The Frantic Elevators were a punk band who formed in 1976 after the members met each other at a Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June 1976 The group consisting of vocalist Mick Hucknall, drummer Kevin Williams, guitarist Neil Smith, and bassist Brian Turner, and their first single, 'Voice In The Dark', was released in June 1979 by TJM records, after which they hopped over to Eric's Records, the label affiliated with the Liverpool club of the same name. 'You Know What You Told Me' was released near the end of 1980, and by then DJ John Peel heard the band through the TJM record, and on one show from 12 June 1979 he played all three tracks from their 'Voice In The Dark' single, and then offered them a session on his show, which was broadcast in March 1981. Their third single, 'Searching For The Only One' was released on the Crackin' Up label in 1981, and a second Peel session was broadcast in September of that year. After that, an extended recording hiatus ensued, predating what would become their final single, 1982's 'Holding Back The Years' on the No Waiting label. In 1984 The Frantic Elevators disbanded, and Hucknall linked up with manager Elliot Rashman, assembling a band of local session musicians in 1985, who began to attract record-company attention. The band were christened Simply Red, and signed a contract with Elektra in 1985, and after a few low-charting singles they re-recorded 'Holding Back The Years', which became their first major hit. Bit enough about them, we're here to listen to the raucous punk-rock of The Frantic Elevators, with this collection of all their singles, b-sides and exclusive Peel sessions.
Track listing
01 Hunchback Of Notre Dame (from the 'Hunchback Of Notre Dame' EP 1979)
02 See Nothing And Everything (from the 'Hunchback Of Notre Dame' EP 1979)
03 Don't Judge Me (from the 'Hunchback Of Notre Dame' EP 1979)
04 Voice In The Dark (single 1979)
05 Passion (b-side of 'Voices In The Dark')
06 Every Day I Die (b-side of 'Voices In The Dark')
07 You Know What You Told Me (single 1980)
08 Production Prevention (b-side of 'You Know What You Told Me')
09 Searching For The Only One (single 1981)
10 Ding Dong (John Peel session March 1981)
11 I Am The Man (John Peel session March 1981)
12 And I Don't Care (Nobody Stays Here) (John Peel session September 1981)
13 After Hanging Around (John Peel session September 1981)
14 What To Do? (John Peel session September 1981)
15 I'm Not To See Her (John Peel session September 1981)
16 Ice Cream And Wafers (John Peel session September 1981)
17 Holding Back The Years (single 1982)
18 Pistols In My Brain (b-side of 'Holding Back The Years')
