Bashful Alley
Bashful Alley
Photograph courtesy: Tamworth Herald
The Gallery |
Musical Genre/Type: Heavy Metal
Formed: 1982
Rob Tidd - Guitar and Vocals
Truff - Bass Guitar
Robin Baxter - Drums
Other Band Members:
Blakoe Entergiser - Guitar
19/03/82
Steel
Bashful Alley
Lichfield Arts Centre
20/03/82
Bashful Alley
Omen
Tamworth Arts Centre
17/09/82
Bashful Alley
Artful Dodger
Lichfield Arts Centre
18/09/82
Bashful Alley
Artful Dodger
Lichfield Arts Centre
23/09/83
Bashful Alley
Arabia
Tamworth Arts Centre
Tamworth Herald – 12/03/82
BASHFUL ALLEY : The Chequers
HEAVY Metal in its most raw, unbridled and raucous form was what Bashful Alley served up at the Chequers last week.
The pub was no place for faint hearts as the rampaging Lichfield three-piece stormed their way through a set of white-hot HM.
While it’s true to say that I generally prefer my rock with some subtlety and imagination, that doesn’t take away anything for my taste of the fiery talents of Bashful Alley.
And anyway it would be very wrong to give the impression that BA were all mindless boogie, for they showed themselves to be first rate musicians with a touch of humour which particularly shone through with a version of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”.
I know the members of the band weren’t altogether happy with their set, but I don’t think they should worry too much for when Tamworth’s HM fraternity do finally witness BA they’re sure to be foaming at the mouth demanding more.
Guitarist Rob Tidd took the honours for me with some great singing and some of the most devastating guitar work it has been my pleasure to witness for ages.
Bashful Alley gig extensively, are down to appear in the HM magazine Kerrang! Before very long and have a single out soon. Tamworth punters can catch them in the town on March 20 at the Arts Centre.
Tamworth Herald – 19/03/82
IF BASHFUL ALLEY are not one of the top names in British heavy rock in 12 or 18 months I’ll chew my way through a whole shop of headgear.
Quite simply the Lichfield-based three-piece, who will blast Tamworth Arts Centre tomorrow night, have got more potential for big time success than any local band I’ve seen.
For a start their gig list is impressive, taking in venues all over the north and Midlands, they release their first single in the next couple of weeks.
The demo tapes have already received the approval of Sounds HM kingpin Geoff Barton. Bashful Alley will appear in the HM mag Kerrang! Shortly, and three large-circulation HM fanzines, including on in Holland, are already raving about the band.
This, couple with the fact that Tamworth’s own heavy favourites Omen occupy the support slot, should make tomorrow night one to remember.
Rob Tidd, guitar and vocals, Truff, bass and Robin Baxter, drums, came together last summer. Rob and Truff had formed the band while at Lancaster University, and after finding Robin ‘under a table in a Lichfield pub’ they set about bringing the name Bashful Alley into lights.
After the Tamworth date the band will be going back into the studios to cut the demos of their second single, but the lay-off from live performances will be a short one.
If you fancy catching some of the most blistering, earsplitting HM in the Midlands, or if you haven’t yet witnessed the rich promise of Omen, wander into Rock-It Records, One Stop Music, or the Arts Centre on the night and buy a ticket.
But you needn’t miss Bashful Alley just for the sake of not being able to get into the Arts Centre tomorrow, for tonight, BA are playing a double-header with recent Iron Maiden support act Steel at Lichfield Arts Centre.
Tamworth Herald – 26/03/82
Bashful Alley/Omen : Tamworth Arts Centre
THE foundations of Tamworth Arts Centre must have taken a bit of a bettering on Saturday night. In fact, if I was in charge of the building, I’d be inclined to order a full structural survey straight away.
When architects and designers drew up the plans for the A.C. building, I bet they didn’t reckon on the combined power of two first-rate heavy rock bands in full rampant flight.
Once again, for the third gig running, the homely, convivial venue was packed and than can only be good news for live music in Tamworth.
Omen were first up, but really I’m fast running out of things to say about this band. I seem to have said before that if material and musicianship was all that counted, they’d be at the top already – and that’s still true.
Their ideas, composing maturity and sheer skill are all a marvel, and on Saturday they added a slice of visual attack as well which was good to see. But, it’s vital that they start to progress now.
They must start to play gigs outside Tamworth, cut a three or four track tape and promote it for all their worth. Omen are just too good to be allowed to die without ever having a smell of success, and the individuals within the band must ensure that they don’t fold. That would be a tragic waste of talent.
Bashful Alley are another story. I make no apologies for the predictions I made about this band last week, for after seeing this display of awesome metallic power, I’m even more convinced of their big-time potential.
Flash-bombs, tortured guitar solos, powerhouse drumming, a bassist whi clambered on the seats and even a bass guitar which sprayed a firework all over the audience, are part of the Bashful Alley stock-in-trade.
The audience loved it, and so did I. Metal with no artificial preservations, nothing added, nothing taken away. It was, as the theatre critics say, a night to remember.
Tamworth Herald – 09/07/82
BASHFUL ALLEY – the blistering Lichfield HM outfit who all but blew the roof off Tamworth Arts Centre recently – have released their first single.
‘Running Blind’, the A-side of the release, opens with some surprisingly gentle acoustic guitar-strumming before building into the sort of riff that could lay waste to many living room hi-fi’s.
Riff-apart the highlights of the song are a highly commercial chorus and Robb Tidd’s Schenkeresque guitar solo.
The B-side is ‘My, My, My’ a heavier number with a Scottish jig-style riff and a superbly relaxed middle section.
Bassist Truff said: To us the recording seems very old now because it was done last October.
Local punters can obtain copies from Rock-It Records.
Tamworth Herald – 17/09/82
 AN INTERESTING new Lichfield band join established Blitzkrieg merchants Bashful Alley for a double-header at the city’s arts centre tonight (Friday).
Artful Dodger, an outfit formed four months ago, are playing their biggest gig so far with Bashful Alley.
AD have played a couple of sets at the Bridge Tavern and have been pleased with the response their material has received.
“Our material is very diverse and not really in any particular vein so we were worried about what audiences would think of us,” said vocalist/guitarist Beaver.
The rest of the line-up is made up of Tim Perks on rhythm guitar, Ninzy on drums and Paul Green on bass.
First demo tape
Following the Arts Centre gig, the band are going into a local studio to record their first lot of demo tapes.
Meanwhile Bashful Alley have not been resting on their laurels since their mind-blowing display at Tamworth Arts Centre.
Their single ‘Running Blind’ has been receiving good reviews nationally and recently they travelled to London to play the Ruskin Arms, the venue where Iron Maiden cut their teeth.
Admission for what should be a good night over in Lichfield is £1.
Tamworth Herald – 23/09/83
 IT seems to have become normal procedure for bands to complain about Tamworth gigs both for the size of the audience and the generally unenthusiastic crowd reaction – so it’s refreshing to meet a group who take entirely the opposite viewpoint.
Lichfield-based HM kings Bashful Alley played a memorably raucous gig at Tamworth Arts Centre some 18 months ago and bassist Truff remembers the evening with considerable affection.
“That night at the Arts Centre was one of the best gigs we have ever played. The place was packed out and the response was tremendous,” he said.
And that coming from a band who have played at the legendary Marquee in London is high praise indeed for local punters.
Anyone who missed that previous Arts Centre gig has a chance to make amends tonight (Friday) when Bashful Alley return to the Church Street venue.
This is rather a special night for the band for it marks their debut as a four piece with new guitarist Blakoe Entergiser playing his first gig.
The rest of the line-up is still Truff on bass, Rob Tidd on guitar and vocals and Robin Baxter on drums.
The band promise a night of vintage HM and as one who has witnessed their live show a couple of times I can promise anyone interested in heavy rock a gig they will remember.
Arabia – also from Lichfield – are filling the support slot and the gig starts at 7.30pm. Admission is £1.30 or £1.00 for UB40 card carriers.
Bashful Alley
The new-look Bashful Alley who play at Tamworth Arts Centre tonight (Friday).
Left to right: Blakoe Entergiser, Robin Baxter, Rob Tidd and Truff.
If you have any further information about this band please email: info@tamworthbands.com |
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