Suffice To Say...The Story of Yachts & Show # 359

Forming in 1977, Yachts were a band from Liverpool. Consisting of Henry Priestman (vocals/keyboards), J.J. Campbell (vocals), Martin Watson (guitar/vocals), Martin Dempsey (bass/vocals) and Bob Bellis on drums, Yachts played a unique blend of Power Pop fuelled New Wave that fit in well amongst the music of Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello. After playing their first show as Yachts supporting Elvis Costello in Liverpool at a place called Eric’s Nightclub, Yachts got a recording contract with Stiff Records. The bands first single was the extremely catchy and witty “Suffice To Say”. Another single followed, but it was a novelty single titled “Do The Chud” the band was called Chuddy Nuddies. When Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe made the move to Radar Records, Yachts followed. Another single followed in September 1978, their first for Radar “Look Back In Love (Not Anger)” backed with “I Can’t Stay Long”.

Heading to New York, Yachts recorded their first full length album with producer Richard Gotteher. The songs featuring infectious organ provided by Henry Priestman complemented with Power Pop aesthetics. The album featured twelve tracks building on not only their New Wave/Power Pop style, but also on their at times humorous lyrics. “Mantovani’s Hits” which asks questions such as what if Rock music never happened and nothing had progressed since the 1950s Mantovani Light Orchestra and “Yachting Type” a cult classic which is about someone’s girlfriend running off with a Yachtsmen are good examples of thier lyrical style. Released in June of 1979 the album also initially came with a bonus 7 inch single featuring a live version of the bands first single “Suffice To Say” and the song “On and On”. When released in the US, the album was titled S.O.S, where it cracked into the Billboard top 200 album charts at number 179. A tour followed in parts of US and Europe, Yachts toured with the likes of Joe Jackson and The Who. The band also toured with XTC, Elvis Costello, Boomtown Rats, and Ian Dury.

The bands second album Yachts Without Radar, was recorded with UK producer Martin Rushent. It was released in 1980, the titled reflected their parting with the Radar label. The album was not as well received as the bands first full length album and musically it emphasized more of a 80s based sound. Yachts released one more single in 1981 “A Fool Like You” on Demon D Records before disbanding. Henry Priestman went on to play in other groups most notably It’s Immaterial. The Yachts are an example of one of the many bands from the Punk/New Wave era that are not always mentioned due to the overpopulation of bands, and they are another example of a great lost band from the New Wave era.

Thsi Week's Play List:

1. The Scavengers - Supported By The State
2. Tall Ships - Plate Tectonics
3. The Dole - New Wave Love
4. Martha and The Muffins - Hide and Seek
5. Thee Oh Sees - Block of Ice
6. The Griefs - They're Trying To Tell Me Something
7. The Sonics - He's Waitin'
8. The Harmonauts - Kick The Bucket
9. The Nefidovs - Animal Love
10. Ziggy Marley - Forward To Love
11. Son of The Sun - My Best Mistake
12. The Shondels - Don't Put Me Down
13. Simply Saucer - She's A Dog
14. Young Rival - Dead End Scene
15. The Who - Tattoo
16. The Soft Boys - Rock N Roll Toilet
17. Perky Pat - The Bells
18. The Government - Zippers of Fire
19. Yachts - Suffice To Say
20. Yachts - I Couldn't Get Along Without You
21. Riff Raff - Romford Girls
22. Thee Mighty Caesars - Loathsome 'n' Wild
23. Chad Vangaalen - Freedom For A Policeman
24. Undertones - Jimmy Jimmy
25. Wire - Ex Lion Tamer
26. The Adverts - Bored Teenagers

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 5. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.