guyitho's video: White China - We Should Be

Formed 1981 in Dunfermline Scotland, the Band got their first lucky break by having a night on Radio 1 with Annie Nightingale, the show was recorded at the origional REL Studios in Edinburgh and the Dunfermline studio of first Skids manager Mike Douglas aka "PANO" and heard by the Managing Directors of WEA Records in London, Max Hole and Mike Heap while driving home. WEA invited the Band down to London to discuss a recording deal, at that time the oldest member of the band was 16 the youngest being 13, they were tempted with the offer of working with producer Tony Visconti, sadly they never got to meet Mr Visconti . A&M Records contacted the band wanting to meet at a Police concert in Edinburgh Playhouse to sign a record contract, the offer of a support slot to the Police on the next tour was offered as an addition, at the time the band had wanted to sign to A&M but the bands manager talked them out of signing as he had other offers. Peter Powell of Radio 1 heard early demos of the Band, he then Invited them to do 4 live tracks on a session for Radio 1 late 1983, and to appear for the first time live on tv on his show "The Oxford Roadshow" ORS 84 which was filmed in Manchester. The bands first tour was support act for Rock Band Big Country. - Early 1984 White China signed a record breaking major production deal with Island Records and Stiff Music in the UK, an American Deal with MCA was complete by the middle of that year. It became quickly obvious to the Band that things werent all they could be, after spending 6 days in RAK Studios in London with Steve Brown as producer and Pete Glenister as co-producer, "Real World" the first single, was delivered to Dave Robinson owner of Stiff Music and now MD of Island Records. Robinson wasnt happy with what he heard so, he asked Steve Brown to remix the song at Wessex Studios in London, but again he didnt like what he heard. Robinson then had the single remixed a further 17 times with various producers and different studios, the final version being done in Rockfield, Wales with Julian Mendelsohn as producer, Robinson was heard in conversation stating, the success other artists like U2, Bob Marley, Frankie Goes to Hollywood were having on Island meant he had to delay the Bands debut single, due to no staff being available to push the band to radio and tv. The Band werent happy with his decisions or this version of "Real World" and let Dave Robinson know in no uncertain terms, it appeared at that time Julian Mendelsohn was the prefered producer in Robinsons eyes, but on his first efforts the Band didnt want to work with him, Peter Powel of Radio 1 agreed that the Bands efforts with Steve Brown were by far a better version. The tapes were then sneaked up to Scotland for Neil Ross at REL studios in Edinburgh to remix and complete a 12" version, Neils remix was considered good by the Band and management, he had origionally produced the Bands demos that had attracted so much attention from various major labels, but again Dave Robinson rejected this version. At this point producer Martin Rushent stepped in, he was willing to do a new version of "Real World" at his Genetic Studios, Goring on Thames, this session didnt better that of the first Version by Steve Brown, but an experience the band would never forget and would like to thank him for!!, thanks to Martin the band found a studio and environment that suited them, somewhere they returned to for a further 5 months of recordings.