Tuesday, 10 February 2026

Namesakes #175: Darts

Darts in the bullseye

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For our work Christmas do last year, we went to one of those funky new clubs where you can play darts. I came last. It's not my game. Not sure I have a game though, unless it's sifting through songs by a bunch of artists who all chose the same name and trying to work out if any of them are any good... 


THE DARTS #1

We start this week with what might well be my favourite tune today, although I can’t tell you anything about it… except that it’s from 1956.

Hal Case & The Darts - Long Gone

 

THE DARTS #2

A group of men wearing suspenders

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Throwing next, a group from Dubuque, Iowa, getting their game on in 1958.

Herb Price & The Darts - Shimmy Shimmy

 

THE DARTS #3

Also in 1958, this Manhattan-based vocal combo led by Sherman Nichols were aiming for the bullseye.

The Darts – On My Mind


THE DARTS #4

A couple of men in striped sweaters

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Still in 1958 for some saxxy New York doo wop… I’ve been trying to work out what the song title might be out, but I’m having no luck. Something to do with manoeuvres?

The Darts - Gee Ver Men Nee Vers

 

THE DARTS #5

Instrumental hot-rod / drag-racing band from the US in the early 60s. Like surf rock but with louder engines.

The Darts – Hollywood Drag

 

THE DARTS #6

Teenage rock ‘n’ roll from 1963, with added Howard.

Howard & The Darts - Lightning

 

THE DARTS #7

A Pennsylvania band from 1964, singing a Charlie Rich tune…

The Darts – Lonely Weekend

 

THE DARTS #8

What do call bigger Darts? Spears! Russell Spears is the big one in 1965 Indianapolis. 

Russell Spears & The Darts – Dave’s Old Barn

 

LOS DARTS #9

A group of men posing for a photo

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Venezuelan Darts from the mid-60s, long before the Orange Idiot set his sights on their home country.

Los Darts – Dime Por Que

Not to be confused with…

 

LOS DARTS #10

A group of men in suits and ties

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Peruvian Darts from 1967…

Los Darts - Pregunto

 

THE DARTS #11

A group of men in suits and ties

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Japanese Darts, seeing what they could have won in 1968.

The Darts - Kemeko No Uta

 

THE DARTS #12

A group of people performing on stage

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Ooh wah, ooh-wah, cool cool kitty…

Irish-born Den Hegarty formed doo-wop revival band Darts in Brighton in 1976. Always the bridesmaids, never the bride, they achieved three consecutive Number Two hits in the UK Chart in 1978, and a smattering of lesser triumphs. Hegarty went on to present the final series of Tiswas and then became a Psychology lecturer. Although most of their songs were covers of old rock & roll standard, this is a rare original tune (and one of their Triple 2), written by band member Griff Fender (aka Ian Collier) who once called Darts, “the thinking man’s Showaddywaddy”.

Darts – It’s Raining

 

DARTS #13

A group of figures in different colors

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More Japanese Darts, this time of the 80s synth-rock variety…

Darts – Million Kisses

 

THE DARTZ #14

A group of men posing for a photo

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Russian folk-rock Dartz taking flight from St. Petersburg in 2003. One of them clearly thinks he’s in a Jules Verne novel.

The Dartz - Гитара, голос, барабаны

 

DARTS #15

A person wearing headphones and standing at a table

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North East DJ Dave Ripley, aka Captain Bullseye, doing his Dave Double-Decks bit back in 2008.

Darts – Re:Evolution

 

THE DARTS #16

Another Phoenix-based Darts, this time of the pop-punk variety. The entry on the camp of bands tells me, “The band was culminated in 2012 by singers/guitarists Ian Chesnut and Coltin Anderson, later joined by bassist Devon Sherwood and drummer Jade Lara.” I’m not sure “culminated” was the correct word there, guys… see me at the end of the lesson.

The Darts – Ugly Sweater

 

THE DARTS #17

Loud Canadian Darts from St Johns, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, in 2014.

The Darts – I Faked My Death

 

DARTS #18

A group of people sitting on a bed

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Aussie slacker-rock from 2015…

Darts - Aeroplane

 

THE DARTS #19

I’ve been doing this feature for a long time now (“Too long!” you cry) and in that time, I feel like I’ve listened to just about every genre of music imaginable. Every now and then though, I come across something that defies categorisation… and not in a good way. These guys from Suffolk, Virginia can be found on the camp of bands and… well, here’s their “About Us” blurb…

Poison Dart and Tiger Dart are both dart frogs. Red Lightning, Dragony, Scott, Petre, Mampson, Little Flare, Aslan, Saber, Jack, Steg, and Tuchilakemonstrose make regular guest appearances.

They have 26 albums available, all free – or you can pay 50 cents for their entire discography. But hurry, because that’s a limited half price offer… it’d normally be a dollar. A bargain at twice the price.

The Darts - Pontification

 

DARTS #20

A group of people playing instruments

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After that nonsense, clear out your earlobes with these guys from Portland, Oregon – my second favourite Darts of the week.

The Darts – Where I Come From

 

DARTS #21

A group of women posing for a photo

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The US Darts, a gothic garage punk girl band from Phoenix & LA, stepping up to the oche about ten years ago, and still going strong.

The Darts – My Heart Is A Graveyard


DARTZ #22

A group of men sitting on a wall

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Bang up to date with these guys, who were kind enough to write their own blurb.

Wellington, NZ is known for 4 things: terrible union laws in the film industry, pretty good coffee, something called "the bucket fountain", & the band DARTZ.

Dartz - Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One

 

Which Darts score one hundred and eighty!?! And which ones miss the board entirely?


4 comments:

  1. It's yet another rainy day, the field are just lakes, the goats are staying in, and so am I, to listen to these tunes

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was thinking for a minute that you would reach 180

    ReplyDelete

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