Alternative Radio

Alternative Radio won the 1982 'Battle of the Bands' held at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool. The competition had a panel of judges including: Noddy Holder (Slade), Mick Karn (Japan), Roy Wood (The Move & Wizard), Angie Bowie and representitives from Melody Maker & NME. ithin 12 months the lineup had changed to: Rob Fennah - (Guitars & Vocals), Alan Fennah - (Percussion & Vocals), Steve Barratt - (Bass), Kevin Roberts - (Keys). They signed a recording contract with EMI Parlophone in 1983 and their debut single 'Valley of Evergreen' was released in January 1984. The record made the top 100 and received good reviews. The follow up, ‘First Night’ was recorded but, horror of horrors, EMI didn’t like it. They said it wouldn’t pick up national radio play! The band left EMI in the summer of 1985 and signed to Cold Harbour Records. They put the single out instead and in 1986 ‘First Night’ went straight onto the Radio 1 play list. (One in the eye for EMI – The A&R guy responsible lost his job). Trouble was, being a small indie label, Cold Harbour struggled to get records into the shops quickly enough and this reflected in the chart position. The band recorded a Radio 1 session for Janice Long the same year. 1986 also saw the release of 'First Night', the album & a stage play of the same name written by Rob & Alan together with friend and journalist Mark Thomas. In 1987 they released 'Strangers in Love' on the 'Towerbell' record label. A second Radio 1 session followed for Simon Mayo and the band was voted ‘ Best Session Of The Year’. A re-issue of 'Valley of Evergreen' was released by Cold Harbour Records. This was limited edition and had a distinctive GREEN sleeve. It has now become a rare & collectable item. 1988 saw the release of "Swing Out" followed by "Change of Heart". Both singles did well from a radio point of view but (and this is where it starts getting silly) their record company PRT went bust! So, after another fiasco, the brothers decided that - if they were going to release another single - it would be on their own label. In 1990, The band experimented with a different style of music and a hectic dance track FALLOUT was released on their PULSE RECORDS label. The track was based on the 1960's cult television series "THE PRISONER" which starred Patrick McGoohan as an ex-secret agent who is taken prisoner and exiled in a strange village. The single featured outtakes from the series and became an instant club hit. This record is now a collectors item (see record collector) Alternative Radio In 1991- 93, The band were concentrating on writing the script & music for a musical play "Twopence to Cross the Mersey". It was premiered at the Liverpool Empire Theatre and became an instant hit. One critic describled it as ‘The best show to come out of Liverpool since Blood Brothers’. At the invitation of The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the band was asked to perform the songs from the show at the Philharmonic with members of the orchestra. They released a compilation album called "Retrospect" which featured all their singles from 1983 - 1990. The band also released the soundtrack from "Twopence to Cross the Mersey". In July 1995 an acoustic album entitled 'Wood, Wire & Skin' followed, together with a single 'Across the Universe' . 1996 – Present day, Alternative Radio (Rob and Alan Fennah) continued to write music for Television, Film and Theatre. Their last album entitled ‘Subject to Status’ was released in 2004. Current projects include the re-launch of 'Twopence to Cross the Mersey', The sequel, 'By The Waters Of Liverpool' and an original stageplay entitled ‘Lennon's Banjo’. In the meantime, there is an official YT channel where most of the music is put for the people to hear (including new releases). Both brothers have recently issued solo albums. Alan Fennah 'Alone' (2020) and 'Wanderlust' (2021). Rob Fennah 'Junction39' (2021).