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RIO (English band)

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RIO
OriginHertfordshire, England
Years active1982–1987
Labels

RIO were an English rock duo formed in Hertfordshire, England by Jon Neil and Steve Rodford.

History

[edit]

RIO were formed in 1982 by Jon Neil (vocals and guitars) and Steve Rodford (keyboards, bass and drums).[1] Initially using the name Bombay, the duo released a single, "Breaking the Rules", on Food for Thought Records in 1984,[2] which featured Rodford's father, Jim Rodford, guesting on bass.[3] The single achieved radio play in the UK and reached number four on the ILA Airplay Guide (Independent Labels Airplay Action) Top 15 in mid-June 1984.[4] The interest from radio in the single resulted in the duo signing an album deal with Food for Thought Records' sister company Music for Nations in the UK and they subsequently changed their name to RIO after discovering that there was already an American band called Bombay.[5]

RIO recorded their debut album, Borderland, at their own Liverpool Road Studios and completed it at Livingston Recording Studios.[1] Borderland was released in the UK on 9 September 1985 by Music for Nations,[6] and it was also released that month by Elektra Records in the US.[7] The album spawned one single, "I Don't Wanna Be the Fool", which was released in the UK on 19 September 1985.[8] Although it failed to chart, the single achieved airplay on US radio.[1] In the UK, Borderland sold approximately 8,000 copies in the first three weeks of release.[1] It reached number 19 in the Music Week Heavy Metal Top Albums chart in October 1985 and number 18 in the Music Week Heavy Metal Indie Metal LPs chart in December 1985.[9][10] It received positive reviews, including from Paul Suter of Kerrang!, who awarded a rating of four and half stars out of five, calling it "undoubtedly the most impressive and mature LP to emerge from an indie rock label in this country" and one that is "destined for multiple platinum status in America".[11]

Shortly after the release of Borderland, the duo expanded RIO to five members, with Pat MacDonald on guitar, Ross Griggs on keyboards and Martin Wightwick on drums, for some live work.[5] For their second and final album, RIO, now reduced to a duo once again,[3] adopted a heavier sound, with Neil describing it as "much ballsier" and "more guitar orientated" than their debut.[5] As Elektra declined the option for a second album, Sex Crimes was recorded and released on a much smaller budget than Borderland.[12] Music for Nations released a single, "Atlantic Radio", from the album on 14 July 1986,[13] and Sex Crimes followed on 20 October 1986.[14][15] Derek Oliver of Kerrang! gave a mixed review, noting that beyond the "most utterly pathetic sleeve" were four songs that "could sweep RIO into the American top 20" ("Danger Zone", "Dirty Movies", "Pay for Love" and "Atlantic Radio"). He concluded that the album "sounds fine at first, wilts a little with the next couple of spins and finally collapses beneath its own inadequacies third time around".[16]

After RIO were dropped by Music for Nations, Neil and Rodford continued working together as a duo, including under the name Big Talk, where they recorded a number of demos in circa 1987 and shopped them to various record companies.[3] In 2021, RIO released a new song, "Long Way From Home", on YouTube.[17]

In 2023, Borderland was remastered and reissued by MelodicRock Classics with four bonus tracks.[18] Sex Crimes received the same treatment by the label in 2024 with three bonus tracks. The album was renamed Dangerzone and featured new artwork.[12] Rodford recalled how the duo hated the artwork and title of the original 1986 release, which had been undertaken by a design team for Music for Nations without the duo's input.[3]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

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  • Borderland (1985)
  • Sex Crimes (1986)

Singles

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  • "I Don't Wanna Be the Fool" (1985)
  • "Atlantic Radio" (1986)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Brecker, Richard (22 November 1985). "Meet Herts band RIO". Hertfordshire Mercury. p. 40.
  2. ^ Breaking the Rules (UK 7-inch vinyl single). Bombay. Food For Thought Records. 1984. YUM 105.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ a b c d "Ep. 71: Steve Rodford of Rio (UK drummer talks about his early days w/ Rio & time w/ The Zombies!)". The Jersey Guys Podcast. 25 January 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "Independent Labels: ILA Airplay Guide". Music Week. 16 June 1984. p. 28. ISSN 0265-1548.
  5. ^ a b c Reynolds, Dave (1985). "Border Line Metal". Metal Forces. No. 15. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 21 May 2025 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ "New Albums". Music Week. 7 September 1985. p. 29. ISSN 0265-1548.
  7. ^ "Reviews: Albums". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 37. Billboard Publications, Inc. 14 September 1985. p. 90. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. ^ Chris White, ed. (14 September 1985). "Tracking…". Music Week. p. 21. ISSN 0265-1548.
  9. ^ "Heavy Metal - Top Albums". Music Week. 5 October 1985. p. 15. ISSN 0265-1548.
  10. ^ "Heavy Metal - Indie Metal LPs". Music Week. 7 December 1985. p. 15. ISSN 0265-1548.
  11. ^ Suter, Paul (3 October 1985). "Kutz". Kerrang!. No. 104. pp. 14–15. ISSN 0144-5774.
  12. ^ a b "RIO - Dangerzone". MelodicRock Classics. 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  13. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 12 July 1986. p. 29. ISSN 0265-1548.
  14. ^ Clark-Meads, Jeff (25 October 1986). "A&R - LP Reviews". Music Week. p. 20. ISSN 0265-1548.
  15. ^ "New Albums". Music Week. 18 October 1986. p. 34. ISSN 0265-1548.
  16. ^ Oliver, Derek (30 October 1986). "Kutz". Kerrang!. No. 132. p. 27. ISSN 0144-5774.
  17. ^ "Long Way From Home by RIO". RIO. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2025 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "RIO - Borderland". MelodicRock Classics. 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
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