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Showaddywaddy are still going strong 51 years after they started
- Jonathan Dean
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
Saturday was a blast from the past when M dragged me (I actually went willingly) off to see Showaddywaddy live. As I pointed out to M, Romeo Challenger is the only original member of the band still performing.
Showaddywaddy in history
Now I am old enough to remember Showaddywady from their hay day in the 1970's and 1980's.
In fact, my uncle was a stage manager at the BBC (here in the UK) and I went on the Multi-coloured Swap Shop (which was a Saturday morning kids show) when I was about 10 and got the 'goodie bag' for being on the show which contained an LP of Showaddywaddy
Apparently the 'goodie bag' contined goodies from each of the guests on the show that week. So I obviously met them but can't remember it.
Showaddywaddy had a string of top 40 singles between 1974 and 1982 starting with 'Hey Rock and Roll' and finishing with 'Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp-a-Bomp-a-Bomp).
The hits you might know?
Well all I can say is you will throughly enjoy this trip down memory lane.
Showaddywaddy's music style is based on the US style Rock 'n' Roll of the 1950's rolling into the early 1960's. With many of the hits that they had in the UK based on covers written and / or performed by other artists before them:
Three Steps to Heaven - performed by Eddie Cochran and charting in the USA and UK in 1960. A hit for the band in 1975.
Heartbeat - performed by Buddy Holly in 1958. Initially a minor hit for Holly in the USA and then top 30 a year later in the UK. A hit for the band in 1975 who managed to take it to number 7 in the singles chart.
Under the moon of love - performed by Curtis Lee in 1961. Another minor hit for the artist Lee in the USA. It spent three weeks in the number 1 singles chart in the UK for the band in 1976.
Pretty little angle eyes - performed by Curtis Lee in 1961. This song gave Lee the number 7 sliot of the USA Billboard 100. The band managed to get a number 5 possition when it was released in the UK in 1978.
These covers were intermingled with Showaddywaddy penned singles like 'Hey Rock 'n' Roll' which was their first hit in 1974, the year after they formed, and reached number 2 in the UK single chart.
Saturday Night
As I said earlier only Romeo Challenger, the band's drummer, is still touring with the band, while the original lead singer Dave Bartram moved over to become the bands manager. The rest of Showaddywaddy are now new recruits with the lead signer being with the outfit for 14 years as it was announced on Saturday night.
Now I did see the band live after the Saturday Swap Shop, while on holiday at Butlins (which is a shallay style holiday camp that until recently was stuck in the 1950's) in the 1990's. This show was only about an hour long, but as I remember it is was good, although much alchol was consumed that weekend!.
The first thing you notice is the colourful 'teddy' boy jackets that they all wear. Which is reminiscne of the roch 'n' roll era and style of their music. And to be fair they have always warn these style of flamboyant jackets.
What I would say is that the music is high-octane Rock 'n' Roll from the moment that they come on stage, and 2 hours later, to the end of the set when they finish with 'Hey Rock 'n' Roll'. They played all the hits that I called out above, some Rock 'n' Roll standards that were not hits for the band but very represntative of the era, and to which you probably know all the words to.
It was a thoughly enyoyable evening and I did leave minus my voice and arm hurting from doing the air fist punching which is the signiture move every time Hey Rock 'n' Roll was sung!
But at a cost of about £30 each for the ticket, this was a great live music evening. The type both M and I enjoy. So would I recomend you go and Showaddywaddy? If you want a fun evening out, then absolutely.
Until next time....
About the Author
Jon describes himself as a frustrated musician with a passion for the electronic instruments that help him and other musicians be creative. He started playing keyboards in his late teens and re-ignited his passion and built a new studio following his seperation.
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The Music Tech Guy UK's Blog, Website and YouTube channel were started to share Jon's experiences and views on the industry at large and how these effect the small musician. Plus technical tips how to configure and maintain the equipment he owns.
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