CHINATOWN
Play It To The Death 1997 (REISSUE)
Recording Year: 1981
Original Release Year: 1981
Recorded at The Agincourt, Camberley,
Surrey, May 1981
Tracklist
01 - Play it to the Death
02 - How Many Times
03 - No Time to Kill
04 - Time Will Tell
05 - Run to Japan
06 - It Could Happen to You
07 - Short and Sweet
08 - Rock and Roll Legend
09 - Chinatown
10 - Short and Sweet (from Short and Sweet 7" Single)
11 - How Many Times? (from Short and Sweet 7" Single)
12 - I wanna See you Tonight (from Reading Rocks vol. 1 Compilation)
13 - Caught on the Wrong Side (from Reading Rocks vol. 1 Compilation)
Line Up:
Steve Pragnell - Vocals
Pat Shayler - Guitars
Danny Gwilym - Guitars
John Barr - Bass
Steve Hopgood - Drums
Originally called Chinastreet, Chinatown was an NWOBHM band from Fareham, Hampshire that existed in the halcyon days (early 80's) of the movement. A la AIIZ, their only album was a live album, Play It To The Death. The album (a concert recorded at the The Agincourt, Camberley), is pretty much the standard formula of catchy, up-beat heavy metal typical of the era, which is not a bad thing. The band plays with an energy and enthusiasm that is captured to perfection; an album that is fun to party to. (There is, however, the obligatory drum solo during Rock And Roll Legend, one of the things that I despise in Live albums).
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"THIS BAND ARE GOING TO BE HUGE"
THAT WAS THE HEADLINE OF A FULL PAGE ARTICLE ABOUT CHINATOWN IN THE MELODY MAKER IN THE EARLY 80'S WHEN THEY WERE AT THE PEAK OF THEIR SUCCESS. Ah, what could have been....Maybe a decent album cover would have helped????
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