Tenpole Tudor - 1980-present

1980-present

Tenpole Tudor recorded a single on WEA Records with the A-side being "Real Fun" and the B-side "What's In A Word". "Real Fun" is available in live form on two different CDs, but the single was never released on CD. Tenpole Tudor returned in 1980 and signed a recording contract with Stiff Records, with whom they released the single "3 Bells in a Row" (which is a slightly different version of the one later found on the album Eddie, Old Bob, Dick, and Gary).

The band released their début album, Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary, in 1981. It sold well, and in addition to the popular "3 Bells in a Row", launched two additional hit singles "Wunderbar" and "Swords of a Thousand Men". In the same year, the group released their second album, Let the Four Winds Blow, which also performed well. They further distinguished themselves with their oddball live performances, which had band members often dressing in medieval garb, and Tudor-Pole himself in a full suit of chain mail armour. They also added Munch Universe, as he was named, to their line-up.

In 1982, the original Tenpole Tudor broke up. While Tudor-Pole led a cajun-inspired version of Tenpole Tudor, the rest of the band released a single under the name The Tudors, minus Munch Universe. After the non-original incarnation of Tenpole Tudor failed, Tudor-Pole left Stiff Records and began performing in jazz and swing bands, eventually returning to acting. Tudor-Pole formed a new line-up of the band in 1985 featuring Mick (guitar), Matt (bass), Sean (saxophone/guitar), and Paul (drums).

Today, Tudor-Pole concentrates partly on acting, but focuses mainly upon his new one-man-show, performing live shows described as a 'One Man Stadium Show'. He has re-formed Tenpole Tudor from time to time, notably in 2001, with Darrell Bath on guitar, Donagh O'Leary on bass and Ben Standage on drums. He currently performs his one-man live show throughout Britain and, in 2009, released a Tenpole Tudor album titled Made It This Far.

Gary Long lives near Tábua, Coimbra in Portugal, and has a 1970s and 1980s covers rock band, named Dagiro. Nowadays he plays the guitar and also sings.