Doctor and the Medics are a
London
based psychedelic
rock band,
famous in the 1980s. The band currently performs, with a
different line-up, as a
tribute act to
various
artists.
Career
The Doctor
(Clive Jackson , 7 July 1961, Knotty
Ash
, Liverpool
), a former London-based
DJ, formed the group with guitarist Steve McGuire, drummer Vom (aka Steve
Ritchie, not to be confused with Crazyhead
drummer Rob "Vom" Morris), and bassist
Gareth Thomas and female dancers and singers The Anadin Brothers in 1981. The group adopted a
look inspired by both 1960s
psychedelia
and
kabuki make-up similar to that of
Kiss.
Their first
single was "The Druids
are Here" c/w "The Goats are Trying to Kill Me" which was released
on Whaam Records in 1982.
They
released no further records until 1985, although a four track
EP recorded live at Alice In
Wonderland, a Soho
nightclub where The Doctor was house DJ, was
available direct from the band.
The band's unique female
backing
singers were known collectively as
The Anadin Brothers. Originally there
were 3 Anadin Brothers but this was soon whittled down to Wendi
West and Colette Appleby. Their unique performances were extremely
well synchronised and featured highly characteristic moves, these
were influenced by the fact that the duo had previously competed
together as synchronised swimmers.
In 1985 they signed to
IRS Records and
released "Happy but Twisted" a five track 12" EP including a
cover of
Hawkwind's "Silver Machine". This reached number 2
on the
indie charts.
This was followed by "The Miracle of the Age" c/w "I Don't Want to
be Alone with you Tonight", produced by
Andy Partridge of
XTC.
Around
this time the band performed a concert in a
television studio in Limehouse
, London which was
recorded for television broadcast, although it was not shown at the
time. At this concert the line up was augmented by
Roman Jugg of
The
Damned on
keyboards and
second guitar.
They scored a massive international
hit
in 1986 with their next single, a cover of
Norman Greenbaum's "
Spirit in the Sky". The single reached
number one in thirty-two countries.
They fared less well with subsequent singles. Also in 1986, "Burn"
and "
Waterloo" (the latter of which
was a cover of the
ABBA hit, with
Roy Wood on
saxophone,
backing vocals and in the
video) "Burn"
reached No 29 in the
UK Singles
Chart and Waterloo No 45.
In
addition to their musical career, the group were closely associated
with the Alice in Wonderland nightclub, and Planet Alice, a fashion
shop on Portobello
Road
, London that was an
offshoot of the club. The club, which was based at the
Gossips in Soho won City Limit's "Night5club of the year award" in
1985.
The club ran the "Mystery trips" taking unsuspecting clubbers to
gigs and venues across the country on coach
trips.
One
such venue was Lowestoft
Pier in 1986 featuring performances by: Zodiac Mindwarp: Another Green World: Daisy Chainsaw and The
Cult. These trips are now widely regarded, as quoted by
Rave magazine, to be the precursor of the beginning of the rave
scene in the UK. Which mirrored the use of secret locations, out of
town venues and famous DJ's.
The band released their final
studio album
Instant Heaven, in 1996 on their own 'Madman'
record label.
in 1995 the Doctor was refused a license to box in the UK by the
British Board of Boxing control under health grounds, thereby
ending his life long dream of becoming a heavyweight boxer
In the early 2000s the band's current line-up appeared on
retro-themed British
TV shows such as
ITV1's
Hit Me Baby One More Time and
a
Top of the Pops Christmas
special celebrating 50 years of the UK Singles Chart.
In 2003
the Doctor left Britain to live in Mexico
, after
having been invited over there to take part in a world music
project which never saw the light of day, as a severe storm
destroyed the desert studio and all the recordings.
He frequently returned to Britain and in June 2006, they appeared
on
Channel 4's
Bring Back One Hit
Wonders' and released a new EP called "Timewarped."
In 2008 The Doctor permanently moved back to the UK to begin work
on a new studio album.
Personnel
1981 Line up
- The Doctor (vocals),
- Steve McGuire (guitar),
- Richard Searle(bass),
- Andrew McLachlan (drums)
1986 line-up
- The Doctor (vocals),
- Steve McGuire (guitar),
- Richard Searle(bass),
- Steve "Vom" Ritchie (drums),
- Wendi Anadin (vocals),
- Colette Anadin (vocals).
- Andy Higgins (chief Badger)
Richard Searle was the original Bass Player, from the first
recordings on Whamm Records and throughout the 1980s IRS Records
hits.He left in 1990 shortly after Vom Ritchie left. Gareth Thomas
replaced Richard Searle in 1990.
Current line-up
- The Doctor (vocals)
- Adrian Hill (drums)
- James Hartley(guitar)
- John Randle (bass)
- Melissa Weekes (backing vocals)
- Collette Anadin (backing vocals)
Collette Appleby and Wendy West were The Anadin Brothers.
Originally they were three members. They were named after a well
known British headache pill. They appeared in
The Cult’s video for the single "Rain". The Anadin
Brothers became more famous as the female backing vocalists for the
group
Doctor & The
Medics. The Doctor and the Anadin Brothers sang on the
Ferry Aid’s version of "Let It Be".
Discography
Albums
Singles/EPs
- "The Druids Are Here" (1982) Whaam
- Happy But Twisted EP (1985) Illegal (UK Indie #2)
- "The Miracle of The Age" (1985) IRS
- "Spirit in the Sky" (1986) IRS
(UK #1)
- "Burn" (1986) IRS (UK #29)
- "Waterloo" (1986) IRS (UK #45)
- "Two Pieces of Cloth Carefully Stitched Together EP
(1987) Illegal (UK Indie #34)
- "More" (1987) IRS
- "Drive, He Said" (1988) IRS
- Timewarped (6-track covers
Ep) (2006)
Trivia
- In the
UK
, Doctor and the Medics' version of "Spirit in the Sky" was the first song to
reach #1 as the debut hit of two different artists, as well as the
first #1 song from the 1970s to reach #1 again in the
1980s.
- After leaving Doctor and the Medics, Richard Searle went on to
form Acid Jazz band Corduroy with former members of Sire Records act Boys Wonder. And Wet Dog with
Vom Ritchie.
- "Spirit In The Sky" was certified silver in the UK.
Prior to forming Doctor and the Medics The Doctor had two a
cappella voice over tracks on the compilation album
A Splash of Colour 1981 Wea K58415
Richard Searle is a member of the
Bohemian Underground
Movement. Several B.U.M tracks are released through Acid
Jazz Records. www.b-u-m.co.uk
References
- Classic Rock Magazine March 2008
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