The Alarm - VH1's Bands Reunited

[Music] the alarm in 1981 these four longtime friends blasted out of their home town in Wales on to the international music scene 10 years later without warning fleet singer mike peters abandoned the band on stage leaving his bandmates in shock did they say well I think he said hey what the hell's going on I became public enemy number one we are in London can we turn back the rock-and-roll clock dye job and bring back the original members of the alarm ready for one final concert my fader where's my lawyer I'd like to say yes yes fortunately no I've never really got over the shock of it yet [Music] the alarms meteoric rise to stardom began when for childhood buddies follow their rock-and-roll dreams their original guitar-driven anthem shook the music world with six albums and some of rock and roll's most hardcore fans the alarm kept ringing loudly way and their signature [Music] until the fateful day Mike Peters decided to quit onstage I'm going out of the place without warning his bandmates [Music] this is it this is the last gig he'd left the group and everything the group was stood for I did what I had to do and they did what they had to do after Mike's sudden departure the remaining members went their separate ways I just thought you absolutely ungrateful bastard it's been over a decade since lead singer Mike Peters guitarist singer Dave sharp bassist Eddie MacDonald and drummer Nigel Twist have been in the same room together will we be able to convince these four childhood friends to forgive and forget and give their fans one last blaze of glory we're here in San Francisco on our way to the public defender's office where drummer Nigel twist works to try to convince him to reunite with his former band he's the first hurdle on the race to get the alarm to sound again [Music] you go in that's gonna second floor what was it zigzag plate that's where we're on [Music] there is a desk yeah and a little gate FK we hope it doesn't have a buzzer on home [Music] [Music] get to see it's good to meet you good to meet you hi hi everybody there's a band that you may be familiar with the alarm mirror to them maybe yeah what I've been assigned to do is reunite the alarm for a very special reunion a one-night-only performance oh I was wondering if you would participate to help seal the deal if you will I just need your autographs so twist is back ladies and gentlemen a big hand for the twist awesome now he's wondering you have some time I'd love to chat with you as well how does one go from being the the drummer of a successful band to being an investigator for the public defender's office how does that happen that's a real Segway yeah well basically let's see don't want to be one of those guys you know with the band splits and then you seen the guy playing in some bar somewhere you know and people say it's not the dude from the alarm you know I moved to San Francisco I had this roommate he had another friend who was a public defender I found it really interesting and he said want to try an internship at my office and I said well sure I'll give it a go tell me about the image the image that you guys developers was was interesting the military outfits that the hair that was sky-high how did that come about for you guys it's just one of those things you know it's just like you pick up this one thing and say that's different what's doing you know we started wearing cowboy boots and then it moved to you know vests with the con queues and then the Pens with the counties and their hats and right you know bolos and it just got crazy as you were experiencing the success did you think that it was also affecting the band in a negative way did you see egos getting out of control or people maybe because you know it's like any relationship you know it's been a long marriage you know by that time to open together for 10 years it's hard to live together how did you deal with it how did you guys suggest her you know to be crying on this we didn't really we just got off on solar core just like not address the situation you know like you have to do in a relationship basically we just stopped talking what were some of the main issues or problems you wish you could have addressed or you should have addressed we had a big problem with writing oh the writing credits were always you know Peters midol so we came to an agreement early on what we do is split the writing credits like 40 40 10 10 so the least the the publishing you know would at least we get some cash and that started to create rifts because you know what supplies came in and started saying wait a minute you know you know my grapes most of the songs why should you get some of this you know that sort of thing we talked about the keg 91 at the Brixton Academy mm-hmm when Mike made that announcement take me through that experience and what happened about that time we just finished a European tour and we were really spent physically emotionally you know it was there was a lot of stuff going on within the band we knew that we weren't talking there was lack of communication you know and it was breaking down we knew that if we didn't address it you know something would happen sometime but we didn't know when and as I was that Mike took this time to decide okay well I'm gonna make him now then he announced it's the audience before the last song we didn't know I was looking around the rest of the guys saying hey what the hell's going on you know and they were looking to me it's sort of thinking really quickly and I thought well I'm gonna allow this to be sort of some great moment for him so we played the last song and as if nothing had happened and then he said of one that offstage and that was the end of the band and then after it was just had to all go back to the dressing room deal with it yeah what happened there just disbelief you know buddy sitting around going well what we do now I heard he just got in a car and left right he was gone so it was just the three of you just to figure out what had happened yeah yeah and when you're in that relationship for that long a period of time then I think you should have some sort of consideration for the people you with yeah why do you think he didn't tell you guys first I think his misguided fear Hauser I don't think he I mean had the backbone to do it mm-hmm at that time I don't think he you know felt he could do it in my search to get this band back together again I'm gonna need some help from you so if you could just give me an idea of where I could find Eddie Eddie is now a photographer and he lists somewhere in the south and I don't know where okay he's the most elusive south of South London thank you for your time welcome drummer Nigel twist is in and told us we can find bassist Andy McDonald in South London next can't we sneak past this lady and get the thumbs-up from Eddie I'd love to say yes yes fortunately no will do put down the pipe and pick up his axe and later old wounds are slow to heal you got four of us in a room you're absolutely ungrateful bastard and and there's gonna be some sparks fire where I can tell you that for naught our quest arena IP alarm leads us to London England where bass player Andy McDonald now works as a professional photographer the plan is to ambush one of his photo shoots but how will we get past the front yet inside we're just waiting on word that he is responding to our courier [Music] [Music] [Music] hi hi I'm from vh1 sorry sorry for the sorry sorry sorry about that we didn't mean to do that I'm from vh1 I've come all the way from America I'm looking for Eddie McDonald I just wanted to chat with him if I could for a moment now I don't know him personally I just happen to know he's in the print on the premise okay I'm not gonna let you in well I'm not gonna let you in unless I've had a word first okay okay okay if you sure no no no okay two seconds hi Eddie hi honor for vh1 [Music] [Applause] I want good job with a moment oh you are yeah shoot okay thank you what what I'm wondering is if I could ask you a quick question right now and then talk to you after it's okay I'm on a mission to find members of the alarm to ask them if they would love to participate in a in a reunion to get together hang out have fun chitchat and allow us to sort of chronicle the event would you like to to take part in a reading and I'd love to say yes yes fortunately no oh really why good I've got huge opening we've done but what I'm talking about is like a one-off get-together with your with your old bandmates and then if you guys are up for it how much money's involved where's the suitcase get the suitcase to be killed lips ooh yeah yeah yeah okay look so you're in Oh brilliant okay so could we talk to you after you're done with your shoot little bit we'll wait for you here thank you thank you my name is Amin I quite nice to meet you this is Martin so she played the part of the the ruffian yes sorry about that sorry any needless to say this wasn't a typical day for you was it uh you could say that yeah master of understatement it's Patrick tell me about what you're doing these days so as I finished with the band as he went back to college and started taking photographs and LASIK even photography at the do you think that the alarm' achieved all I could achieve what the potential you had in terms of the talent and the makeup of the band good question very good question because when we finished we finished it on the real high a great gig and that was the one thing looking back and everything we achieved there's the fact that we finished like that even if it wasn't as Michael probably tell you quite unusual for him to sort of tell the public before you or at the same time as you finding out that the band was over wasn't that he'd left the group and everything the group was did for because he wanted to do something else it was sad because the next day it was like you know what do you do I thought do we keep the alarm going and I'm try for a little bit because basically I thought well you know this is what you do it just didn't work one of the great albums that you guys produce the eye of the hurricane and the recording of it I mean it produces such great music but there there seemed to be some tension in making that album is that accurate yeah I actually tried to kill Dave actually I spent all night doing a mix and I said you want to hear the mix and he goes no not a bit tired so I picked up the snooker table basically all balls off it and took a killing with it I just thought you absolutely ungrateful bastard speaking of day any idea what he's doing these days oh my gosh yeah I know he lives back in Manchester lasting I heard he was playing some solo shows whether he still is I don't I don't really know we've haven't been in contact quite some time okay what we'd like to do is get you in the same room I have instruments there if you're up for it I'm a bit of a rehearsal and then we'll provide you with a venue to play in front of your fans we'd love to have the privilege of show showcasing the alarm once again I'm a to be honest with you I've got no problem whether the alarm would play together again I don't know and I guess it won't be deadly honest with you I'm not I doubt I don't know I'd love to get back in the room together everybody I just don't have a fight because we have a fault originally she would just do me the honor of giving me your autograph bassist check lady McDonald is in but the hardest work is yet to come ready directed a samandar where guitarist dave sharpe is touring as a solo artist so we hopped on the first northbound train to find him all right Gabe's sitting at the ball he's at the bar [Music] damn sharp hey Dave [Music] not much my name is Ahmir vh1 these are my friends it's good to be here vh1 and your fans have elected the alarm they wanted to know where the members of the alarm are I'm scary here come to Manchester to find you my friend welcome to below it's good to be here it's good to be here an all-important question my friend part of the program is to reunite you with your bandmates to get you in the same room to hang out the telltale has been trying to do that for years you know no chance allow us the privilege and the honor of doing that go for it you'll go for it alright to seal the deal if you will do we may further honor up an autograph he was almost the rock star he was always the one that should have been a rock star tell me about how your music was creative how did you guys sit down and write your songs it developed in a lot of different ways you know Mike can either bring loads of songs then bring some songs then there's no strict creative process it just happened to say it comes from the soul man or whatever the situation is that's why that's our stuff [Music] how did you start to measure your success for me the success of the band was measured in terms of the music and how powerful the music was coming back out of the speakers and what people were saying about it what else do you remember from your days on the road run about 1986 it was always like get in make an album and get back on the road you know and so you'd really not had a chance to really evolve and bring in the experiences from the road to the studio to grow the band in the studio what was it like on the road we were harder than ever on the road the fan was a masterful one wonderous rock band in full flight to coin a phrase everybody knew it you know we knew it or didn't know it everybody knew it you cut you couldn't take on the alarm at that point but why is it a band that it was as hard and as as big as you were at that stage suddenly decide or at least one person decided that that was it you know sister I have no idea I'm still as stunned as I'm talking to you here as that moment where the three of us leant back did he say what I think he said that's this is it this is the last gig that moment is frozen in time for me I've never really got over the shock you're gonna put the four of you in the same room and get you to hang out you love full of us in a room and there's gotta be some spots where I can tell you that thing not you're looking forward to this I can't wait oh man well I'm gonna kick some butt when I'll get in there with the guys you know few issues you know that stars dave sharpe is in now it's on to the guy who left the band high and dry next Mike Peters makes a stand on stage the cameras roll in and to find out all you need to know about the Bands we're reuniting [Music] well three members of the alarm have agreed to reunite now can we convince lead singer Mike Peters who deserted his mates over a decade ago to say yes this is the students union building here at Manchester University Mike Peters is playing tonight I'm gonna try to get him before his soundcheck to ask him if he's willing to reunite with the alarm [Music] [Music] I'm with vh1 I have brought my friends from America debate Mike Peterson tomorrow but I've been assigned to do by your fans and of course vh1 is to find the original members of the band and see if you're open to the idea of taking part in a reunion with the original bad news ever though well what we want to do is assemble you guys put you in the same room have a chat about the good old days yeah and then put you in front of your fans for a one-night-only special gig God willing I'm always getting there they never say no to anything just to seal the deal for us I would love your autograph [Music] the wonderful Mike thank you so much now I was wondering if you're open to a bit of a chat with me yeah yes oh good good [Music] Mike Peters is presently touring with a new incarnation of the alarm the alarm living in a one apartment in London to start out with holding down day jobs and playing music at night is that a fair way to describe the early days yeah the the initial rehearsals for the alarm took place in North Wales and as soon as we started playing songs that we have at that time like unsafe building 68 guns that was the song convinced us that we should go forward and do something new [Music] tell me about playing in America I believe it's 86 UCLA for the MTV gig eight equal to 12 1986 yeah here ever since it's a it's right in there very well well it was a significant because if we're playing this free concert in Los Angeles at UCLA and it's a way of us thanking our American audience for changing our lives why wasn't enough to say as u2 did all songs written by the alarm I leave it at that because we never started together in that way the alarm was born out of a songwriting partnership between Andy and I when we got to make the raw album it sort of became a showcase with Dave Nigel and Dave wanted to make the last album without me being the singer they wanted Dave to be the lead singer really how did you find that it they told me the compromise was he got seeing the songs he wrote and when we made the record but it wasn't what I wanted it to be it became a bit of a compromise when we went out on tour it was quite a few months after the record made and David since gone on and made a solo record of his own the David was negotiating why his solo album to come out before the final show I'd arranged was all to me the day after the show and so we could resolve our differences and find the time to work again but on the day of the show Dave canceled the meeting so it was the first time in the history of the band there's someone put their own needs before the group's needs the cameras were rolling and I said why I said being left the band unless you know I thought if Dave wants to be the lead singer and have all the responsibility of keeping the unit together then he can have it did you decide that on stage or was it moments before and they read all of these things that had come to your attention I made the decision in the afternoon when I found that the day wasn't gonna be at a meeting the next day and I thought well I still didn't know if I could have the balls to do it on stage because I was terrified [Applause] [Music] what prevented you from telling the band of your decision before you announced it to the world there was no time and we weren't speaking to each other but at least I thought well the cameras are rolling I'll tell the cameras then every alarm fan in the world can see that film and they can judge and see it for themselves we've known each other all our lives and I felt really bad for them but at the time I was only thinking of myself really to be honest I thought well if I leave they can get on with being the alarm I wasn't taking any ones living away from wasn't firing anybody I was committing commercial and career suicide I was leaving what I was I was Mike Peters of the alarm I still AM but the only way I could find my sanity and find myself again was to actually walk away from it and I left them the name the alarm and they had 10 years to do what they wanted with it to go out find another guy to write the songs sing for them just play guitar and let Dave be the lead singer and nothing happened but for all of us the four of us to get into room together has not happened since June the 30th 1991 so it will be a nice family come ahead give all the hook in the case well thank you we did it we convinced all four original members of the alarm to reunite next 68 hugs as the lads reconvene the hugging stop Mike has some explaining to do I had no plan to make an announcement at Brixton we've reunited the alarm for the first time in over ten years what happens now is up to them the guitar gets the star tree we've been known ever ups and downs and like I say we're just gonna have to wait and see see what what fireworks start a fire I'm looking forward to the whole thing fine and dandy good to see you guys I see you I think I'm nervous the fact that you know you haven't done something for like Conor long christopher's it's 13 years and then you just go straight back into it it'll be a good test so I am nervous but I'm excited so it could be it could be great good love this Oh Francisco California how are you just excited about getting on stage and playing with them again because after all at the end of the day it's the music that you know brought us all together and carried us along for you know 12 13 years and hopefully that's what keep us going tonight it's the folksmen where's the where's the spoke here do it Mike Peters how are you sir a lot of things that were unsaid when we parted so it's a chance for us to put those behind as properly I'm looking forward to that getting back to those kind of instinctive things that you get when brothers play together because that's how I've always seen this as being good enough [Music] yeah [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] what are your thoughts now that you've had some time together not much but some time together in the same room how the hell did we agree there's a motion to stop in that little band hug on the stage for some yeah grounds they just to have that moment again it was special June 30th 1991 what happen then the planet yeah nighttime even though I had no plan to make an announcement at Brixton but it happened on the night when David blew out the meeting the next morning it's useful enough to America Mike said that he wasn't really planning it you know especially because he's actually left the stage and drove off he's like you said enough to plan that you know I thought they was actually gonna leave the band before me announcing god save somebody as far as I was concerned brother I mean I was in break mode you know yeah yeah you know we were gonna take a break so I gotta keep working dude no I'm Dave and it was you know I think to be honest Dave other legal team working on and with that we didn't know about and you know our agent was flying out to the German tour and he was saying you know thanks booking his tour and do you know anything about it when I brought it up when we had our chat in Manchester you said it's as shocking to you today or when we had that chat yes the minute that might walked off the stage I mean the three of us are just totally freaked because we had no idea I kind of feel you know it's gonna work anybody so you know we didn't know nothing was gonna happen so on at hand yeah it's big shot looking back how you do this heart but the funny thing about it is so many groups here break it through lawyers and through phone calls and this night at least it's what we finished on stage we were on fire at will yeah yeah going out in a blaze of glory together then and that was it seemed to be a fitting way get out there and finish the job to do absolutely when we will get together in ITIL reading itself and Dave there is that family bond and that no one can ever take that away from us not we can't even take it away from ourselves how strong it is so what we can look like [Music] yeah yeah yeah yeah a in the magnets of course go good yay oh we're talking like mid forties now and and you know being the drummer is probably the most yeah to have the most stamina you know because I have to keep up with that pace you know for long period of time [Music] it was just the spontaneity of the whole thing every time there's been an opportunity to get together again there's always been something in the way [Music] just hoping that the light switch goes on my head I just go bang here we are back is that he playing with your eyes closed because if you think about it too much I think it's probably you know it's probably hard a thing [Music] everyone's come into it from where they are right now as adults and that which is the way it should be we can't go back and recreate 1983 or more 1991 a lot what you see is the four guys together and this is the sound of the alarm makes in 2014 [Music] [Applause] [Music] next 12 years after his Brixton bombshell Mike Peters gets a shot at redemption the alarm sounds again the thing what's gonna top it up for me seeing all the old face annuities again whatever happens a little forget it when bands reunited continues it's show time for the freshly reunited members of the alarm more than 10 years have passed since their last gig and we know how that one ended what surprises await - now Mike and I've an instant dynamic and obviously they're both professionals but obviously in you know that they're still feeling each other out it's really good to see them I to be honest with you and I think there's no politics it's just purely about music great display miserably again and only old songs again and and then to see all the fans you know lining up outside it's really special because that's what the band was all about for friends come back night after after 10 years being away it's really good it's good it's give me a good measure with time and seen how life kind of moves on am i nervous about the show tonight a little bit yeah because it's a it's a there's the element of the unknown about it because we haven't played together for such a long time and I think I'm more nervous for the other guys at myself because I can see Dave he's getting into it and he's but he's getting more and more wound up as the show goes on I can see this is it we forget the alarm wasn't just about the floor guys it was worth set of songs and an audience are stayed with it all the way and they have a part to play in this show tonight it happened here in London the alarm on stage one [Music] ladies and gentlemen tonight the alarm is the pride of Wales let's hear for Villa boy stop I just like some of these guys [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] it's amazing just to see all the guys again if they return [Music] the functions just like it was 20 years ago I was there on in June at Brixton Academy back in 91 and they were there still tucked all this moments in here tonight it you know you just permissibly just go back to another pillar time a fantastic moment in time whatever happens I don't forget it well the last time I was on the microphone with these guys they didn't know what I was gonna say tonight this is wrong I'm going out of the place tonight is a chance to put a few things right ladies and gentlemen Mike Peters is still here we're hopeful Russell time this is called going out in a blaze of glory [Music] [Applause] [Music] it was great tonight you know to have them back on stage and you know I've got a little digging about it so that's okay [Music] other fantastic - this is absolutely amazing job [Applause] [Music] I was please believe the 19 David Eddy's hats or a moment again in their lives you know it's nice for the fans to see them and shout their name again and I was I was it was more about them than me tonight and I thought I was really pleased I'm proud of them and they did great [Music] you know the way we were tonight there was there was much more love and understanding that there ever than there ever was in the past so I'm really glad it happened and you know it was great [Music]

Channel: Joseph Evangelista

Views: 141,069

Rating: 4.8247905 out of 5

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Id: Vym2N5cXV2o

Length: 41min 10sec (2470 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 13 2017