9 Below Zero in concert at London’s Paris Theatre on April 26, 1980 and broadcast by BBC Radio 1.
Wikipedia has this to say:
9 Below Zero was originally formed in South London in 1977 by guitarist and lead vocalist Dennis Greaves. He was joined by bassist Peter Clark, Kenny Bradley on drums, and vocalist and harmonica player Mark Feltham. They were originally named ‘Stan’s Blues Band’ and for the next two years they played in London clubs.
In 1979, while playing at The Thomas A’Beckett pub in the Old Kent Road they accepted an offer from former musician Mickey Modern to manage them. Modern persuaded the band to change their name. Greaves chose Nine Below Zero after the Sonny Boy Williamson II song. Modern was signed to A&M Records and he persuaded A&M to give him a record label, M&L Records, to launch Nine Below Zero.
In 1980 the band released their first album, Live at the Marquee, which was recorded on 16 June 1980. Bradley was replaced as drummer by Stix Burkey. By the end of that year they had built an audience, particularly amongst fans of the new wave of British heavy metal attracted by their high-energy, fast-tempo sound. They headlined at the Hammersmith Odeon and featured Alexis Korner, a long-time champion of new electric blues talent.
In 1981, they released their second album, Don’t Point Your Finger, produced by Glyn Johns. Johns complained the bass was too basic for the new songs, so the band subsequently replaced Clark with bass player Brian Bethell. The band appeared on The Chris Tarrant Show, The South Bank Show, O.T.T., The Old Grey Whistle Test, and the BBC2 comedy series The Young Ones performing “11+11”. They also supported The Kinks and The Who on tour. Don’t Point Your Finger reached number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. Their third album, Third Degree, contained “11+11”, written by Greaves and Modern. The album spent six weeks in the chart and peaked at number 38. After this, the band split up. Bethell joined The Blow Monkeys and Feltham went on to session work, most notably for Rory Gallagher. Arnold became manager of The Truth, and he refused Modern’s suggestions to re-form Nine Below Zero. In 1990, IRS Records’s interest in The Truth was fading, and Modern persuaded Feltham and Greaves to reunite for a tenth-anniversary concert.
And the most recent via 9 Below Zero’s Website(go over there and load up on albums):
2023 After the successful 40th Anniversary tour of Third Degree, the band makes their debut at the iconic MODS MAYDAY Festival, sharing a bill with luminaries SECRET AFFAIR and PURPLE HEARTS. Following the reunion of the NBZ Big Band at A New Day Festival in Faversham and a caffeinated trip to San Remo in Italy, the band heads out to unite with fellow stablemates DR FEELGOOD for the first Maximum R&B Tour – one incredible bill with two of the best British Rhythm ‘n’ Blues bands.
2024 Kicked off with two sold out shows at the Forge in London celebrating the Three Kings of Blues: B.B, Freddie and Albert. With guest guitarists ROBBIE MCINTOSH and CLEM CLEMPSON joining the house band of Dennis, Mark, Sonny, Anthony, Tom, Chris Rand and ZAC SCHULZE, with SISTER COOKIE also guesting on Vocals. This got 2024 off to a great start and was a total success and loved by Blues Fans. A succesful 6 date tour of Spain in the Spring was followed by some French and dates in Belgium and Holland. It was great to get back to touring Europe. The Duo album DENMARK was released on Special Edition Coloured Vinyl with a tour to go along side and The Hell Blues Festival in Norway.
3rd April 2024 saw the passing of BRIAN BETHELL, bass player with the band for many years.
More festivals around Europe with one highlight being the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon. With Mark’s history and working with Rory made for a great night with the NBZ big band. The band are called to open up for STATUS QUO at their farewell show. Following this Nine Below Zero hooked up again with Dr Feelgood to do over 30 dates on the Maximum RnB Tour. In December 2024, Live at the Marquee was released on CD and Vinyl in anticipation of it’s 45th Anniversary in 2025.
2025 Has kicked off with a great start with a sold out ‘Live at the Marquee’ 45th Anniversary celebration gig, at the 229 Club in London. Dennis and Mark are joined by MICKEY BURKEY and PETER CLARK, the original members on the recording of Live at the Marquee, and later in the evening the current line up with Sonny Greaves and Anthony Harty are joined by the big band lineup of Tom Monks and Chris Rand, to make it a special evening.
The Maximum R&B with Dr Feelgood will be going to Norway in April, and DenMark will be doing another small tour the Spring/Autumn. Many festivals in the summer will be announced soon.
Press play and get crazy – tomorrow’s Friday.
