Caithness band are big noise in Japan... 30 years after break-up!
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
‘AMUSED, proud and bemused,” is how James Sutherland, a former member of the local rock group, Radio City, this week described the band’s success in Japan – more than 30 years after they broke up.
Sutherland, who now lives and works in Cambodia, was the vocalist in the Caithness group and co-wrote its songs along with the late Raymond Henderson who played the bass.
The band released a double A-sided single called “Love and a Picture” and “She’s a Radio” in 1980. It received much critical acclaim with one music paper nominating it as its single of the week.
Radio City later had a change in its line-up but continued to play and record their own compositions, although they broke up in 1981. In recent years, the single has become a collector’s item and sold for hundreds of pounds on eBay, and much sought after in Japan.
The interest shown by the Japanese resulted in a record company there bringing out a CD of the band’s songs which is stocked in major record stores, as Sutherland recently discovered.
He is based in Phnom Penh where he is employed as the international communications co-ordinator with Friends International which works with marginalised children and young people across the world – including many street children – and tries to reintegrate them into society through education and training.
A colleague of his was travelling to a lecture at a university in Osaka in Japan and spotted copies of the Radio City CD in the city’s Tower Records store alongside groups such as Radiohead and The Raconteurs.
“Apparently, there were posters all over the place, too. I’m sure Raymond would have been highly amused – big in Japan, only 30 years too late,” ?Sutherland told the John O’Groat Journal.
“I’m amused, proud and bemused at the extended life that Radio City has taken on, and I guess Raymond would pretty much feel the same way. The music itself is almost timeless, a real testament to his melodic gifts.”
Sutherland still plays mostly solo at fundraising gigs, although he has appeared with a rock trio called Mayors of Simpleton and an Australian indie group called The Huntsman’s Prospect. When he performs solo he does some of the old Radio City material, including “Love and a Picture” as well a range of covers.
“It goes without saying that, especially with the old stuff, I really miss Raymond with those amazing harmonies and uncanny sense of melody just pouring out of him. I do make a point of boring audiences with a little bit of history of those songs in the hope they will check them out ?further,” said Sutherland.
He was recently speaking to the young American power-pop band, The Click Five, who were in Phnom Penh to headline a concert for MTV in front of 40,000 at the Olympic stadium. His organisation was closely involved in the concert.
“Amazingly, they had heard of Radio City and in conversation with them I once again became that excited young man I was in Radio City, enthusing along with them on the merits of mutual influences such as Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and The Plimsouls,” said Sutherland, who has been in Cambodia since 2005.
Since he first went to the country he has worked for various organisations including the UN
“It is a great but challenging role as we are moving into a period of rapid expansion. Although based in Phnom Penh my remit is global. Friends International is a fantastic and innovative organisation to work for which suits me fine,” said Sutherland. “I’m here with my wife and youngest son, Otis. My other three children are still in Thurso but I try to get back, at least once a year, to visit the family.”
Three of Sutherland’s nephews are keeping up the musical tradition. Luke, Nathan and Paul Gunn play in Estrella who are based in Aberdeen and are to release their debut CD, Come Out to Play, in March.
POPULARITY IN THE NORTH
RADIO City were one of the most popular local groups in the North in the late 1970s and early ’80s.
The single “Love and a Picture
She’s a Radio” featured the original line-up of James Sutherland (vocals); Raymond Henderson (bass and vocals); Colin Matheson (lead guitar); Robin Murray (guitar and vocals), and Tich Bremner on drums.
The other songs on the CD, many of which had not been previously released, were recorded after Tich and Colin left the band. The replacement drummer was Robin’s brother, David Murray.
That material was recorded at Highland Recording Studios and at local studios run by Caithness musician the late Johnny Sutherland.
Radio City have also been on play lists along with such big names as The Clash and The Jam, and featured on a CD entitled Every One’s a Classic which was distributed worldwide.
