Matchbox formed in 1971 but it wasn’t until 1976 that their first album, Riders In The Sky, came out on Charley Records, by which time only guitarist Steve Bloomfield and bassist Fred Poke remained of the original band.
The album, produced in Holland by Bert Rockhuizen, sounded lifeless. The follow-up, Settin’ The Woods On Fire, introduced singer Graham Fenton and was a far better effort.
But it wasn’t until the Matchbox album appeared on Magnet in 1979 that the rockabilly rockers really struck gold when the LP became a UK #44 hit.
They also hit the British charts with their singles Rockabilly Rebel (#18 for 12 weeks) and Buzz Buzz A Diddle It (#22 for eight weeks).
Their second Magnet album, Midnite Dynamos (1980) spent nine weeks in the UK charts eventually peaking at #23. The album featured the hit singles Midnite Dynamos (#14), When You Ask About Love (#4) and Over The Rainbow (#15).
Matchbox still perform regularly across mainland Europe.
Graham Fenton
Vocals
Steve Bloomfield
Guitar, vocals
Gordon Scott
Guitar, sax, piano
Fred Poke
Bass
Rusty Lupton
Piano, guitar
Wild Bob Burgos
Drums
Wiffle Smith
Vocals
Jimmy Redhead
Drums
Dick Callan
Guitar, sax, violin
