Nine Below Zero

Nine Below Zero

Nine Below Zero are a UK blues group formed in South London in 1977. The band is centred on Dennis Greaves, who plays guitar and sings, and Mark Feltham on harmonica, with later line-ups also including Gerry McAvoy, Brendan O'Neill, Brian Bethell, Alan Glen and Paul Jordanous. Their core sound sits between blues rock and mod revival, with a strong emphasis on blues and rhythm and blues.

Formation and early years

The band begins as Stans Blues Band, formed by Dennis Greaves and Mark Feltham with Pete Clark on bass and Kenny Bradley on drums, after Greaves recruits Feltham from Tulse Hill. In the late 1970s they play pubs in South London, then win a place on the main London circuit through dates at venues such as Dingwalls, The Music Machine and The Rock Garden. The group takes its final name, Nine Below Zero, after manager Mickey Modern persuades them to change from Stans Blues Band.

The band’s early development takes place in a punk-era climate, but they keep a blues-based approach and gain attention from both punk and R&B audiences. Their first breakthrough comes from a January 1979 Dingwalls booking, after which they move into regular London gigging and build a reputation through a relentless live schedule.

Recordings and releases

With Mickey Modern managing them, Nine Below Zero record a demo that becomes the basis for the Pack Fair and Square EP. The EP appears on A&M Records, initially through Mickey’s own M&L label, and its tracks receive strong radio play despite the band having no hit single. This leads to heavy touring and wider recognition.

The band records Live at the Marquee in 1980, their first album and a live document of the group at that point. Their first studio album, Don’t Point Your Finger, follows in 1981 and includes more self-written material than the debut. Glyn Johns produces the record, which enters the charts and helps the band secure support slots with The Who and The Kinks.

Other early releases include Third Degree, described as one of the band’s most under-rated albums and featuring “11+11”, and a shelved West Sussex recording from the same period. After the band reforms in the 1990s, they release On the Road Again on China Records in 1991, Off the Hook, Hot Music for a Cold Night, Ice Station Zero and Refrigerator. They also form Zed Records in 1997 and use it to issue Covers, then license their back catalogue from A&M to Zed. Later releases include the acoustic album Chilled and Hats Off, recorded at Konk Studios in London.

Members and changes in line-up

Brian Bethell joins after an audition run in 1981, replacing Pete Clark on bass. Mickey “Stix” Burkey later replaces Kenny Bradley on drums. Mark Feltham builds a session reputation during the band’s split in the 1980s, including work with Rory Gallagher, before returning. Dennis Greaves works with the band Truth during the break, while Brian Bethell later plays with the Blow Monkeys and Stix moves into management and equipment hire.

In 1990 the band’s anniversary show at the Town and Country Club sells out and leads to a full reunion. Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neill, leaving Rory Gallagher’s band, join the later incarnation after contact through Feltham. Mark Feltham then leaves in 1992 because of health problems, and Alan Glen steps in on harmonica. Glen had won the Hohner Harmonica Player of the Year in 1985 and had also played with B.B. King, Johnny Winter and Albert Collins. He later leaves in 1995 and is replaced by Billy Boy from Ireland. Feltham returns in 2001.

Live work and collaborations

Nine Below Zero develop a reputation as a hard-working live band. They tour heavily across the UK and Europe, headline the Hammersmith Odeon in 1980, and appear on Old Grey Whistle Test, The South Bank Show and The Young Ones. They support The Who and The Kinks, tour with Sting in Europe in 1993, and play with Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall in 1994. That same period brings touring with Ray Davies, Brian May, Allanah Miles and Alvin Lee.

The band also appears at major blues events, including the Colne British Blues Festival, Pistoia Blues in Italy and Bangol Blues Festival in France. They tour Bangladesh with the British Council, present themselves as blues ambassadors, and play in Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and the Baltic states.

Style and legacy

Throughout their career, Nine Below Zero keep a sound rooted in blues, rhythm and blues and blues rock, with a strong live emphasis and a link to mod revival. Their recordings often combine cover material with original songs, and later albums increase the amount of self-written material. The band remains active from 1977 to the present.