BANDS, like fashion, buses and tides, come and go. One minute you’re in, the next you’re out.

So it takes a lot of luck and general all-round niftiness to survive almost 30 years in the revolving door nightmare that is the music business.

Once described as ‘The Temptations in ripped jeans’, The Christians were absolutely hu-mungous in the late 80s and 90s, with their double-platinum eponymous album, hit singles, including Hooverville, Ideal World and Born Again, and sell-out tours (I recall seeing them at the Kentish Town Forum back in their pomp) and there seemed no stopping the three Scouse brothers, Garry, Russell and Roger.

Their brand of soul, pop and gospel influenced tunes really stood out for me at a time when the likes of Stock, Aitken and Waterman doo-doo dominated the airwaves and the charts.

The second album Colours (which I had on cassette in my first car, a ropey white L-reg Triumph Toldeo, bought for £150 at auction in 1990. I tore the arse out of both the cassette and the car) went to No 1, the third not so well, then it’s the greatest hits package and frontman Garry’s move to Paris which precipitated the band break-up, followed by the sad passing of Roger from a brain tumour in 1998.

 

Garry continued to write, perform and tour throughout the ‘00s and here we are today, September 2015, with the release of The Christians’ ninth studio album We. This latest album was paid for by the band’s loyal fans thanks to a Crowdfunding exercise and you can see if they’ve made the most of your hard-earned loot by either buying the album and/or catching them live on their current UK tour which stops off at the Electric Palace in Bridport next Saturday, October 3.

They’ll be joined by Andrew Roachford, another survivor from the insanity of the late 80s and 90s, and tickets at £25 are available from the box office on 01308 424801.

Moving on, and it’s time to hold on to your innards for another night of top quality metal at Finns in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday September 26.

Topping the bill are Death Remains from that London, who have just finished smashing up the country on a UK tour, and they’ll be supported by prog moshers Core Of Io, Weymouth’s very own lovelies End of Daze, Old Boy from Bournemouth (no, that’s not the name of the band. They’re called Old Boy, and they’re from Bournemouth, dur…) and the charmingly-monickered Bloodsworn.

It’s just £3 on the door tomorrow night for the privilege of having your ears weep blood and your spleen relocated. You’d pay more on the NHS for that. A bargain, I tells ya.

Right, that’s it for this week. Just time to dig out my tartan trews for the Bay City Rollers reunion and then I’m off to Downing St to watch some Peppa Pig dvds.

What a time to be alive...

TONIGHT (25)

Pressure Point (Finns, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Jo Jo (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Remix (The Park, Weymouth)

Swamp Grass (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Paul Gibson (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Tripod (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Skones (Chalk and Cheese, Maiden Newton)

C Sharp Blues (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Skinful (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Crack, Nina Garcia (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Simon Gee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Gloucester Bars, Weymouth)

Guns of Navarone (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY (26)

Death Remains, Core Of Io, Old Boy, End of Daze (Finns, Weymouth)

Hustle (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Peacock Suit (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Little Ship, Portland)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Sticky Jam Band (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (The Park, Weymouth)

Hot Bacon (Market House, Weymouth)

The Hurricanes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Bitter and Twisted (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Finn (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Katz (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Ken Watkins (Frampton village hall)

Matt Taylor (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

The Persuaders (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (RBL Club, Portland)

Paul Gibson (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Chloe and Tom (New Star, Portland)

The Sharpees (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

The Tatsmiths (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Andy Grant Trio (Brewhouse, Dorchester)

SUNDAY (27)

Stupidity (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Julie Freeman, Wildwood Jack (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

Mark Stacey and friends host this regular Sunday acoustic jam session. Music from 8pm.

Open Mic Surgery (George, Dorchester)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (28)

Powelly, Matt Black (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (29)

Open Mic Night (The Park, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) Open mic night.

WEDNESDAY (30)

Danx’s Open Mic (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dave P’s Open Mic Night (Rendezvous, Weymouth) From 8pm.

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Little Ship, Portland)

Aaron Carter (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (1)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic Surgery (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester)

Steve’s Singalong (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund Street, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY (2)

Hucklebuck, Ian Jennings, Ian Briggs (Electric Palace, Bridport)

London Calling (Finns, Weymouth) Clash tribute. £6.

Subversion, Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Bob Mallett (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Transitions (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (George, Dorchester)

Stevie P (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Wilson (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Mother Ukers (Ropemakers, Bridport)