signs of change
Despite negotiations, the band turned down several offers of contracts with record companies, the band announced instead their intention to make their own record, to be ready by Christmas. This was quite a radical move at that time, and was in the independent spirit that had arisen with the New Wave movement. Although ATF were musically far from the punk sound that was all around them, they were not averse to setting up their own label, and distributing their own product.
Late in 1977, the band went into ICC Studios in Eastbourne, to record Signs Of Change, producing and engineering the record themselves. The resulting album had the following running order:
side one
Dance Of The Marionette
Back To The Light
Now That I've Found
side two
Signs Of Change
Jigs
Pilgrim
The whole project had been self funded, and after pressing 4,000 copies of the album, the band were £4,500 in debt. Initially scheduled for release in December '77, with 1000 advanced orders, the band had great hopes of the album. Andy hoped it would generate some much needed income:
"We can't afford to go forward because we need another investment of £10,000 in lights and rig and truck. We can't afford to stop because we already have a debt of £4,500. It's like you reach the top of a hill and you're just about to go over it and your back wheels start slipping."
Enthusiastically, Buzz gave major coverage to the anticipated release of the new album, including a picture of a bass wielding Nick Battle on the cover of the December edition, and a four page article within. Additionally, the band took out a full page advert to promote the album.
Tour dates January and February were announced, beginning in Danbury, Jan 14th, and ending in Bolton on Feb 27th - including another gig at the Marquee on Jan 30th. Further ads for the new album appear in the press.
Buzz readers voted ATF equal first with, Larry Norman, as the most appreciated live artist or group during 1977.
In February, Nick Battle leaves the band, and joins Fish Co. He is temporarily replaced by ex-Narnian Tim Hatwell, and for a short while the band was more Narnia than ATF. Hatwell only stayed to fulfill some outstanding bookings, and the band continued once again as a three piece:
Peter Banks (vocals, keyboards)
Andy Piercy (vocals, guitars)
Ivor Twidell (drums)
Much to the embarrassment of the band, especially after so much publicity in December and January, the new album's release had to be delayed because of problems with the pressing company. The band set up their own label, Rapid Records, based in Colchester, to market the album, which finally appeared in March '78. It was only available on vinyl and by mail order, though it slowly found itself into the record racks of some Christian bookshops.
Rapid RR 001
Review copies of the album were sent to the major music papers, and the album was generally well received. In Sounds, the reviewer, in the midst of Punk Rock/New Wave explosion, clearly found the album a puzzle, but nevertheless worthy of credit:
"A very interesting album from this unusual quartet. The demon comparison forces me to refer you to ELP moog-boogie, marching Genesis, and bands like Badger and Flash for points of similarity. The main difference being that After The Fire are strong enough to include these likeness's and still emerge as After The Fire."
After describing what he thought was the high-point of the album - the song Pilgrim, he concluded:
"A very dodgy area to work in, but After The Fire's dynamism and intelligence make it succeed."
The Christian magazine, Mustard Seed, were even more encouraging:
"Different styles can be recognised within the band's music, but the overall sound is something unique - a situation very few Christian bands find themselves in, most of them being stereotyped and years out of date.
Without their unique sound, After The Fire would stand little chance in the competitive secular music world in which they are involved."
Reviewing the album for Buzz, writer Les Bruce said:
"Pete Banks' keyboard virtuosity has a superbly sound foundation in Nick Battle's bass and Ivor Twidell's drums, and Andy Piercy's incisive guitar work and almost Ian Gillan-like voice completes the foursome. "
It's genuine rock for the clubs, with a dash of folk thrown in ... There's a slight lack of spaciousness on the recording at times, but that can be excused."
A most exciting first disc, then, from a group who deserve all the support fellow-Christians can give them."
Signs Of Change had reportedly sold 2,000 copies within a month of its release, and the band were considering a possible single release. Tracks from it were played on Radio One and London's Capital Radio. The band were so pleased with the reviews, that they reprinted extracts from them in an advert, which they proudly placed in the June edition of Buzz under the heading "Need We Say More?"
