THE FADERS - 'Cheatin''

Rip Off RIP-8, 1979.

01 - Cheatin'
02 - Library Book

Paul 'Kipper' Dickson - lead vocals, Hugh 'Bamber' McIlfatrick - guitar/vocals, Chris 'Cree' Tweed - guitar/vocals, John Henry - bass, Willis Beckett - drums.

The Faders were based in Ballymoney in Northern Ireland. They perfected their blend of pub rock and new wave by playing regularly at Spuds in Portstewart, as well as other venues in the nearby towns of Coleraine and Portrush as part of the 'Golden Triangle' scene with other bands like The Cramp and Xdreamysts.

They also played once at the infamous Harp Bar in Belfast supported by The Idiots. In attendance at the gig was film maker John T Davis who was scouting for bands for his film 'Shellshock Rock', though Davis thought The Faders to be 'too middle class' and 'not punk enough'.

The band's only single 'Cheatin'' surfaced on George Doherty's Rip Off label in June 1979 with the excellent punk/powerpop flip 'Library Book' being the stand-out track. Both tracks were produced by Doherty at his Hyde Park Studios in Templepatrick.

Five or six tracks were later recorded for a album (including 'In It For The Kicks' which recently surfaced on the 'Rip Off' compilation LP on Sing Sing Records), followed by a further three with new drummer Joe Flegg. The album was never released as the band split up when Chris Tweed left to go to university. The others continued briefly as The Persuaders with the addition of guitarist Micky McCauley.

My copy of the single doesn't have it's brown paper bag sleeve, but it was a lot cheaper than it would have been if it did.