The Pleasers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | West London , England |
| Products | Music (singles, albums) |
The Pleasers are a power pop band originating from West London, England, established in 1977. The original lineup featured Stephen Benham, Steve McNerney, Nick Powell, and Dave Rotchelle. Throughout their career, they released five singles: one under Solid Gold Records (with distribution in West Germany by Ariola Records) and the remaining on Arista Records. Their contributions to the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival LP included the songs "Billy" and "Rock & Roll Radio." In 1996, their studio material was reissued on CD in the United Kingdom, followed by a Japanese release with extra tracks in 2009. Managed by Chips Chipperfield—who later earned two Grammy Awards for Best Long Form Music Video—the group collaborated with producers such as Ron Richards and Tommy Boyce of Boyce and Hart.
Band members
Stephen Benham (born September 1955 in Epping) served as bassist, vocalist, and songwriter. He went on to produce New Music Television and currently holds the position of managing director at InTune Music Library and Sound Street Radio Tokyo/London.
Steve McNerney (born early 1958 in Paddington) contributed vocals and guitar. As a composer and songwriter, his music has been featured in documentaries including Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused, Pink Floyd: Behind the Wall, Lady Gaga: One Sequin at a Time, Michael Jackson: Life of a Superstar, and Britney Spears: Unbreakable. His compositions also appear in films like Strays and television programs such as Deadliest Catch and 16 and Pregnant.
Nick Powell fulfilled the role of lead guitarist and vocalist.
Dave Rotchelle (born late 1952 in Hammersmith) was the drummer, having previously played with The Rockets and The Count Bishops. Later pursuing freelance photography, he chaired the National Union of Journalists Freelance London Branch until his passing on 3 November 2020.
In late 1977, Steve McNerney and Nick Powell were involved in a significant car accident during their tenure with The Pleasers; both sustained minor injuries while their vehicle was completely destroyed.
Newspaper and magazine appearances
The Pleasers were featured in the 6 December 1977 issue of the Evening Standard, graced the cover of Record Mirror on 14 January 1978, shared the front cover with The Boyfriends in the 21 January 1978 edition of NME, appeared in both January 1978 issues of ZigZag and Sounds, and were highlighted again in a 2007 edition of Mojo.
Television appearances
Their television debut featured a performance of "(You Keep on Tellin' Me) Lies" on Get It Together. They also performed "Billy" and "The Kids Are Alright" on Tony Wilson's show What's On. On 18 March 1978, they appeared at Manchester's Rafters nightclub. The band showcased "The Kids Are Alright" on programs such as Crackerjack, Cheggers Plays Pop, and The Paul Nicholas Show. Additional performances on Get It Together included "You Don't Know" and "A Girl I Know (Precis of a Friend)".
Concerts
Following a break of three decades, The Pleasers reunited to perform at the benefit event 'Making the Modern Scene 2' honoring rock journalist Terry Rawlings. This concert took place on 26 July 2009 at the 100 Club on Oxford Street, London. The lineup included a notable supergroup featuring Steve Diggle (Buzzcocks), Mick Jones (The Clash), and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), with additional appearances by Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene. Among the audience were members from The Purple Hearts, The Chords, Kenney Jones (Small Faces, The Who), Dennis Greaves (Nine Below Zero, The Truth), Mark Feltham (Nine Below Zero), Bermondsey Joy Riders (Cock Sparrer, Heavy Metal Kids), along with DJs Eddie Pillar and Gary Crowley, while Danny Baker served as the event's MC.
Discography
Besides their officially released albums and singles, The Pleasers also recorded renditions of Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place to Go" and "Think It Over" by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty, which can be found on their Myspace page.
LP record
- Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival, issued by Warner Bros. Records (catalog number 66077) in 1978
- Side 2, Track 1: "Billy" (Stephen 'Bo' Benham, Steve McNerney)
- Side 4, Track 2: "Rock & Roll Radio" (Dave Watson)
Compact disc
- Thamesbeat, released by Lost Moment Records (5021449255221), recorded during 1977–78 and issued in 1996. The majority of songs were composed by Stephen 'Bo' Benham and Steve McNerney; production was primarily handled by Tommy Boyce except for tracks 13–15 produced by Geoff Haslam.
- 01. "Billy"
- 02. "Troublemaker"
- 03. "You Don't Know"
- 04. "Let's Dance" † (Jim Lee)
- 05. "Stay With Me"
- 06. "The Kids Are Alright" † (Pete Townshend)
- 07. "A Girl I Know (Precis of a Friend)"
- 08. "Rock 'n' Roll Radio" † (Dave Watson)
- 09. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"
- 10. "My Girlfriend's Back" † (Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer)
- 11. "I'm in Love"
- 12. "Change My Mind"
- 13. "(You Keep on Tellin' Me) Lies" ‡
- 14. "I'm in Love" (Alternative version) ‡
- 15. "Who Are You?" ‡
- 16. "You Know What I'm Thinking Girl"
- 17. "Hello Little Girl"
- Japanese edition bonus tracks issued by Air Mail Recordings in January 2009:
- 18. "Tommy Boyce"
- 19. "Tears in My Eyes"
- 20. "Are You The One"
- 21. "Love Me Better"
- 22. "Be Here Tonight"
- 23. "Tell Me What You're Doing"
- 24. "Interlude"
Singles
- "You Know What I'm Thinking Girl" / "Hello Little Girl" – released via Solid Gold Records SGR 104 / Ariola Records 17 867 AT on 13 May 1977; production by Ron Richards
- "(You Keep on Tellin' Me) Lies" / "I'm in Love" and "Who Are You?" – issued by Arista 152 on 25 November 1977; produced by Geoff Haslam
- "The Kids Are Alright" / "Stay With Me" – Arista 180, released on 31 March 1978; produced by Tommy Boyce
- "You Don't Know" / "Billy" – Arista 209, August 1978 release; production handled by Tommy Boyce
- "A Girl I Know (Precis of a Friend)" / "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" – Arista 217, released on 10 November 1978; produced by Tommy Boyce with engineering by Phil Chapman