THE ALARM: A Career Retrospective w/John Snow

[@AndyTempleman-ot6lu]

Great topic! Great band! Been a fan of The Alarm since mid 80s. Especially early years. Mike Peters is still going today. Praying for him as he battles health issues! Spirit of 76 still lives today! ❤️

[@ZRATAN69]

Another great show 😎💯👍

[@daveycretin664]

Love The Alarm during their IRS Years. I even saw them twice, on two different tours, in NYC. And yes, one of those tours WAS for the Raw album. They did actually tour for that particular platter. Other standout tracks by the band: “Blaze of Glory,” “Newtown Jericho,” “Hallowed Ground,” “Permanence in Change” and “Prison Without Prison Bars.” No duff albums with the original quartet, all stellar stuff. After the original band imploded, l never checked out any of their other music. I always felt that it was the power struggle within the band that caused their demise. Peters and McDonald wrote the lion’s share of the material and l thought that Sharp - and Twist - felt slighted by that fact. If memory serves, Sharp left first, since his solo album came out about the same time as Raw. The parallel that seems the closest to me is Hackett leaving Genesis, since he couldn’t get enough material on their records. Due, of course, to Banks velvet fisted glove leadership approach. At any rate, they were, as you cats stated, always pegged as a U2 type “clone” band; definitely a disservice to them, and their legacy. Darn shame. Indeed. Indubitably. I can wax on poetic for paragraphs, but I’ll end it here. Cheers from The Big Apple. Rock Out, Prog On & Pogo! Your pal and mine, ~ The Quasi-Hectic, Dyspeptic Davey Cretin, from CRETIN CLASSICS.

[@stevendavid5370]

After listening to them on KZbin, I didn't get into their music. But I tuned in to support Grant and his efforts. I gave him a Thumbs Up.

[@paulcollins5586]

Declaration is awesome , strength are the best albums.

[@georgemathie8123]

I've been a fan of this band since I was a kid their first 4 albums are classics with my top favorites being declaration and change and I'm happy you guys did a show on this band Ive really liked and you guys did a good job giving this band some much deserved respect and love

[@JimBrink-ko1zk]

As a kid in late 80s I had a cool poster of them in my room. All my friends were like who is that. Loved them when i discovered their debut when it came out. Very underrated band.

[@JoeChewBaca]

I was always a fan of the song "Strength". Ended up getting that album on cassette.

[@battleshipnewhook]

Yes! Can’t wait for this one. First, The Rollers, now The Alarm? That’s what I’m talking about. Next you’ll be telling me you’ll be telling me you’re covering Simple Minds & Big Country🤘

[@GrantsRockWarehaus]

We did a Big Country show 2 years ago (maybe)... do a search

[@wolf1977]

The Rollers as in Bay City Rollers? Meh...😒(related power pop band Rosetta Stone had some good tunes). But Big Country would be a good show. The Crossing & Steeltown are solid records & At The BBC is cool. Pass on Simple Minds - how 'bout The Fixx? IMO one of THE best 80's bands. Just saw that there's a Disco listening Party coming up tonight so apparently NOTHING's out of bounds here - could a Boy George retrospective be far behind?🤷‍♂

[@GrantsRockWarehaus]

@@wolf1977 doing The Fixx next week!

[@GrantsRockWarehaus]

@@wolf1977 Good idea... I love Culture Club

[@wolf1977]

@@GrantsRockWarehaus Grrr...😒😒My answer to the question posed by their 2nd biggest hit: YES!😎

[@michaelholycross2633]

Great pick for the topic, Grant!!

[@battleshipnewhook]

I love the Dave Sharp tunes. Check out his solo album, Hard Travelin from 91. A very americana Bob Dylan feel.

[@brydonyeoman1438]

Dave Sharp sang lead on Third Light from Declaration

[@battleshipnewhook]

That was Eddie MacDonald that sang lead on that one.

[@brydonyeoman1438]

​@@battleshipnewhookyep, my bad

[@battleshipnewhook]

@@brydonyeoman1438 what a wicked tune, though🤘

[@KeithSearock]

Loved those first two records! Those two and Standards and I'm good. I didn't think it was fair that they were always pegged with that U2 comparison. I'm sure the progression was pressure from the record company and just the times. I was really bummed when after making the Alarm/Gene Loves Jezebel/Belous Some tour announcement earlier this year, they had to immediately cancel. I wish Mike all the best - he's been battling the cancer beast for years.

[@wolf1977]

Good band - kinda gives off some Jam vibes. I stay away from the more punky stuff, the differentiator with this band's tracks is mostly the vocals for me. When they keep 'em in check it usually ends well for me...Name changes? Check: The Toilets - Quasimodo - Seventeen - Alarm Alarm - The Alarm (guess which one's the Punk band? Flush...). According to AllMusic: "The British music press habitually savaged their records as derivative and pretentious, but this meant little to their zealous following, who supported the band to the tune of over 5 million sales worldwide and 16 Top 50 UK singles." I don't particularly like their biggest hit "Sold Me Down the River" (the vocals mostly)..."Sixty Eight Guns" is cool - sounds like it could've been by The Jam, or a punked-up Joe Jackson Band circa late 70's... About 19 total studio albums since 1984 for the Welsh band & TONS of live records (most of which I haven't heard). For me their best albums are: In The Poppy Fields, Under Attack, Guerilla Tactics (probably my #1), Direct Action (maybe this is their #1?), The Sound And The Fury, Vinyl, Peace Train, Majority, Strength, Equals, Waя. So definitely trending towards the more recent stuff. IMO Strength & Change (their 2nd & 4th) are their best two pre-2000 releases by far - until I got the reissue Declaration 1984-1985, an expanded/remastered version of their debut. Man this is good, not sure if by that point I just hadn't heard that 1st album yet or what. Anyway, really solid album with 11 of 20 tracks being winners...My car Alarm just went off, be right back...

[@GWTX]

Grant, email me at [e-mail] later