European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 10, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Playing the Outfield Story and photos by Anita Gosch stall writer Here arc free was to Mako it in the american music Industry. You can be an american band play in Small clubs and i Ruggle Lor years until eventually maybe you la land a major record Deal or you can be a British band and already have a recording contract and a hit single in England then when you arrive in the United states prepackaged. Us in were you la be inundated by record companies eagerly waiting to Siren you or you can do  the Outfield did a Dena you re an american band even though you re from East London by playing Short. Crisp jangling tunes with Catchy choruses and an irresistible beat a sound that s almost unanimously recognized As american and one that paves the Way Lor heavy am airplay add to that a name that s sure to spark a National interest simple lyrics that will Appeal to anyone who s Ever been in love or out of i plus a handsome wholesome appearance that la look Good on mtg and you not Only have yourself a record Deal but Thiee smash singles to Boot if it sounds As it i m Down on the Outfield i m nol really. The band s concert sunday night at Frankfurt s Batsch Kapp Muse Hall proved that they re not just pretty boys who play highly polished almost sterile sounding pop Gurfil rests Grahame Leslie left and John spanks music As reproduced on their debut album play deep on stage the Trio lend guitarist John Spinks Lead Singer bassist Tony Lewis and drummer Alan Jackman fortified by guitarist Grahame Leslie and keyboardist Reg Webb strips the icy pop Voner of its studio sound and explodes into a scorching Rock n Roll Jam session that leaves you wondering what the blokes wore doing in the pop charts in the first place. Still the Outfield s Roach to Success seemed a Bil calculated. Not so. Says Spinks. The band s Mcador and chief songwriter. For one thing he says the Outfield s sound in t really american the sound that people associate with american bands nowadays is a progression of the Early 60s sound that bands the the Calles. The stones and the who look to the United  he explains. English and european bands tended to Drill to synthesizers. But this mainstream sound that americans have retained has become so popular Over i Here that people identify our sound As an american sound " Spinks sees the Outfield As part of a new Breed of bands that found Success relatively late in life and Are geared toward longevity he says it takes a constant give and take relationship with the record company a few years ago. Record companies were taking on Friday october 10, 1986 bands that were 18 or 19 years old und had one hit single they d invest tons of Money into those bands and after about a year the bands would probably be Inlo drugs and the partying that goos on on the Road and not be Clever enough to understand thai it is a career they be got he says. Now the whole Industry has changed its attitude bands like the Hooters and or mister even Back to the police they Wren l signed until they were 30,31 la s because you need some kind of return for your investment. We Don t do drugs we Don t even smoke t m Prelly sure that lbs records realizes that we re a band that can produce another album and they can retain their invest men in us Lor the next Lour or five  the Outfield began typically enough about four years ago in London by sending demo tapes of their music to record and publishing companies. The band Choso the name the baseball Boya after the name of a Street gang in the movie the warriors. During this time the musicians were holding Down regular jobs spins was an inspector with the Gas company and Lewis a Printer Wilh is doing session work to Linance the band and cutting demos Over the weekends. They were soon asked to do live shows and Kepi gelling reviewed in the music press As an american sounding band recalls Spinks. The group s american manager took the Cue and brought some tapes to record companies in the . Where he found immediate interest. Everyone Al the company was a baseball croak and our manager s a baseball Freak and they All thought it would be a Good Compromise Between music and sports says Spinks. The oilfield was just a Subtle change from the baseball boys. A hated in when we Dusl heard it it meant nothing to us. Bui in America we found out it s a household  for their debut album released in the summer of 85, Spinks says the band relied heavily on guidance irom the record company. We had about 30 songs to choose from quite diverse kinds of songs. Tho record company said in order to establish a formula Lor the band that people Are going to recognize we have to get a set of songs that sound like an album he says. It served its purpose because people do now realize that we Are a band and when the next album comes out people will realize that we Are capable of developing beyond that first  according to Spinks the band s next album expected to be out by May. Will be a More personal project than the first. The first album was meant to be an album that you can put in your Carlo get ready to go to a party with explains Spinks. The next one is going to be definitely More socially aware of what was happening Lor us. You can t go through what we be been through the pressures of the Industry our first album and first hours without being psychologically taken in by All that and if it should Tail to be As successful As the first that s the biggest problem that we be incurred because when you be always wanted to achieve something and you be basically achieved that in one year you ask yourself what Are you going to do when in All finishes he says. I won t think about that. It frightens me More than nuclear War at the moment. I Don t know what i could do outside of being a  the stars and stripes Page 13