The Direct Hits

Emerging among the stronger acts in the later phase of the 1980s mod revival, the Direct Hits drew more heavily from psychedelia and sunshine pop compared to most contemporaries, although they could deliver intense, guitar-driven freakbeat tributes whenever they chose. Colin Swan on bass and Geno Buckmaster on guitar established the Direct Hits toward the end of 1980, following the dissolution of their prior group the Exits, which had issued a lone single via Lightning Records after existing for six years. They added drummer Steve Warburton and commenced performing under the Direct Hits name, yet Warburton was dismissed after merely a handful of appearances, partly due to his reluctance to trim his hair, which irritated the mod audiences frequenting their gigs. Ian "Griff" Griffiths assumed the drumming role, and near the close of 1981, Dan Treacy, previously associated with the Television Personalities and initiating his Whaam! Records imprint, reached out to the Direct Hits. By autumn 1982, their initial Whaam! single "Modesty Blaise" backed with "Sunny Honey Girl" appeared, at which point Brian Grover stepped in for Griffiths behind the kit. The year 1983 saw the Direct Hits commencing sessions for their first album, during which Grover departed temporarily for several months, resulting in Griffiths handling the bulk of the drumming duties. Blow Up came out in June 1984 as their debut LP, but Whaam!'s monetary troubles prompted the band to seek alternative representation. They established their Direct Records imprint to issue the 1986 single "She Really Didn't Care" paired with "Christopher Cooper," and the same label put out the follow-up album The House of Secrets, helmed by Dave Goodman, who had previously served as producer and soundman for the Sex Pistols. Having undertaken multiple prosperous German tours, they produced the live EP Speed Over Berlin on Pastel Records, which additionally put forth the demo collection The Modesty Blaise Sessions. During autumn 1987, Forbidden Records distributed their four-track EP Snakes and Ladders; the release met with both critical and sales letdowns, and Brian Grover exited once more soon thereafter. Toward the end of 1988, the Direct Hits reassembled featuring drummer Ralph Millington to perform at a mod "All-Dayer" event in Wimbledon, marking their last show. Cherry Red Records put out a 23-track compilation in 2014 titled Here, There or Anywhere: 23 Mod Pop Classics 1982-1986.