City Boy (band)
City Boy were a moderately successful rock band characterized by complex vocal arrangements and heavy guitars. Their most popular songs were probably "5-7-0-5", and "The Day the Earth Caught Fire". In 1982, the band split up.
History
"In the early 1970s Lol Mason, Steve Broughton, Max Thomas and Mike Slamer were playing folk music in the Birmingham area. The toured the clubs of the English Midlands until, towards the end of 1975, they decided to try it the professional way. Meanwhile Stve Broughton had begun to write quite impressive songs. They were offered a contract by Phonogram records on the condition that they add drums and a bass. So Roger Kent and Chris Dunn were recruited.
Their first album failed to impress the audience although some critics gave quite favorable reviews to "City Boy" (1975) and "Dinner At The Ritz" (1976). It was not until 1978 and their hit song "5-7-0-5" and the subsequent album "Book Early" that the public realised their potential. The single went right into the Top 10 of the British charts, and event the album scratched the Top 30 of the album charts. They were able to repeat their success with their 1979 album "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" and it's tilte song as a single release. After they had one more successful album with "Heads Are Rolling" in 1980, which many critics believe to be their best, before their recordinf contract expired.
Unable to secure a contract with one of the major companies, they released a single on their own City Boy label in 1982. After this failed completely to attract anyone's attention, the group split."
...Excerpt from the liner notes of the "Heads Are Rolling" CD
Selected discography
- City Boy | 1976 [Vertigo]
- Dinner at the Ritz | 1976 [Vertigo]
- Young Men Gone West | 1977 [Vertigo]
- Book Early | 1978 [Vertigo]
- The Day the Earth Caught Fire | 1979 [Vertigo]
- Heads Are Rolling | 1980 [Vertigo]
- It's Personal | 1981 [Vertigo]