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Staa Marx were an English pop punk band from Chichester, active from 1978 until 1980. The group are best known for their single Crazy Weekend. The band was formed in 1976, under their original name, Rumage, with Martin Sims (vocals, bass), Barry Sims (vocals, vocals), Pete Macer (vocals, guitar), and Robin Parker (drums).

In 1978, having changed their name to Staa Marx, the band played the London Marquee, alongside other bands competing in the Meloday Maker Rock Contest.

released a single, Stop The Rain, written by McDermott, on the NoStrings record label owned by Nick Low and Grahame Cochrane. Low had started managing the band after seeing Popgun perform at The Venue, Glasgow, in 1982.

In 1982, Kevin McDermott (vocals/guitar) formed Glaswegian band, Popgun, with Davie McCormick (drums), and Ross Drummond (bass/vocals). They were later joined by Roddy Johnson (vocals/guitar).

In 1983, having changed their name to The Suede Crocodiles, they released a single, Stop The Rain, written by McDermott, on the NoStrings record label run by Nick Low and Grahame Cochrane. Low had started managing the band after seeing them perform at The Venue, Glasgow, in 1982.

Stop The Rain was made Single of the Week in both NME and Melody Maker.

The Suede Crocodiles joined Nick Heyward on a UK wide tour, including two sell-out gigs at the Dominion Theatre in London.

Alan Cruickshank later replaced Davie McCormick on drums, but the band split up before releasing their second single, Paint Yourself a Rainbow.

Johnson and Drummond went on to form The Forth Room, and Kevin McDermott went solo. Stop the Rain, a compilation of unreleased material, was released in 2001 on Accident Records, and re-released in 2010 on Fastcut Records.

McDermott's "swinging" Stop The Rain was described as "hook heaven" on Soundblab.

Stop The Rain was re-released on Optic Nerve Recordings in April 2022, entering in at 39 in the singles chart.

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Personal Life:

Wembley last game ... find source

In first episode of GoT

Copy for KM website - Rough
Milo Castaneda - The Kidnapper of Kevin McDermott

- Tom Morton 11 April 2021

The advent of Milo Castaneda as an alter ego to the estimable Kevin McDermott seemed initially to have its roots in copyright problems over artwork, but it quickly became apparent that Kevin was enjoying the notion of a masquerade. He had form, after all, with The Uncle Devil Show (which featured Justin Currie of Del Amitri and brother Jim) and KMO appearing on at least one occasion as The Orphans.

Did the Milo persona release Kevin into new territories, offering him the opportunity to experiment with different styles? Sort of. There was a sixties vibe and some tinges of South American salsa in the first Milo release I heard. The thing was that Sha Na Na Na…(Who Shot The) glistened with real pop potential, was beautifully played and sung, and sounded like the million dollars it probably didn’t cost to record. It received some enthusiastic radio play but was not the summer hit single it deserved to be. I still think it’s one of the best things Kevin’s done.

I’m not sure but I think Kevin was paying for all the studio time and sessions musicians himself for the Milo project, and releases were sporadic. But you could tell he had high hopes for the offspring of Carlos. Mary Don’t was an irresistible piece of 70s funk wrapped up on some Glaswegian jangle and a hooky, soaring summery chorus. Partly based on the movie The Graduate, it was another fully realised pop masterpiece which alas, didn’t get the exposure it deserved.

And you have to ask, would it have got more attention under the KMO name? Who knows? There was more to come. Guggi in the Boat was glossy, lurching reggae and based on events during Kevin’s solo trip to Australia. Manos Arriba was magnificently Latin and came with a wonderful video, while the Christmas song The Only Angel was a sketch for something potentially grand and chart-consuming. It had a great and heart-tugging video with it which I think is only available on the Milo Facebook page.

And there we have it. The short and enigmatic career of Milo Castanada. Personally, I think Kevin should capitalise with confidence on his terrific back catalogue and venture forth as himself, absorbing Milo’s excellence into his own oeuvre. A post-lockdown 12-inch EP and cassette with the Milo songs on it would undoubtedly hit various spots.

Nick Low Liner Notes Why change the name from POPGUN to The Suede Crocodiles? -"Because we've got a single coming out and The Suede Crocodiles is cool!"

The fact was that Popgun fitted Popgun and The Suede Crocodiles fitted The Suede Crocodiles - do you get my drift? Let me explain...

When I first came across Popgun they were playing the legendary Glasgow club called "The Venue" in 1982. It was packed, the band were cookin' and one fan jumped on stage after a storming version of "Happiness Sound" screaming "If four ugly guys frae Liverpool called The Battles or something can make it, then these guys can". That was it, the band consisting of Kevin McDermott (vocals/guitar), Roddy Johnson (vocals/guitar), Ross Drummond (bass/vocals) and David McCormick (drums), were on their way.

There was a buzz about music in Glasgow at that time, Postcard Records had opened some doors for Scottish bands like Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, and Nostrings was about to launch some new groups onto the scene. Popgun were pure pop, but The Suede Crocodiles were pop with an edge. The 'Crocs' core featured the songwriting talents of Kevin McDermott and Roddy Johnson, batting riffs and harmonies back and forth across the stage. The reaction to The Suede Crocodiles was instant and their Nostrings Recods release "Stop the Rain/Pleasant Dreamer" followed the label's first release del Amitri's "Sense Sickness/The Difference Is" onto radio playlists across the UK,

In 1983 one of the band's biggest admirers, ex-Haircut 100 frontman, Nick Heyward invited them to support him on his UK tour. The band gathered new fans wherever they went and after the second sellout gig at the London Dominion Theatre the audience erupted when The Crocs encored with "Stop the Rain", this version is featured on this album. The band were now being mobbed by fans and they loved it!

The following year David McCormick was replaced by Alan Cruickshank on drums and the band went into the studio to record "Paint Yourself a Rainbow", "Walking In the Light", "Perhaps Maybe (The Indecisive Song)", and the epic "Great Expectations". A second single "Paint Yourself a Rainbow" was planned but never released as the band split up due to internal tensions. The result was two bands, both called The Suede Crocodiles which continued for a few months, confusing or what! Roddy Johnson and Russ Drummond eventually formed 'The Fourth Room' named after that place one arrives at during a drug fuelled trip. Unfortunately for them they never got out of that Fourth Room and disappeared,

Kevin McDermott went solo and explored the world as an acoustic troubadour, releasing the much sought after "Suffocation Blues" LP, also for Nostrings. Then he formed the Kevin McDermott Orchestra releasing five albums to date, the latest "For Those In Peril From the Sea" available on TULA RECORDS in Scotland. A reworking of The Suede Crocodiles' "Walking In the Light" turned up on the 1991 album Glasgow.

Nick Low (Nostrings Records)

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