THE GRIP - Teenage Bride b/w England You're Dead (7" Vinyl Rip)

The Grip knocked around the same London rock’n’roll streets as The Quire Boys and Dogs D’Amour in the late 80’s. Front man Willie Dowling was a charismatic chap with an ear for a fine tune and a face women would die for, either to have his looks or to kiss him. When they played Stevenage on one occasion I remember Willie being accosted by a rather scary local lady who had muscles some blokes would kill for, not Willie though , he was in the dressing room, hiding.
Willie also played with Chelsea and appears on their 1986 Rocks Off album. I did hear tale that he wrote most of the tunes on it, how true this is I don’t know, but it could explain the un Chelsea sound of the album, either way he also helped out on their Underwraps album in 1989. Since The Grip split in early 1990 Willie played in several bands, most notably Honey crack. Now he busies himself writing music for Films, TV Shows and Stage productions, anyway its rewind time, back to 1989 and their Teenage Bride single, a romper stomper of the glam bam thank you maam variety. Slade, The Sweet meet The Stones in a bar room lock-in with Cocksparrer climbing in through the toilet window. I prefer the b-side England Your Dead which is a right royal knees up with some mighty fine sentiments. Check out the single here if you fancy some top notch Rawk'n'Roll.