Best Support Groups

I remember that Teardrop Explodes got absolutley slaughted at Milton Keynes Bowl.Just a point who picks support bands for tours?

Big Country

It would be cool too talk with Queen/Lzzy fans on who got the better of those shows....It's like talking with
Priest/Maiden fans when Maiden opened for Priest in the early 80's...Both priest and Maiden fans agree that Maiden Blew them away, as they
were young and hungry...The same with Ozzy/Metallica in 86, A show I did see.....

[QUOTE] [b]philip storey wrote:[/b]

I remember that Teardrop Explodes got absolutley slaughted at Milton Keynes Bowl.Just a point who picks support bands for tours?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I remember that; Julian Cope like a rabbit in the headlights, dripping with sweat (it was hot in there tho)

Most support acts get their chance as a result of being on the same record label, or on the same management rosta, as the main artist, or just having enough money to buy themselves onto the support slot.

Without wanting to sound bitter, I recall my band in the mid 90s entering a competition via Kerrang! magazine for an unsigned local band to win a support on a hard rock UK tour with a name EMI/Parlophone band. The idea being that a band local to each stop on the tour would get the support slot in their area. All the hype insisted everyone would get a fair opportunity and they wanted to do this to ensure that the support band was musically suited to the headline act too. Needless to say, the end result was one band getting the whole tour as support, and them being musically compeltely unsuited to the main band (they were a sort of lame country rock type band), and they weren't unsigned, and had management links to the main band that ensured they could buy their slot. I'm not saying my band shoudl have got a slot, but I knew many other ands that should have.

Anyways.....back on topic - I recall that a band featuring Winger/Dixie Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein also featured on a Magic Tour bill, but can't remember their name.

By the way, am I the only one that, on seeing the name of this thread, thought, "maybe Alcoholics Anonymous or The Samaritans?" ?!!

There was a german band on the bill at Newcastle during the Magic Tour ,can anyone remember their name,they were pretty poor.Just a few thoughts about Thin Lizzy,i have most of their albums and they usually contain two or three real gems a couple of nice ballads and i am afrraid to say a lot of filler to hold the album together.They released nothing anywhere near the quality of ANATO,DATR,Q2,SHA,NOTW.I never saw them live but i believe that is where they were at their best.They also released one of the most revolting singles ever "Killer On The Loose".This was before they caught the yorkshire ripper or just after they knicked him.Either way it was in very bad taste.It was amazing that it got into the top 30.On the plus side Jailbreak,Boys Are Back In Town,Sarah,Waiting For An Alibi and others were classics.

[QUOTE] [b]philip storey wrote:[/b]

There was a german band on the bill at Newcastle during the Magic Tour


The band were Zeno. Zeno Roth is Uli Jon Roth's younger brother.

Just a follow up. I used a poor choice of words regarding Thin Lizzy as a 'one hit wonder'. They had two over here, 'Jailbreak' was a good LP. Never heard anything else afterwards. I enjoyed what I saw of the band as an opening act, and am glad I did.

I would have sat through their entire set, and really enjoyed them, as a headliner.

It's just that I went to see, and was focused on, the main act that night.

INXS might have made the list, had their van nor broken down en route to Newcastle, '86!

[QUOTE] [b]philip storey wrote:[/b]

I remember that Teardrop Explodes got absolutley slaughted at Milton Keynes Bowl.Just a point who picks support bands for tours?[/QUOTE]

i was there.....and me and my mate Ian Goss managed to get about fifteen-twenty feet from stage (i posted some crappy old instamatic 110 pics on here years ago. we threw slices of pizza and pastie at Jules Cope and the guy sat playing (french) horn....
we really angered the horn player with a few direct hits.

Copey (God bless him) announced every song as "a classic" or such like and dodged everything we threw at him...even saying "missed" a couple of times.... felt ashamed afterward as The Teardrops split very shortly after that gig. I did go out and buy their stuff after that gig, and have everything Cope has done - and underrated genius.


As regards INXS - they were just about to "break" in the UK when they played wembley in 86 - their set was around the time of their Listen Like Thieves album...They weren't bad that day, but saw them at NEC year later for Kick tour and they really were much better. The other band on the day - The Alarm (did anyone mention them?) were much better....Mike Peters' songs were more anthemic and better suited to an outdoor crowd....they only played about 40 mins - 7 or 8 songs - but i remember the place bouncing to Where Were You Hiding, Blaze of Glory, Spirit of 76 and 68 Guns

As regards "Manfred Mann"...was it Manfred Mann's Earthband? - love their stuff, esp their dylan/springsteen covers....have most of their 70s output

They are on the list...

And they werent boohed of stage.

Inxs i was writing about..

[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]

By the way, am I the only one that, on seeing the name of this thread, thought, "maybe Alcoholics Anonymous or The Samaritans?" ?!![/QUOTE]


Exactly what I had thought
Don't forget the suicide prevention hotline, 1-800 GAMBLER and GLAAD for those Lambert fans up in here

Dakota was pretty dull... Billy Squier was great, though. And if you only have one "hit", you're a "one hit wonder", sorry that's what that phrase means. Lizzy was more an album-oriented band, well respected even to this day, but nonetheless broke the top 40 only once in the US. So, if the shoe fits...