If you were a chart buff like me, and devoured Smash Hits and Record Mirror like I did, then you'll remember all those songs and bands you used to read about but never heard. White & Torch was one of those bands.
The only place to hear things like that was the David Jensen show on Radio 1. Post Peter Powell and pre-John Peel, it was the soundtrack to homework, and while not much work was done ears were fully engaged to hear exciting new music that you could like before anyone else did, which was incredibly important in those days. You were there from the start. Jenson would usually be way ahead of the game. For some people it was John Peel, but he was too late night for me at that age, and I preferred to go to sleep with Radio Luxembourg fading in and out.
On the erstwhile Kid's show you'd hear all sorts of things you'd never hear in daytime, usually stuff from the indie charts like Placebo (not that one), The Mood, the Pale Fountains, Haysi Fantayzee, the Higsons, the Farmers Boys, Mari Wilson and basically anything on Cherry Red records or that wasn't Adrian Gurvitz.
Some things might eventually get into the Top 40, while some foundered in the bottom reaches of the Top 75. Other never made it out of the indie charts. My record collection is brimming with these non-hits, the ones that got away but which still have a special place in my heart.
Anyway, this song is one of those songs, a sweeping, epic Walker Brothers homage that should have been a massive hit. If Midge Ure could hit paydirt with No Regrets then why not this?
I'm reminded of this because I heard it on the radio the other day. Except it wasn't White & Torch it was... Welsh X Factor nutjob Rhydian!. Well, the White & Torch revival starts here.
