Squeeze: Three Decades After Tempted

One member of Squeeze the band now hosts his own TV program in England. Another member has played with other popular bands such as Roxy Music. Other members have recorded numerous solo albums, and a few have apparently disappeared from the music business for good.

The band originated as UK Squeeze but dropped the UK after their debut album. During their tenure Squeeze saw changes in band members as well as changes in musical direction. Their second album Cool for Cats offered minor hits such as Goodbye Girl and Up the Junction, but the band really impressed with its third album, Argybargy. This charm opened with the catchy and erotic Pulling Mussels (from a Shell) and the upbeat Another Nail in My Heart.

Argybargy was so good that Elvis Costello wanted the honor to produce the band's fourth album, East Side Story. The result was the band's most successful album, and its biggest hit Tempted. The song was not really typical of Squeeze's sound, since Paul Carrack sang the lead instead of regular vocalist Glenn Tillbrook. Tempted does have Tilbrook's catchy melody and the witty lyrics of guitarist Chris Difford.

Tilbrook and Difford were the leaders of the band, along with drummer Gilson Lavis. Those three were the only ones to remain with the band throughout its tenure. Carrack, who had been the singer for the band Ace, joined Squeeze for East Side Story and departed soon after.

The next release, Sweets from a Stranger, charted with teh single Black Coffee in Bed, on which Costello sang backing vocals. The band broke up for the first time after that album. Squeeze would have several reunions and breakups in the two and half decades since. VH1 featured the Squeeze on the show Bands Reunited in 1999. According to VH1.com, host Aamer Haleem spoke with numerous band members in an effort to reunite Squeeze. Though Chris Difford seemed inclined to reunite, Glenn Tilbrook did not think the time was right. Original keyboardist Jools Holland, who left the band after Argybargy, refused to even consider the idea.

Since then, though, Glenn Tilbrook has changed his mind. According to www.squeezeofficial.com he has reunited Squeeze with Difford and bassist John Bentley, who joined the band shortly after the release of its second album. Stephen Large, who leads the band Lord Large, plays the keyboards for the reunited Squeeze, and Simon Hanson has taken over for original drummer Gilson Lavis. The band is currently touring the United States and Great Britain.

The early members who are not part of the reunion are all busy with other endevors. Keyboardist Jools Holland hosts his own TV show, called Later . . .with Jools Holland. Since its inception in 1992 the show has had guests such as David Bowie, The Who, Paul McCartney, and Johnny Cash. Former Squeeze bandmate Gilson Lavis is the drummer for Holland's TV band. Keyboardist/vocalist Paul Carrack, whose voice was heard on Ace's How Long before he joined Squeeze and Roxy Music, now performs as a solo artist. According to www.carrack-uk.com, Carrack is currently touring with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. According to Wikipedia, Don Snow, the keyboardist who replaced Carrack after East Side Story, has changed his name to John Savannah and has been working frequently as pianist for Van Morrison.