Band Line-Up: Steve Overland (Vocals, Guitar), Merv Goldsworthy (Bass), Pete Jupp (Drums), Jem Davis (Keyboar
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FM Band line-up: Steve Overland (vocals, guitar), Merv Goldsworthy (bass), Pete Jupp (drums), Jem Davis (keyboards) and Jim Kirkpatrick (guitar) Comprising the ex-Samson pair of bassist Merv Goldsworthy and drummer Pete Jupp; the Overland brothers – vocalist/guitarist Steve and lead guitarist Chris - both formerly of Wildlife; plus the keyboard talents of Philip Manchester (AKA sci-fi nutcase Didge Digital), FM's first public appearance in the UK on Valentine’s Day of 1985 was swiftly followed by the release of their début album, INDISCREET. FM hit the road in Europe supporting the likes of Tina Turner, Foreigner, Gary Moore, Status Quo and the white-hot Bon Jovi on the ‘Slippery When Wet’ tour. For the next 12 years FM consolidated their position at the forefront of British melodic rock, touring everywhere they could to promote releases such as TOUGH IT OUT, APHRODISIAC and TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS. By 1995 when FM released DEAD MAN'S SHOES Chris Overland and Didge Digital had gone their separate ways to be replaced by Andy Barnett and Jem Davis. In 1996 however, with 'grunge' fever sweeping the world, the band decided to call it a day... until October 2007, when FM played together again for the first time in 12 years, headlining a sold-out Firefest IV at Nottingham Rock City. The reaction to this one-off appearance ensured that FM swiftly decided to make the reunion a permanent fixture but with Andy Barnett unable to commit long- term the band were forced to seek out a new guitarist. Cue Jim Kirkpatrick who made his FM live début at Winstanley College in March 2009, followed by a return headline spot at Firefest VI the following October, as well as playing on the WILDSIDE EP released that same month. "Wildside" set the scene for FM's first new album in 15 years. The highly-acclaimed METROPOLIS (released March 2010) spawned singles "Hollow" and "Bring Back Yesterday" which found the band playlisted on many radio stations worldwide, not least on the UK's biggest station - BBC Radio 2. FM played to packed houses across the UK throughout 2010 culminating with main stage appearances at Download in June and Hard Rock Hell IV in December. 2011 saw FM return to many overseas strongholds of years gone by – headline shows in Holland and Spain; a show with D-A-D in Portugal; Sweden Rock; Graspop in Belgium; dates with Journey and Foreigner in Germany, Belfast and Dublin, and the guys were honoured to be invited back to play at Download for a second time. In January 2012 FM headlined the Sunday night Rock Stage at the Great British Rock & Blues Festival in Skegness and during March they staged three special concerts in Glasgow, Manchester and London to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the release of their début album INDISCREET. These shows saw FM play INDISCREET live in its entirety for the first time ever as part of a full show. FM ended the year as Special Guests on Thin Lizzy's Nov/Dec UK tour. www.fmofficial.com FM FM released their seventh studio album ROCKVILLE on 11 March 2013 via Membran, followed by the release on 25 March of companion album ROCKVILLE II. On 15 March the band set off on their UK tour with Special Guests It Bites, Vega and Serpentine, culminating with their return to London Shepherd's Bush Empire for the final night of the tour on 23 March 2013. With barely time to catch their breath FM released the DVD INDISCREET 25 LIVE at the beginning of April 2013 and headed off to Rotherham for the inaugural HRH AOR festival where on 06 April 2013 they shared the stage with other luminaries of the genre Tesla, Danny Vaughn and more, including past tour-mates Romeo's Daughter and Vega. In June 2013 FM joined TOTO, Survivor and Rick Springfield on the bill for German festival HiRock at Inzell and on 27 July the band appeared as Special Guests at Planet Rock's Steelhouse Festival in Wales followed the next day by a sell-out headline show at The River Rooms in Stourbridge with Special Guest Toby Jepson. In December Toby Jepson returned as Special Guest for FM's final headline appearance of the year at a packed-out The Box in Crewe and the band ended the year with a set on the main stage at Planet Rock Radio's Planet Rockstock festival. Tracks from the ROCKVILLE albums were playlisted on radio stations worldwide throughout 2013, including "Story Of My Life" on BBC Radio 2, "Bad Addiction" on Planet Rock and "Crosstown Train" on Bloodstock Radio and Hard Rock Nights. Closing 2013, "Better Late Than Never" was added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist from 26 December 2013. 2014 will be another busy year for FM… Currently writing and recording for their next album, they started the year with a set at the Giants of Rock festival in Minehead on 8 February. FM then toured the UK with Foreigner and Europe during March / April 2014, with further European dates alongside Foreigner in Belgium and France. Following the Foreigner tour FM head straight out for a series of headline shows in Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Portugal, taking them into May. A new EP entitled FUTURAMA was released on 31 March to coincide with these live dates. The latter half of 2014 features the start of FM's 30th Anniversary celebrations, which will see the band headlining Cambridge Rock Festival on 9 August preceded the day before by a show at Warehouse23 in Wakefield, followed by a UK tour in November. www.fmofficial.com.