Add to My Profile | More VideosOften referred to as The Six Horsemen of the Country Rock Apocalypse, The Steamboat Band was one of the most successful bands to emerge from the Padgate/Orford scene in the early 1990s. Recognised as instigators of charity shop chic, they appeared in a whirl of flares, corduroy, and cheap leather jackets, presenting a hairy alternative to the Britpop look so prevalent at the time.Their origins are shrouded in mystery: there are stories of a semi-derelict youth club, Diamond White, and Twelve Bar Blues. Their progress can then be traced to Longford Street and Terry's Music and thence to the Lord Rodney, where the regulars still talk in hushed tones of the night The Steamboat Band played their first gig. A plaque commemorating the event could be seen there until recently, when the present management of the pub removed it in an attempt to deter heartbroken fans who still follow the Steamboat Trail across Warrington in homage to their heroes. And so there followed a period of adventures in licensed premises throughout the North-West, an intense campaign of Rock n Roll that few who witnessed it would ever forget. A demo was recorded at Warrington's famous Frog Studios, and the band began to attract record company interest that soon developed into a fierce bidding war. Everyone tipped them for massive success, the world was at their feet, and the competition for their signatures was finally won by Polydor.The band now went out on the road, criss-crossing the nation in an exhausting series of tours that enabled them to truly hone their sound. So many of these gigs have passed into legend: Southend Esplenade, Buckley Tivoli, Nottingham Rock City, and a night at the Manchester Apollo in support of Whitesnake, who clearly struggled to win over the crowd after a visceral set from the Steamboat Band.Between campaigns of rider-stealing from headlining acts, the band recorded that one perfect album in the rural idyll of Rockfield studios just outside of Monmouth, Gwent. Entitled Runners and Riders, the album captured a very relaxed atmosphere, with the songs being recorded with very subtle psychedelic undertones. Its influence is well known, and need not be reiterated here. It is enough to say that there have not been many albums released since 1995 that do not contain a few nods to the legacy of the Steamboat Band. It all began so well: the Warrington branch of HMV opened at midnight on the day of release so that eager fans could finally get their hands on the album and ecstatic reviews appeared in the music press. But it was not to be. The businessmen at Polydor were blind to the genius that was so obvious to the rest of us, and without ever receiving proper support from the label, the band were dropped in the summer of 1995. But in defence of the band, it must be said that the label's output since then clearly shows their lack of respect for truly great music. Rumours abound on the internet, connecting this to power struggles within the company and the rise of a dark one who cannot be named. But the Steamboat Band didn't need success and all the cliches that accompany it. For those of us who were lucky enough to see them, they will always be the band, the raw essence of Rock n Roll, an uncorrupted groove that will always be with us. We should be thankful that they weren't spoiled by fame and fortune, and that we'll never see their albums on a Tesco shelf.Vocals - Sean O'Brien; Guitar - Phill Challinor; Guitar - Chris Probert; Bass - Nick Dewhurst; Piano - Alex Light; Drums - Rob Woods
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