Ghostriders formed initially as a duo of Dav Devalle (ex-Verbs) and Rob Parry (ex-9½) early in 1981, but by the summer had expanded into a full group with the addition of ex-Inadequates and Kellie's Heroes drummer Mark Thomas and ex-Third Spain bassist John Cratchley.
Despite emerging from an austere post-punk scene, Ghostriders were happy to display pre year-zero influences, stretching their songs out both temporally and spatially, at times bringing to mind the airy expansiveness of Spirit of 76 era Spirit. Their often epic originals were augmented by covers selected from the rock pantheon as if to reaffirm where they were coming from. Songs by Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Peggy Lee effortlessly became Ghostriders songs when subjected to Dav and Rob's chiming guitar interplay. These were the days before the Mojo/Jools Holland/Hall of Fame approved 'rock canon' and it was an unusual and indeed brave move... they even dared to play Route 66! The only other group in recent memory to take a similar approach had been The Patti Smith Group, who flew in the face of punk orthodoxy by celebrating rock mythology, juxtaposing their own songs with 'classics', in a cunning move to place themselves within that continuum.
Ghostriders continued making fine music for several more years, but never again did they strike the balance between primal rock energy and weightless ethereality so acutely as in the Summer of 1981. Here we have two concerts from that period, recorded three weeks apart:
Ghostriders - Plas Coch 21st July 1981
Dav Devalle - vocals, guitar
Rob Parry - guitar (1-5, 11, 12), bass (6-10) vocals
John Cratchley - bass (1-5, 11, 12), guitar (6-10), vocals
Mark Thomas - drums, vocals
with
Maeyc Hewitt - MC
1 Truth Is in Your Heart
2 Love Is Vital
3 Laugh with the Future
4 Like a Rolling Stone
5 Run Before We Could Walk
6 Running Risks
7 King Arthur
8 I Shall Be Released
9 Route 66
10 Waiting for the Storm
11 Fever
12 You Can't Do That
get it here
Ghostriders - Plas Coch 11th August 1981
Dav Devalle - vocals, guitar
Rob Parry - guitar (1-6, 11), bass (7-10), vocals
John Cratchley - bass (1-6, 11), guitar (7-10), vocals
Mark Thomas - drums, vocals
1 Truth Is in Your Heart
2 Laugh with the Future
3 Love Is Vital
4 I Wonder
5 Run Before We Could Walk
6 This Is All There Is
7 Is This Time
8 King Arthur
9 Route 66
10 Waiting for the Storm
11 Like a Rolling Stone
get it here
Splendid! I recall seeing and hearing The Ghostriders many times during my student days in Bangor. They were a fine, original group. I remember them doing a nice version of 'Like A Hurricane'. Great blog, by the way.
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