Party Day were an English goth/indie rock band formed in 1981[1] in Wombwell near Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, originally a four-piece consisting of guitarists Martin Steele, Greg Firth, bassist Carl Firth and drummer, Mick Baker.[2] Their sound was described as being "hard knuckleduster goth with post-punk overtones".[3]
Party Day | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Wombwell, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | Gothic rock, indie rock, post-punk, coldwave |
| Years active | 1981–1988 |
| Labels | Party Day Records, Rouska Records, PIAS Recordings (Play it Again Sam Records), Optic Nerve Recordings, AAZ Records, Torment Records, Strobelight Records. |
| Past members | Mick Baker - drums (1981–1988) Martin Steele - guitar, vocals (1981–1985) Carl Firth - bass, vocals (1981–1986) Greg Firth - guitar (1981–1982) Dean Peckett - guitar, vocals (1985–1988) Paul Nash - guitar, vocals (1986–1988) Shaun Crowcroft - bass (1986–1988) |
The band were formerly called 'Further Experiments' (1979–81)[2] but refocussed as Party Day. They released their first single, "Row the Boat Ashore" c/w "Poison" on their own label, Party Day Records in 1983,[2] and was well reviewed - "their simpering and delightful sound is a thing of beauty".[4]
Their second single, "The Spider" was described as "Excellent punk junk howl"[5] and was played on John Peel's BBC Radio 1.[6] We shall hopefully continue to see them rip up the roots of this bland desolate music industry.[7]
Their debut album ‘Glasshouse’ (1985) "forms their most stunning statement to date... what they do, they do searingly well".[8]
Much of Party Day's music was "very melancholic at heart but with a drop of venomous punk inside",[3] and as with their second album, Simplicity (1986), their music stayed with you - "the attractive, though slightly over-wrought black sheep, "Glorious Days", which could have brought a lump to Mario Lanza's trousers."[9]
Party Day released Rabbit Pie on the compilation LP Giraffe in Flames on Aaz Records[2] to worthy acclaim. "Highlight though is Party Day's effort, a meaty guitar based number, Rabbit Pie. The threesome are coming on by leaps and bounds and Giraffe in Flames is worth buying just for them."[10]
They had a strong following in Yorkshire, and were credited as being part of both the local scenes of Sheffield eg Leadmill[11] and Leeds "No strangers to the local circuit, Party Day have gigged consistently for almost a year".[12]
After the release of the Glasshouse LP[2] there was a change in personnel, with Martin leaving due to ill-health.[2] Other members came in, but by 1988 they broke up after abandoning their unfinished third album.[2]
Party Day were exciting to watch live; Sounds said "They roar along, driven by a good old-fashioned pumping drum-kit, and every so often one of those elusive moving chord-sequences falls into place, leaving you completely startled"[13] and also in the NME, "They hold their guitars like loaded AK47's. They throb".[14]
For Party Day, great success and major exposure were always just a step away.[15]
Since their demise there has been quite an interest in the band. They were included within Mick Mercer's book Gothic Rock: All you ever wanted to know but were too afraid to ask, published by Pegasus 1991 (UK) ISBN 1-873892-01-2 and Cleopatra Records 1993 (USA).
Their song "Atoms" has been included on a couple of later but favourable Gothic compilations, most notable with Germany's Strobelight Records - Volume 3 (2006).[16] And still today, their songs can be found aired at; Gothic clubs within Europe and beyond, on Livestreams.[17][18] Recently on World Goth Day 2020 with DJ Benny Blanco's Livestream[19] and with Dark Wave Radio.[20]
2021 sees the 40th Anniversary of the Band's beginnings, those moments where fun and optimism youthfully collide. Sorted! becomes the band's latest release, a comprehensive collection of all their recordings plus demos, and released by Optic Nerve Recordings.[21]