I left Art School 1980 and ended up, as a graduate in graphic design working in London. Seven years later I'd forsaken design work and found work in Art Shop retailing to make ends meet. I continued to keep an enthusiasts interested eye on the music scene. When this band Age of Chance came up on my radar, I recognised the drummer, Jan Perry who was at Art College in Leeds the same time as me. Her personal image at that time had been like your classic Hilda Ogden charlady, paisley wrap around pinny and her hair held up under a headband scarf. So I was intrigued by this pivot into music .
The band was already beginning to make a name for themselves with a really hard hitting crunch of a sound. They recorded their version of Prince's Kiss, even though Prince's original had only recently charted. Age of Chance's reinterpretation of Kiss is like being hit with a sledgehammer at close quarters. The guitars sound like it could pulverise holes through concrete floors. This is pop but passed through an heavy Industrial filter. It is one of those very rare occasions when a Prince cover matches the original version, and without slavishly copying its style, makes it all their own. The grunge of this is all Age of Chance, with not a whiff of the minimalist funky Prince here.
Though Age of Chance were music biz journalist favourites for a while, their version of Kiss only reached no 50. They never had a major hit in the UK. Changes in lead singer, eventually left Jan Perry on vocals, until the band finally called it a day in 1990. Age of Chance had a very strong sense of its own music aesthetic - part punk part disco. Equally matched with a sharp stylistic appearance - All pure colours, American style college jackets. skinny jeans. But with two former art students in the band, what did you expect.
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