Formed in 1984, The Adventures were a melodic six-piece group from Belfast. Founder member Terry Sharpe had previously been the lead vocalist and guitarist in the excellent punk/power pop band Starjets.
They released their debut single, Another Silent Day (1984), on Chrysalis, and their self-titled debut album in 1985 (the album would be re-titled Theodore and Friends for the US market in 1988).
It was not until 1988’s Broken Land that the band experienced chart success. The song – a powerful, heartfelt and melodic piece of pop/rock about the Irish troubles – made it into the Top 20.
Their first Elektra album, The Sea Of Love (1988), was packed full of excellent songs full of chiming guitars, lush synth sounds, and brilliant harmonies, most notably on Heaven Knows Which Way and the oh-so-nearly-a-hit, Drowning In The Sea Of Love.
Several tracks from their 1992 album Trading Secrets With The Moon received much airplay on Radio 1, and the band played all the summer roadshows but sadly, further chart success would elude them.
A fourth album, Lions and Tigers and Bears (1993), was produced by ex-Vibrators bassist Pat Collier at London’s Greenhouse Recording Studios. The album met with a tepid response and failed to chart prompting Polydor to drop the group.
The Adventures broke up soon after. They regrouped in 2007 and 2009 for some small-scale gigs in Belfast,
Bass player Tony Ayre died on 20 December 2009.
Terry Sharpe
Vocals
Eileen Gribben
Vocals
Gerard ‘Spud’ Murphy
Vocals, guitar
Pat Gribben
Guitar
Tony Ayre
Bass
Paul Crowder
Drums
