Yachts
Another UK new wave act to emerge from the Liverpool art school student pool of the late '70s, the Yachts started life as the seven-piece Albert And The Cod Fish Warriors. Reduced to a five-piece of Henry Priestman (vocals/keyboards), J.J. Campbell (vocals), Martin Watson (guitar), Martin Dempsey (bass), and Bob Ellis (drums), they played their debut gig at Eric's in Liverpool supporting Elvis Costello. This led Stiff Records to sign them in October 1977 and they released one Will Birch-produced single before they departed (with Costello and Nick Lowe) for the newly formed Radar. Campbell left at this point but with Priestman in control they released several singles including the minor new wave classic Love To Love You. They recorded their debut album in New York with Richard Gottehrer at the helm. Dempsey left in January 1980 to join Pink Military and when Radar was liquidated they switched to Demon for a further single. Inevitably they disintegrated and Priestman spent some time with It's Immaterial before forming the Christians. The Yachts' popularity was fleeting but they left behind several great three-minute slices of pop, including a cover of R. Dean Taylor's There' s A Ghost In My House.