Bernie Torme

• Bernie Torme - guitars/vocals
• Phil Spalding - bass/vocals
• Mark Harrison - drums/vocals
  
   

Bio:

Metal/hard rock guitarist most famous for his stint in Ian Gillan's band from 1979- 1981, but that's just 2 and a half years in a very long CV. I can't believe there isn't a good website out there ?! I stand corrected, there is one (see links below).

Bernie's website contains much more information about his musical career. Here is a brief synopsis: Bernie began playing in his native Dublin most notably with a band called The Urge in 1974. He crossed paths with the early Boomtown Rats in this period. In 1976 he moved to London and formed The Bernie Torme Band, who were inspired by punk rock playing the same venues as many of the original punk bands and appearing on the Live At The Vortex compilation. They toured with the Boomtown Rats and supported bands like The Boys, Bethnal, Generation X and most significantly Gillan, who were soon to be in need of a guitarist. They were signed by Jet Records and released a couple of singles but basically the label did little to promote the band and they split in 1979 due to lack of progress.

Bernie joined Gillan for three albums (1979-81) and then Atomic Rooster for one ("Headline News" in 1981) and then toured with Ozzy Osbourne in April-May 1981, filling in for the recently deceased Randy Rhoads. Full details of these years can be found on Bernie's own site.

He recorded his debut solo album towards the end of his time with Gillan in early 1981 and then recorded as Electric Gypsies (1982-84) and Torme (1985-87) as well as under his own name.

Bernie Torme (solo 1976)

Notes: Bernie's manager Peter Collins had worked at Phonogram and used his contacts to organise this single on a limited budget which must be considered promo only. A self-released single in keeping with proto punk era was Peter's idea. "Probably 500 pressed" according to Bernie but he is not sure. It was recorded at the Kinks' Konk Studio in Hornsea. The purple/lilac/blue-ish label has Peter Collins Management Records in large black letters and the artist name and song titles in a smaller font. The catalogue number is PC 1, not 01 624 5566 which was the office phone number! A rare item.

Bernie Torme Band (1977-79)

Lineup: Bernie Torme (guitars/vocals), Phil Spalding (bass/vocals), Mark Harrison (drums/vocals). Phil Spalding later in Toyah, Original Mirrors, B.E.F. among others. Mark Harrison later in the Nipple Erectors and Dirty Strangers.

 

tracks:
Streetfighter
Living for Kicks

tracks:
Weekend
Secret Service
All Night
Instant Impact

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (1978)
Don't Look Back (1977)
One Night Stands (1977 or 1978)
Secret Service (alternative take/mix) (1977 or 1978)
Its Alright (1978)
Rebel (1978)
City's Falling (1977)
Tear It Down (1978)
Instant Impact (alternative take/mix) (1978)
(Just Another) Weekend (alternative take/mix) (1978)
Dance (1978)
All Nite (alternative take/mix) (1978)
Trying Again (1978)
I'm Not Ready (demo) (1977)
Instant Impact (demo) (1977)

tracks:
Secret Service
Electricity

Bernie Torme (solo 1979-82)

Notes:
With John DuCann (guitar), John McCoy (bass) and Paul Gunn (drums).

track: All Day And All Of The Night

 



Turn Out The Lights
Painter Man
Lies
America
Getting There
Possession
No Reply
Chelsea Girl
India
Oh No

CD bonus tracks:
Try And Stop Me
Whats Next
Back With The Boys

Notes:
With Colin Towns (keyboards/flute), Phil Spalding (bass), Nigel Glockler (ex Toyah) and Mark Harrison (drums).

Bernie Torme & Electric Gypsies (1982-84)

With Robert John Godfrey (The Enid) (keyboards), Everton Williams (ex Bethnal) (bass/vocals), and Frank Noon (Def Leppard/Stampede/Waysted) (drums/percussion)

 

Wild West
20th Century
Lightning Strikes
Too Young
Call Of The Wild
D.I.S.E.
Presences
I Can't Control Myself
Go Go.

CD bonus tracks:
Shoorah Shoorah
Star
Search And Destroy
Possession
New World

Bernie Torme (solo 1984-86)

 

Wild West
Turn Out The Lights
Lightning Strikes
Getting There
Too Young
No Easy Way

CD bonus tracks recorded at the Red Lion Gravesend 1983:
Wild West
Lightning Strikes
Presences

Notes:
With Colin Bond (ex Stampede) (bass) and Ron Rebel (ex Iron Maiden) (drums).

tracks:
Hard Times
The Beat (live)

Come Tomorrow
My Baby Loves a Vampire
No Easy Way
Try And Stop Me (previously unreleased)
Don't Give Up Your Day Job (previously unreleased)
Wild West
Whats Next (previously unreleased version)
Lies (previously unreleased version)
Night Lights (previously unreleased)
All Day and All Of The Night
Back With The Boys (previously unreleased)

Torme (1985-87)

With Phil Lewis (ex Girl) (vocals), Chris Heilman (bass) and Ian Whitewood (drums).

All Around the World
Star
Eyes Of the World
Burning Bridges
Hardcore
Here I Go
Family At War
Front Line
Arabia
Mystery Train
Love, Guns And Money (CD bonus)

Frontline
Turn Out the Lights
Hardcore
Star
Burning Bridges
T.V.O.D.
My Baby Loves a Vampire
New Orleans
Love, Guns & Money

All Around the World
Mystery Train
Frontline

Notes:
1-9 recorded live at the Clarendon, Hammersmith in April 1987

Bernie Torme (solo 1987-)

Teenage Kicks
Come The Revolution
Let It Rock
All Around The World
Mystery Train
Search And Destroy
Shoorah Shoorah
Wild West
Star Turn Out The Lights
Lies
Chelsea Girls

Fallen Angel
Black Sheep
Action
Ball & Chain
Slip Away
Long Time Coming
Spinnin' Your Wheels
Don't Understand
Industry
Draw the Line
U.S. Maid
Let It Go
Walk It
Man O'Means

reissue CD bonus:
Monkey Business
Darlene

Notes:
With Gary Owen (vocals), John Pearce/Mark Duncan/Richie Murray (bass) and Chris Jones (drums)

Notes:
With John Pearce (Anti Nowhere League) (bass), Chris Jones (Anti Nowhere League/Heavy Metal Outlaws) (drums).

Notes:
With John Pearce (Anti Nowhere League) (bass), Chris Jones (Anti Nowhere League/Heavy Metal Outlaws) (drums) Mark Harrison (additional keyboards), Rosa Belchen (violin) and Simon Jeffrey (tabla, percussion, harmonica). Guest: Dee Snider (lead vocal on Easy Action).

Notes:
with John Pearce (bass) and Simon Jeffrey (drums). Recorded live in the UK and Europe 1999-2001

The Hard (1979)

Bernie Torme & Phil Spalding

Gillan (1979-81)

tbd

Split Knee Loons (1981)

With Wah!Wah! Wahtkins [AKA Chas Watkins] (guitar/vocals), Cosmo Toons [AKA Colin Towns] (keyboards), Stix Hoypolloy [AKA John McCoy] (drums), and Ernie Orme [AKA Bernie Torme] (bass).

 

side one:
Mr & Mrs Get Down T'foot Of Our Stairs
Ranayway/(She Was A Real) Eggtimer

side two:
Salute To The Vikings
Let's Dance In Dub

Atomic Rooster (1981)

tbd

We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.