The Alarm - 80s Welsh Alternative Rock Band

🏁 Beginnings & Early Years

• 1976–1981: Frontman Mike Peters and bassist Eddie MacDonald grew up in Rhyl, North Wales. Inspired by punk and folk acts like The Clash, Dylan, and the Sex Pistols, Peters formed a series of proto-punk bands—starting with The Toilets (1977), evolving to Seventeen with guitarist Dave Sharp and drummer Nigel Twist.

• 1981: Renamed themselves The Alarm, debuting with the single Unsafe Building/Up for Murder, self-funded and released on the White Cross label. They relocated to London, gaining early buzz and support gigs.

🚀 Rise to Prominence (1982–1991)

• 1982: Toured UK universities and supported post-punk/folk-punk movement. Their rangy acoustic-driven sound emerged .

• 1983–84: Signed to I.R.S. Records, released the iconic Sixty Eight Guns, reaching #17 UK. Debut LP Declaration (1984) landed at #6 UK and #50 in the U.S.

• Toured supporting U2, played major U.S. venues, including headlining NYC’s Ritz with Bono joining on stage.

🎵 Classic Studio Albums

1. Declaration (1984) – Debut studio LP; #6 UK, #50 U.S.

2. Strength (1985) – More bombastic; included Strength (#40 UK) and Spirit of ’76 (#22 UK).

3. Eye of the Hurricane (1987) – Charted #23 UK, marked internal tension already brewing. 

4. Change (1989) – Produced by Tony Visconti, peaked #13 UK, featured bluesy Sold Me Down the River.

5. Raw (1991) – Final album before breakup; signaled by Peters' dramatic onstage announcement.

⚡ Break-up & Reformation

• 1991: Following Raw’s release, Peters announced his departure at Brixton Academy. He retained a quarter of the band's name and embarked on a solo career.

• 1999–Present: Reassembled in 2000 under “The Alarm MM++”. Launched the annual fan Gathering, and in 2004 successfully faked the band’s identity with “45 RPM” under the pseudonym The Poppyfields. 

🎶 Later Discography (as The Alarm MM++)

A prolific output of studio albums followed:

• Close, The Normal Rules Do Not Apply, Trafficking, Edward Henry Street (2002)

• Coming Home (2003), In the Poppyfields (2004)

• Under Attack (2006), Guerrilla Tactics (2008), Direct Action (2010)

• Blood Red & Viral Black (2017)

• Equals (2018), Sigma (2019), War (2021), Omega (2022), and Forwards (2023) 

🎗️ Mike Peters & Legacy

• Mike Peters (1959–2025) faced multiple battles with lymphoma and leukemia, compelling him to co-found the Love Hope Strength cancer foundation and even perform at Mt. Everest Base Camp. He received an MBE in 2019 

• Despite critical sniping, The Alarm sold over 5 million albums and had 16 UK Top 50 singles, leaving a lasting cultural legacy in Wales and beyond. 

📊 Discography at a Glance

Studio Albums (Original Lineup)

• Declaration (1984) – UK #6

• Strength (1985) – UK #18

• Eye of the Hurricane (1987) – UK #23

• Change (1989) – UK #13

• Raw (1991) – UK #33 

Select Later Releases (2000–2023)

• Close, Poppyfields albums, Under Attack, Blood Red, Equals, Sigma, War, Omega, Forwards…