Rock Artist Management

Boomtown Rats Garry Roberts and Simon Crowe

Boomtown Rat original members Garry Roberts and Simon Crowe present their new band

.... Garry & Simon the driving force behind the Rats sound, have put their powerful alliance together once again to re-ignite and develop the essence of their music as it should be heard, with its driving rhythms and meaty guitar riffs. Their new band, The Rats with Pete Barton on bass & vocals and Darren Beale on guitar, perform all their classic hits along with live favourites like 'Joey's On The Street Again' and 'Neon Heart'. Their music still holds its appeal and is a reminder of how this dynamic sound is as relevant today as it ever was.

China Crisis

Founded in Liverpool, England by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon. The two started working together in 1979 after leaving school.

China Crisis debuted in 1981 with the single "African and White", then followed another single "Scream down at me" in 1982. Both these releases were on a small Liverpool independent label, Inevitable Records.

The band was then signed by Virgin Records who re-released "African and White", which then became a minor UK hit, reaching number 45 in the singles chart.

The debut album "Difficult shapes and passive rhythms, Some people think it's fun to entertain" surfaced in late 1982 and hit the number 21 spot in November.

The album spawned two more singles "No more blue horizons" and "Christian", the latter peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart.

"Working with fire and steel"

In 1983 the singles "Tragedy and mystery" (UK no. 46) and "Working with fire and steel" (UK no. 48) preceeded the second album, "Working with fire and steel, Possible pop songs volume two", this time with Mike Howlett behind the wheel. The album was released in November.

The third single from the album, "Wishful Thinking" became China Crisis' biggest hit, reaching number 9 in the UK and charting all over Europe. It was voted most popular song of the week on the swedish radio show "Poporama" in the spring of 1984. Later in the spring "Hanna Hanna" reached no. 44 in the UK charts.

"Flaunt the Imperfection"

With a growing reputation after the success of "Working with fire and steel", China Crisis attracted the interest of Steely Dan founding member, Walter Becker.

Becker came to produce their third album "Flaunt the imperfection", released in april 1985. Becker has claimed that he was not the band's first choice as producer, they apparently wanted Brian Eno but he wasn't available.

The result became very smooth and slick, and very "steelydanish". The album was to be the bands greatest success to this date, reaching no. 9 in the UK charts and sending them on an extensive tour.

Featured singles are: "Black Man Ray" (UK no. 14), possibly their best song. "King in a Catholic Style" (UKno. 19) with a very entertaining video clip to back it. "You Did Cut Me" (UK no. 54) and "The Highest High". At the time of the release of "You Did Cut Me" (September 1985) a video, "Showbiz Absurd", was released, including the promo clips for "Christian", "Working with Fire and Steel", "Wishful Thinking", "Hanna Hanna", "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style".

"What Price Paradise"

With Brian McNeill (keyboards) having joined the band, they recorded "What Price Paradise" with Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley producing. The album was released in November 1986 and reached no. 63 in the UK. The album is in my opinion the bands best to this date, sadly underated by critics and the public.

"Arizona Sky" (UK no. 47, november 1986) and "Best Kept Secret" (UK no. 36, early 1987) was the only singles from this album.

"Diary of A Hollow Horse"

After a lengthy absence from the limelight, China Crisis resurfaced in May 1989 with the single "Saint Saviour Square". The single's lack of success didn't help rocket the following album "Diary of a Hollow Horse" to any commercial heights. With Walter Becker back as main producer (8 of 11 songs) and recorded on Hawaii, in Los Angeles, New York and London it has the scent of summer and Steely Dan! In retrospect a very good album.

Compilations, leaving Virgin and splitting up

In August 1990 the first China Crisis compilation album was released, "Collection, The very best of China Crisis". Featuring almost exclusively singles, a lot of essential material is left out from this offering. Though, this compilation was released also as a limited edition double CD featuring some of their best B-sides on the second disc. This double compilation is a truly wonderful sum up of their career from 1981 to 1989. A remix of "African and White" preceeded the album as a single. This remix by Steve Proctor gave the song a completely new flavour, excellent!

"Diary - a collection" from 1992 features a few more album tracks and B-sides and is a more interesting compilation than the first one. This one also has some nice liner notes.

After Virgin wanting only Daly and Lundon to stay on the paylist, China Crisis left Virgin since the band was so important to the members after playing together for eight years.

"Warped by Success"

The album, "Warped by Success" is far from their best moments but still a welcome return. A few songs show that they still have the ability to write wonderful pop songs, the only (?) single "Everyday the Same", "Without the Love" and "Hard to be Around" in particular.

"Warped by success" was released by Stardumb Records.

"Acoustically Yours"

Following another change of record company now being with former OMD member Paul Humphrey's label Telegraph Records, China Crisis set off to record a live album, "Acoustically yours".

Released in the autumn of 1995 to critical aclaim, it showed a China Crisis as brilliant as ever, being confident about the power in the songs. Showing that though the sound on some of their earlier offerings are quite dated, their songs are not! Most of their "greatest" hits are here and a some more recent songs all in splendidly revamped versions.

The highlights are "Wishful Thinking", "It's Everything", "Black Man Ray" and "Diary of a Hollow Horse". The album was recorded at the Neptune theatre in Liverpool and a tour followed.

"Black Man Ray" was the single of the album, released in 1996. On the single there was a version from the Neptune theatre show of "Here come a Raincloud" (from "Working...") that features Pete Coyle from The Lotus Eaters on vocals.

Dave Sharp ex Original Alarm

The Hard Traveller Himself
''Ladies & Gentlemen, live via satellite, from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee, home of the 'Grand Old Opry,' would you please welcome, from Manchester England:''

Mr DAVE SHARP

With these words echoing from every television set in the heartland of blue collar America, the solo career of Dave Sharp, co-founder and lead guitarist of British rock band, The Alarm, was launched in the United States in 1991.

Fifteen minutes later, centre stage at the Ryman Auditorium, a shadowy, lone figure, Dave Sharp-Brit rock guitar player turned troubadour-had found his way into the hearts and minds of an American core country audience with the song ''Hard Travlin,'' no mean feat for a boy from Salford.

It had all begun in 1989, a year, which had seen the US release of the Alarm's 5th coast-to-coast hit album Change and #1 AOR single ''Sold Me Down The River.''

The Alarm toured with Bob Dylan, sold out arenas and theatres-indoors and out-played the talk shows, rose through the ranks with MTV. They in fact achieved what most British bands only ever dream of-the much sought-after status of ''a British Rock Band that entered the American popular conciousness.''

Later that year lead singer Mike Peters made the surprise announcement that he would take a two-year sabbatical from The Alarm, a decision which would lead to his eventual departure from the band in 1991.

Sharp had cut his musical teeth in Manchester, England at the tail end of the Woodstock era on a diet of Guthrie, Dylan & Neil Young, spiced with Zeppelin, Free, and The Who. The prospect of an enforced sabbatical from his band mates of 10 years proved to be the ideal opportunity for Dave to step into the spotlight.

In December 1990, having enlisted the help of legendary maverick record producer Bob Johnston (Dylan, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen), Dave walked through the doors of the Hit Factory NYC and in under a week his first solo album ''Hard Travlin'' had been recorded and delivered for release.

The following year saw Dave return to New York City. He performed for an audience of 25,000 in Central Park at Woody Guthrie's 80th Anniversary where he shared the spotlight with the Right Reverend Jessie Jackson, Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger under the watchful and approving eyes of Guthrie's sister Nora and long time Guthrie manager & friend, Harold Leventhal.

Dave Sharp's solo albums have received critical acclaim both in the United States and here in the UK. He performs continuously on both sides of the Atlantic. Over the years Sharp has worked alongside most of the artists he has long respected and admired. Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash have appeared on his recordings; he has performed alongside Kris Kristofferson, Bill Munroe and Porter Wagoner. A regular performer on Decatur Street, New Orleans, whether solo or with a band-guitar in hand-Sharp delivers the ''Spirit of Rock & Roll.''

Sharp's music has been described as everything from folk and blues to rock country and punk; his performances as everything from legendary to lousy. One word cannot be used when trying to describe Dave Sharp- ''predictable.'' He has embraced mainstream pop culture whilst at the same time remaining one step away from its grasp. He likes it that way!

''It's a Mighty Hard Road to be Travelin' Down'' - Sharp knows it, writes it and sings it.