They were joined by an old schoolfriend of Poke’s called Steve Bloomfield. Capable of playing almost any stringed instrument, Bloomfield had made a living as a session player for Pye Records and was on several Mungo Jerry hits. Matchbox’s debut single came out on Dawn in 1973, after which Redhead’s departure left a line-up of Wiffle Smith (vocals), Rusty Lipton (piano), Bob Burgos (drums), Bloomfield (guitars), and Poke (bass).
They subsequently recorded Riders In The Sky for Charly (they had previously recorded a Dutch-only album on Rockhouse). Smith and Lipton then departed, and former Cruisers vocalist Gordon Waters joined. The band was signed to a minor label and completed Setting The Woods On Fire in just over two days in October 1977, but as the record company were virtually bankrupt Chiswick took over its distribution. By this time, however,
Matchbox had signed up with Raw Records - which issued a single - and this led to complications. Chiswick did not promote the band because Matchbox were not signed to the label, and Raw declined to promote them because they did not own the album. In desperation the group bought themselves out of their contract and signed a new agreement with Magnet. At this point they had been joined by vocalist Graham Fenton, previously with the Wild Bunch, the Houseshakers and the Hellraisers, and now Redhead returned, along with another guitarist, Gordon Scott.
The first Magnet single, ‘Black Slacks’, missed out, but the second - a Steve Bloomfield original called ‘Rockabilly Rebel’ - made the charts.
A string of hit singles followed. One further line-up change came about when Bloomfield decided he did not want to tour anymore, and Dick Callan was brought in as a replacement for live appearances. Apart from Matchbox recordings, the group also put out a version of Freddie Cannon’s ‘Palisades Park’ under the pseudonym Cyclone. Steve Bloomfield released a solo album entitled Rockabilly Originals. The group is known as Major Matchbox outside the UK.
Redhead had left in 1973, Smith in 1977 and Lupton in 1978 to tour with Chuck Berry. Dick Callan joined Matchbox on guitar, saxophone and violin until approximately 1985, writing many of the band's B-sides.
Their third album “Matchbox” (1979) delivered the band's biggest hits include: "Rockabilly Rebel" and “Buzz Buzz A Diddle It”.
Matchbox's entry into the mainstream big time with their first Magnet album. Some of Steve Bloomfield's classics, "Rockabilly Rebel", "Hurricane" and "Everybody Needs A Little Love" plus some of the band's greats "Rockin' At The Ritz" and "Buzz, Buzz A Diddle It".
Side A
A1. Rockabilly Rebel (2:44)
A2. Buzz Buzz A Diddle It (2:46)
A3. Seventeen (2:13)
A4. Tell Me How (2:02)
A5. Hurricane (2:50)
A6. Everybody Needs A Little Love (2:46)
Side B
B1. Rockin’ At The Ritz (2:49)
B2. Hi-Fly Woman (2:36)
B3. Love Is Going Out Of Fashion (2:33)
B4. Poor Boy (2:30)
B5. Lord Mr Ford (3:21)
B6. Black Slacks (2:40)
Credits
- Bass, Double Bass, Vocals – Fred Poke
- Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Jimmie Redhead
- Engineer [Mixing] – Phil Chapman (tracks: A5, B6), Simaen Skolfield
- Engineer [Recording] – Dave Bellotti, Mike Shipley
- Guitar [Lead, Steel], Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals – Steve Bloomfield
- Guitar [Rhythm, Acoustic], Vocals – Gordon Scott
- Lead Vocals – Graham Fenton
- Photography [Sleeve] – Graham Barker
- Piano, Arranged By [Sax, Additional Backing Vocal] – Richard Myhill
- Producer – Peter Collins
- Saxophone – Ronnie Asprey
Notes
Release Date: November, 1979
Genre: Rock & Roll
Style: Rockabilly
Length: 42:!7
Label: Magnet Records
Catalog# 1A 062-63514
Vinyl: Good
Cover: Good
€ 7.00
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