Crazy Pink Revolvers was formed in early 1986 by Stan Stammers formerly with the Epileptics, The Straps, Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny. Stan recruited James Adam Bolton who had played guitar with various punk and rockabilly bands, after they had met at a gig at the then Town & Country Club (The Forum) in Kentish Town, London.
The name Crazy Pink Revolvers came from a friend of Stan's called Annie Watkins. Annie was going to use the name for a clothes shop she was going to start for her clothing designs, but when Stan was looking for a name for his new band, she suggested this name along with some others. Annie is now married to Frenchy who use to be the stage manager for The Cult and also roadied for Spear. Frenchy and Annie now have a staging company (Steel Monkey) in Bristol making stages for The Brits and other shows and tours.
Both Stan and Adam spent from early '86 until August '86 writing songs, and looking for musicians, and then in about August '86 Stan knew this really good drummer called Jake Slee who lived in the same area and was promptly asked to fill the drum stool. Daniel Drummond sang with a band called "Lack of Knowledge", singing kind of political punk stuff, and he was introduced to the band and was hired. At that time the band use to rehearse in Wapping East London and also at Elephant and Castle Sunday School, and other places around North/South London.
It was in these rehearsal rooms that the band got together the songs for the first album, First Down. Stefan, the singer for Living in Texas, who were mates of Stan's from touring with SOD, had started Chainsaw Records, and wanted to record CPR. So, without having played any gigs! they recorded First Down at RMS Studios in South London in January 1987. CPR played their first live gig at Fulham Greyhound on Friday 13th (!) of February 1987, supported by Last Salute a band formed by Barnet Marks one of Stan's best mates. There were about 400 people there for the first gig and CPR went down really well but people didn't seem to like Danny very much, the way he was on stage, his presence, a bit odd and static, weird little dances and stuff. Adam recalled recently that he thought he sang well and that his lyrics were great, but he said that he wasn't really what they were looking for in the end. On CPR's first live gigs, Mat Fraser from Living in Texas helped out until they found Laurent Reignier as their resident drummer.
In middle of '87 Daniel Drummond left and Stan moved to Lead Vocals and Lead Bass, playing 4 and 5 stringed basses. Colin Brown who was a mate of Stan and the band, was asked to take up the duties on Rhythm Bass; he was one of the Belfast Crew, not a brilliant bass player but top bloke. John Curd came onto the scene with CPR around the time that Danny left in the middle of '87; everyone knew him as a promoter for years, he did all the best shows in London, he also had a label ABC Records. Curdy came to see CPR and liked them and he had known Stan well for years. In early 1987 CPR signed to John Curds label ABC Records and recorded the Timeless Smiles E.P. at Woodcray Studio's in Berkshire.
In December '87 Colin left the band because he had other things on his mind, and the band decided he wasn't up to keeping up with Lau's brilliant drumming, Lau's brother Tristan then took up the Rhythm Bass duties. Early in '88 the band recorded their second album At the Rivers Edge also at Woodcray Studios, and from this the band was invited on the Jiffy Safe Sex Tour, joining two other London bands, Lightening Strikes and Boys Wonder. In January 1989 CPR recorded their second single, Wednesday 19:45 at Woodcray Studios. The single which was taken from the album was written about the Kings Cross fire on the London Underground in 1988.
In March 1989 Stan Stammers left London with his American girlfriend Lisa to live in Philadelphia in the U.S.A. After a number of months Adam, Tris and Lau finally found a new accomplice to play bass, after many adverts in the N.M.E., Melody Maker and Sounds Magazines. This being Malcolm X from Sweden, he was a top bloke and a superb bassist. Tris now moved his duties to Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar. The band played a number of live gigs including The Cricketers at the Oval which was their last gig in 1989.
'First Down' has been remastered by Maurice Mulligan who was the original producer and friend Dallas Simpson from Dallas Masters. The CD will be available to buy at the end of March and includes two remixes of 'The Seven' done by Stan Stammers and Rob Daly of Plastic Eaters. The album will be available to download from iTunes and 7digital in April. The CD can be ordered from our online shop www.stanstammers.com/shop.html
Over the next few months we will also be remastering the 'Timeless Smile EP', 'At The River's Edge' and 'Wednesday 19:45', the latter being added to the 'At The River's Edge' CD as bonus material. All will be available from our online shop.
Hey!! Just wanted to stop by and say hi and let you know I have new song up called "I Didn't Know" and would love your feedback on it if you get a chance! Thank you so much and I hope your day is killer!! :-)
I also saw CPR about 40 times - from the Electric Ballroom show with The Stingrays. Getting a copy of Timeless Smile from Stephan James. Through the Jiffy tour, the Marquee residency in early 89. Setting gigs up in the North of England for CPR at Liverpool, Stoke and Chester. Promoting and Arranging the tour with the boys around the UK the tour with Jake and Nigel's band Turbo, etc right up until the end until the Tabanacel Gig in Notting Hill
Still have the music on vinyl and a few live show on tape floating around the office. Floods the memories... and Myspace as brought a many olde friend back to life!!! Tristain my Dutch friend back then you could woo the crowd. Glad we are still buddy's
I must have seen CPR about 40 times - from the Dingwalls show when Timeless Smile came out (I was 16 or 17 then and remember being really excited when I got home and stuck that one on the record player!), through the Jiffy tour, the Marquee residency in early 89 (I remember we finished our band's first 4-track demo just so we could give Stan a copy in the hope he'd give us a support slot. The sod didn't let us - but the bass on that tape was out of tune!), Stan going awol, that tour with Jake and Nigel's band Turbo, etc right up until the end when you had the bass player from FreeBass.
Brixton Nights brought back memories... playing it to my goth-wannabe mates who only listened to the fucking Cure and Sisters of Murky... they used to like Driver Driver!
Anyone else out here that used to see CPR back in the old days?
