Rich Rags - Heartbreak Angels

[The Real Ian Hunter]

WELL HELL. Its weird to think people are still smiling about Rich Rags after 10 years dead. Greetings to Kim (ian) who I see has been conversing with everyone about the band. yeah there was two Ian, although Ian 1 was known to raggies fans as Kim. I replaced Kim in 89 and was part of the band until 94 when we all decided that beating each other up was more enjoyable than being in the studio!.
The beginning of the end was really the album. Apart from the recording being constantly put back and back, out A&R man (Garry Sharpe Young, who visitors to the Rock detector site will be aware of) was sacked by our label two days into recording. For those of you not familiar with these things, a bands A&R man has to be trusted by the band and the band need to trust his/her judgement or else shit continues to a happen. Garrys deperture was a real blow, epecially as his replacement was the kind of slimey two faced record company arse wipe we had latterly avoided.

Needless to say that our camp was unsettled at a time it really needed to be focused. Jon Stewart and Myself were always the most vocal and agressive members when it came to venting our spleens. Subsequently we deteriorated from not talking to all out fist fights. we loved and hated each other like brothers did, and probably still do. (the way it should be I suppose)
With all the shit associated with having a new A&R we didn't trust, Jon and i took our frustration out on each other. The icing on the cake was a delay in the records release and we ended up doing a 60 date Uk tour without the album out. NIGHTMARE. As we were currently enjoying a decent press and profile,and with some big stuff in the pipeline, we just couldn't face up to another very long tour that was really a waste of time until the album was out.We didn't want to piss off our freind and super hardworking agent Adam Parsons so we did the tour. By the end we had just had enough.
However, it's great to look back and see people still showing some interest in what we did. I played Pscho dead head to Stidi from the Wildhearts recently and we both agreed that it still cuts some mustard in it's genre. It's nice to know it became a legacy of sorts. Asd for the band. Paul (bass) and myself moved to london in 94 and have been here ever since. Dave carter (drums) came down soon after but lasted a month before going back to Hull. Saw him last year in Hull HMV buying The Clash. Jon Stewart moved here in 98 i think and sessioned for Gay Dad, Rialto, and some act called Keeler. Someone told me he was doing acoustic stuff around South London but i havent seen him in 2 years. Paul joined the Last Great Dreamers and is now working at terminal studios in London bridge. I'm sure we would all give each other abig hug if we all met together but it's unlikely to happen i think.
Best wishes to Jon, Paul and Dave... You shower O'bastards! Rock On.

if anyone wants demos or a burn of the album on CD, drop me a mail and I will try to help out.

[The Real Ian Hunter]

Hi. nice to know we still have aplce in some peoples hearts, as well as their album collection.
If I can answer any questions Rag related or otherwise, let me know.

[The Real Ian Hunter]

Hi Deviant D.
That was a good gig. Occasionally you have hang over that register on some kind of cerabal ricter scale and that was one.
Some as yet unknown gossip ( and news to the other three in the band too) At the time Ginger wasn't over sure he wanted to front the Wildhearts
full time and my name had been mentioned as a posible front man for the Wildhearts ( something Ginger probably decided against quite quickly i suspect)
Ging and i went back to the hotel after the gig for a chat which ended up in his room with mountains of elephant beer. Bam subesquently returned to the room at about 5 am and had to sleep on the floor using his plastic cool box as a pillow. The journey back to yorkshire was one of the worst experiences of my life. I still have the bowling ball that was lodged in my head.! yeah the album seeelve was dire and out of our control. Thats why its reversable to the band picture as an alternate cover. I was surprised it is not listed in the top ten worst sleeves on this site.

[Andii Vamp]

Hey Ian! Welcome to the board mate! Alwayz been a fucking RR fan and yes i would LOVE to get hold of all those lost demos again seeing as the ex robbed me of so much stuff. Luckily i still have my Psycho Deadheads CD which still gets regular playz [img]smile.gif[/img]

Again, welcome.

[The Real Ian Hunter]

Howdy. Nice to feel welcome. I myself only got hold of several RR demos last year.(Thank you Jim Darley) I;m still missing a few bits but I know Paul Harrison ( Angel) has them.
Does anyone have the awsome version of the Eddie and the Hotrods cover, Do anything you wanna Do?
A fine monent and better thenthe original many people have said. i am enclined to agree.

[glamster7]

Ian

Think I have a copy of Do anything ya wanna do by Rich Rags. Will check my demos later when I get home and let ya know

[andy69]

Hi Ian
Welcome to the board. Great to hear an update on what happened to RR.
I have sent a MP3 of Anything to ya. I had the demo's out to copy anyway.
Seen RR at Rock city around the time of the album. I have some pic's from the gig.
Didn't ya play Coventry one time?

[andy69]

Buttz , Andii , Carl - I have sent the Mp3 to you too.

[rockatop]

Will the real Ian Hunter please stand up, please stand up!!
I kind of feel vindicated in my decision to register some posts on here about my time in the rags but im glad Ian Hunter has posted some words of wisdom here too just to put peoples minds at ease( i was getting sick of answering emails as to wether i was THE Ian Hunter!)
Hope you enjoy the thread Ian its provoked quite an interest and its cool to think that it has more hits than more well known acts who are posted on here.
By the way did you ever sing Wide eyed child in your spell in Rags?? I only ever saw you guys once at sherlock and cant remember if you did or not!?!?!?!
Best of british mate!
IAN/KIM
PS; For all those who enquired i am currently compiling some Rags cds featuring myself, some studio some live some rehearsal(rough versions of hanging on the telephone-blondie/we're having a party - the osmonds/sufferagette city - bowie...maybe even Talk dirty to me from our very first gig!!)
If ur interested drop me a line at [email protected]
ba-bye

[Andii Vamp]

Got the song thanks Andy! I remember hearing that years ago on one of the demos i had. Killer version!

I also added the Rich Rags CD to Heavy Harmonies(Link below) a while back and finally it's up there now. I see stuff there like Tattooed Loveboys etc so thought why the hell not Rich Rags! lol!

http://www.heavyharmonies.com/cgi-bi...om+Outer+Space