Personal Column? 1982 – A venue called “The Warehouse”. It exists no more. A fire broke out one night and it was closed down (why do all clubs end up having fires? Odd, that.).

I was the keyboard player with “Come in Tokio” at this time and fellow band members suggested we see PC. I don’t recall knowing them at that time but apparently we started our rehearsals straight after their rehearsal finished in the Ministry rehearsal rooms so I must have ignored some of them at one point or another on the stairs.

I remember several things about that 1^st gig – which was unusually good for me as in those days I would be quite drunk and probably pushed to remember my name – the singer had an attitude and really bad taste in white strings vests which he wore under a women’s black leather jacket. If Holly Johnson was in the audience that night then I insist that Marc Vormawah the singer put in some claim for image royalties. Frankie came to the warehouse that night indeed. But despite this … what a band! I recall being with my girlfriend of the time Moira, and being very enthusiastic over how brilliant they were, dissecting every song as it was being played. Friction stood out, Here's Looking at You was also a winner and a song called Liverpool 8 999 got me really excited as well. When Colin Brown (Keyboard player) crossed stage to join Marc on the front vocal mike on this song it really did it for me, hairs on the back of the neck stood up. This was not your usual Liverpool band. There was not an overcoat in sight. To borrow from an early PC song I was Struck by Lightning.

After the gig I remember mumbling something to Marc who was having a drink in the audience. I can’t remember what it was but it was probably the first of a million conversations I have had with him since. No doubt I was telling him how good the band where and how impressed I was. From this gig I and “Come in Tokio” guitarist and mate John Gillin became good friends with Marc and Colin. We met up initially to see an “Afraid of Mice” gig one lunch time in Macmillan’s in the city centre and afterwards we all traipsed back to my mum and dads house. Playing the piano and my songs (which were embarrassing at that time) and playing records I recommended – CD’s had not been invented then.

One thing I do recall was how much we all had in common – a love for great songs and songwriters. Over the years Marc has become a very close friend and we still exchange songs and recommend things to each other. Back then though it was all new. I was trusted to be given a demo tape of about 8 songs. “A Woman's Place” stood out as well as “His Master's Voice”, the tape done the rounds with other friends and an entourage of us were now going to every Personal Column gig that was set up soon after. Jury Service, Personal Column, and World in Action also were on that initial demo tape.

Other memories of songs; Ignorance is Bliss ( a blistering song and a half) – well I was really disappointed I was not in the right place at the right time when PC recorded this for their 1^st single (and dead jealous when I found out my friend John Gillin was and had been asked to make noises in the song). This song was the band’s last song in the set and a powerful one and fan favourite too. PC never did encores in those days, much to everybody’s annoyance.

The other side of the single Dreamer in Babylon was pop reggae but very commercial, one of those songs that you find yourself singing without even knowing it. I know the songs were recorded at Alan Peters studios in the city centre on a 4 or 8 track and PC self financed the project. It was a platform for bigger things. Me and John Gillin got to play live now and again on these two songs with PC (and my keyboard got to play live at every gig after a request for a loan of it by Colin). Many years later when we had our own band “The Persuaders” we got Marc up and did a version of Dreamer at a Christmas gig we had.

Ignorance was also PC’s 1^st telly appearance – I think I am the only person who had a copy of their debut TV appearance on Granada’s Exchange flags programme. I also have a clip of Institutions that was recorded as well but not shown in full – another class song.

Week in and out I would be told of new songs being performed at gigs in advance and asked what I thought. Not that my opinion would change things but I think they knew that I would like these songs and liked some confirmation of their own talent. I remember hearing these songs debuted for the first time; Same Old Situation, Astrology (A favourite of mine and played only once I recall), The Nature of Things, Dangerous Places, Point of No Return, Cosmetic Surgery, Terminal Suspicion (I still have the lyric sheet to this one)

In between, the 2^nd single was released and again self financed – The Same Old Situation and Terminal Suspicion (a fave).

Original design, artwork and typesetting by Rosemary Doughty

PC changed it’s Drummer along the way –Mike Carroll left and Terry Sterling came in, Rob Boardman became an additional guitarist and Phil Hargreaves came in and played Saxophone later on.

I was asked to be the manager at one point due to my enthusiasm for the group and the fact I had got “Come in Tokio” a John Peel session but it was not possible to give 100% and I sadly declined but said I would help if I could and Royce the van driver took over and worked very hard and got them that Peel session that got things moving.

The 1^st Peel session: I can happily say I was there at the recording – my main memory was of Marc’s brilliant talent for harmonizing and the multi layered harmonies he did on Dangerous Places. It was a great session; Dangerous Places, Red, Same Old Situation and Friction. Peel was chuffed, he wanted to make an EP out of it and Elvis Costello obviously heard it, as he too was raving about the songs.

Kid Jensen sessions and Another Peel session followed and then the band got a deal with Stiff records and released “Strictly Confidential” with “Here's Looking at You” as the b side. I am not sure but I would like to think I had some influence in the choice of Here's Looking at You. I always suggested this as a single.

Marc and Colin also got a publishing deal with ATV music – PC’s songs are now owned by Michael Jackson who could make a few bob by doing something with them.

New Songs came; Waiting for the Axe to Fall, Hook Line or Sink Without Trace (songs obviously in support of their new record deal!), but live performances were now becoming rare.

I am not sure why it all ended. Today if PC existed I would suggest they sod the major labels and do what they did initially and self finance their material – sell CD’s at gigs – get a following that way.

I have many gigs on tape, and I even have some after show conversations of us trying to get home from places such as Wallasey to Liverpool. I listened to a couple recently and it was just magic. Youth, naivety, that age when you think you can do anything and get away with it, the songs still stand up today. Some of the issues are still so important and still need addressing.

Anyone wishing to take a ride back in time when listening to these songs will find me there too.

JOHN JENKINS

April 2006

Personal Column in the studio: a quick guided tour by Marc V

- Early Open Eye Session

His Master’s Voice

Our first time in a studio. Only 4 tracks but we did have the legendary Noddy Knowler as our Engineer.
Even though we were novices we'd rehearsed enough to be able to get four songs recorded in that one 8 hour session.

What I still like about this recording is the abrupt tempo change near the end and our tip of the hat to the terminally unhip (within the local Liverpool Indie Scene) of one of my all time favourite bands, Steely Dan.
The double jazz guitar outro solo was a reference to the Steely Dan song ‘Parkers Band’ which uses two saxophones

- Ignorance is Bliss*/Dreamer in Babylon* (SOS?)

Our second venture into a studio. This time it was S.O.S. Studios which was owned by another local legend, Alan Peters.
I think this was engineered by Pete Coleman who we went on to work with us on our Stiff Records single, ‘Strictly Confidential’.

As songwriters Colin and I didn’t want to be limited by musical styles or genres, hence the title of our label ‘Contrast Records’.

With this in mind, the A side was typical indie style Personal Column but the B side was a reggae song which was meant to show how we meant to go on.

- Same Old Situation*/Terminal Suspicion* (Pink)

Our second single and our third studio. ‘Pink’ was owned by local musician and entrepreneur Hambi Haralambous of Hambi & the Dance fame.

I think our ‘sound’ was starting to solidify which was wholly due to the addition of guitarist Rob Boardman who was both a technician and a creative player who added tonal colour and variety to our somewhat limited pallete.

Rob was a huge fan of both Gentle Giant and Robert Fripp and was perfectly capable of burning up the fretboard but he appreciated the songs and the chord structures and became an integral part of both our studio and live sound.

He used to play with the much loved (but short-lived) band, The Jass Babies along with Lotus Eaters front man Peter Coyle.

Sadly, Rob’s no longer with us but his creativity and craftsmanship live on in the songs he played on.

As mentioned earlier, the ‘Contrast’ ideal of utilising different song styles was continued by the recording the B side, Terminal Suspicion, a straight ahead ballad that I really wanted a Saxophone on...something in the style of Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street or even the yet to be released ‘Careless Whisper’....yes, I know...I was two years ahead of my time....

Everybody else thought that it was a lousy idea and would dilute the Personal Column sound and so a compromise was reached....hence the Thin Lizzy/Wishbone Ash, twin guitar solo courtesy of Mr Boardman!

By the way, I still intend to release a Sax version sometime in the future.....

- Peel Session One:  Dangerous Places*/Friction*/Same Old Situation/Red*

My abiding memory of this Session was how it arrived seemingly “out of the blue”.

Our Manager, Royce, asked us in passing that if we ever got the chance to do a Peel Session, would we do it 8 track or 24 track. If I remember correctly, we said that we couldn’t see the point in using 24 tracks!
Anyway, next thing you know, Royce announced that we'd been granted a Peel Session to be recorded at the BBC 24 track studio in Maida Vale. Without our knowledge he'd sent John Walters, Peel’s Producer a live tape...probably recorded at The Masonic Pub and he’d agreed to a session. Royce knew that if he’d suggested sending a live tape there’s no way either myself or Colin would have agreed...sometimes subterfuge was needed to protect us from ourselves!

The recording of that session is still ingrained in my memory; especially as it was basically a posher rerun of our Open Eye session...4 songs but this time recording 4 songs in 12 hours with 24 tracks to play with. I don't remember how we chose the songs we eventually recorded but I assume it was based on how well the songs went down live.

Session 2 and 3 I think were produced by Dale Griffin or Buffin, as he was known when he was the Drummer in 70’s band Mott the Hoople. We got on so well with him that we asked him to produce our upcoming album but as he was doing alright as a BBC House Producer he regretfully declined our invitation....of course we sometimes wonder how things might have turned out if he’d accepted....

Peel Session 3 stands out for two reasons; one, because we used our ATV Publishing A& R man Tom Fenner on drums.
As well as being instrumental in getting Colin and myself signed to ATV as songwriters, he was also a very fine musician and was the drummer for The Fatima Mansions for many years.

Session 3 also stands out because of the song, ‘Cosmetic Surgery’ which featured Phil Hargreaves on Saxophone...yes, eventually Sax was deemed be fit to be a part of the so called ‘Personal Column Sound!’

Unfortunately, the rest of the sessions are a bit of a blur for me. Hopefully Colin and Phil can help out?

- Later Stuff: New Victorian Age*/Let Them Stare*/Heavenly Real Estate*/Cops and Robbers

Once again, a change of musician helped to change the style of songs that we could write musician was Bass Player Shaun Mcloughlin. Shaun was a huge fan of Jaco Pastorius and the more avant-garde end of the musical spectrum and, as with Rob Boardman, we were inspired to write songs knowing that Shaun would add a different colour to our sound.

There are a couple of songs that didn’t make this compilation that I think that really showcase Shaun’s melodic style....anyway, who knows, if this collection does well you might get to hear them on Volume 2....

I should point out that as Personal Column were slowly disintegrating due to music business shenanigans and lack of morale, two of the songs written during that turbulent period ended up on my Elektra Records solo album ‘ Too True’ which was released in 1989.

My adventures in the American Music Biz is another story with many highs but just as many lows.

I got to take a .look behind the Showbiz curtain and it wasn’t a pretty sight! The album and the ensuing business problems meant that I was very quickly turned into a ‘product’ that, due to the bizarre way that music was (and is still is) rigidly segregated it was impossible stop morphing into a ‘Poundland Luther Vandross’ Long time Personal Column fans were disappointed and confused with the resulting album and with good reason.

In my defence, Let Them Stare’ & ‘Cops and Robbers’ were written in exactly the same way that ‘Ignorance is Bliss?’ and ‘Strictly Confidential’ were written and I’d like to think that, although the American Keyboard led production was a huge distraction, these two songs still stand the test of time and bad taste...

- Backfired

40 years after the single, Strictly Confidential ‘escaped’ on Stiff Records, it felt fitting to see if we could reignite the flame of our burning youth and write and release a brand-new song as a trailer for this ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation.I think that we managed to capture the essence of that ‘Personal Column Sound’ that we honed back in the 80’s.

Modern technology is truly amazing, but what really came to the fore while I was listening back to the songs for this compilation, is that in the end, it all comes down to the songs....all the production tricks and studio gizmos in the world can’t disguise a badly written song.

I’m proud that the time and effort we spent in the writing is reflected in the reaction they still get today....oh, and by the way... I’m still writing and recording...watch this space...

Marc Vormawah
Liverpool 2025