Everything about 3 Colours Red totally explained
3 Colours Red were a British
punk rock band. They achieved their biggest chart success at the end of the 1990s, along with other '
Britrock' bands that retained a certain pop sensibility, such as
Ash and
Feeder. The band was named by sticking a pin in a
London listings magazine,
Time Out. It landed randomly on an advert for the concluding part of Polish movie director
Krzysztof Kieślowskis '
Three Colors' trilogy. They went on to record two UK top 20 albums, including six top 40 singles.
Early History
In 1995, it was suggested by a mutual friend that guitarist
Chris McCormack (ex-Forgodsake/Gunslinger) should contact Birmingham based singer/bassist
Pete Vuckovic (ex-
Diamond head) to start a band, both had recently left their previous bands and were looking for something new, McCormack made the call and the pair eventually met, they soon hit it off and decided to work on some songs together. Due to location they spent the following months trading 4- track recordings and developing song ideas via post until they'd enough material to record a demo, they soon moved to London and began putting a band together.
Their initial success was owed to the fact that the members individually had a lot of experience and contacts under their belts, they were also being guided by producer/manager Terry Thomas & Gina Walters (Warner Chapell Music). Walters introduced the band to Thomas, he managed them as well as record/produce the demo's that secured their early record deals.
Chris McCormack is the younger brother of
Danny McCormack, ex-bassist in
The Wildhearts, another British rock band who had already achieved commercial success and with whom 3CR would play some of their first shows. guitarist
Ben Harding had established a strong track record as a founder member of U.K punk/pop pioneers, '
Senseless Things', Pete Vučković's stint with 'Diamond Head' had galvanised his songwriting ability and primed him for the responsibility of leading a band, and
Keith Baxter's solid drumming and lengthy history with folk metal pioneers
Skyclad provided the band with a reliable and powerful backbone. What came together was a remarkable combination of songwriting talent (thoughtful, but heavy, in Vučković, and punk rock, but pop-oriented, in McCormack) which combined with the management and production skills of Thomas, and added power of Harding and Baxter, created a winning formula. Influences were drawn from bands such as
The Clash,
The Sex Pistols and
AC/DC.
Influential independent label
Fierce Panda Records released their first single, "This Is My Hollywood" published by Warner Chappell Music. The band signed to
Creation Records, after
Alan McGee, Creation's founder and discoverer of
Oasis, said that 3CR were the "most exciting band since the
Sex Pistols".
While with Creation, the band recorded two albums.
Pure (1997) was produced by Terry Thomas and accurately encapsulated the furious assault of their renowned live performances, the energy that the record injected into the U.Ks current
Britpop vein made the band instant poster boys for the industry's newly carved 'Britrock' pigeonhole, alongside bands like
Feeder and
Muse. There was a minor controversy over the single "Sixty Mile Smile", the lyrical content of which referred to frontman and main songwriter Pete Vučković's overnight hospitalisation after taking the drug
ecstasy. The band were misguidedly criticised by the parents of
Leah Betts who had died from excessive consumption of water - an occasionally noted effect of misinterpretation of government advice on ecstasy use. The line "Sunrise, just for a while - inject the drip" was just one of the warnings contained in a song that was wrongly criticised for 'glamourising' the drug. Thomas was eventually fired by the band prior to the recording of the second album.
Revolt (1999), produced by
Dave Eringa (
Manic Street Preachers), saw a more reflective side to the band emerge, with an epic feel evident on some tracks, notably the singles "
Beautiful Day" and "This is my Time". The fury didn't subside, however, as the live favourites "Paralyse" and the apocalyptic "Age of Madness" showed.
At the peak of their success, following the band's biggest hit, "Beautiful Day", they embarked upon U.S tours with
Marilyn Manson,
Aerosmith and
Silverchair.
The band imploded after they headlined the second stage at the
Reading and Leeds Festivals in 1999, citing musical and personal differences. The rift was deepest between Vučković and McCormack, the band's songwriters. Excessive drug and alcohol use reportedly helped spin the already turbulent partnership out of control once and for all.
Vučković was quickly signed to
Sony Records and Sanctuary Management and spent two years writing an album for his new project 'Elevation'. Unfortunately his
A&R man was then sacked. As a result, the album was never released and the band was dropped. McCormack joined Rich Battersby (ex Wildhearts) and
EMF producer Ralph Jezzard for a stint in 'Grand Theft Audio', who spent considerable time touring
America before also being dropped.
Reformation
After time was called on their own bands, Vučković and McCormack surprisingly reconciled their differences 2 years later and
reformed the band with original drummer Keith Baxter. Ben Harding had by this time, forged a career in public relations and was replaced by
Paul Grant (ex-Pornstar).
The new line-up signed to
Mighty Atom Records and 'Sanctuary Management' and recorded
The Union of Souls album with producer Joe Gibb (
Funeral for a Friend/
Million Dead) in 2004 to critical acclaim but little commercial success. "Repeat To Fade" and "The World is Yours", taken from the album, were released as singles and the band toured
Europe and
Japan with
Die Toten Hosen and The
Donots as well as a handful of UK tours and festival slots including the first
Download festival.
In mid-2005, a double album ('
If You Ain't Got a Weapon...') of the band's singles and b-sides from the Creation period was released by
Sanctuary Records, with accompanying sleevenotes penned by Vučković.
A live DVD recorded at the Islington Academy in 2004 was also released followed by a live album (
Nuclear holiday) of the same show.
The band split again after a U.K 'farewell tour' with
The Yo-Yos having been dropped by 'Sanctuary' and disappointing sales of the third album, continuing personal differences between Vučković and McCormack eventually drove the final nail into the bands coffin in September 2005.
Vučković and Grant soon formed
Bassknives. McCormack is now a promoter and tours with
Gary Numan as part of his live band. Ben Harding continues to work in public relations. Keith Baxter played with the band Baby Judas, but died on 4 January 2008 at the age of 36 from a gastrointestinal haemorage.
Line-up
Discography
Albums
Pure (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 15
Revolt (Creation 1999) Reached a UK chart position of 17
The Union of Souls (Mighty Atom 2004) Reached a U.K chart position of 188
If You Ain't Got a Weapon... (Sanctuary 2005) Double album compilation, singles and b-sides.
Nuclear Holiday (Snapper 2005) Live album
Singles/ E.Ps
"This Is My Hollywood" (Fierce Panda 1996)
"Nuclear Holiday" (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 22.
"Sixty Mile Smile" (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 20.
"Pure" (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 27.
"Copper Girl" (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 30.
"This Is My Hollywood" (Re-Released) (Creation 1997) Reached a UK chart position of 48.
"Paralyse EP" (Creation 1998): Non-eligible for UK chart - too many tracks on 'EP'
"Beautiful Day" (Creation 1999) Reached a UK chart position of 11.
"This Is My Time" (Creation 1999) Reached a UK chart position of 36.
"Repeat To Fade" (Mighty Atom 2003) Reached a U.K chart position of 86
"The World Is Yours" (Mighty Atom 2004) Download Only
D.V.Ds
Live at the Islington Academy (Secret 2005)Further Information
Get more info on '3 Colours Red'.
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