Five Thirty – Live at The Marquee Club – 1991 – Capital Radio, London – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Five Thirty in a rare concert appearance, at the Marquee Club in London in 1991 and broadcast over Capital Radio.
Based in north London, England, this briefly active trio consisted of Tara Milton (vocals, bass), Paul Bassett (vocals, guitar) and Phil Hopper (drums).
Armed with jagged guitars and pounding drums, London, England’s Five Thirty tried to puncture a hole in the dance-oriented U.K. music scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Formed by bassist Tara Milton and guitarist/vocalist Paul Bassett, Five Thirty recorded their first single, “Catcher in the Rye,” in 1985. Originally performing in Oxford and Reading, Five Thirty moved to London and met drummer Phil Hopper. In 1990, the group was signed to East West. The band’s Jam-like sound and incendiary gigs excited the critics. However, the masses were unmoved by the band’s back-to-basics rock & roll. Although the track “Abstain” managed to squeeze into the Top 75, the follow-up “Air Conditioned Nightmare” was completely ignored outside of the British press. In 1991, Five Thirty released their debut album, Bed. But the timing was wrong. If Bed had appeared years later — when ’60s-styled English guitar rock without the club mixes was in favor — it would’ve had a better chance of selling. Disillusioned by their lack of success, Five Thirty unleashed the frustration in their songs, yelling, “This song ain’t exactly what we’d call money but we don’t care,” in “Hate Male.” Five Thirty split up in 1992. Hopper became an actor; Milton started the Nubiles; and Bassett recorded with Orange Deluxe.
In case you missed them the first time around, or missed either of the two previous posts I did with this band, check out this mini-concert for a taste of what they were like during their halcyon days. Forgive the mix, it’s pretty awful – and that it was broadcast live borders on strange, but they were a little ahead of their time – and maybe that’s what happens more frequently than not.
