The Waltones
| Company type | Indie band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Waltones—who later adopted the name Candlestick Park—are an indie band originating from Manchester, England, that reassembled in September 2017.
History
The lineup features Alex Fyans on drums, Mark Collins handling guitar duties, James Knox providing vocals and harmonica, and Manny Lee on bass with backing vocals. Their initial single, "Downhill," was launched through Medium Cool Records in April 1987 and secured a position on the UK Independent Chart, as did their subsequent release, "She Looks Right Through Me." Their third single, "Spell It Out," marked their peak indie chart achievement by reaching number 20. The album Deepest, their first full-length release, came out in 1989 but followed a decline in their early momentum. In August 1988, they recorded a session for BBC Radio 1's John Peel Show.
By 1990, the group had signed with Midnight Music and produced a second album titled Re-invent the Wheel, co-produced alongside Kevin Harris. Following the recording sessions, Fyans departed and was succeeded by Adrian Donohue. The band then rebranded as Candlestick Park, releasing a single called "All the Time in the World," and explored potential collaboration with Manchester house act K-Klass. Despite these efforts, the album never saw release, and the ensemble dissolved as Collins went on to achieve success with The Charlatans.
In 2007, Cherry Red Records issued a CD compilation featuring The Waltones' recordings from their Medium Cool era.
The Waltones returned to live performances in 2017, appearing at venues such as the Deaf Institute and festivals including Kendal Calling in 2018. They also performed at The 100 Club in 2019 alongside The Chesterfields.
Albums
- 1989: Deepest (Medium Cool)
- 2007: The Very Best of The Waltones: You've Gotta Hand It to 'em (Cherry Red)
Singles
- "Downhill" (7") (April 1987), Medium Cool - MC 004, UK Indie #40
- "She Looks Right Through Me" (12") (October 1987), Medium Cool - MC 007, UK Indie #49
- "Spell It Out" (7"+12") (July 1988), Medium Cool - MC 011, UK Indie #20
- "The Deepest" (7"+12") (October 1988), Medium Cool - MC 016
- "Listen to Your Heart" (1989), Medium Cool - withdrawn 12" single, MC 022T
- "All the Time in the World" (1990), Midnight Music - DING 67 (as Candlestick Park)
- Split releases
- "Bold" (1987) - flexi disc included free with Irresponsible Spirit fanzine; featuring "All of Nothing" by Pigbros
Compilation appearances
- "The British Disease" and "Bold" featured on Edge of the Road (1988), Medium Cool
- "Smile" included on Manchester North of England (1988), Bop Cassettes
- "She Looks Right Through Me" appeared on Bananas! (1989), Rodney
- "She Looks Right Through Me" (demo version) on Zine Sexy Flexi flexi-disc (1989)
- "As Tears Go By" contributed to Stoned Again - A Tribute to the Stones (1990), Imaginary
Further reading
- More Rock Family Trees, authored by Pete Frame; Omnibus Press;
- The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop, written by John Robb;
- The Charlatans: We Are Rock, by John Robb;
- And God Created Madchester, composed by Sarah Champion;