Darts were a nine-strong, energetic doo-wop group whose brand of visual excitement and tight harmonies earned them rave reviews wherever they played. They had a string of chart hits in the late seventies and early eighties and were one of the hardest working bands of that period. During their time on Magnet Records they spent 117 weeks in the UK singles charts, 57 weeks in the album charts and were awarded two silver and three gold singles, plus three gold and one platinum album. In 1978 Darts sold more concert tickets in the UK than any other artist.
The band that time forgot? You had to be there. If you were not there you may have looked back and seen Darts as a rock’n’roll novelty act, a pastiche, or, god forbid, ‘a bit like Showaddywaddy’. This couldn’t be further from the truth, there was so much more to it than that. Darts were cool and successful. From a pub rock, authentic Doo Wop and Blues pedigree, it was definitely OK to be into Darts. Gig goers might go to see Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Buzzcocks or Costello one week, and Darts the next. NME loved them, and the tabloids ran stories of rock-star misbehaviour and arrests. And it wasn’t all about obvious cover versions either. Over half the songs Darts recorded were penned by members of the band, and those songs blended in seamlessly with the carefully chosen covers – often of more obscure R’n’B and Doo Wop tracks. The energy and rowdy fun of the band is more reminiscent perhaps of Madness than the aforementioned rock’n’rollers.
Unbelievably despite the massive chart success and millions of sales, these Darts LPs have never been released as stand alone CDs. There are a just couple of compilations that have come to market, but everyone who loved Darts back in the day will welcome the release of each of these albums.
Darts got back together a couple of years ago after decades and have played an number of dates, and discovered the spark is still there. The band have been involved in putting together these reissues. Liner notes are by bassist Thump Thomson. Bonus tracks include a number of tracks from singles and b-sides that have never made it to CD before, ‘Come Back My Love’ is on CD for the first time in its original album length, and from the vaults a number of demos and previously unheard songs have been unearthed.
The new record label Drumfire Records is delighted to present its very first releases: all three of Darts studio albums for Magnet Records as well as ‘The Amazing Darts’ –the band’s bestselling LP which brought together tracks form the first two albums plus singles tracks for a push in the Christmas market of 1978.
This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.
