Edgar Broughton Band Speak Down The Wires - The Recordings 1975 - 1982 (4-CD)

(Cherry Red Records) 47 tracks incl. bonus tracks, 16-page booklet

• A new remastered 4-CD gatefold box set containing all the albums by the Edgar Broughton Band / The Broughtons released between 1975 and 1982.

• Includes an illustrated booklet with essay and poster.

1. Bandages, Released In 1975
2. Live Hits Harder, Released In 1979
3. Parlez Vous English, Released In 1979
4. Superchip - The Final Silicon Solution Released In 1982
   

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of "Speak Down the Wires", a remastered four-disc box set featuring the four albums by Edgar Broughton Band / The Broughtons released between 1975 and 1982: "Bandages", "Live Hits Harder!", "Parlez Vous English" and "Superchip: The Final Silicon Solution". Since the release of their debut album for EMI's Harvest label in 1969, "Wasa Wasa", the Edgar Broughton Band pioneered counterculture and rock music with a social conscience and could even be considered the godfather and influencer of the later punk movement. Hailing from Warwick, the band of EDGAR BROUGHTON (guitar, vocals), STEVE BROUGHTON (drums, vocals) and ARTHUR GRANT (bass, vocals) earned many loyal fans and several hit singles (including their anthem "Out Demons Out!") over a series of albums for the Harvest label.

In 1973, the band left Harvest and recorded four more albums, all released on independent labels between 1975 and 1982. "Bandages" was the first of these records and was made at a time when the band was struggling with management problems. Recorded in the summer of 1975 in Oslo, the band was joined by new member JOHN THOMAS on guitar and later mixed by the band and Mike Oldfield in his home studio. "Bandages" was a good record, featuring Mike as a guest musician on the tracks "Speak Down the Wires", "The Whale" and "Fruhling Flowers".

Despite the acclaim for "Bandages", the band decided to take a break in 1976 and embarked on a "farewell" European tour, adding another guitarist, Terry Cottam, to the band. Several UK shows were recorded by RAK Mobile Studio and the highlights were eventually released as the "Live Hits Harder!" album in 1979. By the time of this release, the band had entered the studio with a new line-up featuring Edgar and Steve Broughton. Arthur Grant was joined by PETE TOLSON (guitars), RICHARD DE BASTION (keyboards, backing vocals) and TOM NORDEN (guitars, backing vocals) to record the excellent album "Parlez Vous English". This album was produced by the band with assistance from John Leckie and Simon Heyworth and the band shortened their name to The Broughtons. "Parlez Vous English" incorporated new wave and art rock influences and was arguably the most polished of all the albums recorded by the band, with highlights including "All I Want to Be" (also a single), "Anthem", "Revelations One" and "April in England". After a promotional tour in 1980, the Edgar Broughton Band took the plunge to start their own label to release their next album in 1982, the concept album "Superchip: The Final Silicon Solution". With this album, the band reverted to a trio and made greater use of keyboards. The dystopian message of the album is perhaps even more relevant today than when it was first released.

Speak Down the Wires - The Recordings 1975 - 1982 is a fine collection of music and tells an often overlooked chapter of the later musical legacy of one of Britain's most authentic bands.

Die Geschichte des Polit-Rockers Broughton ist eine der wohlbekannten der Rock- Historie und im nach hinein kann man dem Gitarristen durchweg gutgemeinte Absichten unterstellen, wenn er auf seinen Polit-Trip ging. Er und sein Bruder Steve, der am Schlagzeug sitzt, stammen aus einer klassenbewussten Arbeiterfamilie, und dass Mrs. Broughton die Gruppe anfänglich als Chauffeur und Road-Manager im wahrsten Sinne „bemutterte', ist keineswegs nur Gerücht. Gemeinsam mit dem Bassisten Arthur Grant stieg das Trio mit den LPs „Wasa Wasa' und „Sing Brother Sing' in überraschend kurzer Zeit in der Publikumsgunst. Edgars Thesen kamen just zu der Zeit, als in jeder Ecke eine neue Super-Gruppe entstand, als Blind Faith und die Rolling-Stones ihre Free-Concerts im Londoner Hyde Park gaben – die jedoch lediglich der jeweiligen Gruppe die zur Gewinnmaximierung not- wendige Publicity verschaffen sollten. Doch das Kapitel „Polit-Rock' ist nach den trüben Erfahrungen, die die Broughton Band machen musste, beendet worden. Seit 1971 als Quartett ~ der Gitarrist Victor Unitt kam als Verstärkung hinzu - verlegt sich die Broughton Band mehr aufs Musikalische, ohne dabei ihre Aktivitäten zu verlieren. Die ansprechenden LP-Produktionen „The Edgar Broughton Band' und „Inside Out' markierten diese neue Richtung, und für die Aufnahmen zum fünften Album „Oora' nahm sich die Gruppe gar 12 Monate Zeit. Die folgende Tournee durch England wurde zum Kassenschlager und endete mit einem grandiosen Konzert im Londoner Rainbow Theatre, bei dem das Publikum Kopf stand. Original Presse-Info: EMI Electrola GmbH