Pool Of Sound - Supercharge

Liverpool born Albie Donnelly was a singer/saxophonist and bandleader who began his career in London as a session musician playing on recordings by Bob Geldof and the 'Boomtown Rats', Graham Parker and many others. In 1973 'Supercharge', a local 'super group' of some of the best R&B skilled musicians from Liverpool in the late 1960s were formed by Albie Donnelly (born Albert Edward Donnelly on the 12th of August 1947 in Huyton) and Dave Irving (born David Geddes Irving on the 18th of  November 1946 in Crosby), after they had both left the 'In Crowd' cabaret band. They soon built up quite a cult following in Liverpool at 'The Sportsman' in St John's Precinct, a popular pub on Sunday and later on Monday nights and also at the 'Dove and Olive' in Speke.
Original members included Donnelly as band leader, vocalist, and tenor saxophonist, Ozzie Yue on lead guitar and vocals, Allen 'Gaz' Gaskell on tenor sax, guitar, harmonica, and vocals, Alan Peters on trumpet, flugelhorn and vocals, Bob Robertson on guitar, tenor baritone and vocals), Pete Newton on bass guitar, Tony Dunmore  on bass and Dave Irving  on drums.
'Supercharge' were possibly one of the most exciting and adventurous bands performing in Liverpool at this time since 'The Beatles', and had quickly established themselves as a major player on the UK college and university circuit. Their first album 'Between Music and Madness', which was locally produced by Stag Music and recorded at Abbot Sound studios in Chester, soon followed. The initial run of 1,000 copies sold out quickly but the album for some reason was not re-pressed.

At The Sportsman, Liverpool

Around 1975, in an attempt to attract a major record offer, they began to gig regularly on the London live circuit at venues such as the Hope and Anchor, Islington, the Nashville Rooms and the Marquee Club. This resulted in them being signed by Virgin records with whom they had a No.3 hit in Australia with their 1976 single, 'You've Gotta Get Up and Dance'. It was also in Australia that their first album, 'Local Lads Make Good' went gold, resulting in a number of successful major tours with a version of the band that included Les Karski on guitar.
Their wild on (and off) stage show had made them a sensation on the club and college circuit and their live UK gigs often featured celebrated live sound engineer Chrys Lindop, and included the infamous comedy track 'She Moved The Dishes First', which Donnelly claims they wrote so they could mess about a bit while the band were replacing broken guitar strings. This track also achieved notoriety when it was picked up and played regularly by Radio Caroline.
Meanwhile, back in the UK, although their record sales were disappointing, 'Supercharge' still managed to achieve a reputation as one of the UK's best live bands which saw them providing the opening set at the 1976 Hyde Park Festival for 'Queen'.

A brick in The Cavern wall

However, it was becoming clear to Donnelly that Virgin did not really know what to do with them, despite them being a killer band live, and they eventually parted company sometime during the punk era and the band went back to the college-circuit, where their 'mad' show caused a sensation. Their next step was to invade Europe, at which stage band members, Gaz Gaskell, Bob Hardy, Mick Kearns & Stephen Grant left, later to form 'Juke'. 'Supercharge' then hooked up with manager 'Memo' Rhein who took the band after extensive touring to the 'high society';  Tina Onassis' wedding (Groovers In Paris), Parties for Gunter Sachs at St.Moritz and Adnan Kashoggi were the highlights of those years. Ironically months later the 'Local Lads Make Good' album went gold in Australia. This led to Donnelly taking a scratch band to do the hit tour in Australia much to the chagrin of the original members. It was Dave Shepley and John "Fat Ted" Lewis who helped Albie to convert 'Supercharge' into a serious part of 1990s Blues-scene. European tours with Chuck Berry and B.B. King took the band back to stadiums and big concert halls. B. B. King is quoted as saying, "Supercharge is Europe's finest Rhythm 'n' Blues Band."

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2019/07/pool-of-sound-liverpool-express.html