Musicbox Poll : A History

Lloyd Barnett (left) and Mark Mortimer receive their two MUSICBOX poll trophies from the column's editor Sam Holliday (centre).

Sam Holliday introduced the legendary MUSICBOX POLL for the first time in the Tamworth Herald in 1983, here we begin it's history with Sam's original article introducing it's inception.

All the winners...

Tamworth Herald – 25/11/83
Musicbox – Well, who’s YOUR flavour of the year?
THIS week Musicbox is proud to launch what we hope will be one of the biggest tests of local musical taste seen in Tamworth. In former years we have been happy just to ask readers for their top five singles and albums of the year which has always produced a great amount of entries.

But this year, for additional interest, we are going to ask all poll-voters to name not only their favourite records of the year on the form printed below, but also their top national – and local – band or artiste.

So much has happened this year – many local tapes and records released and two Tamworth rock festivals for example – that the local scene now looks healthier than ever.

But after careful deliberation the Musicbox writers have chosen Those Attractive Magnets as our local band of the year. Their continued interest and participation in the Tamworth scene – as well as their excellent ‘Nightlife’ single – makes them worthy winners in our eyes.

Whether you agree with us or not, we hope you will react! Please fill in the form below and get those entries flooding in.

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The Winners

1983 - Dream Factory	1987 - Dance Stance
1984 - Dream Factory	1988 - The DHSS
1985 - Dream Factory	1989 - Catch 23
1986 - Dance Stance	1990 - Wolfsbane

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1983

Tamworth Herald – 30/12/83
Musicbox – RESULTS OF OUR MUSIC POLL OF THE YEAR
Factory floor the rivals to win title

Top 10 Local Bands

1. The Dream Factory
2. Those Attractive Magnets
3. Classified Ads
4. The Royal Family
5. BHX
6. The Visitors
7. Formaldehyde
8. Hardware
9. Love on Board
10. Select Elect

Top National Bands

1. Style Council
2. Culture Club
3. Duran Duran
4. Wham!
5. David Bowie
6. Spandau Ballet
7. UB40
8. Big Country
9. Madness
10. Rolling Stones

Top 20 Singles

1. Those Attractive Magnets - Nightlife
2. Paul Young - Love of the Common People
3. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
4. Julian Cope - Sunshine Playroom
5. Style Council - A Solid Bond In Your Heart
6. Michael Jackson - Thriller
7. Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
8. Style Council - Speak Like A Child
9. New Order - Blue Monday
10. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
11. Aztec Camera - Oblivion
12. Culture Club - Victims
13. Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson - Say Say Say
14. Tin Tin - Kiss Me
15. UB40 - Red Red Wine
16. Duran Duran - Union of the Snake
17. Lionel Ritchie - All Night Long
18. Paul Young - Wherever I Lay My Hat
19. The Cure - Lovecats

Top 20 Albums

1. The Jam - Snap
2. Michael Jackson - Thriller
3. Paul Young - Parlez
4. Culture Club - Colour By Numbers
5. Wham! - Fantastic
6. Spandau Ballet - True
7. David Dowie - Let's Dance
8. UB40 - Labour Of Love
9. Yazoo - You and Me Both
10. Big Country - The Crossing
11. Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger
12. Style Council - Introducing the Style Council
13. Heaven 17 - Luxury Gap
14. Echo and the Bunnymen - Porcupine
15. New Order - Power, Corruption and Lies
16. U2 - War
17. Tears for Fears - The Hurting
18. Aztec Camera - High Land Hard Rain
19. B52's - Whammy
20. Stranglers - Feline

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1984

Tamworth Herald 28/12/84
Musicbox – Musicbox nets a Dream of a result in best poll ever
Factory romp home second year running

Top Local Bands

1. Dream Factory
2. Dickens
3. The Parade
   
4. A5
5. Freeway
6. Sacred Oath
7. Wolfsbane
8. BHX
9. Sitting Pretty
10. Classified Ads
11. Breaking Point
12. Love On Board
13. Dance Stance
14. One On One
15. Ideal Standard
16. Talk Back
17. The Elusive They
18. Chalky
    
19. The Black Market
20. Alien Emotions

Top Song By A Local Band

1. Wine and Roses – The Dream Factory
2. Hit and Run – Dickens
3. Fashion Toys The Dream Factory
4. Welcome to the Working Week – The Parade
5. Confused – Dickens
6. Love To You – A5
7. Gypsy Woman – BHX
8. Clutching at Straws – Wolfsbane
9. Game Of Life – The Dream Factory
10. Protest – Sacred Oath
11. I Just Want to Tell You – The Dream Factory
12. Wonderful World of Sex – Classified Ads
13. Freeway – Freeway
14. Crucial Class – The Dream Factory
15. Wish You Could Be There – Freeway
16. She Called the Storm – A5
17. Take Me To You Leader – Sacred Oath
18. Going Over – Dickens
19. Sold My Soul – Wolfsbane
20. The Inspiration – Sitting Pretty

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1985

Tamworth Herald 03/01/86
Musicbox – Factory floor the opposition to make a hat-trick…
THE Dream Factory have done it again! Yes, for the third year in succession, Tamworth’s favourite soul men have pipped all opposition to once again claim the top local band slot in the Musicbox poll.

Top Local Band

1. The Dream Factory
2. Terroa
3. The Royal Family
4. Dance Stance
5. The Me
6. Freight Train
7. Wolfsbane
8. Breaking Point
9. Love on Board
10. Femme Fatale
11. The Sway
12. Spirit of Water
13. The Parade
14. Sitting Pretty
15. Trout Meets The Cavalry
16. Dickens
17. Judas Cradle
18. The Magnets
19. Powerplay

Top Song by Local Band

1. Thunder and Lighting – Terroah
2. Love 15 – Dream Factory
3. I Wish I Was you – The Me
4. Wine and Roses – Dream Factory
5. Action Stations – Dance Stance
6. Clutching at Straws – Wolfsbane
7. Mousetrap – Dream Factory
8. In God We Trust – Femme Fatale
9. Fashion Toys – Dream Factory
10. Burn it Down – Terroah
11. Last Time – Terroah
12. Responsible for This – Love On Board
13. GSB – Wolfsbane
14. Derailed – One On One
15. The Sun – The Sway
16. A Kind of Loving – The Parade
17. Come The Day – Breaking Point
18. I’m Not a Baby Anymore – Wolfsbane
19. Lie With Me, Love With Me – Judas Cradle
20. Something Rich – Sitting Pretty

Top Singles

1. Wine and Roses - Dream Factory

Top National Band

1. Dream Factory
2. UB40
3. Style Council
4. New Model Army
5. U2
6. Wham!
7. Queen
8. King
9. Tears For Fears
10. Simple Minds

And now here’s how I’d have voted
Just to complete the overall local music award section, here are the people, the musicians and bands that I think deserve credit in ’85:

Top Song by a Local Band

1. Come The Day - Breaking Point
2. GSB - Wolfsbane
3. Wine and Roses - Dream Factory
4. Kind of Loving - The Parade
5. Emergency - Breaking Point
6. Thunder and Lightning - Terroa
7. The Sea - The Sway
8. Responsible For This - Love On Board
9. Clutching at Straws - Wolfsbane
10. Love 15 - Dream Factory
11. Man's Laughter - Freight Train
12. The Poseur - Dickens
13. Action Stations - Dance Stance
14. Love Kills - Sacred Oath
15. Machine Motion - Gaf The Horse
16. Poppy Red - One On One
17. No Crime - The Magnets
18. I'm Not a Baby - Wolfsbane
19. Running Away - Depth Charge
20. All of the Time - The Parade

Top Band – Breaking Point
Top Local Song – ‘Come The Day’ – Breaking Point
Guitarist – Jase The Ace/Tim Latham/Nick Reed
Drummer – Stuart Blane/Steve Quilton
Bass – Daydo/Mark Mortimer
Keyboards – Rikk Quay
Vocalists – Dave Ingham/Dave Smith/Debbie Whitty
Best Live Band – Wolfsbane
Most Improved Band – Dance Stance
Most Likely to Make it in ’86 – Dream Factory
Best Gig – Breaking Point, The Sway, The Magnets Tamworth Arts Centre
Best Demo – Wolfsbane
Best DJ – Buttercup
Best Songwriters – Kevin Briggs/Bryan Lacey/Jase The Ace/John Reeman
Best Lyricist – Bryan Lacey
Haircut – Mick Rutherford
Best Dressed Person – Jeff Hateley
Saying of the Year – “I Can’t Get Me Breath’ – Buttercup
Personalities of local music scene – Ian Gibbons, Tim Goode, Rikk Quay, Eddie Madden, Blaze Bayley, Dave Ingham, Mike Turner, Paul Speare, Phil Smith, John Reeman, John James, Mike Fleming, Sage Side Psycho, Mark Mortimer, Jeff Hateley, Kevin Briggs, Star Trek, Trevor Mugglestone, Dave Smith, Mick Goodby, Buttercup and everyone else I’ve missed.

Sam Holliday

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1986

Tamworth Herald – 02/01/87
Musicbox - Dance Stance take a bow – You’re top of the poll
ALL hail the Dance Stance! For the Atherstone-based soul kings have deservedly won the annual MUSICBOX poll, top band award for the first ever time.

Top Local Band

1. Dance Stance
2. XPD
3. Kara
4. Catch 23
5. One On One
6. Wolfsbane
7. The Soil Brothers
8. The Royal Family
9. Dream Factory
10. Freight Train
11. Breaking Point
12. Orange Blossom Special
13. Attica
14. Thirteenth Reunion
15. The Cradle
16. Depth Charge
17. Emma Gibbs Loves Badges
18. The First
19. Shellshock
20. The Magnets

Top Song by Local Band

1. Bombs Away – XPD
2. Other Side Of Paradise – Dance Stance
3. Shout - Kara
4. Hill – Freight Train
5. The Sweetest Pain – Dance Stance
6. Love Explosion – Catch 23
7. Ode to Nicholas Romanov – Breaking Point
8. Feel Your Touch – Dream Factory
9. Exploration Cul De Sac – Emma Gibbs Loves Badges
10. I Like To Eat – Soil Brothers
11. Different Drums – One On One
12. Get Up – Wolfsbane
13. Derailed – One On One
14. Temperance Train – Soil Brothers
15. Against The Grain – One On One
16. The View – Attica
17. Love On Hold – Wolfsbane
18. Don’t Disturb The War – One On One
19. In My Car – Depth Charge
20. Perfect Blue –Orange Blossom Special

Top Local Concerts

1. Dance Stance – The Rathole
2. XPD – Tamworth Rock Festival
3. Strap On Jack – Tamworth Assembly Rooms
4. XPD – The Rathole
5. Tamworth Rock Festival – Castle Grounds
6. Dance Stance – Two Gates WMC
7. Wolfsbane – The Rathole
8. Kara – The Rathole
9. Redbeards from Texas  - The Rathole
10. The Battle of the Bands final – Arts Centre
11. One On One – Tamworth Arts Centre
12. Catch 23 – The Rathole
13. Dance Stance – Polesworth Top Club
14. The Soil Brothers – The Rathole
15. Dr. Feelgood – Tamworth Assembly Rooms
16. Freight Train – The Rathole
17. The Soil Brothers – Tamworth Arts Centre
18. Dream factory – Polesworth Top Club
19. Attica – The Rathole

Top National Band

1. The Smiths
2. The Stranglers
3. Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4. Dire Straits
5. Level 42
6. The Housemartins
7. Spandau Ballet
8. Bon Jovi
9. Genesis
10. The Eurythmics
11. Peter Gabriel
12. Sigue Sigue Sputnik
13. New Model Army
14. Paul Simon
15. New Order
16. Jesus and Mary Chain
17. Echo and the Bubbymen
18. The Human League
19. Fuzzbox
20. The Pet Shop Boys

Top Twenty Singles

1. World Shut Your Mouth – Julian Cope
2. Panic – The Smiths
3. Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel
4. Happy Hour – The Housemartins
5. Breakout – Swing Out  Sister
6. Call Me Al – Paul Simon
7. Always The Sun – The Stranglers
8. Absolute Beginners – David Bowie
9. Ask – The Smiths
10. Love Missile – Sigue Sigue Sputnik
11. 51st State – New Model Army
12. True Blue – Madonna
13. Addicted To Love – Robert Palmer
14. The Final Countdown – Europe
15. Warriors of the Wasteland – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
16. Living On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
17. Walk This Way – Run DMC
18. Spirit of the Sky – Dr and the Medics
19. Rules and Regulations – Fuzzbox
20. Every Loser Wins – Nick Berry

Top Twenty Albums

1. The Queen is Dead – The Smiths
2. Liverpool – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3. So – Peter Gabriel
4. Dreamtime – The Stranglers
5. True Blue – Madonna
6. London 0 Hull 4 – The Housemartins
7. Graceland – Paul Simon
8. Flaunt It – Sigue Sigue Sputnik
9. Ghost of Cain – New Model Army
10. The Final – Wham
11. Back at the DHSS – Half Man Half Biscuit
12. Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi
13. Live – Bruce Springsteen
14. Revenge – The Eurythmics
15. Through The Barricades – Spandau Ballet
16. King of America – Elvis Costello
17. Streetlife – Bryan Ferry
18. Please – Pet Shop Boys
19. Invisible Touch – Genesis
20. Brotherhood – New Order

Top Personalities of the Year

1. Ian Gibbons – Rathole Person
2. Rikk Quay – XPD
3. John Reeman – XPD
4. Donald Skinner – Freight Train
5. Paul Speare – Expresso Bongo
6. Ray Sheasby – Dance Stance (Manager)
7. Neil Sheasby – Dance Stance
8. Paul Hanlon – Dance Stance
9. James Holliday – The Stranglers
10. Tim Latham – One On One
11. Lee Revelle – Emma Gibbs Loves Badges
12. Steve MacNamee – Soil Brothers
13. Mark Mortimer – Dream Factory
14. Bayley Cooke – Wolfsbane
15. Denis Byfield – Reverb Sounds
16. Andy Codling – Dance Stance
17. Buttercup – King DJ
18. Julian Cope – Julian Cope
19. Steve Prince – Kara
20. Eddie Madden – Attica

And now for my personal choice
HERE are my annual awards to the people who I think deserve a final pat on the back for 1986. These are strictly my choice and have not been voted for as the rest of the poll has…

TOP BAND – Dance Stance
TOP SONG – ‘Feel Your Touch’ – The Dream Factory
TOP GUITARISTS – Tim Latham, Nick Reed, Paul Anthony, Jase The Ace, Trevor Mugglestone, Les Jones.
TOP DRUMMERS – Phil Ford, Stu Blaine, Gavin Skinner, Rob Chivers, Jason Notman, Richard Deane.
TOP BASSISTS – Pete Wright, Daydo, Glen Lewis, Mark Mortimer
TOP KEYBOARD PLAYERS – Joss Cope, Rikk Quay, Nick Smith
TOP SINGERS – Dave Ingham (again!), Paul Hanlon, Bayley Cooke, Mick Goodby, Steve Webster, Dave Smith
OTHER INSTRUMENTALISTS – Andy Codling, Paul Speare, Adrian Goodman
BEST LIVE BANDS – Wolfsbane, The Soil Brothers
MOST IMPROVED BANDS – Catch 23, Kara
BEST GIG – Tamworth Rock Festival (all of it!)
BEST DEMO – Terroa
BEST SINGLE – ‘Other Side of Paradise’ (Dance Stance)
BEST SONGWRITERS – Kevin Briggs, One On One
BEST LYRIC WRITER – KEVIN BRIGGS
BEST HAIRCUT – Mike Fleming
WORST TROUSERS – Mike Fleming
BEST DRESSED PERSON – Jeff Hateley
BEST DJ – Buttercup
BEST ESTATE AGENT – Eddie Madden
WORST BARMAN – Rikk Quay
BEST EXAM RESULTS – Steve Webster
BEST EVENT – The Rathole selling Thunderbird wine
BEST CUSTARD PIR THROWERS – One On One
BEST OVERALL MUSICIAN – Duane (Thirteenth Reunion)
PERSONALITIES of ’86: Ian Gibbons, Rikk Quay, Chippy, Mark Mortimer, Steve MacNamee, Eddie Madden, Paul Hanlon, Buttercup, Rob Cross, Blaze Bayley, Paul Speare, Richard Cuttler, John Reeman, Denis Byfield, Ray Sheasby, Jase The Ace, Dave Ingham, Murray Pickett, JF Bombshell, Dave Smith, Clive Bartram, Kevin McGough, Edwin Starr.

SAM HOLLIDAY

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1987

Tamworth Herald - 01/01/88
Musicbox – The heart and soulmen take the honours
Slick Dance Stance have been votes as your favourite local band for the second year running. The wonderful soul combo – who have had an incredible year – have retained their Musicbox top band award after another hugely successful poll which saw hundred of you put pen to paper.

Top Local Bands

1. Dance Stance
2. Catch 23
3. Wolfsbane
4. A5
5. The Great Express
6. Shellshock
7. Kubla Khan
8. Fetch Eddie
9. Breaking Point
10. Ferocious Apaches
11. The Parade
12. New Age Gypsies
13. The Conspiracy
14. WIN
15. Little Green Men
16. The Royal Family
17. Dickens
18. The Pakistani Brothers
19. Final Line
20. Rape In Yellow

Top National Bands

1. U2
2. The Smiths
3. Level 42
4. The Proclaimers
5. T Pau
6. The Cure
7. The Pet Shop Boys
8. Hue and Cry
9. Jesus and Mary Chain
10. Def Leppard
11. The Communards
12. Fleetwood Mac
13. Wet Wet Wet
14. Style Council
15. Julian Cope
16. Michael Jackson
17. The Housemartins
18. Simple Minds
19. Whitesnake
20. Genesis

Top Twenty Singles

1. Love Explosion - Catch 23
2. Other Side of Paradise - Dance Stance
3. April Skies - Jesus and Mary Chain
4. Where The Streets - U2
5. Bad - Michael Jackson
6. Here I Go Again - Whitesnake
7. Letter from America - The Proclaimers
8. It's A Sin - The Pet Shop Boys
9. With Or Without You - U2
10. Girlfriend in a Coma - The Smiths
11. Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
12. China In Your Hand - T Pau
13. Rain In Summertime - The Alarm
14. Trampoline - Julian Cope
15. Is This Love - Whitesnake
16. So Emotional - Whitney Houston
17. True Faith - New Order
18. Look of Love - Madonna
19. Animal - Def Leppard
20. Rent - Pet Shop Boys

Top Local Personalities

1. Steve Webster - Catch 23
2. Paul Hanlon - Dance Stance
3. Sam Holliday - The Stranglers
4. Bayley Cooke - Wolfsbane
5. Ray Sheasby - Dance Stance
6. Rikk Quay - DHSS
7. Brian Edwards - Wolfsbane
8. Pete Fulleylove - A5
9. Ray Clenshaw - Catch 23
10. Neil Sheasby - Dance Stance
11. Nick Read - Dance Stance
12. Brian Lacey - The Parade
13. Bard (???) Little Green Men
14. Denis Byfield - Reverb Sounds
15. Hamilton Hammond - Hamilton Hammond
16. Aaron James - Fetch Eddie
17. Andy Codling - Dance Stance
18. Rob Cross - Ferocious Apaches
19. Mark Mortimer - Great Express
20. Ian Gibbons - Rathole Supremo

Top Song by Local Band

1. Higher Ground - Dance Stance
2. Society Girl - A5
3. No More Lights - Catch 23
4. Duty Calls - Shellshock
5. You Can - The Parade
6. Miles High - Great Express
7. Black Flower - Great Express
8. Don't Lie - Catch 23
9. Love Explosion - Catch 23
10. Get Up - Wolfsbane
11. Giving It All - Shellshock
12. But The Rain - The Witness
13. Dance Til Dawn - Kraze
14. Try Me - New Age Gypsies
15. Too Much To Ask For - Fetch Eddie
16. Sick - Pakistani Brothers
17. Limo - Wolfsbane
18. He'll Love You Until - Fetch Eddie
19. Sex Baby - A5
20. Golden - Ferocious Apaches

Top Local Concerts

1. Tamworth Rock Festival - Castle Grounds
2. Single Release Party - Catch 23
3. Dance Stance - Warwick University
4. Great Express - The Rathole
5. The Parade - Tamworth Arts Centre
6. Shellshock - Tamworth Arts Centre
7. A5 - Tamworth Arts Centre
8. Dance Stance - Loughborough University
9. Dance Stance - The Embassy
10. Toy Dolls - The Rathole
11. Wolfsbane - Tamworth Arts Centre
12. Progression - Tamworth Arts Centre
13. Ferocious Apaches - The Rathole
14. Laugh - The Rathole
15. Kraze - JB's Dudley
16. Battle of the Bands - Tamworth Arts Centre
17. The Wilsons - The Rathole
18. Dance Stance - Co-op Club
19. Blow Up - The Rathole
20. Rosehips - The Rathole

Here’s MY line-up of the year
Here are my personal awards for the year gone by…These are strictly my choice and not as a result of the poll.

Top Twenty Songs By Local Bands

1. Disguises - World Intelligence Network
2. Get Up - Wolfsbane
3. Higher Ground - Dance Stance
4. Too Much To Ask For - Fetch Eddie
5. Facing Up - Catch 23
6. No More Lights - Catch 23
7. Over and Out - Great Express
8. Passions Burning - The Conspiracy
9. Paint The Town Red - Wolfsbane
10. I Think That I Love You - Fetch Eddie
11. Britannia - Breaking Point
12. Falling Down - Dance Stance
13. Society Girl - A5
14. Limo - Wolfsbane
15. Going Green - Rape In Yellow
16. Sick - Pakistani Brothers
17. Duty Calls - Shellshock
18. Try Me - New Age Gypsies
19. Heaven Help Me - Dance Stance
20. Memories - World Intelligence Network

Best Singers
Bayley Cooke, Pod, Mark Brindley, Paul Hanlon, Steve Webster, Graham Harwood.

Best Bassists
Neil Gordon, Neil Sheasby, Daydo, Jeff Hateley, Paul Bethel, Glen Lewis, Chris Edden.

Best Drummers
Gavin Skinner, Phil Ford, Luke Morgan, Steve Danger, Steve Hayes, Bruno Edwards.

Best Guitarists
Jase the Ace, Nick Read, Roger Moore, Ted Wilson, Trevor Mugglestone, Aaron James, Ray Clenshaw, Kevin Briggs, Pete Fulleylove.

Best Keyboardists
Nick Smith, John Bates, Ian Hardwood, Rikk Quay.

Other Instrumentalists
The Dance Stance Brass Crew, Dave Caswell, the DHSS drum machine!

Songwriters
Fetch Eddie, Brian Lacey, Kevin Briggs, WIN, Dance Stance, The Conspiracy.

New Bands of ‘87
WIN, Fetch Eddie, Conspiracy, Great Express, Rape in Yellow, The Searching.

New Bands for ‘88
The DHSS

Most Improved Bands
A5, Shellshock

Live Bands
Dance Stance, Wolfsbane, Catch 23, WIN.

Demos of the Year
WIN, Fetch Eddie, Conspiracy, Dance Stance, New Age Gypsies, Breaking Point.

Lyric Writers
Edward ian Armchair, Kevin Briggs, Mark Brindley.

Best Dressed Person
Jeff Hateley

Best Haircut
Jeff Hateley

Best Roadie
George

Worst Roadie
George

Best DJ
Buttercup

Best person at standing on the top of trailers at Rock Festivals
Bayley Cooke

Best Fish
Haddock

Personalities of ‘87
Phyllis James, Edward ian Armchair, Rikk Quay, Den Byfield, Mark Mortimer, Gary Byfield, Bayley Cooke, Jeff Hateley, Jase The Ace, Steve Danger, Steve Webster, Alan Webster, Paul Hanlon, Neil Sheasby, Nick read, Ray Sheasby, Andy Codling, Roger Moore, Aaron James, George The Roadie, Kevin Briggs, Mark Brindley, Paul Speare, Rob Cross, Lee Revelle, Graham Harwood, Gavin Skinner, Ian Gibbons, Chippy, Buttercup, Ray Clenshaw, all Catch 23 fans, Dave Caswell, Martin Reece, Gong, Glen Lewis, Dave Fortune, Trevor Mugglestone, Mike Fleming and the rest of you all!

Sam Holliday

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1988

Tamworth Herald - 30/12/88
Musicbox - DHSS claim their benefit!
ELECTRO PUNKS DHSS have been chosen as the MUSICBOX band of the year in the closest ever finish in our five years of competition.

Local Bands

1. DHSS
2. Catch 23
3. Wolfsbane
4. A5
5. Fetch Eddie
   
6. Kraze
7. Flowers in the Attic
8. Spiral Eye
9. The First Conspiracy
10. Scream Dream
11. Dance Stance
12. Kubla Khan
13. Rape in Yellow
14. Emma Gibbs
15. Space Seeds
16. Shellshock
17. Heavy Metal Thunder
18. Sa Sa
19. Stench
20. King Woderick

National Band

1. Wolfsbane
2. U2
3. INXS
4. Transvision Vamp
5. Wunderstuff
6. Bros
7. Pet Shop Boys
8. The Cure
9. The Primitives
10. UB40
11. Bon Jovi
12. New Order
13. New Model Army
14. Erasure
15. Iron Maiden
16. Prince
17. The Stranglers
18. The Waterboys
19. Wet Wet Wet
20. That Petrol Emotion

Top Local Songs

1. Hangin’ On – Catch 23
2. Worth – A5
3. Sweet Sixteen – DHSS
4. Vicar’s Hand – DHSS
   
5. Pagan Oceon – Flowers in the Attic
6. Exposure – A5
7. Catch This – Catch 23
8. Loco – Wolfsbane
9. Sweet N Sassy – Kraze
10. Tumbledown - Subculture
11. No good For Love – Fetch Eddie
12. DHSS – DHSS
13. Short, Sharp, Shock – Shellshock
14. March Winds – Scream Dream
15. Dreams - Scream Dream
16. Mind Disease – King Woderick
17. Dance ‘Til Dawn – Kraze
18. Switchblade Love – Space Seeds
19. Uncertainty – Spiral Eye
20. Paint The Town Red – Wolfsbane

Top Local Gigs

1. Tamworth Rock Festival – Castle Grounds
2. Wolfsbane Finale – Arts Centre
   
3. Gig for Life Charity Show – Nuneaton
4. Sonic Noise – Arts Centre
5. True Grit/Catch 23 – Arts Centre
6. A5 – Kings Head (Atherstone)
7. Kraze – Arts Centre
8. The Scum Ball – Assembly Rooms
9. Catch 23 – Arts Centre
10. DHSS – Arts Centre
11. Fetch Eddie – Arts Centre
12. Battle of the Bands Final – Arts Centre
13. Catch 23 – Faradays
14. Wolfsbane – Festival Show
15. The Yogots – Arts Centre
16. DHSS – Arts Centre
17. Scream Dream – Arts Centre
18. DHSS – Festival Show
19. Spiral Eye – Arts Centre
20. Festival Party – Arts Centre

Tamworth Herald - 30/12/88

Musicbox – The Sam Holliday Pick of 1988…
BEST BAND …Wolfsbane
BEST SONG…Hangin’ On (Catch 23)
BEST GIG…Tamworth Rock Festival
BEST SINGERS…Bayley cooke, Steve Webster, Martin Kelly, Pod, Paul Hanlon, Edward ian Armchair, Graham Harwood, Barry Fox, Pete Williams.
BEST BASSISTS – Neil Gordon, Pete Wright, Paul Bethel, Neil Sheasby, Daydo, Al Page, Jeff hateley, Mark Chapman, Nick Plant, Simon O’Connor
BEST GUITARISTS – Jase the Ace, John Reeman, Tim Latham, Ray Clenshaw, Nick Read, Kevin Briggs, Roger Moore, Steve Scott, Paul Keeton, Graham Walters, Pete Fulleylove
BEST DRUMMERS – Steve Danger, Jason Notman, Steve Hayes, Batman, Duane, Jom Pighand
BEST KEYBOARD PLAYERS - Rick Smith, Rikk Quay, Rem
OTHER INSTRUMENTALISTS – The Soil Bros, Paul Speare
SONGWRITERS – Wolfsbane, Spiral Eye, Catch 23, DHSS, Kevin Briggs, Brian Lacey, Fetch Eddie, Steve Scott
NEW BAND OF ’88 – DHSS, Scream Dream, Sa Sa, King Woderick
MOST IMPROVED BANDS – Emma Gibbs, The Searching
LIVE BANDS – Spiral Eye, Wolfsbane, Catch 23, DHSS
DEMOS OF THE YEAR – Catch 23, DHSS, The Space Seeds, Emma Gibbs, The Parade, Fetch Eddie, The Searching, The Tamworth Festival Album
LYRIC WRITERS – Edwardian ian Armchair, Spiral Eye, King Woderick
BEST KEPT LOCAL SECRET – Top indie band Birdland who hail from Kingsbury but want nothing to do with the local scene
BEST DRESSED PERSON – Paul ‘Wicked’ Hanlon
BEST HAIRCUT – Steve King
WORST GEORGE – George
BEST DJ – Buttercup
BEST BYFIELD – Den, Shirl, Gaz and Anice
BEST PERSON AT USING THE SPADE TO DIG TRENCHES AT ROCK FESTIVALS – (Joint award) – Trevor Mugglestone, Mike Fleming
BEST CAT – Elvis Holliday
PERSONALITIES OF ’88 – Ray Sheasby, All of Wolfsbane plus Barbara and Brian Edwards, Edward ian Armchair, the entire Catch 23 crew especially Smiling Steven and Big Al, the Swiss family Byfield, Rocking Reeman and Queer Quay, Phyliss, Duane, Barry Fox, Daz, Pete, Jim and Rem, Paul and Neil, Lee Revelle, Stench, Mitch Michaels, Steve King, Trevor Mugglestone, Mick ‘I’m Always In Here Somewhere’ Fleming, JJ Burnel (Huh?), Eve, Samantha Law (hooray), Ollie Catley, the Woderix, Roger Moore and of course Mikhail Gorbachev for making it possible for me to still be writing MUSICBOX.

Sam Holliday

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1989

Tamworth Herald – 29/12/89
Musicbox – Catch that Wolf!

ALL Hail Catch 23 and Wolfsbane!
That was the loud message that emerged from your votes in the 1989 MUSICBOX poll which once again caused hundreds of you local music fans to put pen to paper.Catch 23 absolutely massacred all comers for the title of Top Local band 1989 but Wolfsbane deservedly share top billing for once again winning the Top National Band award and adding the LP of the Year title and the Single of 89 to their haul!

LOCAL BAND OF '89

1. CATCH 23
2. Wolfsbane
3. New Puritans
4. Dance Stance
5. The Big Noise
6. Fetch Eddie
7. Spiral Eye
8. King Wodericks
9. Rape in Yellow
10. Shock Culture
11. Sherbert Trees
12. Bash Out The Odd
13. Emma Gibbs
14. Scream Dream
15. Herb Garden
16. DHSS
17. Kraze
18. First Conspiracy
19. Stench
20. Smith and Jones

NATIONAL BAND '89

1. WOLFSBANE
2. Wunderstuff
3. Erasure
4. Soul to Soul
5. The Cure
6. Stone Roses
7. Blow Monkeys
8. New Model Army
9. Beautiful South
10. Bros
11. Wedding Present
12. Fine Young Cannibals
13. Simple Minds
14. Depeche Mode
15. Inspiral carpets
16. REM
17. Eurythmix
18. U2
19. Guns and Roses
20. Happy Mondays

TOP LOCAL SONG '89

1. What You Want…Catch 23
2. No Such Chance…New Puritans
3. Hangin’ On…Catch 23
4. Million Years…Catch 23
5. Six Ways To Your Heart…Shock Culture
   
6. Push Comes To Shove…Dance Stance
7. Like Sister, like Brother…Dance Stance
8. Tearing Me Apart…Catch 23
9. She’s Gone…King Wodericks
10. Gotta Get out…Catch 23
11. Can’t Help Myself…Big Noise
12. Fell Outta Heaven…Wolfsbane
13. No Good For Love…Fetch Eddie
14. Uncertainty…Spiral Eye
15. I Like It Hot…Wolfsbane
16. Reggie…Rape In Yellow
17. Catch This…Catch 23
18. Chapel Street…King Wodericks
19. Tamworth Boys…DHSS/Tamworth FC
20. Saturn in Her yes…Bash Out The Odd

YOUR BAND OF THE DECADE

1. DURAN DURAN
2. The Cure
3. The Smiths
4. Catch 23
5. U2
6. Dance Stance
7. Erasure
8. New Model Army
9. Wonderstuff
10. Depeche Mode
11. The Stranglers (hooray!)
12. Housemartins
13. Pet Shop Boys
14. Jesus and Mary Chain
15. Soft Cell
16. Japan
17. Prince
18. That Petrol Emotion
19. REM
20. Echo and the Bunnymen

SINGLE OF '89

1. Shakin’…Wolfsbane
2. Don’t Let Me Down…Wunderstuff
3. Keep On Movin’…Soul To Soul
4. Personal Jesus…Depeche mode
5. Lullaby…The Cure
6. Eye Know…De La Soul
7. Right On Time…Adeva
8. Love Song…The Cure
9. You keep It All In…Beautiful South
10. Orange Crush…REM

ALBUM OF '89

1. Live Fast Die Fast…Wolfsbane
2. Hup!…Wunderstuff
3. Thunder and Consolation…New Model Army
4. Decade…Duran Duran
5. The Stone Roses…The Stone Roses
6. Wild…Erasure
7. Disintegration…The Cure
8. Raw and the Cooked…Fine Young Cannibals
9. Dolittle…The Pixies
10. Neither Fish Nor Flesh…Terrence Trent Darby

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1990

Tamworth Herald – 04/01/91
Musicbox – Wolf-it
WOLFSBANE, that fine, furry, feverish Fazeley foursome, have swept aside all comers to claim the title of the MUSICBOX band of the year.

Top Local Band of 1990

1. Wolfsbane
2. The Yogots
3. Emma Gibbs
4. Spiral Eye
5. Vindaloo Breakfast
6. Eight Ball Joe
7. Catch 23
8. New Puritans
9. Sindy’s Sonic Garden
10. Sherbert Trees
11. Rhythm Damage
12. Shakespeare’s Monkey
13. The Big Noise
14. Banned in Yellow
15. Crystal injection
16. Cosmic Vibes
17. Chemikill
18. The Red Cardigans
19. Fly On The Wall
20. First Conspiracy
    

National Band of 1990

1. Wolfsbane
2. Happy Mondays
3. Wedding Present
4. Beautiful South
5. Deelite
6. The Shamen
7. Depeche Mode
8. UB40
9. The Pixies
   
10. Neds Atomic Dustbin

Top Local Song 1990

1. Assured – Emma Gibbs
2. Mr. Rainbow – The Yogots
3. Acid House Party – Vindaloo Breakfast
4. Badlands – Eight Ball Joe
5. Totally Nude – Wolfsbane
6. Hey Babe – Wolfsbane
7. 4x12 Groove Machine – Spiral Eye
8. Energize – Rhythm Damage
9. Patience – Emma Gibbs
10. Fatman – New Puritans

Top Albums of 1990

1. All Hell’s Breaking Loose – Wolfsbane
2. Happiness – The Beloved
3. Pills N Thrills – Happy Mondays
4. Violator – Depeche Mode
5. Bossanova – The Pixies
6. Manic Nirvana – Robert Plant
   
7. Choke – Beautiful South
8. Some Friendly – The Charlatans
9. Ten – The Stranglers
10. Un-led-ed – Dread Zeppelin

Top Singles of 1990

1. I Like It Hot – Wolfsbane
2. There She Goes – The Las
3. Groove is the Heart – Dee Lite
4. Step On – Happy Mondays
5. Wicked Games – Chris Issacs
6. Assured/Patience – Emma Gibbs
7. Enjoy the Silence – Depeche Mode
8. Good Morning Britain – Aztec Camera/Mick Jones
9. So Hard – Pet Shop Boys
10. Three Babies – Sinead

Tamworth Herald – 23/11/90
Musicbox – How WE would vote in 1990

Just a straw poll of the Box scribes and their views…

Sam Holliday
(Musicbox Editor)

Local Band
1. Wolfsbane
2. Catch 23
3. New Puritans/Spiral Eye

Local Song
1. ‘I Wanted To’ – Catch 23

LP of the Year
1. ‘Ten’ – The Stranglers

Single of the Year
1. ‘So Hard’ – Pet Shop Boys

National Band – The Stranglers

Mike Turner
(Editor Herald Extra Entertainment Page)

Local Band
1. The Yogots
2. Spiral Eye
3. Emma Gibbs Loves Badges

Local Song
1. ‘Assured’ – Emma Gibbs Loves Badges

LP of the Year
1. ‘Enlightenment’ – Van Morrison

Single of the Year
1. Won’t Stop Loving You – ACR

National Band – Prefab Sprout

Sean Atkins
(Box scribe and Vice Chairman, Tamworth Rock Festival)

Local Band
1. Wolfsbane
2. Catch 23
3. Emma Gibbs Loves Badges

Local Song
1. ‘Pride and Joy’ – Catch 23

LP of the Year
1. ‘Kathy Wilson’ – Wolfsbane

Single of the Year
1. ‘Patience’ – Emma Gibbs

National Band – The Alarm