SUPERCHARGE (BAND)

'Supercharge' was a 1970s rock band from Liverpool, U.K., founded by singer/saxophonist Albie Donnelly.

Contents

History

Discography

History

Founded in 'Liverpool' in '1974', their first locally produced album was ''Between Music And Madness'' (''available from www.jjrecords.co.uk'')
'Supercharge' were soon signed by 'Virgin Records', and with the company's new producer, '"Mutt" Lange', they had a hit in 'Australia' with their 1976 single '"Get Up and Dance"'. It was also in 'Australia' that their first album, 'Local Lads Make Good' went 'gold' - resulting in a number of successful major tours 'down-under'.
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In the 'UK' - although their record sales were disappointing (due mainly to the inept handling of the band by 'Virgin' Records)- 'Supercharge' achieved a fearsome reputation as one of the UK's best-ever live bands, the result of which was that many so-called 'major' UK stars refused to perform with them. One notable (and well documented) exception was 'Supercharge's' opening set for 'Queen' in the mid-70's at the 'Hyde Park Festival', in front of an estimated '100,000 spectators'.
'Supercharge' were dropped by 'Virgin' during the punk-era, but the band quickly established themselves as a major attraction on the 'UK college-circuit', where their live-shows invariably caused a sensation.
The next chapter in the band's history was the "invasion" of 'Europe', which began at the end of the '1970's-early 1980's'. It was during this period (in 'late 1983') that Liverpool band 'Juke' struck a deal with Albie and his (then) manager, '"Memo" Rhein' to work together for the next twelve months as ''Supercharge '84''. This version of the band was so successful, that at the end of 1984, Albie and "Memo" persuaded 'Juke' to stay on for a further three months.
During the 15 months that' Juke' and Albie were together they managed to clock up well over '200 gigs'; many of these were for 'Europe's 'Jet-Set'', and included' Tina Onassis'' wedding (resulting in the 1984 album '"Groovers In Paris"' - which is Supercharge's top selling Rhythm and Blues album to date, and still available from ''www.jjrecords.co.uk''); parties for 'Gunter Sachs' at the 'Dracula' Club' in St. Moritz; and even a New Years eve party in Marbela for 'Adnan Kashoggi.'
After' Juke' left, the next ('1985') version of 'Supercharge' was an almost total disaster; but guitarist 'Dave Shepley' and newcomer, guitarist/vocalist 'John "Fat Ted" Lewis' quickly helped 'Albie Donnelly' to convert 'Supercharge' into a major feature of the 'late 1980's-1990's European blues-scene'. Tours, playing support for artists such as 'Chuck Berry' and 'B.B. King', soon took the band back to stadiums and big concert halls
The next line-up with 'Nashville' keyboard-player and singer 'Greg Barrett' showed more of the soulful side of 'Supercharge'; but this line-up unfortunately made no recordings.
With the beginning of a new millennium, 'Albie Donnelly' decided to return to the material that had achieved the most success for the band in former times - strong and powerful Rhythm'n'Blues; with a version of the 'Supercharge' that now consists mainly of 'German' musicians.

Discography

# ''Between Music And Madness'', 1974
# ''Local Lads Make Good'', 1976
# ''Horizontal Refreshment'', 1977
# ''Body Rhythm'', 1979
# ''The Best Of Supercharge'', 1993
# ''Groovers In Paris - Live At Tina Onassis' Wedding At Maxim's Paris'', 1984