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The
band were very quiet for the first few months of 1989
not performing until early
April, when they played the Arts Centre again
- this time supported by The First Conspiracy, The Yogots
and a debut gig by Chemikill. On a trip to Bradford
to see Catch 23 win the TSB Rock School, the band decided
to record a song for Tamworth
Football Club who were to appear in that year's
F.A. Vase final. To some this was the pinnacle of local
music success, to the Armchair it was the lowest of
the low - cabaret time! The song - a bastardised version
of Ooh, Ooh,
Ooh, La, La, La was recorded and was enjoyed
by many a football fan.
At the start of June 1989, again as part of their growing
cabaret act, the band were a part of Buttercup's recording
'Can't Get My Breath',
written by Quay and Reeman, Butty, everyone's favourite
DJ, had a 'Whale' of a time recording it and the video
was fun too. Shortly afterwards, the band played The
Assembly Rooms with Scream Dream and Flowers
in the Attic. It was a terrible night and was to be
the last gig the Armchair
was to play with Rikk Quay.
The Armchair was ill and he was sober, he was also very,
very nervous. The band had prepared well for the gig,
with several new songs including Sinister Minister,
Lucky, Lucky
Buggers and Adam
and Eve. Introduced, ad nauseam, by Dave Hewitt,
the band hit the stage. From the first moment it was
clear things were going to go wrong. The computer system
was at it's worst and Rikk was at his most 'tipsy',
and for the first time at a gig, at any time over the
last ten years, he attempted to take centre stage from
the Armchair - not very sensible. The gig ended.
The band arranged a meeting soon after the gig and it
was agreed that it was time for Rikk to leave the band.
He had in fact been planning to work with some other
musicians for a while and so this was of benefit to
all concerned.
The band of course still had to headline the upcoming
Rock Festival. They decided to go ahead as a three piece
supported by the computer generated backing. The gig
was a relative success although lacking the Quay personality.
Ooh, Ooh, Ooh,
was the last song as usual and the last verse was dedicated
to Rikk, this nearly resulted in fisticuffs, with Quay
wrongly thinking the Armchair had called him a naughty
word.
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