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Meet Running Blue!
Running Blue is a nostalgic 80s band that embodies the essence of the era’s music scene. The band’s origin can be traced back to 1982 when Alan Kennedy and Damien Reilly first started jamming together after leaving school. Alan performed a few acoustic gigs at the Briars Inn, Bowral, a popular local pub in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which still pulls in the patrons even nowadays. In no time, Alan and Damien had written over 10 songs, and it was time to form a proper band. Joining them were Michael O’Grady, Sam Kalos, and Nando Pettinato, for keyboard, guitars, and drums respectively. With the new line-up in place, the band began rehearsing regularly at Damien and Gerrard Studios in mid-1985.

The live music scene in Sydney was thriving in the mid- to late-80s, and Running Blue quickly gained a following due to their high-energy performances.

In early 1986, the band recorded some live sessions at Damien and Gerrard Studios, produced by Russell Pilling. They later went on to record two original tracks, “Daniel” and “Grey Day,” produced by Trevor Nathanial. These songs were heavily influenced by other artists of the time, such as The Cure, Spandau Ballet, and The Smiths.

Despite its short lifespan, Running Blue had a super creative and memorable 18-month period that produced some incredible songs.

Running Blue have now reformed for the 2020s and beyond, with the talents of Alan, Damien, and a new third member that Blue Pie readers may already know: Gabe Rizza! www.gaberizza.com.

Presently, the band are getting ready for live shows, and are experiencing great amounts of radio play across the pond: in particular, Finland, Mexico, and Finland seem to really love Running Blue, and especially Inside Your Head, which has over 23k plays on Spotify alone at the time of writing! And the rest of their catalogue isn’t far behind either, all things considered…

Running Blue's 80s Nostalgia Revived: Hits 1.4 Million Streams on Spotify!
You hear that? The nostalgia train has arrived, and it’s bringing the sounds of the 80s back to life! Running Blue, the iconic band that embodies the essence of the era’s music scene, has just hit a major milestone: their music has hit 1.4 million combined streams on Spotify!

From the moment Alan Kennedy and Damien Reilly started jamming together in 1982, it was clear that Running Blue was a band destined for greatness. With the addition of Michael O’Grady, Sam Kalos, and Nando Pettinato, the band quickly gained a following due to their high-energy performances, which captured the live music scene in Sydney in the mid- to late-80s. And now, in the 2020s, we can see that their trajectory toward becoming staples of the 80s musical era was a sure fire guarantee, given their awesome capacity for tunes! Back in the day, the band’s two original tracks, “Daniel” and “Grey Day,” were heavily influenced by other artists of the time, such as The Cure, Spandau Ballet, and The Smiths, and have since become timeless classics – and it seems that the streaming world agrees.

And now, Running Blue is back and better than ever! With the addition of Gabe Rizza as their prolific mixmaster, the band is getting ready for live shows and experiencing great amounts of radio play across the globe. Finland, Mexico, and Finland, in particular, seem to love Running Blue, so we may have their influence to thank for these Spotify results!

So come on, music lovers, join Running Blue as they rock down memory lane at 1985 miles an hour! With their unique blend of 80s nostalgia and modern sensibilities, Running Blue is sure to be a hit with old and new fans alike. Congratulations to Running Blue on their incredible achievement, and we can’t wait to see what wonderful songs they come up with next!

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