Smokie biography

This pop band from Bradford, Yorkshire, England was formed by school friends Chris Norman (Born 25 October 1950, Redcar, Yorkshire, England; vocals), Terry Uttley (guitar), and Alan Silson (bass). The three were previously together in 1966 with a band titled the Elizabethans. Turning professional in 1968, they changed their name to Kindness, performing at holiday camps and ballrooms. A variety of record company contracts failed to ignite any hit singles, however. Along the way they changed their name to Smokey, but it was not until they joined Rak Records, where Bill Hurley introduced them to songwriters Chinn And Chapman, that they saw any success. With Pete Spencer replacing original drummer Ron Kelly, the band enjoyed two UK Top 10 hits with "If You Think You Know How To Love Me" (number 3) and "Don't Play Your Rock 'N' Roll To Me" (number 8) in 1975, after which they changed the spelling of their name to Smokie because Smokey Robinson was going to take them to court. Their 1976 version of the Chinn/Chapman composition "Living Next Door To Alice", originally recorded by New World, became a Top 5 hit in the face of opposition from the burgeoning punk scene. Norman, meanwhile, joined fellow Rak artist Suzi Quatro on the 1978 hit duet "Stumblin' In". By the same year's The Montreux Album, the band, through Norman and Spencer, were taking a greater share of writing credits, but this coincided with a drop in their fortunes. They bounced back briefly in 1980 with a cover version of Bobby Vee's "Take Good Care Of My Baby", but this proved to be the original line-up's last hit. Norman left for good in 1982 to become a very successful solo artist in Germany, scoring a number 1 hit with "Midnight Lady" in 1986. With Spencer he also moved on to writing for other artists, including fellow Rak teenybop bands, and both Kevin Keegan's "Head Over Heels" and the England World Cup Squad's "This Time (We'll Get It Right)".

In the late 80s a re-formed Smokie, comprising Silson, Uttley and new members Alan Barton (vocals; ex-Black Lace), Martin Bullard (keyboards) and Steve Pinnell (drums) became a regular fixture on the German circuit. On 19 March 1995 the band's car crashed at Gummersbach on the way to Dusseldorf airport. Silson and Uttley were heavily injured, and Barton died after spending five days in a coma. A re-recorded version of "Living Next Door To Alice", featuring risqu‚ interjections from comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown, broke into the UK Top 5 later in the year, with all proceeds going to the family of Barton. Uttley has subsequently kept the band going on the oldies circuit, and recorded the country rock-influenced Wild Horses with Bullard, Pinnell, Mick McConnell (guitar, vocals) and Mike Craft (guitar, vocals).