The Black Swans began life as Utopia on 7th March 1998, formed by Prestatyn based Tom Scriven and James Kershaw (both were only 15 years old), who were joined by Eddie James (vocals) and Carl Hogan (bass) (formerly of Flashbax). Although it did take a year of very little activity to record an EP, “Just The Way” at Rockcliffe Studios in Llandudno, May 1999. Eddie left soon after this session and was replaced by 17 year old Sarah Lipman who took over and added her own mark on songs like Smokin’ Fossil Fuels, Bind Ivy, and Alone. This line-up recorded a new EP called Fake in September 1999 and received rave reviews in the local press. Utopia played a part in local music history when they were the last band to ever perform in The Savoy Bistro in Rhyl before it closed its doors for good in March 1999.
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Black Swans / Carbonari – biography
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Although they had a Top 20 hit & another 9 singles in the Top 75, Spear of Destiny never had mass appeal, had it been a case of many people liking the odd song rather than a few people liking all their songs then tonight’s attendance would’ve been higher than the 120 or so who made this mid-week effort. It was a wholly different audience to the normal Breeding Ground attendees who were being pulled through the birth canal by a pair of forceps when Kirk Brandon first alighted a stage with The Pack & then Theatre of Hate.
