Album - From Here
"i just wanted to say that i love your version of the song
and think the rest of the album is great too. i especially like the tracks
"jesamine", "passing ships" and "the water". great
vocals, guitars and everything! all the best, gary"
Gary Nuttall, writer of 'Often' and Robbie Williams'
guitar player
via email 31st July 2007
Gig - The George Stephenson,
Sunday 17th Feb 2007
If you are ready for a change form the usual and you are free next Sunday
afternoon ( 24th June) I recommend a trip to the Maggie Bank in North Shields to
see this lot and enjoy a pint or two of real ale. Kick off 4pm. (Sadly I cant
make it as I am up Tunstall Hills yet again, this time looking at wild flowers.)
I therefore made the trip through to west Moor to see them yesterday and I
wasn't disappointed. Even the band themselves struggle to describe their genre
of music but it encompasses some Alan Hull songs, some rocked up versions of
traditional folk and many of their own compositions which range from amusing,
enlightening, spiritual and thought provoking to challenging, moving and hide me
under the table while my life history is told stuff. The band includes bass,
drums, acoustic guitars, keyboards, harmonica and electrified violin with superb
harmonies and one of the most hauntingly gorgeous voices I've ever heard up
front from
Bz
Review as posted on Big
Ginger Gits Gig Pit, June 18th 2007
Album - From Here
"The Tyneside based band have just released their third album, 'From
Here', and it is a thing of real beauty.
Since 2002, The Attention Seekers have quietly gone about their business and
have steadily built up a dedicated fan-base, and it's easy to see why. I mean,
who couldn't love these songs? Featuring Col Roberts (bass), Alan Fish (guitar,
piano, backing vocals), Simon Reece (vocals, guitar, piano), John Miller
(drums), Sarah Fish (piano, violin) and John Leslie (vocal, harmonica), the band
effortlessly meld together to produce finely wrought ballads and classic toe-tappers which have the ability to instantly lodge themselves into your head
(and heart) and stay there. And like a very fine wine, they just seem to get
better and better and From Here, their third album, is testament to the fact
that great songwriting will never go out of fashion".
GM, The Crack, #213, March 2006
Gig - Rocketfest 2, The George Stephenson,
Sunday 19th Feb 2006
The band kicked off with OFTEN
(Nuttall) from their album ‘From Here’ this was a great day for original
material, having witnessed Mosaics great performance earlier in the day, and in Simon
Reece they have a vocalist of considerable talent. You could listen to this guy
all day long.
Next up was SHOOT IT ALL DOWN (Geldof)
from their album ‘Don’t Say a Word’ and this time taking the Main Vocal
was John Leslie. This band really is spoilt for choice with singers and when
Alan and Sarah come in on backing there are some truly
superb harmonies.
The third song again an original number HEART
OF STONE (Fish) featured Simon and John on vox and what a great blend of
voices.
Alan Hulls CALL OF THE WILD came next
with Sarah swapping from keyboards to violin giving a new dimension to the sound
ably supported by John and Col in the rhythm section and once again a wonderful
vocal by Simon.
The band donated 10 copies of their album
FROM HERE which were rapidly snapped up by the audience at £10 a shot and
another £100 was added to the fund raising total. And so the next song was the
title track ‘From Here’ followed by ALISON JONES also from the album and
with John taking over main vocal duties from Simon. John is also an excellent
vocalist and
an excellent
harmonica player and many of the
songs are interspersed with tasteful licks and fills.
I bought the From Here album and it is real
quality with some seriously good songs and arrangements. MONEY (Fish)
Main Vocal – Simon Reece from that album was followed by BEAUTIFUL CITY (Fish/Leslie)
from the album ‘Don’t Say a Word’ on which Simon is joined by John
on main vocals and on the strength of this I need to get that album too.
Another Alan Hull song CROOKED MILE followed
and you can get an indication of what this band sounds like from the selection
of two
Alan then made apologies to any Wishbone
Ash fans for the next song but he needn’t have JAILBAIT by Wishbone Ash
done acoustically with violins and harmonica worked amazingly
well. It’s nice to hear a song
taken totally out of its original context and reworked like this. Top marks to
someone for spotting the possibilities in that number. The Wishbone
Ash fans were ecstatic.
The final song was again a brilliant reworking
of the Slade
classic COZ I LUV YOU (Holder/Lea) so suited to the sound of the band and
giving Sarah the opportunity to shine through on violin.
As I said after they had finished their set
there is only one word to describe The
Attention Seekers – QUALITY.
They could have played all day.
We would have listened all day.
Jeff Grant
Album - From Here
"Anyone who can recall early 1980s Newcastle rockers White Heat
probably remembers, as I do, that the band in question were agreed to be a
blistering live act.
Sadly, they never really lived up to their potential. And they didn't' get the
breaks that they deserved either, unfortunately.
The Attention Seekers feature three former members of that group, but it's an altogether
more sedate, acoustic-based affair this time around.
Simon Reece's yearning lead vocal has echoes of Neil Young and Elvis Costello.
And there are some beautiful piano, harmonica and violin flourishes throughout
the album.
Musically then, this is a very different ballgame from White Heat. But the
song-writing is as well structured as it was back then, and that's what really
counts."
Ettrick Scott, Sunday Sun, 19/02/06
Gig - The
Blue Bell, 1st May 2004
MADE IN
Dividing
their lengthy set into two halves the band delved into some of their older
Fish/Leslie material from the album Misunderstood, newer material from
the excellent 2003 album Don’t Say a Word and let us in on some of
their brand new songs and tastefully chosen covers. The Attention Seekers exude
a musical confidence that sees members frequently swapping instruments
throughout their set, showcasing a wide range of talents to support the strength
of their self-written material.
A rich acoustic sound is what this
band is all about and an undoubted first half highlight was Down at The
Mayfair, a song that welds a tale of the former popular
The Fish/Leslie song writing influences appear to be varied,
ranging from likes of The Who (their version of Behind Blue Eyes should be sent
Fred Durst as an example of how to cover a classic), to The Beautiful South. A
notable moment was their re-working of the Boomtown Rats’ song I Don’t
like Mondays re-titled Shoot it All Down, which the Attention Seekers
have moulded into their own style.
This was a performance of a great deal of good material and
new songs under development, and it may soon be the case that the band outgrows
venues such as this (unless the
David Graham, local journalist, edited version appears in The Crack, #193,
June 2004
Album - Don't Say A Word
'No frills, but plenty of thrills from this classy local band. With a
traditional guitar, bass, keyboards style ensemble, they manage to achieve the
hardest thing in rock/pop; that is, to write absolutely corking tunes.
Ballads such as 'Last one To Know' glow with pure songwriting nous, while songs
such as 'Beautiful City' (a paean of love to Newcastle) display their undoubted
ability to play with passion. Seek 'em out. '
CC, The Crack, #190, March 2004
Gig - The
Blue Bell, New Year 2003/2004
'Alan Fish is a seasoned musician who has graced the stage with White Heat
and the Loud Guitars, both 'high energy' rock acts. This time around Alan
has gone the quieter route and the word about his band 'The Attention Seekers'
is getting around.
Being New Year's Eve... we got something we really knew, a beautifully crafted
version of 'Hate To See You Cry' (Alan Hull)... 'Sunshine on Leith' (the
Proclaimers hit). The second set continued in the same vein until Pete
Townsend's 'Behind Blue Eyes' and Alan Fish's own clever guitar arrangement of
'Bring Me Sunshine' (and it did). The band encored with 'Nutrocker'.
This is a good band... building a strong following... they have cracking songs
such as 'Anybody Out There', 'Lonely Avenue' and their popular 'Down At The
Mayfair'.
The Attention Seekers strength is in their musical ability...
...The audience, they loved it...'
cj, Get Rhythm 2, Vol 1, Issue 6, February 2004
Album - Don't Say A Word
'After a few listens, I've decided that this album deserves more space than I'm
giving it. Alan Fish, who you may know from White Heat and The Loud
Guitars, has returned with a far more acoustic set and a new writing/singing
partner, John Leslie. Produced down at The Cluny Studios with input from
Tony Davis, keyboards and Alan's old pal from t'Heat, Bryan Younger. Fish and
Leslie must be delighted at the results. The opening track 'Don't Say A
Word' locks you in, in a Beatle-ish kind of way. 'Last One To Know' ties
in the old, not often heard unfortunately, 'Answer Me'. It's a very 70s
acoustic album, delicate, songs with a narrative and simple harmonies.
It's the simplicity and gentle rolling acoustic guitar lines that tie the whole
thing together. According to Comet spies, the duo are now a band and
gigging now. I can image that they silence the crowd with gentle
persuasion. If you're into gentle acoustics, who isn't?, this is for you.
The spies say they are 'hot' live.'
cj, Holley's COMET, Vol 1 No 4, November 2003
Gig - Radio 2 Fringe, 8th October, The Cluny
'Come and see the Attention Seeker - well loved acoustic veterans of the
Newcastle scene, whose single 'Beautiful City' has become an unofficial anthem
for Newcastle United.'
Acoustic Circus, October 2003
Gig - Album Launch, 20th September 2003, The
Blue Bell
'I'm here for the launch of the Attention Seekers' new CD 'Don't Say A Word'
at the Blue Bell Inn, Jesmond Vale (gem of a venue folks). It's 8:20PM on
Saturday 20th September and I've just heard the most professional sound check
ever in a pub environment. Wished I had a tape running to record the
event.
Last
time I saw the Attention Seekers they were a duo with Alan Fish on acoustic
guitar and backing vocals and John Leslie on lead vocals and mouth harp.
Tonight they've expanded to a 5-piece with the addition of Col Roberts (bass),
Simon Reece (acoustic guitar, piano and vocals) and introducing Sarah Fish
[pictured right] (Alan's daughter) on piano and violin.
By 9 O'clock the house was full and the Attention Seekers kicked off with a new
song 'Callerton Rose' about their home territory of Westerhope in fine style!
By the 7th number I was singing along to Fish/Leslie originals I'd never heard
before, beautiful melodies and catchy hooks get me every time. Simon took
over on piano for 'Precious Skin' and 'Away From You' from the Attention
Seekers' first album 'Misunderstood', before Sarah came back to finish off an
impressive first set with the piano instrumental 'Nutrocker'. Roll over Keith
Emerson!
After copious refreshment and informed banter the second act commenced with Alan
and Simon demonstrating some nifty fretwork with an impressive arrangement of
'Bring Me Sunshine'. This was followed by a moving version of my fave
Hully song 'Hate To See You Cry' with Simon taking over from John on lead vocals
for this one.
John then returned to the stage for the vocal highlight so far, a sensational
rendition of a Proclaimers' song 'Sunshine on Leith'. For information,
Alan now on piano and Sarah on exquisite violin, hmm, hmm.
Several beautiful melodies and harmonies later and we are into what turned out
to be my favourite song of the night 'Down at the Mayfair/All the Young Dudes'.
'City Tavern, Old George and The Man In The Moon, afghan coats in the middle of
June' ah, those days of unashamed nostalgia. They finished off with a very
imaginative version of an old Townsend chestnut 'Behind Blue Eyes'.
Then two songs to encore with. Surprise guest time... Tony Davies of The
Cluny Studios on piano, expanding to a 7-piece for the finale of the night with
extra vocals supplied by the nights MC Allen plus Sarah on violin. Four
voices in harmony encouraging the crowd to join in with the Attention Seekers'
anthem 'Beautiful City'. All too soon it was the end of a beautiful gig of
wondrous acoustic music and sensational harmonies guaranteed to get your feet
tapping and NOT leave you deafened. Catch them next time they are in your
area, you won't be disappointed; needless to say I bought the CD.'
Allen Crawford, September 2003
Album - Misunderstood
'John Leslie and Alan Fish's latest offering is an album filled with
beautiful melodies, stunning harmonies and the renowned Fish/Leslie cover
versions. The haunting tune of the title track 'Misunderstood' is an
effective contrast to the angry guitar chords of 'Precious Skin'. One of
the best tracks is 'Away From You'. The simplicity of the lyrics is
combined with a basic melody to create the most heartfelt song on the album.
A favourite show-opener of the Attention Seekers is the track 'The Summer Sun'.
It is easy to see why, due to the catchy tune and beautiful harmonies.
'Beautiful City' captures the spirit of Newcastle upon Tyne on a Saturday night.
A favourite at Newcastle United football matches, the harmonies and pipe give an
effective traditional feel to a catchy modern melody. Of course, the album
is rounded off with the typical Fish/Leslie covers in the form of 'Shoot It All
Down (I Don't Like Mondays)' and an instrumental version of 'Bring Me Sunshine'.
Both show off Fish and Leslie's unique style and talent as seen in their live
sets.
A must for all Attention Seekers fans.'
Sarah Judd, 2002