Zones (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | PVC2 |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Scotland |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Zones was a Scottish band known for their blend of power pop and new wave, established in late 1977 following the disbandment of PVC2, which had previously evolved from the bubbleglam and soft rock group Slik.
Career
The lineup of PVC2 included future Ultravox lead vocalist and guitarist Midge Ure, bassist Russell Webb, keyboardist Billy McIsaac, and drummer Kenny Hyslop. After Ure's departure in late 1977 to join Rich Kids, Webb, Hyslop, and McIsaac brought in Alex Harvey's cousin, Willie Gardner, to take over guitar and vocal duties, thus forming Zones.
Zones debuted in February 1978 with the single "Stuck with You", which attracted the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. This exposure led to a Peel session and secured a recording deal with Arista Records. Their next single, "Sign of the Times," was issued in July 1978. The band toured alongside Magazine and recorded an additional Peel session.
On 1 June 1979, Zones released their album Under Influence, which combined elements of post-punk and power pop. They followed this with the single "Mourning Star," featuring an edited version of the album track supported by "Under Influence," a song not included on the album. The track "New Life" was also featured in the movie That Summer!. Despite these releases, the album did not achieve commercial success, resulting in the band's breakup.
Following Zones' split, Gardner joined Endgames, collaborating with former Simple Minds drummer Brian McGee. McIsaac and Hyslop formed Science, regarded as a successor to Zones, although only McIsaac remained from the original group. Webb and Hyslop became members of The Skids.
In 1990, McIsaac began studying piano at Glasgow's Royal Academy of Music and later led a wedding band under his own name until retiring in 2012.
Webb worked alongside Skids vocalist Richard Jobson until 1988. Hyslop contributed to The Skids' album Joy, joined Simple Minds between 1981 and 1982, and subsequently became part of Set The Tone during 1982–1983.
Albums
- 1979 – Under Influence (Arista, released 1 June 1979) (issued with four distinct album covers)
Singles
- 1978 – "Stuck with You" b/w "No Angel" (Zoom, released 17 February 1978)
- 1978 – "Sign of the Times" b/w "Away from It All" (Arista, July 1978)
- 1979 – "Looking to the Future" b/w "Do It All Again" (Arista, released 24 May 1979)
- 1979 – "Mourning Star" b/w "Under Influence" (Arista, released 20 July 1979)
- 1980 – "Look Don't Touch" b/w "Scalectrik" (Rialto, June 1980) (credited as "Science")
- 1981 – "Tokyo" b/w "Tokyo (instrumental)" (Rialto, January 1981) (credited as "Science")
Compilation appearances
- 1979 – That Summer! soundtrack (various artists) – featured song: "New Life" (Arista)