Space Seeds
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The Space Seeds
Photograph courtesy: Tamworth Herald
The Gallery |
Formed: 1988
Musical Genre/Type: Pop
Mark Brindley
Stu Blain
Mark Mortimer
09/09/88
Gig for Life
Dance Stance
Space Seeds
Nuneaton Co-op Social Club
11/09/88
Space Seeds
Scream Dream
The Macoys
Tamworth Arts Centre
06/12/88
The Space Seeds
Lord Nelson, Derby
08/12/88
The Space Seeds
White Horse, Oadby
11/12/88
Space Seeds
Scream Dream
Tamworth Arts Centre
19/12/88
The Space Seeds
Greyhound, Burntwood
23/12/88
A5
Space Seeds
First Conspiracy
Tamworth Arts Centre
26/02/89
Tamworth Rock Festival - Indoor Festival
DHSS
Space Seeds
Never Say Die
King Woderick
Tamworth Arts Centre
Tamworth Herald - 12/08/88
The Space Seeds - ‘Seven Track Collection’
At last. The Space Seeds emerge with product. You may have heard a lot of encouraging whispers about the band over the past few months and now they have produced their first collection of songs for public consumption. Actually most of it is not exactly new. Some of the tracks ‘classics like ‘Autumn Girl’ and ‘Feel your touch’ have been around eons but there are still one or two tracks to give us a guide as to what we can expect from a band who have set their sights on fame and will not be deterred until they have achieved it. The thing that hits you most is the word pop. This is all basic (though never formularised) pop music and the only slight hint of aggression is the Teardrop explosion called ‘Saturn in Her Eyes’ which is a pleasing burst of power on a tape that seems rather light and airy. My colleague Martin Warrolow says that the whole things smacks of ABC and on further investigation I think he is right. The best of the seven tracks on offer is still ‘Autumn Girl’ – Mark Mortimer’s greatest moment and a potential number one – with the best of the newies being ‘Switchblade Love’ where the excellent Mark Brindley dominates a memorable number. As a collection of pop songs it is still quite puzzling to try and sort out exactly what this band want to sound like and where they are going. But one thing is certain – the whole thing is very impressive and packed with the sort of experienced tricks and departures you would expect from a band who want to go as far as possible and as quick as possible. The next test will be on stage and I have a sneak feeling that will be this outfit’s real triumph.
Tamworth Herald - 19/08/88
The Space Seeds have announced details of their first ever Tamworth concert. The band featuring Mark Brindley, Stu Blain and Mark Mortimer, will be in action at the Tamworth Arts Centre on September 11, joining them will be The Macoys and possibly Scream Dream.
Tamworth Herald - 02/09/88
A whole array of local bands are due to take part in a special charity show in Nuneaton this weekend. DANCE STANCE, CATCH 23, A5, HEAVY METAL THUNDER and the SPACE SEEDS are to join forces with a number of Nuneaton acts for the charity bonanza. Details are a bit sketchy this end I’m afraid because of a couple of changes in the line-up running order so I suggest you contact the bands themselves for the minor details (i.e. who’s on when, where and at what time.
Tamworth Herald - 09/09/88
THE Space Seeds make their eagerly-awaited debut on Sunday night when they spearhead an exciting Arts Centre show.
Space Seeds will team up with fellow new boys The Macoys and the now legendary Spiral Eye for a triple bill which promises to produce a packed Arts Centre.
Spiral Eye and The Macoys are certain to draw a lot of support under their own steam but clearly most of the attention and curiosity will be focused on the Space Seeds.
The group originally formed by former Great Express mastermind Mark Mortimer, has blossomed into a seven-piece combo packed full of musical experience. Mark, who is extremely experienced himself by now, admits it had been a revelation to work with top quality professional or semi-professional musicians.
“I have learned so much it’s been like taking an O’level in music,” he said, “Its been a real pleasure to work with musicians of this calibre and it has been an exciting period for us all.”
The fellow Space Seeds are Matin Kelly, Mark Brindley, Stu Pickett, Alan Hodgetts, mark Allison and Martin Cooper who between them play guitars, keyboards, brass and rhythm. And what sort of sound do they produce? For once Mark is not able to make a direct answer.
“It’s just impossible to label it,” he said. “It is by a mile the most commercial music I have even been involved in, but it certainly is not throw-away pop music,” he said.
“Tamworth bands at the moment seem to fit loosely into either the rock or the alternative camps and we are not either of those,” he mused. “There are elements of both in our sound but we have no natural market which is why it will be interesting to see people’s reactions.”
The band will be parading a set of around 45 minutes including classic songs like ‘Autumn Girl’ and all apart from former Great Express number ‘Black Flower’ will be new to local gig-goers.
Whatever happens on the night one thing is certain – Mark Mortimer’s previous outfits (including the Dream factory and The Great Express) have had a profound impact on the local scene. I suspect this new connotation could even be his best yet.
Another relatively new outfit who will grace the Arts Centre stage on Sunday are The Macoys. Rather like Mark Mortimer, the Macoy members have a long and proud local tradition in bands and have consistently turned up in strong, powerful pop bands. This new one combines the best of their old influences with a tougher new modern edge that gives a real bite to their pop base. This will be their first Arts Centre showing and once again I suspect it could be a concert of some note. They are keen to make their mark as soon as possible and in front of such a potentially big crowd. Sunday night might be the ideal time to get their success story started.
Finally Sunday night throws the (reaches for the Thesaurus) mesmerising, bewitching, mystic manifestation that is Spiral Eye. The band who are NEVER going to be an easy proposition to discuss or describe have become a legend in their own purple haze and should provide a glittering edge to the whole show.
So, three of 1988’s most interesting acts on one unique line-up. It promises a great deal and will almost certainly deliver such.
Can you afford to miss it? Of course not so get yourself down to the Arts Centre on Sunday night and see the Seeds start their exciting growth.
Tamworth Herald - 09/09/88
Dance for Charity
TOP band Dance Stance and The Space Seeds spearhead the second special ‘Gig For Life’ concert being held at the Nuneaton Co-op Social Club tonight (Friday). The charity show in aid of the Paul Walker fund and the George Elliot Hospital Coronary Care Unit, costs just £1 to get in with all the money going to those excellent causes. Last week’s first gig for the event – where our own Heavy Metal Thunder and A5 stole the show – was a fine success so why not get along tonight and enjoy this one?
Tamworth Herald - 16/09/88
Space – the final frontier?
The Space Seeds – Arts Centre
IT’S just NOT what you expect. With a name like The Space Seeds and with personnel like messrs. Brindley and Mortimer the last thing you expect is state-of-the-art modern pop music. In fact the only way you can fairly judge this outfit is to forget all about the past history on those involved and just listen to what your mind rather than your memory is telling you about what you see. So leaving your pre-condition in the bathroom, what then can you say about The Space Seeds? Well, for a start, it is extremely slick stuff. It is pop music without fear of musical contradiction, a sound designed for the widest possible audience and entirely premeditated as such. The band are aiming to go right for the jugular of the chart sphere via well-crafted skilful pop tunes which have class and culture. If we must hark back to the past it is far closer to Mark Mortimer’s Dream Factory dream than his Great Express phase and is clearly aimed at the sort of audience which would favour the former rather than the latter. Best number of a well-received and professionally executed set was the superb ‘Enchanted’ which rose majestically out of the collection and really lived up to its name. Overall I was left feeling that this is a band of some quality but one who will never probably gain their fullest appreciation in Tamworth. There are too many conflicting ghosts in the pasts of some of the Seeds to ever make this new, and entirely different proposition, fully accepted. The Space Seeds are a fine, stylish pop band who can go out and conquer a great many people, but whether they can conquer Tamworth preconditioning is a totally different matter.
Tamworth Herald - 14/10/88
The Space Seeds have announced details of their only four shows for the rest of 1988. On Tuesday December 6 they will be in action at the Lord Nelson in Derby on Thursday December 8 they are at the White Horse, Oadby and on Thursday December 19 they are at the Greyhound in Burntwood. Completing the dates is a special party night at the Arts Centre on Sunday December 28, more details when we get them.
Tamworth Herald - 28/10/88
The Space Seeds have added another date. They will be on action at Knights, Lichfield on November 2 in what looks set to be the first in a series of shows at the venue. The band have announced that their Christmas Party sate at the Arts Centre will be headlined by Scream Dream with another band called in.
Tamworth Herald - 25/11/88
SPACE SEEDS lead singer Martin Kelly has left the band due to the time honoured “musical differences”. And he has been replaced by former Macoys and Great Express frontman Julian Amos.
Martin-s departure revealed this week by band spokesperson Mark Mortimer, is something that Mark says had become inevitable in recent weeks.
“It was pretty clear that Martin had different ideas and different goals as to how the band should be, and therefore it was felt that it was in everyone’s interests if he left”.
Said Mark.
Julian’s arrival is an indication of the band’s determination to keep the ‘dual harmony’ style that has marked their early steps, and while the new man fits in, Mark Brindley will take up the vocal chores at upcoming gigs.
The changes put the band’s Christmas with Scream Dream show at the Arts Centre on December 11 in some doubt and a date in Derby just before Christmas has also been scrapped.
“We are trying to get something together for the Arts Centre show, but if not there might have to be a replacement band,” said Mark.
Tamworth Herald - 02/12/88
Fetch Eddie have been confirmed to play the Sonic Noise event on Thursday December 22 at the Arts Centre. They will join Emma Gibbs plus two other as yet unnamed bands. The following night (Friday Dec 23), A5 will team up with the Space Seeds and The First Conspiracy.
Tamworth Herald - 23/12/88
TAMWORTH Arts Centre stages it’s VERY last Christmas party tonight (Friday).
Three bands are on offer for those who fancy some Christmas spirit (along with their Christmas spirits) and those on offer are A5, The Space Seeds and The First Conspiracy.
Headlining the show are much vaunted A5, who have scored very well in this year’s poll. The band who have been around for so long now they have just released an 11 track ‘greatest hits’ album (review to follow) see this as a fine end to a productive year for the six piece. They have played a host of gigs, had radio exposure and sessions in the Southern counties and are bristling with the same confidence that first brought the band together.
Alongside the established A5 are two oldish bands with newish elements. The First Conspiracy of course recently debuted their new drummer Simon Harvey and a jolly good time was had by all. They will clearly hope to repeat the splendid exercise tonight.
Completing the show are The Space Seeds. They will be making their first appearance since Julian Amos came in to replace former singer Martin Kelly and according to band spokesman Mark Mortimer, it should be an ‘interesting’ experience.
“We are not completely ready as yet to be honest but we felt we wanted to do the show,” he said. The three bands combined make for a very different and interesting...so make your way to the Arts Centre tonight.
I can’t say it will improve your Christmas hangover at all but I can say you will have BIG fun.
Tamworth Herald – 13/01/89
The Space Seeds head for the Sea-side this weekend when they play two shows in Morecambe. The band are in action at two big venues, one of which is the biggest in the Morecambe area. The band have also been booked in for an Arts Centre show in mid-March but they may be on view before that at the Indoor Festival currently being planned.
Tamworth Herald – 20/01/89
TAMWORTH’s rock fans are in for a real treat throughout February when the Arts Centre hosts a sparkling indoor festival.
Three top quality concerts will be on offer featuring the best of the area’s older acts and some brand new local talent.
And to top off the whole indoor extravaganza it is hoped that Wolfsbane will kick off their major UK national tour by concluding the festival on Sunday March 5.
Plans for the indoor festival were sorted out on Sunday night when Tamworth’s main outdoor festival for 1989 was launched. Once again a huge crop of bands registered interest in the 89 outdoor festival and at least 14 of these will be involved in the indoor festival in February/March.
At the moment the line-ups are strictly provisional but here they are as they stand at time of going to press. Please note the line-ups could change dramatically and you will have to keep reading this column to find out exactly who is playing and when. Assuming everything does go according to plan here are the line-ups for Tamworth’s 1989 Indoor Rock Festival.
Sunday February12
CATCH 23 will headline with the support of one ‘oldie’ Emma Gibbs Loves Badges and two ‘newies’ Big Noise and Shock Culture.
Sunday February 19
SCREAM DREAM will headline with Mike Fleming’s act Nightshade and two relatively new acts – The New Puritans and Double Vision.
Sunday February 26
DHSS will top-off a line-up featuring The Space Seeds, Never Say Die and King Woderick.
 Sunday March 5
WOLFSBANE (contract permitting) will kick off their UK/USA tour by headlining alongside Spiral Eye and Kraze. If the Wolfies can’t make it Spiral Eye and Kraze with team up with A.N. Other band.
As you can see from the above, many new bands have already emerged for this year’s festival and in addition to those listed look out for several other new groups who have set their sites on the Castle Grounds for July.
In the meantime, pencil the above dates in your diary now. With the first three shows all the money raised will go towards the outdoor festival so they are vital fundraisers as well as tremendous concerts.
All the line-ups will be finalised in the next few days/weeks so keep your eyes peeled on this column. This indoor festival will prove a very exciting sampler for what you can expect this summer so get set for a Fab Feb and hopefully a marvellous start to March.
Tamworth Herald – 10/02/89
The Space Seeds (as was) have hanged their name once again. Last week they declared to the world that they would be called Shoot The Tailor. That however had already been knocked on the head and henceforth the band will be called Bash out The Odd. A strange choice perhaps but a name under which the band will now be permanently operating. Until of course you read differently.
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