Briar

Birmingham, England served as the origin point for a pop rock quartet established in 1983 when Kevin Griffiths (vocals, bass) and Daren Underwood (guitar) launched the project. Dave Fletcher (guitar) and Dean Cook (drums) rounded out the membership. The band issued a self-financed single that earned extensive airplay from BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Peter Powell. A Radio 1 live session paved the way for a recording contract with Heavy Metal Records. Too Young surfaced in 1985, an over-produced affair that was full of lightweight guitar, high-pitched harmonies and anodyne lyrics. The album flopped and the band was forced to return to the club circuit. Take On The World, a self-financed cassette, was released in 1986, and eventually resulted in a new contract with CBS Records. Half the album comprised a selection of cover versions, including Richie Valens’ ‘La Bamba’ and Sister Sledge’s ‘Frankie’.