Geordie (band)

Geordie

Brian Johnson, who would later gain fame as the lead singer of AC/DC
Background information
Also known as USA, Powerhouse
Origin Newcastle, England
Genres Rock, glam rock, hard rock, blues rock
Years active 1972–80, 1982–85
Labels Regal Zonophone
EMI Records
Bellaphon Records
MGM Records (US)
Neat Records
Associated acts AC/DC, Powerhouse
Past members Brian Johnson
Vic Malcolm
Rob Turnbull
Tom Hill
Brian Gibson
David Stephenson

Geordie (/ˈdʒɔːrdi/, JOR-dee) were a British glam rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne, most notably active in the 1970s.

History

The original (from February 1972) Geordie line-up included: Vic Malcolm (lead guitar), Tom Hill (bass guitar), Brian Gibson (drums) and Brian Johnson (lead vocals). Their first single, "Don't Do That" broke into the UK Top 40 in December 1972.[1] In March 1973, Geordie released their debut album, Hope You Like It on EMI label. Trying to compete with such British glam rock outfits as Slade and Sweet (Geordie supported the former on a UK tour, as well as the latter at a concert at the Rainbow Club, London in March 1973), they achieved UK Top 10 status with "All Because of You" (April 1973) and had a UK Top 20 hit with "Can You Do It" (July 1973). They also had several appearances on BBC Television including 15 appearances on Top of the Pops, one of which was in November 1972.

In the early 1970s Geordie toured Australia regularly and gained a solid following in Newcastle, New South Wales, due to the "Newcastle" connection and the song "Geordie's Lost his Liggie" gained popularity and airplay in Newcastle. They were one of the regular touring bands to play at the "art deco" Savoy Theatre in Lambton. Their second album, Don't Be Fooled By The Name (1974), including a cover of traditional "House of the Rising Sun", failed to yield a hit.

After their 1976 album Save the World, frontman Johnson left for a solo project. The band's final album, No Good Woman, in 1978 consisted of three unreleased tracks with Johnson and new material recorded by Malcolm with future Dire Straits keyboardist Alan Clark, vocalist Dave Ditchburn, bassist Frank Gibbon, and drummer George Defty. Johnson had meanwhile begun to perform as Geordie in a new line-up, sometimes also called Geordie II, in which he was the only original member. The band signed a recording contract in 1980, but finally folded that spring when Johnson replaced the late Bon Scott in AC/DC.

Post break-up

After AC/DC's lead singer Bon Scott died in February 1980, AC/DC chose Brian Johnson (whose vocal talent had previously been praised by Scott) to take over lead vocal duties. Johnson first appeared with AC/DC on their 1980 album, Back in Black.

In 1982, the original Geordie, but without Johnson, re-grouped as a quintet and went on to record an album titled No Sweat in 1983 with new singer Rob Turnbull and additional guitarist David Stephenson. The album was released on heavy metal independent record label, Neat Records. Critically acclaimed but with no major success. Malcolm left, and they later changed their name to Powerhouse, to release an eponymous album in 1986, before disbanding indefinitely.[2]

At the end of 2001, during an AC/DC hiatus, Johnson had a one off reunion, for a short UK tour, with Geordie's 1977–80 line-up, performing largely hard rock cover versions. They were known as Geordie 2. Rob Turnbull (Dr. Rob) is a member of the band Gadji as of 2013. In 2014, Vic Malcolm formed a new band, Dynamite, with Rick Mort and recorded an album in 2014 on indie label Tabitha Records.

Discography

Studio albums (as Geordie)

Studio album (as Powerhouse)

Compilation albums

Singles

Band members

1972–1977 line-up:

Line-up for some tracks on No Good Woman (1978):

Line-up with Johnson ("Geordie II"), 1978–1980, 2001:

1982–1985 line-up:

Line-up as Powerhouse, 1986

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 225. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ↑ "Biography by Richie Unterberger". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2 January 2009.

External links

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