IT’S been back to school for China Crisis guitarist Eddie Lundon recently, except this time he is at the front of the classroom.
He has been teaching song writing and performance for students at LIPA.
“There are some great musicians here,” says Lundon.
“I get to see their writing in the early stages and how they develop, which is really good.
“It’s very varied because not all of them are from the UK so there are a lot of different international influences. You have your pop writers but you have things like jazz as well.”
The LIPA experience is very different from China Crisis’s early years. Lundon and vocalist/keyboardist Gary Daly formed the band in 1979.
“We set up a studio at home and did most of the recording there,”he says. “You can do a lot on laptops now so I think young people could do the same way today.
“You need a different set of skills these days, with the whole technology side of it.”
China Crisis started recording their music at a studio in Kirkby, with its own label, Inevitable.
Their first single, African and White was a favourite with radio DJs and caught the attention of Virgin Records, which quickly signed them up. Between August 1982 and January 1987 they produced 10 hit singles and six albums.
“We actually had our record deal and had hits before we went on tour and played,” says Lundon.
“These days bands perform for a long time before they get signed but we had a lot of material by then so we could just go in and start recording an album.”
This summer will see China Crisis playing a series of gigs across the region, starting with Whatfest in Northwich, Cheshire, July 17-19, then the O2 Academy Liverpool on July 24 as part of the Summer Pops fringe, followed by Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton, August 8.
THE Daily Post has a pair of tickets to give away to China Crisis’ Summer Pops gig as well as to the following fringe concerts: The Sums, Connecting Flight, Free Peace, The Bo-Weevils, The Real People and The Aeroplanes. For a chance to win, answer the following question: What is the name of China Crisis’ first album. Answers, including your name and address and which tickets you would like, to laura.davis@liverpool.com by 12pm on Thursday.
