The Adventures
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Belfast , Northern Ireland |
Area served | United Kingdom, Ireland |
Key people | Terry Sharpe (lead vocalist), Pat Gribben (guitarist), Eileen Gribben (vocalist and violinist), Gerard Murphy (guitarist, percussionist, vocalist), Tony Ayre (bassist, deceased 2009), Paul Crowder (drummer), Jonathan Whitehead (keyboardist) |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Adventures are a rock and pop group originating from Belfast, Northern Ireland, established in 1984, recognized for their popular tracks throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
After moving to London, the band secured a deal with Chrysalis Records and launched their first single in 1984. Following the release of their debut album, they transitioned to Elektra Records where they attained their most notable success with "Broken Land". Composed by guitarist Pat Gribben, the song climbed to number 20 on the UK Singles Chart and became the most frequently broadcast track on BBC Radio 1 during 1988.
Active between 1984 and 1993, The Adventures were managed by prominent industry figure Simon Fuller, yet they did not achieve widespread commercial success.
The band has reunited multiple times for live shows in Belfast—in 1997, twice during the 2000s, and once more in 2019. They held performances at The Empire, Belfast for three consecutive years: 2023, 2024, and 2025. After more than thirty years, they released a new studio album in 2025.
History
Terry Sharpe, the lead singer, and guitarist Pat Gribben first worked together in 1978 when they joined the punk outfit The Starjets. The group experienced limited success before disbanding in the early 1980s. In 1982, Sharpe appeared in Bananarama's music video for "Shy Boy" and contributed as a co-writer on several tracks of their debut album Deep Sea Skiving.
In early 1984, Sharpe and Gribben formed The Adventures alongside Gribben's wife Eileen, Gerard Murphy, Tony Ayre, and Paul Crowder. Their inaugural performance took place in February 1984 in North London. After signing with Chrysalis Records and under the management of Simon Fuller, they attracted considerable media exposure including an appearance on BBC's Crackerjack. Despite this visibility, their initial single "Another Silent Day" saw minimal chart impact. Following singles "Send My Heart", "Feel the Raindrops", and "Two Rivers" achieved modest positions on UK charts. Their first album, Theodore and Friends (1985), released during a global tour supporting Tears for Fears, was critically praised but experienced limited commercial sales.
After a two-year break during which primary songwriter Pat Gribben created new material, the band departed Chrysalis to sign with Elektra Records. Their single "Broken Land" emerged as their sole major hit, reaching No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart and remaining there for ten weeks. The succeeding album, The Sea of Love, peaked at No. 30 and also maintained a ten-week chart presence. Singles "Drowning in the Sea of Love" and "One Step From Heaven" reached No. 44 and No. 82 respectively. This album was awarded Silver certification by the BPI in 1989.
Their third studio effort, Trading Secrets with the Moon (1990), blended pop/rock with folk elements but stalled at No. 64 on the UK Albums Chart, resulting in the end of their contract with Elektra.
Now a four-piece ensemble, The Adventures signed with Polydor Records and issued the single "Raining All Over the World" in 1992, which reached No. 68—their last charting single. Their fourth album, Lions and Tigers and Bears (1993), produced by Pat Collier at London's Greenhouse Recording Studios, included a reimagined cover of "Monday Monday". Nevertheless, it failed to enter the charts leading to their release from Polydor and eventual disbandment.
Following their split, Pat Gribben continued writing songs and collaborated with vocalist Ryan Molloy. Terry Sharpe performed with cover group The Dead Handsomes. The Adventures briefly reunited for concerts in Belfast in 2007 and again in 2009 for smaller gigs and festival appearances including Time To Be Proud and Féile an Phobail.
Former bassist Tony Ayre died on 20 December 2009.
On 5 January 2019, The Adventures (featuring Sharpe along with Pat and Eileen Gribben) played at The Empire in Belfast. Later that year saw the reformation of The Starjets as well.
Their latest studio album, Once More with Feeling, was released on 28 March 2025 via Cherry Red Records.
Band members
- Terry Sharpe – lead vocalist (born 11 September 1956)
- Pat Gribben – guitarist
- Eileen Gribben – vocalist and violinist
- Gerry "Spud" Murphy – guitarist, percussionist, and vocalist
- Tony Ayre – bassist (deceased 2009)
- Paul Crowder – drummer
- Jonathan Whitehead – keyboardist
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart rankings | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | US | ||
| 1985 | Theodore and Friends | - | - | - |
| 1988 | The Sea of Love | 30 | - | 144 |
| 1990 | Trading Secrets with the Moon | 64 | 137 | - |
| 1993 | Lions and Tigers and Bears | - | - | - |
| 2025 | Once More with Feeling | - | - | - |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart rankings | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | US | GER | ITA | AUS | |||
| 1984 | "Another Silent Day" | 71 | - | - | - | - | - | Theodore and Friends |
| "Send My Heart" | 62 | - | - | 24 | 44 | 92 | ||
| 1985 | "Feel the Raindrops" | 58 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| "Two Rivers" | 96 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1988 | "Broken Land" | 20 | 8 | 95 | - | 25 | 45 | The Sea of Love |
| "Drowning in the Sea of Love" | 44 | 15 | - | 53 | - | - | ||
| "One Step from Heaven" | 82 | - | - | - | - | |||
External links
- Comprehensive overview of The Adventures on AllMusic
- Artist profile on Discogs
- The Adventures' IMDb page