This myspace page is dedicated in loving memory to René Berg. The voice of an angel. May he rest in peace.
René Berg (February 24, 1956 - July 28, 2003) was an English musician, vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who recorded and performed in a number of bands starting in the late 70's until his death in 2003. His notable bands included Idle Flowers, Soho Vultures, René Berg Band, along with appearances in Hanoi Rocks, Herman Brood Band, and The Killers. He was born in Kent, England.
René Berg started out his musical endeavors playing with notorious Dutch junkie rock n' roller Herman Brood in the late 70's before starting the Idle Flowers in September 1981 back in London. The band opened up for Hanoi Rocks in January 1983 at the Clarendon and René also guested on guitar with Hanoi Rocks sometime in that year. The Idle Flowers recorded many demos for an intended debut LP entitled "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes" (which became the title of René's 1992 solo album) but the recordings remain unreleased. The only official Idle Flowers release was the excellent Plimsouls-esque "All I Want Is You" / "Fizz Music" single back in 1984 on the Miles Ahead label recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios.
In March of 1985, Berg was asked by Michael Monroe and Nasty Suicide to join Hanoi Rocks as the band's new bassist for the departed Sami Yaffa. Berg was an old friend of the band and had played occasionally with Andy McCoy. The new Hanoi Rocks lineup (which also included one time Clash drummer Terry Chimes filling in after Razzle's tragic death) only lasted a few months before falling apart. However René did record bass on the "Rock N Roll Divorce" (1985) live album and the final Hanoi Rocks 1985 demos. His self penned song "Fast Car" included on his 1992 solo album as well as Hanoi Rocks posthumous "Lean On Me" (1992) collection was recorded by Hanoi Rocks. The rest of the 1985 demos remain unreleased.
Shortly after the demise of Hanoi Rocks in May 1985, a month later the Idle Flowers broke up in June 1985 after almost a four year stint together. Berg kept a low profile before ending up singing lead vocals in 1986 on the Suicide Twins (Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide's side acoustic band) "Sweet Pretending".
In 1986 René grouped with Jim Penfold from The Hollwood Killers and started The Killers who recorded four unreleased demos, appeared on London Weekend TV, and did many shows before disbanding in early 1987. Also in 1987 he played on the Gang Bang Band's 12" EP recorded with Nasty Sucide from Hanoi Rocks, Bernie Torme, and members of the Quireboys, Babysitters, and Wolfsbane.
1987 proved a very productive year for René who fronted his second band (after the Idle Flowers) called West End Central which quickly evolved into the Soho Vultures with Nasty Suicide (Hanoi Rocks) on guitar. Tommy Fox soon replaced Dougie (Idle Flowers) on bass and The Soho Vultures recorded six great glammy power pop songs in 1987 that to this day tragically remain unreleased.
The Soho Vultures songs recorded were "Head Over Heels", "Can't Get To Sleep", "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes", "Happy", "Too Late" and the classic "London Town". "Too Late" featured Nasty Suicide on lead vocals while the other songs featured René Berg's outstanding vocals. "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes", "Happy", and "Too Late" were to be rerecorded for the band's debut Ammunition single that sadly never came to be. Fortunately, "Head Over Heels", Can't Get To Sleep", and "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes" were all recorded for Rene's 1992 solo album.
Other Soho Vultures songs played live included the old Idle Flowers songs "Down The Avenue", "Feel Your Love", "Glad I'm Not American", "Rob The Bank", "The Letter", and "Alright Alright" as well as a cover of Hanoi Rocks "Boiler". The Soho Vultures played frequently in London at the Marquee and Dingwall's, toured Finland in September of that year appearing on radio shows, a Finnish TV music programme entitled "Rock Stop", and even made a rarely seen video for the song "Head Over Heels" before calling it a day in late 1987.
After the Soho Vultures disbanded René remained quiet for a few years until he scored a bigger record deal and recorded his only solo album "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes" released in 1992 on Communique Records. When he arrived back on the scene he was revitalized by the album release, (his first in eight years since the Idle Flowers single and album) and promoted and played many live dates between 1992-1993 some with his old bandmate Nasty Suicide guesting on guitar. The album featured guitarist Bernie Torme (Ozzy Osbourne Band, Ian Gillan, Whitesnake) and the rhythm section of Rat Scabies on drums and Paul Gray on bass both previously from the Damned. A planned tour of Europe and Japan to promote the album was scheduled but was later cancelled. In 1993 René contributed to Nasty Suicide's "Cool Talk Injection" (1994) album singing lead vocals on the Alvin Gibbs penned song "The Trap That Venus Laid" and backing vocals on two other songs. René was contracted to do two more albums for Communique Records (which would have mosty likely included "London Town" and other Idle Flowers / Soho Vultures songs) which sadly never materialized. He never entirely quit playing music. René always recorded private demos with friends (some dating from the late 70's) but if anyone still may have these demo tapes, they aren't letting the rest of the world in on this lost treasure trove.
René Berg sadly died on July 28th, 2003 estranged from those who knew him. The cause of death was not an overdose (he never was entirely addicted to heroin and supposely could use or not use it when he chose) but a culmination of depression and all the years of hard living and drinking taking there toll.
One of René's personal proudest moments was appearing onstage in New York, playing side by side with Chuck Berry!! Still his legacy lives on - The Darkness' 2003 hit "I Belive In A Thing Called Love" owes it's entire riff and arrangement to Rene's "Rob The Bank"...coincidence...I think not!!René Berg was a beautiful human being and greatly underestimated talent obscured by bad timing and his own vices but will forever remain in our memories.
DISCOGRAPHY
IDLE FLOWERS
1. "All I Want Is You" b/w "Fizz Music" Single 7" (Mile Ahead Records, 1984)
2. "Studio Demos" (unreleased, 1981-1984)
Songs include - "London Town" / 'Happy" / "The Letter" / "Down The Avenue" / "Feel Your Love" / "Glad I'm Not American" / "Lorraine" / "Pleasures" / "Girl On The Bus"
WEST END CENTRAL
1. "Live Recording" 4/8/87, London, Dingwall's (unreleased)
SOHO VULTURES
1. "Studio Demos" (unreleased, 1987)
Songs include - "London Town" / "Happy" / "Too Late" / "Head Over Heels" / "Can't Get To Sleep" / "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes"
2. "Live Recording" 7/10/1987, London, Dingwall's (unreleased)
Includes - "Alright Alright"
RENE BERG BAND
1. "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes" Album CD (Communique Records, 1992)
Songs include - "Secrets" / 'Head Over Heels" / "Can't Get To Sleep" / "If I Had Wings" / "Get Up Get Out" / "Just Wanted To Dance With You" / "Fast Car" / "Ideal Woman" / "Rob The Bank" / "The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes"
2. "Live Recordings" 5/22/1993, London, George Robey (unreleased)
11/14/1993, London, Underworld (unreleased)
Includes - "Everybody Gets The Blues"
RENE BERG APPEARANCES
HERMAN BROOD BAND
(appears on guitar)
HANOI ROCKS
1. "Rock & Roll Divorce" Live Album LP (Lick Records, 1985)
2. "Lean On Me" Album LP/CD (Lick Records, 1992) (Recorded 1985)
3. "Studio Demos" (unreleased, 1985)
(Appears on bass)
SUICIDE TWINS
1. "Silver Missiles And Nightingales" Album LP/CD (Yahoo Recods, 1986)
(Appears on additional lead vocals on "Sweet Pretending")
THE KILLERS
1. "Studio Demos" (unreleased, 1986)
Songs include - "Cry" / "Shatter The Heart" / "Cactus Tongues" / "Lonely"
(Appears on guitar and vocals)
GANGBANG BAND
1. "S/T" EP 12" (1987)
(Appears on bass and vocals)
CHEAP AND NASTY
1. "Cool Talk Injection" Album LP/CD (Pony Canyon International, 1994)
(Appears on backing vocals on "The Trap That Venus Laid" (Alvin Gibbs), "Healing Touch", and "End Of Time")
