Big In Japan – The Retreads hit the big time 30 years after the release of ‘Would You Listen Girl’

The Far East is certainly sitting up and listening as The Retreads 1980’s hit Would You Listen Girl sells out fast in Japan.

The band, who released their one and only single in 1981, has suddenly become big in Japan.

Original band member Bob Parker, who lives in Essex Road, Rushden, said: "We did mostly cover versions of The Beatles and The Monkees and other bands like that.

"When we performed, we had a lot of interest in releasing a single so we pressed 1,000 copies of Would You Listen Girl, which was our own song."

The record included a cover of The Beatles' ‘One After 909’, the only cover of that song ever recorded.

The band, which even had its own scooter crew following it to gigs, comprised of Mr Parker on drums, who is a designer and pattern engineer in the footwear industry, Martyn Smith, on vocals, who is now a graphic designer in Germany, guitarist Steve Andrews, who is a computer programmer in America, bass player Terry Woods, who lives in Manor Road, Rushden, and works for Wicksteed Engineering, and keyboard and guitarist Wilby Meadows, who now lives in Northampton.

And keen Radio Northampton listeners may remember them for writing the jingle to former presenter Howard Stableford’s Saturday Express Show.
The presenter, who now lives in Colarado, went on to work on Tomorrow’s World.
Mr Parker said: "The single was released in July and is selling very well – now are waiting for it then to be released on Japanese iTunes."

The Japanese link came about when a music promoter from Japan was talking to a representative from Detour Records, who knew of the band.
From there, it received airplay in the Far East and prompted enough interest for it to be released as the Japanese market lapped it up.

The interest in Japan has also had a spin-off in this country, with one single recently selling for £166 on e-Bay.

For more information on The Retreads and to re-live their gigs and see pictures, visit www.boredteenagers.co.uk/RETREADS.

You can read more about the band here - http://www.northantset.co.uk/11517/Cult-80s-band-finally-makes.6437039.jp and listen to the track on You Tube here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU_TH1QMWWE