Paul marks a significant milestone for Showaddywaddy.net
2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the official Showaddywaddy website, with the site going live way back in June 1998.
When I first got connected to the internet all those years ago, there was no broadband, only 56k dial-up which disconnected whenever someone called your landline! The first thing I searched for was “Showaddywaddy” on a search engine called Altavista (no Google back then), and there was very little about the band online. There was also no Twitter, Facebook or any social media to speak of. I learned how to write web pages using basic HTML code, and quickly had a basic Showaddywaddy web-site up and running.
Slowly but surely the web-site started to expand, and after around a year, the web-site came to the attention of the band who all liked what had been done, and before too long Dave agreed for it to be come the band’s official web-site.
Since the site went online, I have met all members of the band, past and present, and all of the guys have been really helpful with providing details for the site and filling in any gaps where appropriate. After being a fan of the band since a 5 year old in 1983, and idolising them on TV as a child, it is wonderful to be in contact with them. Somehow I’ve even managed to make appearances on BBC and Channel 4 as well as local and national radio talking about the band, something which I never envisaged!
I have to particularly thank Dave Bartram for all his help and support over the years - I couldn’t have done it without him. And last but not least, thank you to Showaddywaddy’s legions of fans! There was one time before the Internet when I went to see the band and I used to think how many people here are actually really into the band? I didn’t have long to find out, as when the web-site went online it wasn’t long before emails started flooding in, not only from the UK but from all over the world. It was amazing that I could send an email to Germany to the first ever person to contact me from abroad (hello Torsten!), and then receive a reply within only a few minutes! I was amazed to be receiving emails from fans of the band as far away as Chile and New Zealand!
2018 marks the 45th anniversary of Showaddywaddy. The band might not have the top-40 chart and TV exposure that they had throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s but they continue to play sold out shows up and down the land, and have a loyal army of fans who follow them all over the country. Without the fans, there would be no Showaddywaddy, and without the dedication of the band members themselves there would be no Showaddywaddy.
As for me, I am still listening to Showaddywaddy, 35 years after hearing “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” on a cassette tape in the family’s Austin Mini car. I can remember the excitement from what I was hearing, even at such a young age, and growing up during the 1980s, all I wanted to spend my pocket money on was Showaddywaddy records and cassettes. The music is timeless and alway a pleasure to listen to. Long may Showaddywaddy continue!
2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the official Showaddywaddy website, with the site going live way back in June 1998.
When I first got connected to the internet all those years ago, there was no broadband, only 56k dial-up which disconnected whenever someone called your landline! The first thing I searched for was “Showaddywaddy” on a search engine called Altavista (no Google back then), and there was very little about the band online. There was also no Twitter, Facebook or any social media to speak of. I learned how to write web pages using basic HTML code, and quickly had a basic Showaddywaddy web-site up and running.
Slowly but surely the web-site started to expand, and after around a year, the web-site came to the attention of the band who all liked what had been done, and before too long Dave agreed for it to be come the band’s official web-site.
Since the site went online, I have met all members of the band, past and present, and all of the guys have been really helpful with providing details for the site and filling in any gaps where appropriate. After being a fan of the band since a 5 year old in 1983, and idolising them on TV as a child, it is wonderful to be in contact with them. Somehow I’ve even managed to make appearances on BBC and Channel 4 as well as local and national radio talking about the band, something which I never envisaged!
I have to particularly thank Dave Bartram for all his help and support over the years - I couldn’t have done it without him. And last but not least, thank you to Showaddywaddy’s legions of fans! There was one time before the Internet when I went to see the band and I used to think how many people here are actually really into the band? I didn’t have long to find out, as when the web-site went online it wasn’t long before emails started flooding in, not only from the UK but from all over the world. It was amazing that I could send an email to Germany to the first ever person to contact me from abroad (hello Torsten!), and then receive a reply within only a few minutes! I was amazed to be receiving emails from fans of the band as far away as Chile and New Zealand!
2018 marks the 45th anniversary of Showaddywaddy. The band might not have the top-40 chart and TV exposure that they had throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s but they continue to play sold out shows up and down the land, and have a loyal army of fans who follow them all over the country. Without the fans, there would be no Showaddywaddy, and without the dedication of the band members themselves there would be no Showaddywaddy.
As for me, I am still listening to Showaddywaddy, 35 years after hearing “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” on a cassette tape in the family’s Austin Mini car. I can remember the excitement from what I was hearing, even at such a young age, and growing up during the 1980s, all I wanted to spend my pocket money on was Showaddywaddy records and cassettes. The music is timeless and alway a pleasure to listen to. Long may Showaddywaddy continue!
