Arrows (British band)

{{About|the British 1970s group|other bands of that name|Arrow (disambiguation)#Groups_and_labels}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = The Arrows

| image =

| alias =

| origin = London, England

| genre = Pop, glam rock

| years_active = 1974–1977

| label = RAK

| associated_acts = Little Free Rock
Darling
Vodka Collins
Mickie Most
Runner

| website =

| 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.{{cite book

| last = Harry

| first = Bill

| title = Arrows : The Official Story

| publisher = Everest Books

| year = 1976

| isbn = 0-903925-61-3}} They recorded the original version of Merrill's{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/alan-merrill-tells-the-story-of-i-love-rock-n-roll-in-his-final-guitar-world-interview|title=Alan Merrill tells the story of I Love Rock 'n' Roll in his final Guitar World interview|date=31 March 2020}} song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", later covered by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

Career

The first manager of The Arrows was Peter Meaden, who had also managed The Who in the early 1960s.{{cite web|url=http://alanmerrill.tumblr.com/post/36812577105/king-of-the-mods-peter-meaden|title=King Of The Mods, Peter Meaden|website=Alanmerrill.tumblr.com|access-date=27 August 2018}} He came up with the band's name, which originates from The Who's logo, with the arrow pointing up.

=Early recordings=

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(A).html|title=South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (A)|first=Brian|last=Currin|website=Rock.co.za|access-date=27 August 2018}}

The band's second single "Toughen Up" made number 51 in the UK chart in 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Toughen+Up+by+Arrows&id=132141|title=Toughen Up (song by Arrows) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=27 August 2018}}

That year Arrows won the Golden Lion award (Belgium) in the "best new band" category{{cite web|url=http://alanmerrill.tumblr.com/post/39427829851/the-arrows-enduring-legacy-from-bill-harrys|title=The Arrows Enduring Legacy - From Bill Harry's "Rock N Pop Shop"|website=Alanmerrill.tumblr.com|access-date=27 August 2018}} 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=

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.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29568083 "Ten hits you may not know were cover versions"]. BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2014

The band's only US TV appearance was on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in February 1975.{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/don-kirshners-rock-concert/february-8-1975-sparks-stampeders-bill-wyman-arrows-videos-2680556/|title=Don Kirshner's Rock Concert: February 8, 1975: Sparks / Stampeders / Bill Wyman / Arrows (videos)|website=TV.com|access-date=27 August 2018}} They played their UK hits, "Touch Too Much" and "Toughen Up".

=Post activity=

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,{{cite web|url=http://www.alanmerrill.com/pages/press/_filebin/Untitled-1.jpg|format=JPG|title=Photographic image|website=Alanmerrill.com|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031550/http://www.alanmerrill.com/pages/press/_filebin/Untitled-1.jpg|url-status=dead}} is currently with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings band.{{cite web|url=http://billwyman.com/2014/01/rhythm-kings-terry-taylor-releases-debut-taylor-made-solo-album/|title=Rhythm Kings' Terry Taylor releases debut 'Taylor Made' solo album Bill Wyman|website=Billwyman.com|access-date=27 August 2018}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaglXseaud8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/aaglXseaud8 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Arrows, Moving Next Door To You, Homes Under The Hammmer|date=5 June 2015|access-date=27 August 2018|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7HmgVWTCaU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/f7HmgVWTCaU |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Arrows, We Can Make It Together, Homes Under The Hammer BBC|last=Alan Merrill|date=8 May 2017|access-date=27 August 2018|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://wmg.jp/artist/arrows/WPCR000016200.html |title=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 |access-date=23 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115135148/http://wmg.jp/artist/arrows/WPCR000016200.html |archive-date=15 November 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

The Arrows founding band members Paul Varley (1952 – 2008),{{cn|date=August 2024}} Jake Hooker (1953 – 2014){{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/jake-hooker-dies/|title=Jake Hooker, Co-Author of 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll,' Dies at 61|website=Ultimate Classic Rock}} and Alan Merrill (1951 – 2020){{cite news|title=Alan Merrill, a Songwriter of 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll,' Dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/arts/music/alan-merrill-dead-coronavirus.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 30, 2020|last=Sisario|first=Ben|access-date=March 30, 2020}} are all deceased.

Discography

=Album=

First Hit (1976), Rak Records

==Archival releases==

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=

Year !A-side !B-side !Label !Other
class="wikitable sortable"
1974	"Touch Too Much" (Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman)	"We Can Make It Together" (Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker)	RAK 171	(UK number 8){{cite book \| first= David \| last= Roberts \| year= 2006 \| title= British Hit Singles & Albums \| edition= 19th \| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited \| location= London \| isbn= 1-904994-10-5 \| page= 30}}
1974	"Toughen Up" (Nicky Chinn / Mike Chapman)	"Diesel Locomotive Dancer" (Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker)	RAK 182	(UK number 54){{Efn\|Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers List".\|name=fn2\|group=upper-alpha}}
1975	"My Last Night with You" (Roger Ferris)	"Movin' Next Door To You" (Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker)	RAK 189	(UK number 25)
1975	"Broken Down Heart" (Roger Ferris)	"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"{{efn\|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.\|name=writingcredit\|group=upper-alpha}} (Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker)	RAK 205	{{cite web\|url=https://www.45cat.com/record/rak205\|title=Arrows - Broken Down Heart\|website=45cat.com\|access-date=27 August 2018}}
1975	"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"{{efn\|name=writingcredit\|group=upper-alpha}} (Alan Merrill / Jake Hooker)	"Broken Down Heart" (Roger Ferris)	RAK 205	{{cite web\|url=https://www.discogs.com/Arrows-I-Love-Rock-N-Roll/release/9447978\|title=Arrows (2) - I Love Rock N Roll\|website=Discogs.com\|access-date=27 August 2018}}
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 =

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

\|Song ! \|Writer(s) ! \|Time ! \|Producer ! \|Album ! \|Year ! \|Other
class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:0.5em auto; clear: both; text-align: left; width:100%"
"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{{efn\|name=writingcredit\|group=upper-alpha}}	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==

Song ! Writer(s) ! Original artist ! Album ! Year ! Other
class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:0.5em auto; clear: both; text-align: left; width:100%"
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==

Song ! Writer(s) ! First artist ! Name ! Album ! Year ! Other
class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:0.5em auto; clear: both; text-align: left; width:100%"
I Love Rock 'n' Roll	Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker{{efn\|name=writingcredit\|group=upper-alpha}} \| 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

External links

{{discogs artist|Arrows (2)|Arrows}}
[http://www.arrowsfan.co.uk/ Arrows fan site]
[http://www.the-aleecat.com/The_Arrows_Show.html The Arrows Show]
[http://the-aleecat.com/Arrows_Index.html The Arrows unofficial website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716215254/http://the-aleecat.com/Arrows_Index.html |date=16 July 2011 }}
[http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/arrows/ Arrows in the UK charts]

Category:1974 establishments in England

Category:1977 disestablishments in England

Category:English pop music groups

Category:English glam rock groups

Category:Pop music groups from London

Category:Glam rock groups from London

Category:Musical groups established in 1974

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1977

Category:Rak Records artists

Song ! Writer(s) ! Original artist ! Album ! Year ! Other
class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:0.5em auto; clear: both; text-align: left; width:100%"
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