Dirty Tricks are four guys with similar backgrounds and tastes who've been struggling in semi-obscurity since 1965, working in almost all musical styles from soul to funk to punk rock to pop to heavy rock, to avant-garde, and even circus rock. Dirty Tricks are Johnny Fraser - on guitar, Kenny Stewart, vocals, Terry Horbory on bass and drummer John Lee.
The four have been together since May of this year and the three frcnt men have been rehearsing for five months prior to that. Kenny and Johnny admit that their inspiration came not so much from local music but from the records they heard on John Peel's Sunday afternoon show back in 1967. They both worked in various rock heavy soul groups in Stirling Scotland. In 1968 Kenny was in 'Cargo’ while Johnny was fronting the opposition band 'Susan Rams.' By 1970 they were both in 'Aegis’, one of those avante-garde bands that art students get excited about.
After a couple of years the band broke up and the two lads came down to London. While Johnny stayed at home digging Hendrix and Doobie Brothers records, Kenny joined a semi-pro group called 'Renia.' He stayed with them a year and a half, produced an album which quickly did nothing and looked round for more challenging work. Terry, who cones from Newark Nottinghamshire, formed his own band at 16, and did the rounds of local clubs, until his band were number one in the region. He cane to London in early 1974, and joined up 'The Goose Fayre Show’, a collection of miners, actors and other such wandering minstrels.
Kenny at this tine was auditioning for an up- and-coming blues rock band called San Apple Pie. He was accepted, and a week later, quite by chance Terry, who had left 'the circus', joined on bass. The band however was not too much to their liking, and they left to team up with Johnny, and Dave the drummer from 'Renia.' The unnamed band were hoping for a support gig on a German tour but nothing materialized. Undaunted they continued to rehearse, and left highly impressed.
A demo tape was cut and within a few weeks a record deal with Polydor was signed. Shortly afterwards Dave had to leave, and John Lee was brought in as a replacement, John who cones from Battersea had been playing the drums since he was 13, and was still playing when his family moved to Australia when he was 14. He joined one of Australia’s leading bands ‘Blackfeather' and 1972 joined 'Dingoes.' He stayed with then for several tours, two singles, and an album that was voted the best album of the year. A year later his contract expired but he chose not to renew it. He was immediately offered a job with two bands, a pop band, and the band Ariel, he accepted the latter's offer.
When Ariel came to Britain for what was an unsuccessful tour, John decided to leave the band and stay here. Within two days of being in London Paul Scott phoned hi*, and asked him to cone for an audition with 'Dirty Tricks.' "I couldn't believe my luck" says John, "I was out of work for exactly eight hours." The new look band went straight into the studios, and emerged with their album entitled "Dirty Tricks", and a single "Call Me Up For Love."
September 1975
1. Wait Till Saturday - 5:18
2. Back Off Evil - 6:41
3. Sunshine Day - 4:11
4. If You Believe In Me - 2:25
5. Too Much Wine - 5:07
6. Call Me Up For Love - 2:51
7. Marcella - 3:59
8. High Life - 7:47
9. I'M Gonna Get Me A Gun (Bonus Track) - 2:56
10.Hire Car (Bonus Track) - 3:57
11.Back Off Evil (Live) (Bonus Track) - 7:33
12.Call Me Up For Love (Live) (Bonus Track) - 3:30
13.The High Life (Live) (Bonus Track) - 7:50
14.Play Dirty (Live) (Bonus Track) - 5:02
Dirty Tricks
*John Fraser Binnie - Guitar, Keyboards
*Terry Horbury - Bass
*John Lee - Drums
*Kenny Stewart - Vocals
Related Act
1973 Renia - First Offenders
