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Nine Below Zero | |
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 Nine Below Zero performing in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | South London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1977–1983, 1990–present |
| Labels | Pangea Recordings,I.R.S. Records, M&L Records,A&M |
| Members | Dennis Greaves Mark Feltham Charlie Austen Sonny Greaves Tom Monks Anthony Harty |
| Past members | Mickey Burkey Kenny Bradley Peter Clark Brian Bethell Alan Glen Gerry McAvoy Andrew Noble Billy Boy Miskimmin Brendan O`Neill Ben Willis |
| Website | ninebelowzero |
Nine Below Zero are an Englishrock band who have a cult following throughout Europe. They became popular during the period 1980–1982 and are still performing currently throughout the UK, Scandinavia and Europe as of 2025.[citation needed]
The band was originally formed in South London in 1977 by guitarist and lead vocalist Dennis Greaves.[2] He was joined by bassist Peter Clark, Kenny Bradley on drums, and vocalist andharmonica playerMark Feltham.[2] They were originally named 'Stan's Blues Band' and for the next two years they played in London clubs.[2]
In 1979, while playing at The Thomas A'Beckett pub in theOld Kent Road they accepted an offer from former musician Mickey Modern to manage them. Modern persuaded the band to change their name. Greaves chose Nine Below Zero after theSonny Boy Williamson II song.[2] Modern was signed toA&M Records and he persuaded A&M to give him a record label, M&L Records, to launch Nine Below Zero.
In 1980 the band released their first album,Live at the Marquee, which was recorded on 16 June 1980.[2] Bradley was replaced as drummer by Stix Burkey.[2] By the end of that year they had built an audience, particularly amongst fans of the new wave of British heavy metal attracted by their high-energy, fast-tempo sound. They headlined at theHammersmith Odeon and featuredAlexis Korner, a long-time champion of new electric blues talent.
In 1981, they released their second album,Don't Point Your Finger, produced byGlyn Johns.[2] Johns complained the bass was too basic for the new songs, so the band subsequently replaced Clark with bass player Brian Bethell.[2] The band appeared onTheChris Tarrant Show,The South Bank Show,O.T.T.,The Old Grey Whistle Test, and the BBC2 comedy seriesThe Young Ones performing "11+11". They also supportedThe Kinks andThe Who on tour.Don't Point Your Finger reached number 56 on theUK Albums Chart.[2][3]Their third album,Third Degree, contained "11+11", written by Greaves and Modern. The album spent six weeks in the chart and peaked at number 38.[3] After this, the band split up. Bethell joinedThe Blow Monkeys and Feltham went on tosession work, most notably forRory Gallagher. Arnold became manager ofThe Truth,[4] and he refused Modern's suggestions to re-form Nine Below Zero. In 1990,IRS Records's interest in The Truth was fading, and Modern persuaded Feltham and Greaves to reunite for a tenth-anniversary concert.
Arnold – now worked atHarvey Goldsmith Ents – promoted the band at the Town and Country Club.[2] They addedGerry McAvoy and Brendan O'Neill from Rory Gallagher's band on bass and drums. In 1992, Feltham left due to musical differences and was replaced byAlan Glen. Feltham returned in 2001 and the band has continued to tour and record.[2] In 1995, harmonica player Billy Boy Miskimmin was added.
In 2005, their track "Go Girl" was included in theOf Hands and Hearts: Music for the Tsunami Disaster Fund compilation album. In 2007, Nine Below Zero performed two acoustic concerts, producing the DVDBring It On Home, including a live CD. Blues guitaristGary Moore joined the band on stage to promote the DVD. In August 2008, Nine Below Zero appeared at theRhythm Festival in Bedfordshire and later opened forChuck Berry at The 100 Club. In 2009, the band started working towards a show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their debut album,Live at the Marquee.
Glenn Tilbrook fromSqueeze offered to record the album that Greaves and Feltham had been writing. They recordedIt's Never Too Late – their first collection of new songs sinceRefrigerator. European tours followed, including supportingJools Holland andPaul Jones.
In 2011, they worked with Tilbrook under the nameThe Co-operative. In July 2011, one track,the Beatles song "You Never Give Me Your Money", was used on aMojo magazine special celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release ofAbbey Road. The band were preparing for a tour in 2012. Gerry McAvoy left at the end of 2011 to pursue a solo career.
Former bass player Brian Bethell died from heart failure in April 2024, at the age of 74.[5][6]
2012 saw the return of Brian Bethell who played onThird Degree. The new lineup started performing in January with shows in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, as the band enter their 35th year.
Following on from 2012's remastered re-release of Nine Below Zero's live debutLive at the Marquee came a double instalment; remastered editions of the first two studio albumsDon't Point Your Finger andThird Degree, each with a separate disc of bonus material, was released on 24 February 2014 through Universal Music.
A nationwide month-long 22-date tour in support ofThe Stranglers began on 27 February 2014. The band then undertook a 35th Anniversary tour in Autumn 2014. The second half of 2016 saw the release of the band's first "big band" album, this new line made their live debut atGlastonbury Festival in June after which the big band toured extensively through the autumn and beyond. On 27 October 2018, the band playedKing George's Hall, Blackburn, supportingBruce Foxton'sFrom The Jam, with Russell Hastings performing lead vocals with songs fromThe Jam'sAll Mod Cons.
Signature tunes such as "Don't Start Me Talking," the title cut (from which a U.K. pub-rock band once took their name)
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