The Inmates Redcar Coatham Bowl 1980
I’d forgotten about this band, until I came across my ticket stub for a gig at Redcar Coatham Bowl in 1980. The Inmates (I’ve just checked and they are still playing to this day) are a garage rock band who based their style on 60s music such as the Pretty Things and the early Stones. I also had them catalogued alongside the Feelgoods and the Hot Rods in my own mind. In fact, Barrie Masters of the Hot Rods stepped in as lead singer for the Inmates for a short period when their singer Bill Hurley wasn’t well. I remember them as a great night out, and wondered at the time why they never managed to achieve greater success. A DVD entitled Back in History – Live 1980 showcases their live set from the same year as I saw them at Redcar and includes “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” “Jealousy,” “Talk Talk,” “So Much in Love”, “Talkin’ Bout You”, “Some Kinda Wonderful,” “The Walk” and their minor hit which was an ode to the Thames River, “Dirty Water.” The line-up of the Inmates was: Peter Gunn – Guitar, Vocals; Bill Hurley – Vocals; Ben Donnelly – Bass; Tony Oliver – Guitar; and John Bull/Eddie – Drums. Support came from local band The Carpettes, who I saw lots of times in the late 70s and early 80s. Happy days. I miss Sunday nights in Redcar.
14 May
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by Neil Thompson on May 15, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Wow – my band gets a mention – I was the singer/guitarist of the Carpettes. The Inmates got back together in 1986 (the same linup as this gig but with Eddie on drums) and were about to do a few gigs in 2007 to mark the thirtieth anniversary but Bill Hurley was unwell and they haven’t gigged since. Bill suffers from depression and sings now and then in pubs but a full Inmates gig would be out of the question now which is sad. The drummer for the Redacar gig was Jim Russell (he was in Curved Air and Stretch – he played on their hit, Why did you do it) The Inmates first single, Dirty water, made quite a ripple in the music press but it was their second single which their one and only hit – The Walk. The DVD you mention is from the tour they did supporting Joe Jackson to promote their second album later on in the same year, 1980.
Posted by vintagerock on May 16, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Many thanks indeed for the update Neil. I saw the Carpettes several times at gigs at the Redcar, the Rock Garden, Durham Uni and other venues. Happy days.
Posted by Neil Thompson on May 16, 2013 at 7:27 pm
Might as well leave an Inmates setlist while I’m on – it was a 12 date tour of Engand and they changed the set slightly most nights – these are the songs they did so the Redcar gig would have included most of these –
You’re the one that done it, Dirty water, Love got me, Mr Unreliable, I can’t sleep, The Walk, Jealousy, Three time loser, If time could turn backwards, Back in history, Why when the love has gone, Some kinda wonderful, I ain’t got you, I’m talking about you, Things get better, Nervous breakdown, Let it rock.
Posted by vintagerock on May 16, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Excellent and many thanks indeed again Neil Best wishes Peter