After the Fire
After The Fire were formed in the UK in 1972 by keyboard player Peter Banks, Andy Piercy (guitar, bass), Ivor Twidell (drums) and John Russell (guitar). The market was responsive to UK adult-orientated rock during the early 70s but the band's mixture of "pomp Christian pop" was slow to break through. They eventually secured a contract following the release of their debut album on their own label. CBS Records invested in them and they were rewarded with a UK Top 40 hit, "One Rule For You", in 1979. The accompanying album, although polished, sold only to the converted. The band's subsequent recordings were minor hits until the unexpected major success of "Der Kommissar". Originally recorded by Falco in his native Germany, After The Fire's version went on to sell over a million copies worldwide, and made the US Top 5. However, by the time it charted, the group had already broken up, frustrated by record company indecision and the Christian ethos that "made things worse, as we couldn't have a good old swearing and slanging match." Banks built his own studio before becoming managing director of Maldon Computer Company, a software and networking enterprise. Twidell released three Christian rock solo albums, Waiting For The Sun (1981), Secret Service (1981) and Duel (1983), after leaving the group following the debut album. He then became a member of the Bedfordshire police force. Russell was last sighted working in a hi-fi shop. Piercy retained the rights to the name, although it was now abbreviated to ATF. Still a practising Christian, after submitting an unreleased solo album for CBS he went on to do production work for the Truth, T'Pau (when they were known as Talking America) and Gary Numan. (Source : VH1)
Billy Billy
Do you remember your first Hammersmith gig
How they queued up for hours in the rain
Spent all they had to get as near to the front
They thought it was worth it just to see you again
All the excitement with the lights going down
Your name was shouted like some magical word
Then the band fired up those opening chords
It seemed so loud I think the whole world must of heard it
Billy Billy did you know what they were going to do
Did you know that they were gonna make a star out of you
Billy Billy can you hear what I say
You better hang on to yourself don't let them take it all away
Billy Billy I'm scared of what they're putting you through
Seemed such a long way from when we were at school
Two skinny kids getting their first guitars
We drove them crazy with those tunes that we wrote
Down in the front room we'd be practising for hours and hours
Then the night came when we sang down the club
Guess we were lousy but they cheered just the same
I never thought about it much until now
That look that came into your eyes while we were playing
Billy Billy did you know what they were going to do
Did you know that they were gonna make a star out of you
Billy Billy can you hear what I say
You better hang on to yourself don't let them take it all away
Billy Billy I'm scared of what they're putting you through
You know I saw you up in town a while back
You walked straight by me as we passed in the door
I said hello but I guess that you never heard
Can't bring myself to play your albums anymore
You've got the papers tripping over themselves
Your mum still cuts out each and every word
At home they talk about you all of the time
I hope they give you everything that you deserve
Billy Billy did you know what they were going to do
Did you know that they were gonna make a star out of you
Billy Billy can you hear what I say
You better hang on to yourself don't let them take it all away
Billy Billy I'm scared of what they're putting you through
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