1984-1987
From the ashes of various local bands, Ade, Davie, Daryn and Keith already knew each other before forming Red Letter Day in 1984. After their debut gigs, a six-track demo was recorded and sent to various venues resulting in the band's first major support slot with the Angelic Upstarts in Oldham.
The Day continued gigging during 1985 and recorded "Wherever You May Run" and "Suzie" which was released as a self financed single in October. The single received airplay from John Peel and Janice Long resulting in a distribution deal with Revolver Records and a subsequent repress.
Four songs were recorded for a John Peel session in April 1986 and two broadcastings secured the band a deal with Quiet Records who released the "Released Emotions" 12" EP in September with a twelve date UK tour to promote it.
Keith left at the end of 1986 and as a temporary replacement Mickey (an old buddy) performed bass duties on the second and final Quiet release "Take Me In Your Arms", released June 1987 to another enthusiastic response from Janice Long.
Steve was recruited on bass in March 1987 and played his first show with the Day at the 100 Club. The band then embarked on their first European adventure, appearing at the Polderock Festival in Belgium alongside The Mission, Sonic Youth and The Primitives.
In the latter part of 1987 the band recorded five tracks for a shared album with The Sect from Birmingham entitled "Soft Lights And Loud Guitars" which came out in June 1988 on the Released Emotions label which understandably caused a fair amount of confusion all round. Also in 1988 The Day recorded "Great Wall Of Leicester" and "23:23" for Link Records to be released on the Underground Rockers compilation featuring Mega City 4, The Crack and many others.
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1988-1992
Davie hung up his shootin' irons at the end of 1988 and the band had to wait until the following February to secure the talents of Razor, a guitarist who's songwriting ability and unique style were to completely reshape the band. Although the new boy was raring to go RLD were committed to two Belgian dates in February before he was ready so Davie found himself recomissioned for the shows.
Released Emotions decided it was time for a killer single so in August 1989 "Last Night" and "Streetheat" were recorded and released as a double A-side in November, receiving John Peel airplay and seriously good reviews in the press.
Ray played his first date abroad with the band in Belgium in July 1990 followed by a September/ October tour of the old East Germany, the band actually being in Germany for the reunification. On their return Released Emotions wanted an album so during December 1990 and January 1991 "More Songs About Love And War" was recorded in Brighton. Arguably the band's first album, it received some splendid reviews and later in 1991 the band recorded "Straight To Hell" for Released Emotion's Clash Tribute album.
In February 1992 RLD toured the Bohemian region of the old Czechoslovakia and Germany after which Steve called it a day to be replaced by Wolfie in June. A week after informing the new member that he had got the job, the band had a gig booked in Fulham so Razor switched to bass for the night and once again Davie found his draft papers on the mat.
The new line up, which was to last for the next nine years, was eventually unveiled at Uxbridge in August, a great night also featuring Big Boy Tomato and The Price which was followed by the recording of the band's fifth single "Stop The World" for Incognito Records of Germany.
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1993-1996
May 1993 saw The Day undertake a three week tour of the Czech and Slovac Republics after which ANK Records offered them an album deal to be recorded next time the band were to tour Czech. The year also saw some sound domestic shows at places such as The Venue and Brentwood Castle.
RLD returned to Czech/ Slovakia in 1994, a twelve date tour climaxing with four hectic days in the studio to record the "Nothing At This Moment In Time" CD. Obviously the album suffered with the recording constraints but some wonderful songs still managed to shine through. The remainder of 1994 was taken up playing around the UK including a debut performance at the Marquee. In November the band received some copies of the Czech CD for the UK market with requests to return to Czech in the New Year to promote the album.
So January 1995 saw The Day back in Czech/ Slovac with a show in Stuttgart, Germany en route. A very successful tour resulted in the band being invited back to tour in September of the same year. Daryn could not make it so a friend of Wolfie's, Van, stepped in and immediately endeared himself to the punters with his energetic stage performances. English shows were looking up as The Day played their biggest gig to date at the Portsmouth Music Festival in August on Southsea Common, in front of ten thousand people along with Swervedriver and Buzzcocks. The rest of 1995 was spent gigging and recording some demos.
January 1996 found the band back at their favourite studio in Brighton recording "Insomnia" and "Rain" for a double A-side single released in August on the Portsmouth label, Mouthy. The single gained the band many new fans and most long term Day followers thought it represented the best recorded work to date. Back to Czech in May and June plus UK dates including a repeat Portsmouth Music Festival appearance in August, this time supporting The Damned. On returning to England from Czech the band were approached to write and record a song for Czech footy team, FK Teplice, as the Day had played at the club's party to celebrate their promotion to the Czech Premier League. Hey! Anastasia was re-recorded with suitable lyrics and is now played at Teplice's home games when the team runs out.
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1997-2001
1997 saw UK dates and another tour of Czech with one German date thrown in. Also a couple of excellent French dates with their Czech friends, Squad 96. Sadly there was no Portsmouth Music Festival on Southsea Common but local promoter, Roland Woods, saw the gap and with unbelievable determination managed to promote a Music In The Square Festival right in the heart of the City at which The Day played a successful afternoon set. In October RLD signed a years recording contract with Holier Than Thou Records.
The Day kicked off 1998 with shows in Portsmouth and London prior to recording their new album, "Lethal", at Outhouse Studio, Reading, in February. The band played a sell-out show at the Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth in April and returned to the same venue in July to play with the Vibrators to launch the "Lethal" album. The rest of the year was spent playing gigs around England and Scotland in support of the album which the band, critics and admirers were unanimous in the belief that it represented the Day's best material to date.
1999 started with the Day playing some UK shows prior to their eighth tour of the Czech Republic in May. The band then recorded their new single the topical "Happy New Year". The "Happy New Year" EP was launched at the Air Balloon in Portsmouth coincidentally enough with the Vibrators again on the bill. Also on the single was a copy of the Blitz song I Don't Need You which also featured on the Blitz tribute album released by Plastic Head. Pulped magazine contacted the band with a wish to give copies of the single away with their first issue of 2000. Needless to say the band readily agreed and the magazine eventually came out in February 2000 with the RLD CD proudly on the front cover. "Happy New Year" also featured on Elastic Fiction Record's "Original Aspect Ratio", an album showcasing music from the South Of England.
In mid-2000, the band signed to American label Zip Records who gave the band scope to release their best of CD "Chance Meetings", which featured liner notes from punk legend Charlie Harper. The CD was released to home-town fans at a launch gig in December 2000. Zip Records also intended to finance a follow up single of entirely new material from the band at the start of 2002. However in November 2001, Razor and Wolfie decided to leave the band to pursue a new musical project, the first change in Red Letter Day personnel in 9 years. For the Christmas show with Vibrators and a north-eastern mini-tour in February 2002, Chris Perrin and Steve Marsh from old friends Thirst were drafted in to temporarily fill the vacant positions.
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2002-date
Prior to the north east dates Ade and Daryn sounded out Chris and Steve about the possibility of them joining the Day part-time but on a permanent basis obviously allowing for their Thirst commitments. The boys readily agreed and the Day played three quality shows in Newcastle, Sunderland and Hartlepool. The enthusiastically recieved Sunderland show has since been recognized as the night Red Letter Day was reborn.
March saw a stunning performance at a sold out Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms supporting Stiff Little Fingers as well as shows in Cambridge and Southampton. In May the band recorded three songs which were dispatched to Zip records, America, who consequently re-signed the band. The Day continued to play sporadic gigs in England, with the highlight a November date with the UK Subs at the Peel, Kingston, where they impressed a highly partisan crowd. The following night the Day played a very contrasting show, an acoustic evening at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms.
The Day began 2003 with a string of dates with Northampton band The Mispelt, Bedford, Northampton, Portsmouth. Culminating with the two bands performances at The Punkaid Festival, Brixham, Devon in April.
In February the band recorded 'Limo Life' at Blacksmiths Studios, Portsmouth to feature on the UK Sub's tribute album organised by the Sub's website.
Six Day tracks were featured on the soundtracks to two MTV shows, 'Fraternity Life' and 'Sorority Life'. The Main track used being 'Wherever You May Run'.
'Nettle' Red Letter Day's eighth single was released at a hometown show on the 21st. June and received some quite stunning reviews. During the summer 'Ramraid' from the four track ep received extensive airplay on digital radio station Radio Storm and Zip records requested a full album from the band for 2004.
September saw a couple of shows in Southampton and a great night in Ryde on the Isle Of Wight. This was followed in November by a show in Winchester and the Day's 20th. Anniversary gig with the Vibrators at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms. Also in November 'Limo Life' saw the light of day as the Sub's tribute 'Brand New Rage' was released, a very well put together package on DSS Records of Austria.
Ade and Ju-Ju's daughter, Rosie, was born on Christmas Day. Red Letter Day resumed gigging in March 2004 with gigs in London, Portsmouth and another Punkaid slot in Great Yarmouth. The rest of the year was spent gigging around England and in the first week of 2005 The Day completed the recording of 'Everything Matters' at Outhouse Studios, Reading.
But 2005 was to prove a strange year for The Day.In June Steve announced he was leaving the band so Jim from Chris's Zuma project stepped in to play the hometown album launch show in September prior to the worldwide release of 'Everything Matters' in October. Steve's departure resulted in reduced Day action but the band arguably released their best album and played one of their finest gigs to date, a Tsunami benefit at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms.
The talented and charismatic Lisa was captured as The Day's new bass player and played her first shows with the band in February/ March. These were great performances at Croydon, Portsmouth and London but then The Day were rocked yet again, this time by Chris's departure to concentrate fully on his Zuma project. Pablo, a guitar player with mercury in his veins, auditioned and immediately joined in late March and the new line-up played a stunning hometown show in July, prior to the birth of Pablo's daughter (which had already been arranged!)
Consequently Chris stepped back in to play class shows, West Drayton and Northampton, at the end of July prior to Pablo re-taking up the reins to play two equally quality shows at the end of August, Portsmouth and Gosport. Disappointingly then nothing ''til November but then Lymington and Portsmouth (again) the latter being the best show so far from the Daryn, Pablo, Lisa, Ade line-up.
The beginning of 2007 saw some stunning Portsmouth & Southampton shows and a recording of a three track demo late February. However, by the end of April 2007, irreconcilable differences had surfaced within the band, particularly with the above mentioned demo, and sadly the decision was taken to disband the group after twenty-three years.
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