The band began around 1972 and was made up of senior students at Cardiff High School. The driving force was the guitarist, Steve Russell. John Norton West played bass and Jeremy Bean played drums. A singer, Geoff Turner, was added later that year.

It was mainly a rock and roll band but had a good grounding in the blues and was adding a lot of the new heavy metal bands to its play list. Major influences included; 'The Rolling Stones', 'Chuck Berry', 'Free', 'Cream', 'Jimi Hendrix', 'John Mayall's Bluesbreakers', 'Johnny Winter', 'Led Zeppelin', 'Deep Purple', 'Black Sabbath', 'Ten Years After' and 'Robin Trower'.

In 1972 the band reached the Newcastle finals of the Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. It also received an invitation to tape a segment for NBN 3's "Valley Sounds" rock show. Regular gigs included Mayfield YMCA and the Tyrrell House dances in Newcastle.

The band lasted into 1974 but only Steve had the passion to give enough time to the music. As the others dropped out and were replaced, the band morphed into 'Rat Salad'. As it turned out, however, each of the original members of 'Fire' played, at various stages, in Steve's new band. Geoff moved on to the band 'Middle-Earth' and after that rejoined Steve in 'Rat Salad'. John and Jeremy both left the region after university.

Geoff Turner