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The OutfieldBritish pop rock/power pop trio
Date of Birth: 01.01.1984
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Genesis
- The Baseball Boys
- Play Deep (1985-1986)
- Bangin' (1987-1988)
- Voices of Babylon (1989)
- Diamond Days (1990-1991)
- Rockeye (1992)
- Hiatus and Comeback (1990s-2000s)
- Style and Influences
- Band Members
Genesis
In the late 1970s, Tony Lewis (lead vocals/bass), John Spinks (guitar/keyboards/songwriter), and Alan Jackman (drums) played in a small-time power pop band called Sirius B. They rehearsed for six months and played a few gigs, but their style failed to catch on with the UK's thriving punk scene, and they broke up. A few years later, they reunited and played a gig at Manchester's Old Trafford Stadium as The Baseball Boys. They performed locally in and around London until 1984, when a demo they released attracted the interest of Columbia Records and they were signed to a contract.
The Baseball Boys
Spinks had borrowed the name "Baseball Boys" from the gang "The Baseball Furies" in the cult film The Warriors, which he had recently watched. Though intended somewhat humorously and as an attention-grabber, the record company liked it. The Baseball Boys quickly gained a reputation for their American sound and, after only a few months of playing in England, had signed a contract in the United States. Their American manager suggested a new band name along the same lines since "Baseball Boys" sounded somewhat silly and ironic. Of the options presented, Spinks said he liked "The Outfield" best. He was a big fan of baseball and American football, saying:
> "The thing I like about American sports - baseball and football - is that they are more visually appealing than British sports. In England it's just a soccer match after all. You've got 30,000 people freezing their butts off in the middle of winter watching a bunch of guys running around in the mud. You know, in America you've got the sun, you've got the baseball with the bright green outfield. In England, the outfield is just brown mud ten minutes after the game starts. It's not really a lot to look at."
Play Deep (1985-1986)
The group's debut album, Play Deep, produced by Willliam Wittman, was released in 1985 and was a huge success. It went triple platinum and became a top ten album in the United States. The song "Your Love" climbed to #6 on the U.S. singles chart. The band toured extensively, opening for Journey and Starship. In interviews, Spinks repeatedly stated that the band members did not smoke or use drugs.
Bangin' (1987-1988)
The band's second album, Bangin', was released in 1987. It failed to achieve the same level of success as their debut, but the song "Since You've Been Gone" was a top 40 hit, "No Surrender" became a minor hit on radio and MTV, and the album was certified gold in the U.S. This was followed by a summer tour of the United States opening for Night Ranger.
Voices of Babylon (1989)
The Outfield's third album, Voices of Babylon, released in 1989, featured a new producer (David Kahne) and a new sound for the band. The title track was a top 25 single, and "My Paradise" was a minor rock hit, but overall the band's popularity continued to decline. Following the release of their third album, Alan Jackman left the band and was temporarily replaced by Paul Reed for touring purposes.
Diamond Days (1990-1991)
Lewis and Spinks continued as a duo, switched record labels, and began recording the album Diamond Days on MCA. Drummer Simon Dawson was brought in as a session musician for the recording. Released in 1990, the album featured the top 30 U.S. hit "For You."
Rockeye (1992)
The Outfield returned in 1992 with the album Rockeye. Lead single "Closer to Me" nearly cracked the top 40, and the second single, "Winning It All," received significant airplay during the 1992 NBA Finals and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and was featured in the film The Mighty Ducks. Simon Dawson later became the group's third official member.
Hiatus and Comeback (1990s-2000s)
The band went on an extended hiatus in the mid-1990s as musical tastes changed and bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam rose to prominence, making it difficult for older acts with a less "alternative"-sounding aesthetic to continue. The Outfield returned to their native UK and played small gigs at local pubs, where most of the patrons had no idea that they were watching a band that had sold millions of records in the US. Unfortunately, this situation was typical of the band's continuing struggles to gain recognition and a significant following in their home country.
Nonetheless, the band released an exclusive album for their fan club, It Ain't Over..., and began touring again. A compilation album, Extra Innings, featuring new songs and some unreleased older material, followed in 1999. Early in the 2000s, the band released two live albums through their official website: Live in Brazil and The Outfield Live. A new studio album, Any Time Now, was released in March 2006.
In 2009, the original lineup of The Outfield (Tony Lewis, John Spinks, and Alan Jackman) returned to a London recording studio for the first time since recording Voices of Babylon in 1988. In November 2009, The Outfield announced Brent Byther as their principal manager and set up official pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and MySpace. On March 22, 2011, the band announced that their forthcoming album would be called Replay. It was recorded in various studios in southern England, including Abbey Road Studios. The album was produced by The Outfield and Brent Byther and executive produced by John Spinks. Released on June 28, 2011, it received positive reviews. Lead single "California Sun" became an adult contemporary radio hit and the second most-played song on AC radio by August 15, 2011. A second song, "A Long, Long Time Ago," released as the album's second potential single, reached #1 on the Worldwide FM ClassX radio chart for the week ending August 2011.
In 2013, the band re-recorded the vocals for their hit single "Your Love" for an American DJ Morgan Page's remix of the song, which was released that summer. While Page was credited as the song's featured artist, it was also noted that it featured The Outfield. John Spinks died from liver cancer on July 9, 2014. He was 60 years old.
Style and Influences
In a 1986 interview with the Los Angeles Times, John Spinks said that he was inspired by music that evoked strong emotions and cited the Beatles as a major influence. He also mentioned Journey, Foreigner, and Mr. Mister, particularly their hit song "Broken Wings."
Band Members
Current Lineup:Tony Lewis - lead vocals, bass (1984-present)
Alan Jackman - drums, percussion (1984-1989, 2009-present)
