To be rock 'n' roll survivors is an achievement. To be Europe's top live band, thirty
years after its inception is truly fantastic but to still be enthusiastic, fresh,
totally committed and in love with the music is a positive miracle.
In some ways miraculous
is an adjective that suits 'SMOKIE' down to the ground. The original members, Terry
Uttley, Alan Silson and Chris Norman shared the playground together at St. Bedes
Grammar School in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
It was the local Yorkshire Musician John Verity who was responsible for the re-birth
of 'Smokie' back in 1986. The Bradford City Football Club had just suffered one of
the worst disasters in sporting history when the club's main stand caught fire during
a match with considerable loss of life. A relief fund for relatives was set up in
Bradford and because of their local connections, John Verity invited Smokie to reform
for a one-off benefit concert. The concert was a huge success not only for the relief
fund but also for Smokie personally.
The 1989 hit album, Boulevard of Broken Dreams went on to firmly establish the line-up
which has taken Smokie from strength to strength. In Norway alone the album spent
the majority of the year in the top ten album charts, staying at number 1 for a record
of 10 weeks.
