Private Sector

Private Sector were formed in Wythenshawe in 1977 by Mark McStea (vocals/guitar) and John McStea (drums) following the break up of Purple Haze, which also featured Chris Behan (rhythm gtr/vocs) and Brett McIlroy (bass). Behan and McIlroy didn’t go on to play in any other bands.

Bass player Eric Waters, was recruited for Private Sector via an advert in the old Virgin Records store. He hadn’t played in any previous bands. Private Sector’s first gig was supporting Chelsea at Rafters in June 1977, followed two weeks later by a support slot at the same venue with reggae band, Jab Jab. Numerous support gigs followed, including spots with Generation X, Skids, Police, Specials, Radio Stars, Count Bishops, and many other well-known names from that time.

Private Sector struck up a friendship with The Distractions and supported them quite a few times. Tony Davidson, from TJM, saw them supporting The Distractions just after their first single for TJM came out and offered Private Sector a record deal. The single, Stay Free, (produced by Steve Garvey) was recorded at Cargo in 1978 and came out at the start of 1979. It sold out its pressing within weeks, scoring airplay on John Peel, Kid Jensen and Mike Read on Radio One. It also received strong reviews in Sounds, Record Mirror and the short lived music weekly, National Rock Star. These days it sells for £60 plus on eBay. It was featured on a Cherry Red box set, Manchester Keeping Control, in 2023, with the incorrect songwriting credit for the track as ‘Norman’. The song was written by Mark McStea, as clearly stated on the record label and the sleeve of the record.

Davidson has re-written his history in recent years, to place himself at the centre of all things Manchester in the late seventies. He claims to have signed the band after a demo tape was sent in, which was untrue, as the first time the band ever went into a studio was to record the single. He invited the band to appear on his Identity Parade tour, sharing the bill with V2, Speed, Pathetix, and Frantic Elevators. All the bands received the mighty sum of £2 per person each night of the tour. The bands convened on Davidson’s rehearsal studio, where a coach would take them all to the gig then drive them back to Manchester straight afterwards.

Eric Waters left in 1979, (he did not go on to play in any other bands) and was replaced on bass by Johnny Miller, who had been the band’s roadie. Private Sector continued to gig, headlining at the Band On The Wall regularly. There was strong interest in signing the band from the newly formed Park Lane Records, owned by the management of Pink Floyd, with Vic Maile penciled in as producer, but then financial issues with the label caused the deal to collapse. The band continued to attract major label interest, particularly from Virgin, but ultimately failed to secure the much coveted record deal that every band was chasing. Private Sector split up in 1982 – John McStea and Johnny Miller did not play in any further bands.

Mark McStea joined Live For The Weekend for a few months, and also spent a period in London Cowboys, replacing Phil Lewis (LA Guns), but the band dissolved soon afterwards.

Mark McStea, the band’s songwriter, as well as vocalist/guitarist formed a band with Ross Drake called Texas Medicine. They spent some time working with Jayne County, with a view to working as her band on the side, but County then pulled back from touring at that point. McStea has worked with Elizabeth Westwood of Westworld fame and has, for many years worked as a music journalist for the major American guitar magazines, Guitar World and Guitar Player, as well as Guitarist, Record Collector, Classic Rock and Vive Le Rock In the UK. He has also written a novel, The Bulletproof Truth, which is due out in USA in 2024. He is currently fronting Star Studded Sham, with a six track mini album, Six Gun Rock’n’Roll, available on Bandcamp.