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The TKO Horns were the brass section formed
in 1982 when Big Jimmy Paterson (trombone), Paul Speare (tenor sax) and Brian Maurice (alto sax) left Dexys. After a brief
spell touring with Paul Young's Q Tips they began performing on a regular basis with Elvis Costello, first as "The
Royal Guard Horns" and then as "The Imperial Horns". The trio also performed as session musicians on John Watts'
1983 album, "The Iceberg Model". Another former Dexys sax player, Geoff Blythe soon replaced Maurice and Dave
Plews (trumpet) was added as "The TKO Horns" - renamed after the Elvis Costello song, 'TKO (Boxing Day)'
- featured prominently on Costello's 1983 album 'Punch The Clock'. Over the next few years they
performed with numerous artists including Madness, Squeeze, Howard Jones, Nick Lowe and The Fixx. The formation became fluid,
with Paterson the only constant - as Paul Speare left, Brian Maurice rejoined and eventually Dave Plews was replaced by ex-Blues
Band trumpeter, Dick Hanson.
During the lifetime of the TKO Horns, Jimmy Paterson also played
on Elvis Costello's 1984 album, "Goodbye Cruel World" and the following year returned to Dexys as a
hired hand on "Don't Stand Me Down" as well as joining up with Paul Young once more for his album "The
Secret of Association". Paul Speare subsequently appeared on The Special A.K.A.'s 'Nelson Mandella'
while Dave Plews went on to perform with the Eurythmics. Paterson and Blythe later featured on recordings by The Blue Ox Babes and unreleased material from These Tender Virtues as well as the 1988 LP "End Of The Millenium Psychosis Blues" by That Petrol
Emotion before teaming up again in 1989 as part of The Neighbourhood.
Since the late 80's, Geoff Blythe has been a member of Irish-American
group Black 47 and, more recently, performed on the 2008 Bureau album, "...And Another Thing" before reuniting with Jimmy Paterson once more in 2011 to record the
excellent "Lost In Space" album under the name of 'GI Blythe' (right) which also featured The Bureau's Archie Brown on vocals alongside former Dexys Midnight Runners drummer,
Crispin Taylor. Finally (for now), Jimmy Paterson became a part of Dexys yet again in 2012, playing on the album, "One Day I'm Going To Soar"
and performing live regularly with the band over the months which followed. Over 30 years on from their inception, the legacy
of The TKO Horns lives on...
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Discography:
1983 ~ Jim Paterson (trombone), Brian Maurice* (sax),
Paul Speare (sax/flute)
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'The Iceberg Model' -
John Watts
Tracks: 'Interference'
; 'Man In Someone Else's Skin' ; 'I Smelt Roses (In The Underground)' ; 'I Was In Love With You'
; 'Money And Power' ; 'The Prisoner's Dilemma' ; 'Mayday Mayday' ; 'Menagerie Makers' ; 'A Face To Remember' ; 'Iceberg Model'
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*
Brian Maurice is credited under his
real name, "Brian Brummit" and the brass section is not given a title. Mick
Donnelly also plays tenor saxophone on this album.
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1983 ~
Jim Paterson
(trombone), Geoff Blythe (sax), Paul Speare (sax); Dave Plews (trumpet):
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'Punch The Clock' - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Tracks: 'TKO (Boxing Day)'
; 'The Invisible Man' ; 'Let Them All Talk' ; 'The Greatest Thing' ; 'The World And His Wife'*
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Additional live tracks on 2003 re-issue:
'Possession' ; 'Secondary Modern' ; 'Watch Your Step' ; 'Back Stabbers/King
Horse' - recorded live at University of Texas, 07/09/83.
As-yet unreleased TV recordings of the TKO Horns performing
on 'Party Party' ; 'Every Day I Write The Book' ; 'TKO (Boxing Day)'
and 'Let Them All Talk' - and a live concert broadcast on German
TV show 'Rockpalast' - also exist.
* 'The World And His Wife' features
Stuart Robson on trumpet and flugelhorn.
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1984 ~ Jim Paterson (trombone),
Geoff Blythe (sax), Paul Speare (sax), Dave Plews (trumpet):
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'Every Man Has A Woman (The Songs Of Yoko Ono)'
- Various Artists
Track:
'Walking On Thin Ice' - Elvis Costello & The Attractions.
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'Keep Moving' - Madness
Track: 'Keep Moving'.
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'Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit' - Nick
Lowe
Track: 'L.A.F.S. - Love At First Sight'.
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'Difford & Tilbrook' - Chris Difford & Glen Tilbrook
Track:
'Action Speaks Faster'.
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'Rough Justice' (12" single) -
Portion Control
Track: 'Rough Justice'.
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1985 ~ Jim Paterson (trombone),
Alan Whetton (sax), Brian Maurice (sax), Dave Plews (trumpet):
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'Dream Into Action' - Howard Jones
Tracks including:
'Life In One Day'; 'Things Can Only Get Better'.
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1986 ~ Jim Paterson (trombone), Geoff Blythe (sax), Brian Maurice
(sax), Dick Hanson (trumpet):
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'Walkabout' - The Fixx
Tracks: 'Can't Finish', 'One Look Up'.
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'When The Wind Blows (Original Soundtrack)'
- Various Artists
Track: 'What Have They Done' - Squeeze
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