Nine Below Zero playing the Cluny, Newcastle and the Arc in Stockton
London blues-influenced band Nine Below Zero fresh from another successful tour of Europe and a string of dates along the south coast of England head north to play the Arc in Stockton-On-Tees on Friday May 17 and the Cluny in Newcastle on Saturday May 18.
Nine Below Zero built an almost obsessive following in the early 1980 with their take on American blues, while maintaining the energy of punk in their live performances. It was captured in their first album, Live At The Marquee, which was re-released towards the end of 2012.
Frontman and founding member Dennis Greaves said: “We decided to put it out again after Universal found some film from the night that we didn’t know still existed. They also found the encores we did, which were not on the original album. In those days, you couldn’t get much more than about 50 minutes on a album. So this will be of great interest to our fans.”
Nine Below’s success continued to build during the 1980s. They performed their single 11+11 on the first episode of cult TV show The Young Ones, featured in a South Bank Show and supported both The Who and The Kinks. However, at this point the band split up and Dennis formed The Truth, who enjoyed two UK top 20 hits. But in 1990, Nine Below reformed for their 10th anniversary and sold out the Town and Country (now the Forum) in London.
Dennis said:“It was great to see the fans still had the appetite for what we were doing.”
A sell-out UK tour followed and the band were invited to join the likes of Eric Clapton, Ray Davies and Brian May.
Newcastle has always been a great city for band to play. Dennis said: “There are some places in the UK which have a real music heritage and Newcastle is one of them. What with Animals coming from there, audiences have always appreciated and are so knowledgeable about blues.
“And personally I love coming to Newcastle, because I'm a huge fan of the film Get Carter. If I get the time I love going around the city to see the locations of where it was shot.”
Dennis Greaves will play along side his friend of more than 30 years, also a founding member of Nine Below Zero, harmonica player Mark Feltham.
Mark is regarded as one of the leading harmonica players in the UK and has appeared on albums by by the likes of Oasis, Robbie Williams, Johnny Cash, Texas, Joan Armatrading and Will Young. He has also played on countless movie soundtracks, including Tootsie, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Notting Hill.
Unlike many bands who reform and just play their back catalogue, Nine Below Zero have continually gone back into the studio to record new material. Their last studio album, Never Too Late, released in 2011 gained wide critical acclaim and an album of new material will be released later this year.
Unlike many bands who reform and just play their back catalogue, Nine Below Zero have continually gone back into the studio to record new material. Their last studio album, Never Too Late, released in 2011 gained wide critical acclaim and an album of new material will be released later this year.
“It wouldn’t interest me just to keep on churning out all the tunes and band has to keep moving forward,” said Dennis. “However we have recently gone back to performing tracks from Live At The Marquee and the other early albums.
The band's second and third albums, Don't Point Your Finger At The Guitar Man and Third Degree will both be re-released later this year by Universal, also with extra tracks from live performances.
Nine Below Zero play The Arc, Stockton-On-Tees on Friday May 17. For tickets call box office on 01642 525199. Then the Cluny on Saturday May 18. For tickets go to www.cannygigs.net or call 0191 2304474.
Live At The Marquee is available on Universal now.
Nine Below Zero: Brian Bethall, Brendan O'Neill, Mark Feltham, Dennis Greaves
Dennis Greaves will be talking to Jo on the Jowheretogo Show on NE1 fm on Monday 13th May.
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