsSarah Lewington Joined 1985 Left 1986 Instrument Harmony VocalsMartin Protag Neish Joined 1987 Left 1998 Instrument BassSteve Ardcorr Joined 1987 Left 1988 Instrument GuitarJamie Hince Joined 1987 Left 1990 Instrument GuitarSian Jeffreys Joined 1987 Left 1988 Instrument Harmony VocalsJulie Dalkin Joined 1988 Left 1990 Instrument Harmony VocalsHelen Rush Joined 1988 Left 1990 Instrument Harmony VocalsWob Williams Joined 1990 Left 1994 Instrument Guitar Harmony VocalsDarren Tansley Joined 1990 Left 1995 Instrument Keyboards Harmony VocalsJohn Rutherford Joined 1994 Left 1997 Instrument Guitar Harmony VocalsChris Hopkins Joined 1997 Left 1998 Instrument GuitarAndrew Jessi Adams Joined 1998 Left 2001 Instrument GuitarBambi Joined 1998 Left 2003 Instrument BassGary Miller Joined 2001 Left 2001 Instrument GuitarSteven Cooper Joined 2001 Left 2014 Instrument GuitarJerry Hellfire Joined 2002 Left 2022 Instrument Bass 2002 2014 Guitar 2014 2022 Jack Ellis Joined 2022 Left 2022 Instrument GuitarTimeline editDiscography editAlbums edit Studio albums edit List of studio albums with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positionsUK Indie 7 8 A Little Touch of Harry in the Night 4 Released 1984 Label 96 Tapes Formats Wicked Women Wicked Men and Wicket Keepers 4 Released 1987 Label All the Madmen Records Formats 6The Barman and Other Stories 4 Released 1988 Label Midnight Music Records Formats Alnwick and Tyne 4 Released 1990 Label Midnight Music Records Formats The Guns of Castle Cary 4 Released 1991 Label Midnight Music Records Formats Karpov Crosses the Border Released Recorded 1992 but unreleased until c 2000 Label Formats Pastor Skull 4 Released 1993 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Paradise Razed 9 Released 1995 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Out from Under the King 9 Released 1996 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats The Bricklayer s Arms 9 Released 2000 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats On the Viking Station Released 2002 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Fall of Iron Released 2006 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Land Sea amp Sky Released 2009 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Women and Horses and Power and War Released 2014 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats The Power Behind the Throne Released 2023 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Live albums edit List of live albums Title Album detailsA Rededication of Pastor Skull Released 1997 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Gladly Give to Caesar Released 1999 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Compilation albums edit List of compilation albums Title Album detailsPont Au Dessus de la Brue Released 1989 Label Midnight Music Records Formats Ten Years Inside the Horse Released 1994 Label Anagram Records Formats Singles edit List of singles Title Album details Chevy Chase Released 1985 Label All The Madmen Records Formats Junction Signal Released 1986 Label All The Madmen Records Formats Ixion Released 1986 Label All The Madmen Records Formats Up From the Country Released 1988 Label Midnight Music Formats Goodbye To All That Released 1988 Label Midnight Music Formats Better To Bat Released 1990 Label Midnight Music Formats A Wild Card To Play Released 1995 Label Downwarde Spiral Records Formats Appearances edit Reality Asylum cover version of the song by Crass on the compilation album You ve Heard It All Before 1993 Related albums edit When Death Went to Bed With a Lady 1998 Joseph Porter solo album Going Down with Alice 2000 album by Mad Dogs and Englishmen including Joseph Porter Red Wedding 2004 acoustic album by Steven Cooper and Joseph Porter Videos edit Do the One About the Horse 1990 Live in Harlow 1995 References edit Hall Duncan 18 December 2015 Cult folk punks Blyth Power play in support of rail renationalisation under Brighton Station The Argus Brighton Retrieved 29 May 2020 a b Colin Larkin ed 1997 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music Concise ed Virgin Books pp 157 158 ISBN 1 85227 745 9 Harris Craig Blyth Power Biography amp History AllMusic Retrieved 29 May 2020 a b c d e f g h Larkin Colin 1995 The Guinness Who s Who of Indie and New Wave Guinness Publishing Ltd p 58 ISBN 0 85112 657 X Blyth Power News Page Blythpower co uk Retrieved 17 October 2019 Holy Smoke Season 2 Episode 5 17 August 1998 LWT Lazell Barry 1997 Indie Hits 1980 1989 Cherry Red Books ISBN 0 9517206 9 4 Blyth Power Discogs com Retrieved 17 October 2019 a b c Blyth Power Album Discography AllMusic Retrieved 29 May 2020 External links editBlyth Power official site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blyth Power amp oldid 1217220251, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
