Fact #159515
When:
Short story:
JoBoxers score their first UK singles chart entry with Boxer Beat, which will peak at No3.Full article:
Emerging as if from nowhere and looking like a gang of misplaced Bowery Boys, the JoBoxers mowed a wide swathe across the UK singles chart in the spring of 1983 and then disappeared as suddenly as they had come. Whither?
Rob Marshe (guitar) : We were managed by The Clash’s manager, Bernie Rhodes. He’d got us working as the backing band for Vic Godard, calling ourselves the Subway Sect, but Vic got married and stopped showing up for gigs, so we found this American guy, Dig Wayne, in a band called Buz and the Flyers, and he became JoBoxers’ singer.
We were great live, but when we got signed to RCA we only had about four songs, so after the first couple of singles sold about half a million between them, we had to get more stuff written.
The deal with RCA gave us very poor points, so we didn’t see much money and, next thing we know, Bernie has moved to New York. CBS were keen to sign us, but RCA wouldn’t let us go. They slapped an injunction on us which kept us off the scene for six months. We used the time to write our second album, but we lost a lot of momentum, because nobody could see us perform.
Eventually, RCA signed us to a new contract but, when the next single didn’t sell, they pulled the plug. We’d also changed management a couple of times, so things were pretty difficult.
Just when we’d got a new deal with Magnet, and I’d put a lot of my money into making demos, Dig told us he wanted to leave and get a solo deal, and Dave was going with him as a writer. That was it.
The rest of us did three tours in the backing band for Sandie Shaw, just after she’d done her comeback with The Smiths. That lasted til about 1989 when Chris left, at which point me and Sean formed a band called If? We got a deal with MCA, but the album didn’t sell. Sean and me had worked together for fourteen years and by 1991 I’d had about enough. I did three tours playing guitar for Gun Club, then I started Earl Brutus. We got a lot of press, and we were great live but by the time we got to the second album we were literally just worn out.
I’m currently working on a solo album, under the name of Johnny, and I’ve done tracks with Patti Paladin and Dreadzone. I’m living in Belsize Park, very busy, generally happy, and about to have my first child with my partner, Amanda.
Chris Bostock (bass) : I think people thought we were kind of manufactured, but that whole street-gang thing was real. We lived in a warehouse in Camden, bought our own clothes from thrift shops and markets, and we were always getting into fights, like the one at the Embassy Club, and another at The State in Liverpool. But that Bowery Boys image was difficult to throw off. When RCA re-signed us, the deal was more money than they’d given Bowie, but our original AAndR guy was gone, and the relationship was never the same.
I did loads of session work for Style Council, OMD, Shakespeare’s Sister, and then joined Dave Stewart’s Spiritual Cowboys for three years, until 1992. I produced some albums, then became an AAndR man at Wired recordings. I tried to sign All Saints, but they weren’t looking for a deal at that point.
Two years ago, I started my own website, eyemusic.co.uk, which is part historical and partly a showcase for my current work. I got married last year, have one daughter, and we live in Epping Forest.
Dig Wayne (vocals) : According to Chris, ‘Dig had aspirations to be an actor as well as a singer. He had a long run in Five Guys Named Moe in the West End, and he got a small role in Judge Dredd, and in Young Americans. Last we heard, he’d moved to LA and was working as a set designer.’
Dave Collard (keyboards) : ‘After leaving The JoBoxers, Dave became a musical director for a number of people,’ says Rob. ‘He’s toured and worked with The The, Alison Moyet and Billy Ocean. Back when we were still JoBoxers, he met someone in Philadelphia, and ended up moving over there and starting a family.’
Sean McLuskey (drums) : Since I stopped working with Rob in 1992, I’ve moved into club promotions and, as a consultant, I launched the Scala, Liesureland and others. I come up with the concept, then work with a designer, carrying the idea through until the launch.
19. Madness enter the UK singles chart with a double A-side, Tomorrow’s (Just Another Day) and Madness (Is All In the Mind), which will peak at No8.
Carl Smyth (aka Chas Smash of Madness) : Tomorrow’s Just Another Day summed up how I felt about myself at the time. It’s about my emotions and how I got close to people and then wrecked those friendships. Writing about myself is difficult. I try not to think about it and just let the feelings spill out. I write things and I surprise myself.
Chris Foreman (aka Chrissy Boy of Madness) : Madness (It’s All In the Mind) was written at home. Stiff (Records) had given us these two-track home tape recorders with built-in drum machines. I used an acoustic guitar and gradually built the track up. I did the music, and the words just fitted the tune. I don’t think too deeply about my songwriting.
Tweet this Fact
Rob Marshe (guitar) : We were managed by The Clash’s manager, Bernie Rhodes. He’d got us working as the backing band for Vic Godard, calling ourselves the Subway Sect, but Vic got married and stopped showing up for gigs, so we found this American guy, Dig Wayne, in a band called Buz and the Flyers, and he became JoBoxers’ singer.
We were great live, but when we got signed to RCA we only had about four songs, so after the first couple of singles sold about half a million between them, we had to get more stuff written.
The deal with RCA gave us very poor points, so we didn’t see much money and, next thing we know, Bernie has moved to New York. CBS were keen to sign us, but RCA wouldn’t let us go. They slapped an injunction on us which kept us off the scene for six months. We used the time to write our second album, but we lost a lot of momentum, because nobody could see us perform.
Eventually, RCA signed us to a new contract but, when the next single didn’t sell, they pulled the plug. We’d also changed management a couple of times, so things were pretty difficult.
Just when we’d got a new deal with Magnet, and I’d put a lot of my money into making demos, Dig told us he wanted to leave and get a solo deal, and Dave was going with him as a writer. That was it.
The rest of us did three tours in the backing band for Sandie Shaw, just after she’d done her comeback with The Smiths. That lasted til about 1989 when Chris left, at which point me and Sean formed a band called If? We got a deal with MCA, but the album didn’t sell. Sean and me had worked together for fourteen years and by 1991 I’d had about enough. I did three tours playing guitar for Gun Club, then I started Earl Brutus. We got a lot of press, and we were great live but by the time we got to the second album we were literally just worn out.
I’m currently working on a solo album, under the name of Johnny, and I’ve done tracks with Patti Paladin and Dreadzone. I’m living in Belsize Park, very busy, generally happy, and about to have my first child with my partner, Amanda.
Chris Bostock (bass) : I think people thought we were kind of manufactured, but that whole street-gang thing was real. We lived in a warehouse in Camden, bought our own clothes from thrift shops and markets, and we were always getting into fights, like the one at the Embassy Club, and another at The State in Liverpool. But that Bowery Boys image was difficult to throw off. When RCA re-signed us, the deal was more money than they’d given Bowie, but our original AAndR guy was gone, and the relationship was never the same.
I did loads of session work for Style Council, OMD, Shakespeare’s Sister, and then joined Dave Stewart’s Spiritual Cowboys for three years, until 1992. I produced some albums, then became an AAndR man at Wired recordings. I tried to sign All Saints, but they weren’t looking for a deal at that point.
Two years ago, I started my own website, eyemusic.co.uk, which is part historical and partly a showcase for my current work. I got married last year, have one daughter, and we live in Epping Forest.
Dig Wayne (vocals) : According to Chris, ‘Dig had aspirations to be an actor as well as a singer. He had a long run in Five Guys Named Moe in the West End, and he got a small role in Judge Dredd, and in Young Americans. Last we heard, he’d moved to LA and was working as a set designer.’
Dave Collard (keyboards) : ‘After leaving The JoBoxers, Dave became a musical director for a number of people,’ says Rob. ‘He’s toured and worked with The The, Alison Moyet and Billy Ocean. Back when we were still JoBoxers, he met someone in Philadelphia, and ended up moving over there and starting a family.’
Sean McLuskey (drums) : Since I stopped working with Rob in 1992, I’ve moved into club promotions and, as a consultant, I launched the Scala, Liesureland and others. I come up with the concept, then work with a designer, carrying the idea through until the launch.
19. Madness enter the UK singles chart with a double A-side, Tomorrow’s (Just Another Day) and Madness (Is All In the Mind), which will peak at No8.
Carl Smyth (aka Chas Smash of Madness) : Tomorrow’s Just Another Day summed up how I felt about myself at the time. It’s about my emotions and how I got close to people and then wrecked those friendships. Writing about myself is difficult. I try not to think about it and just let the feelings spill out. I write things and I surprise myself.
Chris Foreman (aka Chrissy Boy of Madness) : Madness (It’s All In the Mind) was written at home. Stiff (Records) had given us these two-track home tape recorders with built-in drum machines. I used an acoustic guitar and gradually built the track up. I did the music, and the words just fitted the tune. I don’t think too deeply about my songwriting.