The Pleasers

The Pleasers are an English power pop group, founded in 1977 in West London/Surrey,^[1] consisting of Stephen 'Bo' Benham, Steve McNerney, Nick Powell, and Dave Rotchelle, they released five singles; one on Solid Gold Records (released on Ariola Records in West Germany), and four on Arista Records, however none of the singles entered the UK Singles Chart, they contributed two tracks (Billy and Rock & Roll Radio) to the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival LP record, songs from their 1977 and '78 Studio recordings were eventually released in the United Kingdom on Compact disc in 1996, and a version with extra tracks was released in Japan in 2009. The Pleasers were managed by Chips Chipperfield (born circa-1943 — died 13 August 2008), who would go on to win two Grammy Awards for Best Long Form Music Video as co-producer with Neil Aspinall in 1997 for The Beatles Anthology, and in 2000 for Band of Gypsys - Live at Fillmore East featuring Jimi Hendrix.^[2] The Pleasers' records were produced by experienced record producers; Ron Richards (The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Hollies, P.J. Proby), Geoff Haslam (J. Geils Band, The Velvet Underground, Cactus, MC5, Bette Midler, Herbie Mann, Yes), and Tommy Boyce (The Monkees, Iggy Pop, Darts, Del Shannon, Meat Loaf).^[3]

Band members

Stephen 'Bo' Benham (birth registered October→December 1957 (age 58–59) in Surrey North Eastern district^[4]) bass guitar and vocals, would go on to produce New Music Television, and is currently managing director of InTune Music Library. after the band stalled 2 years after it was created Stephen Benham went on to live in a flat in London paid for by social security after he was separated from his wife for having numerous affairs, despite many attempts to make it big he ended up living in London on benefits chasing the big time that was never to happen

Steve McNerney (birth registered January→March 1958 (age 57–58) in Paddington district^[5]) vocals and guitar, is a composer and songwriter, and has provided music for documentaries including; Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused, Pink Floyd: Behind the Wall, Lady Gaga: One Sequin at a Time, Michael Jackson: Life of a Superstar, Michael Jackson: Unmasked, Brittany Spears: Unbreakable, AC DC: Dirty Deeds, Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix on Hendrix, the featured song We All Need Love in Strays written/directed/starring Vin Diesel, the featured song Changing Man in Deadliest Catch, and five featured songs in 16 and Pregnant.^[6]

Nick Powell lead guitar and vocals.

Dave Rotchelle (birth registered October→December 1952 in Hammersmith district^[7] 1952 (age 63–64)) drums, had previously been a member of The Rockets, and later The Count Bishops, and is currently freelance photographer, and Chair of National Union of Journalists Freelance London Branch.

While they were members of The Pleasers, Steve McNerney and Nick Powell were involved in a car accident towards the end of 1977, but both escaped with only bruises and sprains, although their car was a write-off.^[8]

Newspaper and magazine appearances

The Pleasers were featured in the 6 December 1977 edition of the Evening Standard, were the front cover artist in the 14 January 1978 edition of the Record Mirror, were the co-front cover artists (alongside; The Boyfriends, etc.) in the 21 January 1978 edition of the NME, were a featured artist in the January 1978 edition of ZigZag magazine, were featured in the 23 January 1978 edition of the Daily Mail (curiously cited by Thomson Prentice (currently Consultant Writer at World Health Organization, Series Editor at The Lancet Special Series on Midwifery) as an example of the type of band responsible for the (reports of my) death (are greatly exaggerated) of Punk rock), were featured in the 4 February 1978 edition of Sounds, and were featured in a 2007 edition of Mojo.^[1]

Television appearances

The Pleasers television début was a performance of (You Keep On Tellin' Me) Lies on Get It Together, performed Billy and The Kids Are Alright on Tony Wilson's What's On prior to appearing at Rafters nightclub, Manchester on Saturday 18 March 1978, performed The Kids Are Alright on Crackerjack, Cheggers Plays Pop, and The Paul Nicholas Show, performed You Don't Know on Get It Together, and performed A Girl I Know (Precis Of A Friend) on Get It Together.^[9]

Concerts

The Pleasers' first gig in 30 years entitled 'Making the Modern Scene 2' was a Benefit concert for rock journalist and author Terry Rawlings , who is ill with cancer, and took place at the 100 Club, Oxford Street, London on Sunday 26 July 2009, one of the support acts was a supergroup comprising Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks, Mick Jones of The Clash, and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, in addition, Simon Fowler from Ocean Colour Scene also played, and the gig was attended by members of The Purple Hearts, The Chords, Kenney Jones (Small Faces, The Who), Dennis Greaves (Nine Below Zero/The Truth), Mark Feltham (Nine Below Zero), Bermondsey Joy Riders (Cock Sparrer/Heavy Metal Kids), the DJs were Eddie Pillar and Gary Crowley, and the MC was Danny Baker.^[10]

Discography

In addition to the following album and single releases, The Pleasers also recorded versions of; No Particular Place to Go (written by Chuck Berry), and Think It Over (written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty), these and other tracks are available on Myspace.^[11]

Albums

LP record

• Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival Warner Bros. Records 66077, 1978^[12]
  • Side-2 Track-1 Billy (written by Stephen 'Bo' Benham and Steve McNerney)
  • Side-4 Track-2 Rock & Roll Radio (written by Dave Watson)

Compact disc

• Thamesbeat Lost Moment Records 5021449255221, recorded 1977-78 and released-1996. All tracks written by Stephen 'Bo' Benham and Steve McNerney except as indicated †, and all tracks produced by Tommy Boyce except tracks 13-15 indicated ‡ which were produced by Geoff Haslam;
  • 01. Billy
  • 02. Troublemaker
  • 03. You Don't Know
  • 04. Let's Dance † (written by Jim Lee)
  • 05. Stay With Me
  • 06. The Kids Are Alright † (written by Pete Townshend)
  • 07. A Girl I Know (Precis Of A Friend)
  • 08. Rock 'n' Roll Radio † (written by Dave Watson)
  • 09. Don't Go Breaking My Heart
  • 10. My Girlfriend's Back † (written by Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer)
  • 11. I'm In Love
  • 12. Change My Mind
  • 13. (You Keep On Tellin' Me) Lies ‡
  • 14. I'm In Love (Alternative version) ‡
  • 15. Who Are You? ‡
  • 16. You Know What I'm Thinking Girl
  • 17. Hello Little Girl
• The Following Were Bonus Tracks On The Japanese Release issued by Air Mail Recordings AIRCD-099, in January 2009^[13]
  • 18. Tommy Boyce
  • 19. Tears In My Eyes
  • 20. Are You The One
  • 21. Love Me Better
  • 22. Be Here Tonight
  • 23. Tell Me What You're Doing
  • 24. Interlude

Singles

• You Know What I'm Thinking Girl (Benham/McNerney) / Hello Little Girl (Benham/McNerney) - Solid Gold Records SGR 104/Ariola Records 17 867 AT - 13 May 1977 - produced by Ron Richards^[14]
• (You Keep On Tellin' Me) Lies / I'm In Love (Benham/McNerney) & Who Are You? (Benham/McNerney) - Arista 152 - 25 November 1977 - produced by Geoff Haslam ^[15]
• The Kids Are Alright (Pete Townshend) / Stay With Me (Benham/McNerney) - Arista 180 - 31 March 1978 - produced by Tommy Boyce^[16]
• You Don't Know (Benham/McNerney) / Billy (Benham/McNerney) - Arista 209 - August 1978 - produced by Tommy Boyce^[17]
• A Girl I Know (Precis Of A Friend) (Benham/McNerney) / Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Benham/McNerney) - Arista 217 - 10 November 1978 - produced by Tommy Boyce - engineered by Phil Chapman ^[18]

References

External links

• The Pleasers - Discography at 45cat.com
• The Pleasers at last.fm
• The Pleasers at youtube.com
• The Pleasers at myspace.com