Album: 5000 Volts
Artist: 5000 Volts
1976 Philips Records / 2014 Big Break Records (marketed and distributed by Cherry Red Records)
LP: 9109-215 / CD: HSR011

Martin Jay: vocals
Tina Charles: vocals (1, 6, ?)
Linda Kelly: vocals (?, 3, 4, 5?, 8-15)
Kevin Wells: drums
Martin Cohen: bass, vocals
Mike Nelson: keys
Geoff Downes: keys (3)

Producer: Tony Eyers
Engineer: Larry Bartiett
Photo: Peter Schommertz
Cover design: Jurgen Schug

CD reissue produced by Wayne A Dickson
Associate producers: Malcolm McKenzie/Christian John Wikane
Repertoire research by Dickson
Remastered by Dickson
Liner notes by Stephen Schnee
Booklet designed by Paul Bevoir


Tracks:
1. "I'm on Fire" [Eyers] (2:39)
2. "Look Out - I'm Coming" [Eyers] (3:46)
3. "Doctor Kiss-Kiss" [Eyers] (3:08)
4. "The Late Late Show" [Nelson] (3:32)
5. "Thunderfire" [Jay/Cohen/Wells] (4:14)
6. "Bye Love" [Gianco/Arouh/Eyers] (3:31)
7. "Motion Man" [Eyers] (3:55)
8. "Take Me Back" [Eyers] (3:10)
9. "One Stop Baby" [Eyers] (3:42)
10. "Light the Flame of Love" [Eyers] (3:30)
11. "Come Hear the Music" [Jay/Cohen/Wells] (3:33)
12. "Give That Loving to Me" [Jay/Cohen/Wells] (2:50)

CD bonus tracks:
13. "(Walkin' on a) Love Cloud" [Eyers] (3:35)
14. "Can't Stop Myself From Loving You" [Vanda/Young] (3:39)
15. "You're Looking Good" [Vanda/Young] (4:01)
16. "Still on Fire (Instrumental)" [Eyers] (2:41)



Notes: 5000 Volts were formed by Martin Jay and Tina Charles. Charles is a key figure in the early history of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. They both joined her live band, and Horn dated her for a period. However, that's not the link in this instance. Charles and Jay, both established session singers, had been in a band Northern Lights together. They reunited as Airbus, releasing "Fly Away" b/w "Susanna in the Summer", produced by Tony Eyers, in 1974 to some success in Europe. In 1975, they followed that with "Bye Love", backed with "I'm on Fire". This single was released on Phonogram in West Germany (1975), but it was the b-side that did well with DJs. Phillips signed the band for a UK release, putting "I'm on Fire" as the a-side and "Bye Love" as the b-side (Philips Records 6006-464) and giving the band a new name, 5000 Volts. This single was released Jul or Sep (reports vary) 1975 and reached #4 in the UK, #1 in West Germany, Belgium and Sweden, #5 in Australia (where the b-side was (16)) and the Netherlands, and #10 in South Africa. It made, in Oct, #26 in the US (where it was competing against a version of the song by US singer Jim Gilstrap, which made #78). The band was expanded to a 5-piece, adding Kevin Wells (drums), Martin Cohen (bass, vocals), Mike Nelson (keys). Wells and Cohen had also been in Northern Lights. However, there were contractual nightmares that meant Charles was not credited and promo for the song, including an appearance on Top of the Pops, was done with Luan Peters lip-synching instead of Charles.

(6) b/w (2) was released as a second single (Philips Records 6006-501) in Jan 1976, but failed to make much impact (#17 in Belgium). (7) b/w (6) was released in Europe (Feb 1976; Philips Records 6006-509) and made #24 in West Germany. The band had a tour booked for West Germany in 1976. Meanwhile, Charles' own solo career took off and she left the band in acrimonious circumstances. The tour had to be cancelled. But the band continued, bringing in Linda Kelly to replace Charles. They released another single, "Doctor Kiss-Kiss" b/w "Thunderfire" (Philips Records 6006-533), in Jun 1976, which made #8 in the UK, #6 in South Africa, #24 in the Netherlands, #30 in Belgium and #45 in Australia. And this is where Geoff Downes comes in. As he explained in an Aug 2021 tweet:
I was in another band with bass player Martin Cohen at the time who put me forward for a session with producer Tony Eyers. I recorded the keys on Dr. Kiss Kiss with Linda Kelly on vocals. My 1st hit!
He added in a second tweet: "In fact, the original 5000 Volts keyboard player Mike Nelson had already left, so I was drafted in to finish off the track (uncredited)."

The album had been released in Mar 1976. Further singles from it in various markets followed at the end of 1976 (10 b/w 9 Philips Records 6006-550, 2 b/w 9 Philips Records 6006-553, 8 b/w 11 Philips Records 6006-550). New material came out in 1977: 13 b/w 4 (Philips Records 6006-567) and 14 b/w 15 (Philips Records 6006-584) were released as singles in Apr and Sep respectively. But the band fell apart. Jay's attempt at a solo career was unsuccessful and he returned to a session role.

Various other acts covered "Doctor Kiss-Kiss" in 1976-8, but there were also two Greek covers in the '90s. (HP, 25 Aug 21)
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