New York, NY (Top40 Charts) April 2016 marked the 30 year anniversary of The Alarm's history making 1st ever MTV satellite broadcast of their 1986 live show.
· June 18th - Start of production for BBC documentary 'Being Mike Peters'.
· June 24th - The Alarm perform at Glastonbury for the very first time.
· August 28th - The Alarm perform at Chris Evans' 'Carfest'.
·
September 7th to October 1st - North American tour dates.
· Autumn - Festival screenings of 'Man In The Cameo Jacket'.
· October 10th - Exclusive on-line release of 'Poppies Falling From The Sky' DVD/CD/VINYL concert film.
· October 15th - Official release.
· November 5th - Wales Festival of Remembrance.
· November 11th - Single release date of 'In The Poppy Fields'.
· 1st March 2017 - BBC screening of 'Being Mike Peters'.
· March 2017 -
Brand new album release and UK tour.
On 10th October 2015, two thousand fans filled the Donald
Gordon Theatre at the Wales
Millennium Centre to witness the Man In The Cameo Jacket celebrate 30 years of The Alarm. Joined by special guest musicians, the Welsh Pops Orchestra, the Morriston Orpheus Male Voice Choir and Acquire, for the lucky ones who were there it will go down as a moment in history. Thankfully, for those that weren't, on October 15th this year the full concert 'Poppies Falling From The Sky' is released on DVD/CD/VINYL.
Taken from the concert, 'In The Poppy Fields' is released as a single on 11th November to mark Armistice Day.
The Alarm began life in Wales, and tells a story unlike any other, an unlikely tale epitomised by an initial breakthrough in the USA with 1983's IRS Records release 'The Stand'. Upon returning to the UK, The Alarm announced itself to the British nation via the BBC's Top Of The Pops and the evergreen 'Sixty Eight Guns' that smashed into the charts soon after.
Enormous success followed, with The Alarm appearing before 26,000 fans at their own 'Spirit of '86 Concert' in Los Angeles, transmitted around the world to millions via MTV's first ever live global satellite broadcast.
In the summer of 1991, the demands of the road were at the heart of a very public swan song for the original members at London's Brixton Academy before a new line up emerged from the wreckage in 2000. The current (and now long established), Alarm line up features the ever present Mike Peters (who has led the band throughout), Mark Taylor (keyboard player since 1985), guitarist
James Stevenson (Gene Loves Jezebel / The Cult),
Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy / The Mission) on bass guitar and finally
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros sticks man
Smiley on drums.
The modern era for The Alarm proved to be equally tumultuous, causing worldwide controversy in 2004 through The
Poppy Fields 'fake band' escapade. Released to conceal the identity of the real musicians, the Alarm's first single of the millennium - '45 RPM' would ultimately take their signature electro-acoustic sound back into the UK top 40.
The true identity of The Alarm was eventually revealed on Top Of The Pops and instantly triggered a rush of global media exposure, culminating in a US TV appearance on the CBS Headline News program fronted by Dan Rather. (The story of the Alarm's audacious chart break in, went on to become the inspiration for classic cult movie 'Vinyl' starring Phil Daniels (Quadrophenia and voice of Park Life by Blur), who also guested on the band's soundtrack album of the same name released simultaneously in 2013).
The Alarm's return to prominence was halted almost immediately when, in late 2005, Mike Peters was diagnosed with an incurable cancer (A rare B-cell form of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia), forcing the band into playing select shows only, that would be dictated by the chemotherapy / treatment regime that has kept Mike Peters alive ever since.
In January 2006, the group continued with the release of 'Under Attack' which was bolstered by another Top 30 record in the shape of 'Superchannel' and 'Never Give Up Without A Fight', that crystalised everything that Mike Peters and The Alarm has stood for since their 1981 debut 7" - 'Unsafe Building'.
A year later The Alarm song 'Strength' would give its name to the Mike Peters founded Love Hope Strength charity which is dedicated to 'Saving Lives - One Concert At A Time'.
Through registering people to the international bone marrow registry at music concerts and festivals, Love Hope Strength has (to date), signed over 150,000 people to the list and located over 2,500 life saving matches for individuals suffering (like Mike), from blood cancer and who need a transplant for a second chance at life.
As a result, The Alarm and their legion of fans have learned to be adaptable, as Mike Peters has travelled from relapse to remission and back, searching out ways that allow his and the groups legacy to continue via solo acoustic, one man and full band Alarm experiences that reached a zenith with 2015's landmark Mike Peters and The Alarm Concert at the Wales
Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
A new movie entitled 'Man In The Cameo Jacket' documents Mike Peters and The Alarm's incredible life journey, and is currently in production with Kaleidoscope
Pictures in the USA and set for release in late 2016 / early 2017.
'Man In The Cameo Jacket' Documentary Trailer - https://maninthecamojacket.com/trailer/
