Origin: London (England)

9th STREET

 Mark Applin - Chris Margary - Kevin Mason

9th Street albums:

	The Prayer - 1988
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Notes about 9th Street:

 Text in English

- The album *The Prayer* presents 9th Street as a trio: Mark Applin (vocals), Kevin Mason (keyboards) and Chris Margary (saxophone) [1]. Produced by Rod Gammons for C-Side Records, it was released under licence from C-Side by the Frankfurt-based independent label Bellaphon, which manufactured and distributed it [1, 2]. Bellaphon issued it on LP (260·07·131) and CD (290·07·131); the CD tray card carries a ℗ 1989 © 1987 notice and the SPARS code AAD, which denotes analogue recording and mixing with digital mastering [1, 3].

Nine of the ten tracks are originals, each marked © 1987 Seaside/Chappell Music Limited. Tim Gordine wrote “The Prayer” and “Tonight” on his own, “Some Time” with Rod Gammons, and “Feel It” and “Sabotage and Secrets” with a co-writer credited only by surname, as Khan in the booklet and Kahn on the tray card. Applin, Mason and Gammons wrote “The Feeling’s Gone”, “Nobody Knows” and “Ordinary Man”, and the same three shared the writing of “Confusion” with guitarist Keith Beauvais [1]. The album closes with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, published by Jobete Music; the sleeve credits the song to Holland/Dozier/Holland, but it was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong [1, 4].

The tray card credits the recording to Rod Gammons Soundstudios on the Isle of Wight and in London and to Berwick Street Studios in London [1]. In October 1988, *Sound On Sound* reported that Berwick Street Studios, in London’s West End, had recently been acquired by Rod and Helen Gammons, who also ran a production and publishing company [5]. Berwick Street is not named in the track-by-track credits, which place the recording of “The Prayer”, “Tonight” and “Sabotage and Secrets” at Gammons’ Isle of Wight studio, “Feel It” at his studios on the island and in London, and the other five originals at his London studio. “Feel It”, “Some Time”, “The Feeling’s Gone” and “Sabotage and Secrets” were mixed at Red Bus Studios in London with engineer Graham Bonnett, and the remaining five originals at Gammons’ London studio. Those five credit Jon Madden as assistant engineer, alongside Sheridan Tongue on “The Prayer”, “Tonight” and “Ordinary Man” and Helen Hayes on “Nobody Knows” and “Confusion”, while an assistant credited only as Martin appears on “Sabotage and Secrets” [1].

Besides producing, Gammons is credited with keyboards or synthesizer and drum programming on all nine originals, sharing the drum programming with Gordine on “The Prayer” and “Tonight”; he also plays rhythm Stratocaster on “Sabotage and Secrets” and arranged, alone or with others, eight of the nine songs. Kevin Mason’s keyboard credits are on “The Feeling’s Gone”, “Confusion”, where he also plays a piano solo, and “Ordinary Man”, while Gordine adds keyboards to “Some Time”, “The Feeling’s Gone” and “The Prayer”. Chris Margary plays saxophone on six tracks, alto on “Some Time” and soprano on “The Prayer” and “Tonight”, and flute on “Confusion”; Terry Bayley’s trumpet joins him on “Feel It” and “Nobody Knows” [1].

Keith Beauvais plays guitar on every original except the title track, where the guitars are by Dave Khan and Tim Gordine, and is credited with the solo guitar on “Sabotage and Secrets”. Jeff Gascoigne plays bass on “Some Time”, “Nobody Knows”, “Confusion” and “Ordinary Man”, Livingston Brown on “Tonight” and Nathan King on “Sabotage and Secrets”. Joy Rose sings backing vocals on seven songs, joined by Helen Sheppard on “Feel It”, by Lewis Berry, Allison Law and Helen Hayes on “The Prayer”, and by Law and Hayes again on “Sabotage and Secrets”, while Belva Ann Haney is the sole backing vocalist on “Ordinary Man”; Applin and Gammons also add backing vocals to some tracks. The vocal credits for “Sabotage and Secrets” list Ronald Reagan and Col. Oliver North alongside Applin [1].

Paul Savory designed the cover, with photography by Nigel Askew, hand tinting by Jane Wiltshire and hair by Mitchio; the black-and-white photograph on the tray card shows the trio in front of a weathered window opening onto industrial ironwork. The band’s exclusive management was Haze Management and Promotions of Edgware, Middlesex [1]. -

Notas sobre 9th Street:

 Texto en Español

- El álbum *The Prayer* presenta a 9th Street como un trío: Mark Applin (voz), Kevin Mason (teclados) y Chris Margary (saxofón) [1]. Producido por Rod Gammons para C-Side Records, se publicó bajo licencia de C-Side a través de Bellaphon, sello independiente con sede en Fráncfort, que se encargó de su fabricación y distribución [1, 2]. Bellaphon lo editó en larga duración (260·07·131) y en disco compacto (290·07·131); la contraportada del CD lleva la mención ℗ 1989 © 1987 y el código SPARS AAD, que indica grabación y mezcla analógicas con masterización digital [1, 3].

Nueve de los diez temas son originales, todos con la mención © 1987 Seaside/Chappell Music Limited. Tim Gordine compuso en solitario «The Prayer» y «Tonight»; «Some Time», con Rod Gammons, y «Feel It» y «Sabotage and Secrets», con un coautor acreditado solo por su apellido: Khan en el libreto y Kahn en la contraportada. Applin, Mason y Gammons firmaron «The Feeling’s Gone», «Nobody Knows» y «Ordinary Man», y los tres compartieron la autoría de «Confusion» con el guitarrista Keith Beauvais [1]. El disco se cierra con «I Heard It Through the Grapevine», editada por Jobete Music; los créditos atribuyen la canción a Holland/Dozier/Holland, pero sus autores son Norman Whitfield y Barrett Strong [1, 4].

La contraportada atribuye la grabación a los Rod Gammons Soundstudios de la isla de Wight y de Londres y a los Berwick Street Studios de Londres [1]. En octubre de 1988, *Sound On Sound* informó de que los Berwick Street Studios, en el West End londinense, habían sido adquiridos recientemente por Rod y Helen Gammons, que además dirigían una compañía de producción y edición musical [5]. Berwick Street no figura en los créditos tema por tema, que sitúan la grabación de «The Prayer», «Tonight» y «Sabotage and Secrets» en el estudio de Gammons en la isla de Wight; la de «Feel It», en sus estudios de la isla y de Londres, y la de los otros cinco originales, en su estudio londinense. «Feel It», «Some Time», «The Feeling’s Gone» y «Sabotage and Secrets» se mezclaron en Red Bus Studios, en Londres, con el ingeniero Graham Bonnett, y los cinco originales restantes, en el estudio londinense de Gammons. En esos cinco figura Jon Madden como ingeniero asistente, junto a Sheridan Tongue en «The Prayer», «Tonight» y «Ordinary Man» y a Helen Hayes en «Nobody Knows» y «Confusion», mientras que en «Sabotage and Secrets» aparece un asistente acreditado solo como Martin [1].

Además de la producción, Gammons figura en los créditos de teclados o sintetizador y de programación de batería de los nueve originales, y comparte esa programación con Gordine en «The Prayer» y «Tonight»; también toca la Stratocaster rítmica en «Sabotage and Secrets» y arregló, solo o en colaboración, ocho de las nueve canciones. Kevin Mason aparece a los teclados en «The Feeling’s Gone», «Confusion», donde además interpreta un solo de piano, y «Ordinary Man», mientras que Gordine añade teclados en «Some Time», «The Feeling’s Gone» y «The Prayer». Chris Margary toca el saxofón en seis temas, el alto en «Some Time» y el soprano en «The Prayer» y «Tonight», y la flauta en «Confusion»; la trompeta de Terry Bayley lo acompaña en «Feel It» y «Nobody Knows» [1].

Keith Beauvais toca la guitarra en todos los originales salvo el tema que da título al disco, cuyas guitarras corren a cargo de Dave Khan y Tim Gordine, y se le acredita la guitarra solista en «Sabotage and Secrets». Jeff Gascoigne toca el bajo en «Some Time», «Nobody Knows», «Confusion» y «Ordinary Man»; Livingston Brown, en «Tonight», y Nathan King, en «Sabotage and Secrets». Joy Rose hace coros en siete canciones, acompañada por Helen Sheppard en «Feel It», por Lewis Berry, Allison Law y Helen Hayes en «The Prayer» y de nuevo por Law y Hayes en «Sabotage and Secrets», mientras que Belva Ann Haney es la única corista de «Ordinary Man»; Applin y Gammons también aportan coros en algunos temas. Los créditos vocales de «Sabotage and Secrets» incluyen a Ronald Reagan y al coronel Oliver North junto a Applin [1].

Paul Savory diseñó la portada, con fotografía de Nigel Askew, coloreado a mano de Jane Wiltshire y peluquería de Mitchio; la fotografía en blanco y negro de la contraportada muestra al trío ante el vano de una ventana desgastada que da a una estructura industrial de hierro. La representación exclusiva del grupo corría a cargo de Haze Management and Promotions, de Edgware (Middlesex) [1]. -

Sources/Fuentes

[1] 9th Street, *The Prayer*. CD booklet and tray card. Bellaphon 290·07·131 (LP 260·07·131), manufactured and distributed by Bellaphon, West Germany, under licence from C-Side Records. ℗ 1989 © 1987.

[2] “Bellaphon Records”. Wikipedia. Accessed 24 October 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellaphon_Records

[3] “EZ CD UC”. *Making Music*, December 1987, p. 5. Track Record Publishing. Archived at mu:zines. Accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/ez-cd-uc/13329

[4] “Meet the Writers Behind ‘I Heard it Through the Grapevine’”. *American Songwriter*. Accessed 24 October 2026. https://americansongwriter.com/meet-the-writers-behind-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine

[5] “Berwick Street Studios: The Dawning Of A New Era?”. *Sound On Sound*, October 1988, pp. 48–50. SOS Publications. Archived at mu:zines. Accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/berwick-street-studios/3993