About The Alarm

🏁 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…

Information

"Tim" by The Replacements is a landmark album in American alternative rock history. Here's an in-depth breakdown of its release, history, and recording, including musical style, cultural impact, and the band's circumstances at the time.

🔹 Album Overview

• Title: Tim

• Artist: The Replacements

• Release Date: September 18, 1985

• Label: Sire Records (their first major label release)

• Producer: Tommy Erdelyi (better known as Tommy Ramone, drummer for the Ramones)

• Recording Studio: Utopia Sound Studios, Lake Hill, New York

🌆 The Band at the Time

By 1985, The Replacements had become underground legends in the Minneapolis punk scene. They started on the small independent label Twin/Tone Records and had already released three studio albums:

1. Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash (1981) – raw punk energy

2. Hootenanny (1983) – experimental and irreverent

3. Let It Be (1984) – critically acclaimed, blending punk with emotional depth

After Let It Be, they were courted by major labels and signed to Sire, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., home to artists like Talking Heads and The Ramones.

🔹 Recording of Tim

🧑‍🏭 Producer: Tommy Erdelyi (Tommy Ramone)

Tommy’s involvement gave the project a certain punk credibility and production polish. However, there was tension between the band’s raw energy and Erdelyi’s more controlled approach. He reportedly clashed with Paul Westerberg, who wanted more control over the final mix.

🎛️ Recording Style & Sound

• Recorded mostly live, with some overdubs

• Mix criticized by fans and band alike for being flat and muddy

• In 2023, a remixed version called Tim: Let It Bleed Edition was released by Ed Stasium (producer for The Ramones and Talking Heads), restoring clarity and energy to the original sessions

🔹 Tracklist (Original 1985 Release)

1. Hold My Life

2. I'll Buy

3. Kiss Me on the Bus

4. Dose of Thunder

5. Waitress in the Sky

6. Swingin Party

7. Bastards of Young

8. Lay It Down Clown

9. Left of the Dial

10. Little Mascara

11. Here Comes a Regular

Notable B-sides / Outtakes:

• “Can't Hardly Wait” (early version recorded for Tim, finished later for Pleased to Meet Me)

• “Nowhere Is My Home” (produced by Alex Chilton – surfaced on Boink!! and later on compilations)

🔹 Key Tracks & Themes

• "Bastards of Young" – Anthemic and defiant, expressing frustration with generational apathy. It became a symbol of 1980s underground rock rebellion.

• "Here Comes a Regular" – A poignant ballad about alcoholism and loneliness, often cited as Westerberg’s most vulnerable songwriting.

• "Left of the Dial" – A love letter to college radio and underground music culture, immortalizing the band’s outsider status.

• "Swingin Party" – A slow-burning track that masks social anxiety and alienation with cocktail-party metaphors.

🔹 The Title: Tim

The album’s name, “Tim,” was a joke — an intentionally bland, unassuming name that matched the band’s irreverent sense of humor. According to the band, it didn’t refer to anyone in particular (despite their drummer being Chris Mars, not Tim), and they just liked the ridiculousness of calling a major-label debut something so plain.

Information

🎸 Deep Purple – “Burn” (1974)

Release Date:

• February 15, 1974

• Label: Purple Records (UK), Warner Bros. (US)

“Burn” marked a bold new chapter for Deep Purple. It was the first album recorded by the Mark III lineup of the band, following the departure of iconic members Ian Gillan (vocals) and Roger Glover (bass).

The album introduced David Coverdale (vocals) and Glenn Hughes (bass/vocals), bringing a more bluesy, soulful, and funky feel to Deep Purple’s classic hard rock sound.

• David Coverdale was a young, unknown singer from Northern England when he joined.

• Glenn Hughes, previously of Trapeze, was recruited not only for his bass playing but also for his distinct vocal style, which complemented Coverdale’s deeper voice.

Recording Details:

• Recorded: November 1973

• Studio: Montreux, Switzerland, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio

• Producer: Deep Purple (self-produced)

• Engineer: Martin Birch (renowned for his later work with Iron Maiden, Rainbow, etc.)

Musical Style & Legacy:

• A shift from the heavy, aggressive hard rock of the Gillan era to a blues-based, soulful rock with funk influences.

• The title track “Burn” became a Deep Purple classic, showcasing fiery guitar work, dueling vocals, and Jon Lord’s blazing organ lines.

• Other highlights include:

  • "Mistreated" – a powerful blues ballad that later became a staple for Coverdale in Whitesnake.

  • "Sail Away" – a funky, groovy number written largely by Hughes and Blackmore.

  • "You Fool No One" – shows off the band’s rhythmic complexity and fusion elements.

Chart Performance:

• UK Albums Chart: #3

• US Billboard 200: #9

• Also charted strongly across Europe and Japan.

Track Listing:

1. Burn

2. Might Just Take Your Life

3. Lay Down, Stay Down

4. Sail Away

5. You Fool No One

6. What’s Goin’ On Here

7. Mistreated

8. “A