Arrows (British band)

British American band

This article is about the British 1970s group. For other bands of that name, see Arrow (disambiguation) § Groups and labels.

The Arrows

Origin| London, England
Genres| Pop, glam rock
Years active| 1974–1977
Labels| RAK
Past members| Alan Merrill
Jake Hooker
Paul Varley
Terry Taylor

The Arrows were a band based in London, England. The group, which formed in 1974 and disbanded in 1977, included American singer/bassist Alan Merrill, American guitarist Jake Hooker and English drummer Paul Varley (who had replaced Clive Williams relatively early in the band's history). They had UK chart hit singles in 1974 and 1975 with "Touch Too Much" and "My Last Night with You", produced by Mickie Most on RAK Records.[1] They recorded the original version of Merrill's[2] song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", later covered by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

## Career

[edit]

The first manager of The Arrows was Peter Meaden, who had also managed The Who in the early 1960s.[3] He came up with the band's name, which originates from The Who's logo, with the arrow pointing up.

### Early recordings

[edit]

The Arrows highest reaching chart hit was "Touch Too Much" in 1974 which went to number 2 in the South African charts and was in the top 20 there for 15 weeks.[4]

The band's second single "Toughen Up" made number 51 in the UK chart in 1974.[5] That year Arrows won the Golden Lion award (Belgium) in the "best new band" category[6] and performed at the ceremonies on Belgian television.

Eamonn Carr of later Freddie + The Dreamers/St Cecilia fame toured as piano/keys player for The Arrows live performances.

### Broadcasting

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The Arrows had two 14-week television shows in the UK called Arrows in 1976 and 1977, which were broadcast on Granada Television and produced by Muriel Young. They are the only band to have two weekly TV series and no records released during the run of either series; a result of a conflict between the band's manager Ian Wright of the M.A.M. Agency, and the group's mentor/producer Mickie Most. Each series consisted of 14 shows, 30 minutes in length. There were 28 shows broadcast in total. Their final single, "Once Upon a Time", was released one month before the first show of their first series in 1976. Joan Jett became aware of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" while on tour with her band the Runaways in England in 1976 and saw the group perform the song on their weekly show.[7]

The band's only US TV appearance was on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in February 1975.[8] They played their UK hits, "Touch Too Much" and "Toughen Up".

### Post activity

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Beatles' biographers and editor of 1960s British invasion bible Mersey Beat, Bill Harry wrote his first published book about the Arrows, Arrows : The Official Story, published on Everest books in 1976.

Terry Taylor who joined the band in the autumn of 1976 for the band's second weekly TV series,[9] is currently with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings band.[10]

The Arrows song "Moving Next Door to You" (composed by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker) was used on the BBC1 TV show Homes Under the Hammer series 18, episode 70.[11] The song was the B-side of "My Last Night with You", produced by Mickie Most in 1975. After that, the BBC TV show used the Arrows song "We Can Make It Together" in series 19, episode 53,[12] the b-side of the band's single "Touch Too Much".

The Arrows album First Hit was reissued in Japan on 11 March 2015, with bonus tracks on Warner Brothers Japan.[13]

The Arrows founding band members Paul Varley (1952–2008),[citation needed] Jake Hooker (1953–2014)[14] and Alan Merrill (1951–2020)[15] are all deceased.

## Discography

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### Album

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* First Hit (1976), Rak Records

#### Archival releases

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* 1998 First Hit (reissue with bonus tracks) – CD
* 2001 Singles Collection Plus
* 2002 Tawny Tracks
* 2004 A's B's and Rarities
* 2015 First Hit (Japanese reissue with bonus tracks)

### Singles

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Year | A-side | B-side | Label | Other

|
|
|
|

1974 | "Touch Too Much"
(Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman) | "We Can Make It Together"
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | RAK 171 | (UK number 8)[16]
1974 | "Toughen Up"
(Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman) | "Diesel Locomotive Dancer"
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | RAK 182 | (UK number 54)[A]
1975 | "My Last Night with You"
(Roger Ferris) | "Movin' Next Door To You"
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | RAK 189 | (UK number 25)[16]
1975 | "Broken Down Heart"
(Roger Ferris) | "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"[B]
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | RAK 205 | [17]
1975 | "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"[B]
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | "Broken Down Heart"
(Roger Ferris) | RAK 205 | [18]
1975 | "Hard Hearted"
(Roger Ferris) | "My World Is Turning On Love"
(Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker) | RAK 218 |
1976 | "Once Upon A Time"
(Bill Martin / Phil Coulter) | "Boogiest Band In Town"
(Bill Martin / Phil Coulter) | RAK 231 |

### List of songs

[edit]

The following is a sortable table of all songs by Arrows:

Song  | Writer(s)  | Time  | Producer  | Album  | Year  | Other

|
|
|
|
|
|

"A Love Like Ours" | Alan Merrill, Terry Taylor | 4:13  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Always Another Train" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor | 5:12  | Bill Wyman | Tawny Tracks  | 1977 | unpublished
"At The Candy Shop" | Alan Merrill, Bill Wyman | 4:13  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Baby Doll" | Alan Merrill, Bill Wyman | 3:06  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Bam Bam Battering Ram" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker |  | Mickie Most | A's, B's, and Rarites  | 1974 | published in 2004
"Basing Street Leslie" | Alan Merrill, Paul Varley, Tetsu Yamauchi | 2:06  | Bill Wyman | Tawny Tracks  | 1977 |
"Boogiest Band In Town" | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | 3:22  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 | B-side of "Once Upon A Time"
"Bring Back The Fire" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor |  | unknown | 'A's B's & Rarities  | 1976 |
"Broken Down Heart" | Roger Ferris |  | Mickie Most |  | 1975 | B-side of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
"Cheating Woman" | Alan Merrill, A.B. David | 3:12  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Come On, Come On, Baby" | Alan Merrill | 3:29  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Dare You Not To Dance" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor | 3:08  | Bill Wyman | Tawny Tracks  | 1977 |
"Diesel Locomotive Dancer" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 2:42  | Mickie Most | First Hit (CD)  | 1974 | B-side of "Toughen Up"
"Don't Worry 'Bout Love" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 3:00  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Dreamin'" | Johnny Burnette | 2:33  | Mickie Most | A's, B's, and Rarites  | 1974 | published in 2004
"Faith In You" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor |  | unknown | A's B's & Rarities  | 1976–77 | published in 2004
"Feel So Good" | Alan Merrill | 2:55  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Feelin' this Way" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Paul Varley | 3:20  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"First Hit" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 4:22  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"French Cheating Woman" | Alan Merrill, A.B. David | 4:35  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Goodbyes Don't Bother Me" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor |  | Bill Wyman | Tawny Tracks  | 1977 | unpublished
"Gotta Be Near You" | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | 3:30  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Hard Hearted" | Roger Ferris | 3:18  | Mickie Most |  | 1975 | A-side of "My World Is Turning On Love"
"Horny Lips" | Alan Merrill | 2:42  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker[B] | 2:47  | Mickie Most | Tawny Tracks  | 1975 | A-side of "Broken Down Heart"
"International Gypsy Lovers" | Alan Merrill | 3:08  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Let Me Love You" | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | 3:22  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Love Child" | Craig McLearie, John Laurenson | 3:09  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Love Is Easy" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 3:25  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Love Rider" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker, Terry Taylor |  | unknown | A's B's & Rarities  | 1976 |
"Motor Running" | Alan Merrill | 3:05  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Movin' Next Door To You" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 2:57  | Mickie Most |  | 1975 | B-side of "My Last Night with You"
"Movin' Next Door To You" (New Version) | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker |  | Mickie Most | A's B's & Rarities  | 2004 |
"My Last Night with You" | Roger Ferris | 2:31  | Mickie Most |  | 1975 | A-side of "Movin' Next Door To You"
"My World Is Turning On Love" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 4:23  | Mickie Most | First Hit (CD)  | 1975 | B-side of "Hard Hearted"
"Once Upon A Time" | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | 4:28  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 | A-side of "Boogiest Band In Town"
"Rock N' Roll Hotel" | Alan Merrill | 3:30  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |
"Silver Stallion" | Alan Merrill | 3:07  | unknown | Walk Away Renee  | 1976 |
"Somebody to Love" | Alan Merrill | 4:04  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 1977 |
"Thanks" | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | 4:14  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"The Stranger" | Alan Merrill | 2:55  | unknown | Walk Away Renee  | 1976 |
"Touch Too Much" | Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman | 3:00  | Mickie Most |  | 1974 | A-side of "We Can Make It Together"
"Toughen Up" | Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman | 2:51  | Mickie Most | First Hit (CD)  | 1974 | A-side of "Diesel Locomotive Dancer"
"Wake Up" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker |  | Mickie Most | A's, B's, and Rarites  | 1974 | published in 2004
"Walk Away Renee" | Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, Tony Sansone | 2:43  | Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman |  | 1974 |
"We Can Make It Together" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 2:57  | Mickie Most | First Hit (CD)  | 1974 | B-side of "Touch Too Much"
"What's Come Between Us" | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker | 3:33  | Phil Coulter | First Hit (LP)  | 1976 |
"Who Done It?" | Alan Merrill | 3:07  | unknown | Tawny Tracks  | 2002 |

#### Cover versions

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Song  | Writer(s)  | Original artist  | Album  | Year  | Other

|
|
|
|
|

Boogiest Band in Town | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | Slik | Slik (CD)  | 1975 |
Dreamin' | Johnny Burnette | Johnny Burnette | Dreamin'  | 1960 |
Thanks | Bill Martin, Phil Coulter | J. Vincent Edwards | Thanks  | 1969 |
Walk Away Renee | Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, Tony Sansone  | The Left Banke | Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina | 1966 |

#### Arrow songs covered by others

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Song  | Writer(s)  | First artist  | Name  | Album  | Year  | Other

|
|
|
|
|
|

I Love Rock 'n' Roll | Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker[B] | Joan Jett & the Blackhearts | I Love Rock 'n' Roll | I Love Rock 'n Roll | 1981 |
Love Child | Craig McLearie, John Laurenson  | Craig McLearie | Love Child | Warp Factor  | 1979 |
Touch Too Much | Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman | Roman Holliday
Hello | Touch Too Much | Fire Me Up
Glam Rockers  | 1984
1996 |

## References

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1. ^ Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers List".
2. ^ a b c d I Love Rock 'n' Roll was written by Merrill alone, but credited to Merrill and Hooker. The same is true of some or all of the Arrows' B-sides.[2]

1. ^ Harry, Bill (1976). Arrows : The Official Story. Everest Books. ISBN 0-903925-61-3.
2. ^ a b "Alan Merrill tells the story of I Love Rock 'n' Roll in his final Guitar World interview". 31 March 2020.
3. ^ "King Of The Mods, Peter Meaden". Alanmerrill.tumblr.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
4. ^ Currin, Brian. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (A)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
5. ^ "Toughen Up (song by Arrows) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
6. ^ "The Arrows Enduring Legacy – From Bill Harry's "Rock N Pop Shop"". Alanmerrill.tumblr.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
7. ^ "Ten hits you may not know were cover versions". BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2014
8. ^ "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert: February 8, 1975: Sparks / Stampeders / Bill Wyman / Arrows (videos)". TV.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
9. ^ "Photographic image". Alanmerrill.com. Archived from the original (JPG) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
10. ^ "Rhythm Kings' Terry Taylor releases debut 'Taylor Made' solo album Bill Wyman". Billwyman.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
11. ^ "Arrows, Moving Next Door To You, Homes Under The Hammmer". 5 June 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2018 – via YouTube.
12. ^ Alan Merrill (8 May 2017). "Arrows, We Can Make It Together, Homes Under The Hammer BBC". Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2018 – via YouTube.
13. ^ "Arrows / アローズ「First Hit / ファースト・ヒット」｜ワーナーミュージック・ジャパン". Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
14. ^ "Jake Hooker, Co-Author of 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll,' Dies at 61". Ultimate Classic Rock.
15. ^ Sisario, Ben (30 March 2020). "Alan Merrill, a Songwriter of 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
16. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 30\. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
17. ^ "Arrows – Broken Down Heart". 45cat.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
18. ^ "Arrows (2) – I Love Rock N Roll". Discogs. Retrieved 27 August 2018.

## External links

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* Arrows discography at Discogs
* Arrows at IMDb
* Arrows fan site
* The Arrows Show
* The Arrows unofficial website Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
* Arrows in the UK charts

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data

Artists|

* MusicBrainz