3 Colours Red were an English rock band, formed in 1994 in London. They achieved their biggest chart success at the end of the 1990s, along with other British rock bands such as Ash, Stereophonics and Feeder. The band was named by sticking a pin in a London listings magazine, Time Out. It landed randomly on an advertisement for the concluding part of the Polish film director Krzysztof Kieślowski's, Three Colors, trilogy. They went on to record two UK Top 20 albums, and six Top 40 singles.

Early history

In 1994, it was suggested by a mutual friend that bass player/singer Pete Vuckovic should contact guitarist Chris McCormack (ex-Forgodsake/Gunslinger) to start a band, as both had recently left their previous bands and were looking for something new. Due to location they spent the following months trading four-track recordings and developing song ideas via post, until they had enough material to record a three-song demo with newly acquired drummer Keith Baxter (formerly of Skyclad). Terry Thomas was hired as the band's manager as well as producer of the demos (the first to feature guitarist Ben Harding) that secured their recording contract.

McCormack is the younger brother of Danny McCormack, bassist in the Wildhearts, another British rock band who had already achieved commercial success, and with whom 3 Colours Red would play some of their first concerts.

McCormack's first success was as a member of Newcastle upon Tyne heavy metal outfit Forgodsake, who released an album on Bleeding Heart Records before McCormack eventually left. He originally moved to London to join Honeycrack with Willie Dowling and CJ from the Wildhearts but ended up forming 3 Colours Red with Vuckovic instead. Afterwards, he joined electro rockers Grand Theft Audio with Rich Battersby from the Wildhearts, and spent several months touring the U.S. with them before they were eventually dropped by the record label, forcing them to return home. He also tours as the guitarist in Gary Numan's live band and co-wrote several songs with Adam Ant for Ant's 2013 album Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter.

Harding embarked upon a career in public and media relations following the first split of 3 Colours Red in 1999.

Grant went on to form Bassknives with Vuckovic, as well as joining CJ & the Satellites with CJ from the Wildhearts in 2006.

As a teenager, Baxter became a founder member of folk metal pioneers Skyclad, recording five seminal albums with them before leaving in 1995 to move to London and join 3 Colours Red. Following the split of the band in 1999 he formed the band Elevation with Vuckovic. The pair signed with Sony but were dropped a year later. He moved back to his hometown of Lancaster and briefly played with the Northern Irish band Therapy? in 2002.

Baxter went on to play with the Lancaster-based band Baby Judas, but died on 4 January 2008 at the age of 36, from a gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! width="210" rowspan="2"| Album details

! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

|-

!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"|UK

|-

|1997

|align="left"| Pure

  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Creation
  • Formats: CD, Cassette, LP

| 16

|-

|1999

|align="left"| Revolt

  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Creation
  • Formats: CD, Cassette, LP

| 17

|-

|2004

|align="left"| The Union of Souls

  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Mighty Atom
  • Formats: CD, Cassette, LP

| 188

|-

|}

Compilation albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" style="width:14em;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:20em;" | Album details

|-

! scope="row" | If You Ain't Got a Weapon...

|

  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Sanctuary
  • Formats: CD

|-

|}

Live albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" style="width:14em;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:20em;" | Album details

|-

! scope="row" | Nuclear Holiday

|

  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Snapper
  • Formats: CD

|-

|}

Singles and EPs

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

|-

! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year

! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title

! scope="col" colspan="1"|Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Album

|-

! style="width:30px;"| UK

|-

|rowspan="1"|1996

! scope="row" | "This Is My Hollywood"

| 162

|rowspan="6"|Pure

|-

|rowspan="5"|1997

! scope="row" | "Nuclear Holiday"

| 22

|-

! scope="row" | "Sixty Mile Smile"

| 20

|-

! scope="row" | "Pure"

| 28

|-

! scope="row" | "Copper Girl"

| 30

|-

! scope="row" | "This Is My Hollywood" (re-release)

| 48

|-

|rowspan="1"|1998

! scope="row" | Paralyse EP (Non-eligible for UK Chart)

| —

|rowspan="1"|

|-

|rowspan="2"|1999

! scope="row" | "Beautiful Day"

| 11

|rowspan="2"|Revolt

|-

! scope="row" | "This Is My Time"

| 36

|-

|rowspan="1"|2003

! scope="row" | "Repeat To Fade"

| 97

|rowspan="2"|The Union of Souls

|-

|rowspan="1"|2004

! scope="row" | "The World Is Yours"

| —

|}

In the United States, "Beautiful Day" charted on the Radio and Records Alternative chart, peaking at No. 40 in April 1999.

DVDs

  • Live at the Islington Academy (Secret 2005)

References

  • 3 Colours Red official 'Myspace' page
  • Interview in Kool Magazine