THE AMAZING SPACEFROGS

Meet the band	Biography	Reviews	Musical extracts
Thanks to...	Merchantise	Addresses etc.	Copyright

Links to associated pages

Bogsnorkeller

Meet the band

Bugsy	Paul	Ste	Jono
lead vocals	rhythum guitar	lead guitar	percussion

The Amazing Biography

The band, which if you live in the North East of England need no introduction, but here's one just in case you live on Mars.

Formed, well more thrown together, in the punk-tasically glorious year of 1977, Silver Jubilee year in fact (not that the Queen was interested). Right back to the plot, after an eventful first gig at The Wellington (Middlesbrough), the band kicked into gear with the first of many support gigs at the infamous Middlesbrough Rock Garden (now the Arena), the head-lining band being none other than The Cure. This marked the start of a new trend, with the 'Frogs frightening off major acts left, right and centre including the Angelic Upstarts, the Rezillos, and The Fall.

1979 sees the release of the 'Dirty Habit' EP featuring the songs "Norman and Jeremy", "Nuns of Destruction" and the still popular as ever "Necrophilia". The EP ended up being banned by the BBC after appearing on John Peel's show (God know's why!). Five hundred copies in 3 weeks not bad for a first release, as it happens the EP is now worth £25 for any one with a good copy.

1982-1993 Bugsy goes on one hell of a black'n.

1993 the little fella starts pestering local band 'Riot Act' to let him get up and sing, the band don't agree. However he gets up any way, but to the relief of all he falls of the stage breaking the new lighting rig at the Georgian Theatre (Stockton) in the process. Anyway, like a bad rash he won't go away and ends up convincing Riot Act to be his backing group for a one-off 'Frogs show. At this point Bugsy starts collaborating (that's in the song writing kinda way), with Steve the bass player out of Riot Act.

1994 the first of many gigs with the revamped Spacefrogs was with Hugh Cornwell at the Cornerhouse (M'bro). Then gig, gig, gig, gig, till... August 1997 sees the recording of the first bona-fide LP "Don't Tell Me Mam", recorded and mixed at Oblivion Studios (Stockton-on-Tees).

--- buy one you know it makes sense.

Then one horrible day the love-fairy struck (let's face it drummers are bad enough when they are not in love) and the 'Frogs had a small accident and lost their drummer - so careless! But like a knight in shining armour (well a baseball cap anyway) Jono jumped-in to save the day.

And they all lived happily ever after (until closing-time and then went for a pizza).

Back to contents

Reviews

SMASH HITS

... Bugsy is what we call a local character, and it came as no surprise when he decided to give his band a name like THE AMAZING SPACE FROGS. His songs are invariably about taboo subjects, hence the title of the A-side, "Nuns Of Destruction". This will not help the single get radio airplay. The single was released in October, the backing band being half of Basczax and half of No Way, plus local whizz kid Pete Farrell ...

Maybe you can help, well it's like this Bugsy's brain isn't as big as it might be (to be honest none of him is as big as it might be!), anyway he can't actually remember when this review appeared in Smash Hits, it was in an article titled "Teesside Smells OK!", and probably appeared in late 1979 or around then anyway. If you have any old copies, and want something exciting to do one cold winters night, find the article and let us know when it was - cheers.

EVENING GAZETTE, Middlesbrough

... First band Bugsy and the Amazing Space Frogs must have been fans. Those very original stalwarts of the local punk-faith, the Space Frogs glam up their punk as always. The elfin Bugsy leads his band through re-heated Seventies grind and adrenalin and combines it with outrageous Glitter Band posturing. Great entertainment ...

HOT LICKS REVIEW - Issue 13, November 1997

Amazing. Not a word I use very often with any great conviction. So when I was pointed towards the Amazing Spacefrogs I was a little hesitant. Well, how many people do you know who would refer to themselves as amazing? Looking vaguely like rocks answer to Penn and Teller, they came on with a wry grin and a glint in the eye that suggested I may just enjoy this.

Enjoy it I did. I could only describe their style of music as "power punk". Heavy, powerful guitar riffs and a vocal, shall we say, in the upper register. A lacklustre PA did not do justice to this almost unique singing. But when belted out, most of the vocals could be heard. I was not the only one to enjoy it. The band played up to the camp styling of their choice of song, milking every bit of humour and fun out at them. This five piece guitar band performed well known covers as diverse as Kylie Minogue's I Should Be So Lucky, Chumbawumba's lager drink song and Dion and the Belmont's Teenager In Love. So if you can imagine these songs played with heavy distortion, flat out, rocked up, top of the voice, and as loud as you like, then you may start you get an idea of just what it was like.

Some of the better songs they played were equally remarkable. An excellent version of Elton John's Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting and a stinging AC/DC cover, All night Long were outstanding as they fitted the voice. Another suitable number was Cum On Feel The Noise, an old Slade song which sort of summed up the night really. It was where they were at, or at least where they were coming from. The singer could have been Noddy's half brother, The band could have been still in the seventies. They brought it into the nineties, still screaming.

Apart from myself and the band, the crowd enjoyed it too. A sizeable gathering stopped and took notice (the fact that you couldn't hear yourself talk had nothing to do with it, of course). Quite a few were actively getting into it, and sharing a bit of banter with the band. On the whole, and after some discussion with some friends, it was clear that you either loved their music or hated it. I do know some who couldn't stand this type of stuff, but they agreed that it was different and energetic. But I enjoyed it.

Quite amazing. Ste.

And believe it or not the Ste who wrote the review was NOT the same Ste as plays in the band!

Back to contents

Music

If you don't have the REAL-AUDIO player it is worth getting from http://www.realaudio.com

Grass is greener

Watching your forehead grow
Blood forces to your head I know
You fill up to the limit
It's hard to stop it when you start
You say thay you don't know
How to play the game again
You're always happy
Looking at the bottom of a drain

I've seen it all before
You're always wanting more

The grass is greener on the other side
I don't need any help to decide
The grass is greener on the other side
How many times do you ask

Your head is in the clouds 
Yet you still cry for more
Maybe you don't want
To stop what you have started
The perfect performance
Why are you still screaming for more
You ask me what it's like
Right on the other side of the fence

Thanks to ...

The Amazing Space frogs would like to thank the following:

To recreate that magic 'Frog sound - try using the same make of instruments:

Merchantise:

	'Frog logo tshirt	Front: left breast - 'Frog logo (small) Back: 'Frog logo (full size)
	Don't tell me mam tshirt	Front: Don't tell me Mam Back: blank
	Zero tolerance tshirt	Front: left breast - Zero Tolerance logo (small) Back:
	Better Dead than Wed tshirt	Front: left breast - 'Frog logo (small) Back: Better Dead Than Wed
	Don't tell me mam cassette	Tracks include: Necrophilia '97, Popcorn & Bubblegum

For more information contact:

Copyright

All music, pictures, and lyrics are copyright of The Amazing Spacefrogs or BOGSNORKELLER!, except where blatantly obvious OR where stated.