Altitude

ALTITUDE (a cabaret/dance band) WAS FORMED AROUND EARLY 1977 IN MANCHESTER.

THE FIRST WORKING LINE-UP WAS GUITAR, BASS, DRUMS & 2 FEMALE SINGERS.(THE
NAME WAS TAKEN FROM A SCAFFOLDING COMPANY IN MANCHESTER).

WE BEGAN WITH A BASIC TOP 20 REPERTOIRE & PLAYED THE CLUBS & PUBS IN AND
AROUND THE GREATER MANCHESTER AREA.

THE BAND WENT THROUGH MANY CHANGES BEFORE WE SETTLED ON A 5 PIECE LINE-UP OF
GUITAR, BASS, DRUMS, KEYBOARDS & FEMALE SINGER. IT WAS WITH THIS LINE-UP THAT
WE TURNED PRO IN DECEMBER 1997.WE PLAYED THE MAJORITY OF WORKING MENS CLUBS
& THE ODD CABARET GIG IN NEWCASTLE, SUNDERLAND, SCOTLAND, CUMBRIA & SOUTH
WALES.

IN 1978 "NOEL BURNS JNR" SIGNED US UP TO A MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AND SENT US OFF
TO GERMANY TO PLAY THE N.A.T.O BASES.WE TRAVELLED AROUND IN A BEDFORD BUS WHICH
WE HAD CONVERTED INTO A MOBILE HOME. THE PLACES WE PLAYED IN GERMANY ON THAT
FIRST TRIP WERE :NURENBERG, ZIRNDORF,RAMSTEIN, GIESSEN,HANNAU,FRANKFURT &
BIELEFELD.THE GIGS WERE MAINLY AMERICAN MILLITARY BASES.

THE MANCHESTER NIGHT CLUBS THAT WE GIGGED AT AROUND THIS PERIOD WERE PLACEMATE,
VALENTINES, THE MERRY GO ROUND, PIPERS & THE RIVERSIDE IN WIGAN

IN 1980/81 WE PLAYED SUMMER SEASONS AT ST.OSYTH (NEAR CLACTON-ON-SEA). IT GAVE US
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SOME WELL KNOWN FACES LIKE: GARY GLITTER, THE
SEARCHERS, MARTY WILDE, JOE BROWN, SCREAMING LORD SUCH, THE MERSEY BEATS & GARY
WILMOT,TO NAME A FEW.

IN EARLY 81 WE WORKED FOR 2 MONTHS AT THE HOTEL BRISTOL, OSLO, NORWAY.

IN 1982 WE BECAME THE RELIEF BAND ON THE "MECCA CIRCUIT", STANDING IN FOR
RESIDENT BANDS AT TIFFANY`S IN MANCHESTER, LEEDS, GRIMSBY & NEWPORT. ALSO AT THE
LOCARNO IN BIRMINGHAM.

IN AUGUST 1982 WE WENT TO DURBAN IN SOUTH AFRICA & PLAYED AT "CLUB MED" FOR 9
MONTHS.

WE RETURNED TO SOUTH AFRICA IN 1983 & STAYED THERE UNTIL THE BAND FINALLY BROKE
UP IN 1984.