The Edgar Broughton Band

 

The Edgar Broughton Band

by Pete Clemons

Now Rob (Edgar) Broughton may not view me as an A star student but, when younger – and to a degree throughout my life - a lot of what he and others said made sense to me at an individual level. Especially when he talked about doing things your way and not being led. Or at least that was my interpretation of it.

Frontman Edgar Broughton was a fierce, uncompromising political agitator. Their raw, aggressive proto-punk style and tracks like the election-defying single "Up Yours!" aggressively challenged the social and political establishment.

The Edgar Broughton Band became notorious for chaotic free concerts, anti-establishment politics, and incidents of disorder that led several towns to ban their live shows.

Even today, as with a recent social media post I noticed from Rob, he still has an ability to make me smile 'I think the repetition of tales and anecdotes by some one of my age must be tolerated to some extent especially when a critic has nothing worth telling'.

The recent loss of Edgar's bass player and long time friend, Arthur Grant, had my mind wandering back to when the band made a leap of faith by relocating to London.

1969

If the word 'underground' still has any meaning on the music scene, then it is typified by Edgar Broughton a man who passionately believes in social change and that music is a revolutionary weapon.

On stage the Broughton band have a remarkable sinister quality, an example being what Edgar describes as their 'exorcism bit' where they get the audience to chant out their demons - the atmosphere this built up on the recent free concerts in Hyde Park and Parliament Hill Fields had to be felt to be believed.

In person Edgar turned out to be a dedicated, intelligent and obviously sensitive man who was not the least offended by the use of the word 'sinister' to describe his stage presence.

'It's not really an image we are trying to project, but it is probably what we are' he agreed. 'We do a lot of stuff that is dramatic and heavy'.

'If we do have this peculiar, unknown, sinister quality then I feel it helps us to achieve a genuine participation from audiences. This is our ambition to involve the whole of Britain in some type of positive action - get people to do things without saying what they should do. There is a tremendous void in everything at the moment, a lack of direction'.

'Music is for people, so it is people, and people are music. Obviously people identify with a trend in music which effects their day to day existence and in this way, hope to really get into them'.

'It's all subversive in a way. As a genuine underground band we are trying to subvert the old ideas and start a revolution'.

'This might sound a bit strong, but we feel strongly about the parent-child relationship. There is this parent hate of the pop figure and, partly by design and partly by accident, we seem to arouse it - even if it's only 'what can you see in a group of long haired violent people?'. The parents are worried and disturbed by it and that forces them to discuss it with their children'.

'Any sort of aggression you create between two parties has to turn into communication between them. People hate you so much they just have to ask why. It's not a question of age but of parent-child relationship because that is so important'.
'What we want is for people to look at themselves, and society, and decide if this is the way they really want to live. We feel we can help do this through our music reaching as many people as possible'.

The band came to London seven months ago after two years of what Edgar describes as 'total obscurity' in the Midlands - Warwick to be precise. Edgar had had a guitar from the age of eleven but has only been playing 'seriously' for the past three years.

'I suppose, originally, my taste was somewhere between R 'n' B and blues' he says. 'But there was something about R 'n' B I didn't like and a lot about the blues I didn't know. Now I listen to most of the underground things like Captain Beefheart and The Fugs, but also in classical music and jazz'.

He is most enthusiastic about his signing with EMI's Harvest label which releases the band's first album this week.

'I think Harvest will open things up' he said. 'We had so much freedom with the album, nobody telling us what music we should play. I had always had this feeling that the big corporations like EMI or the BBC, in the first place, oppose new things, but this certainly isn't true at EMI. Maybe things are changing'.

Footnote: and I do enjoy these anecdotes.....

Tony Cox memories - I think I've told this story before, but it bears repeating. Rockin' Chair Blues Band were good friends with the band. We were all at school with Rob, and later, Steve. When I decided I needed a new drum kit, we piled in my old Morris 1000 traveller and went down to the smoke to visit them. Steve kindly accompanied me to a music shop he used and thanks to him I got a bargain Premier kit. Back at the flat, Vic Unitt, who had joined The Pretty Things from the Broughtons, arrived and played us the newly released Pretty Things album "Parachute" which is still one of my favourite albums to this day.

Joyce Broughton their mum, drove Wandering John a few times when we needed a van to get to gigs.

Black Parrot Seaside by Geoff Veasey

 

Black Parrot Seaside by Geoff Veasey

by Pete Clemons

Coventry band Black Parrot Seaside formed in 1975 as a full electric
outfit. The original line up was Rob Lockington (drums), Tez Tehegee (guitars)
Arnold Chave (guitars) with Graham Caldicott and Geoff Veasey sharing the
vocals. Three of the original line up were ex-Caludon Castle pupils.
BPS performed a mixture of covers and self-penned material. In their first
ever gig at Wolvey Village Hall. The first song they began the set with that
night was John Lee Hooker’s “Dimples.” Barry Ousby (bass) was soon added
and Jeff Styles replaced Lockington on drums. Arnold Chave had previously
been in a band called Satin Pig with Steve Johnson, a lifelong friend of his
who went on to be an integral part of Lieutenant Pigeon. Guitarist Dave
Blundy who was in Davy and The Starliners stepped in to beef up the BPS
sound occasionally, including one fairly riotous gig at The Smithfield, opposite
Coventry Hippodrome. BPS played many of the central Coventry rock venues
including The Golden Cross, The Climax, The Colin Campbell, The Craven
Arms, the Dive Bar and The Dog and Trumpet.

In various formats they played mostly pubs and colleges in the
Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and West Midlands area. Dave “Vance”
Anderson eventually replaced Jeff on drums, Martin Smalldon replaced
Ousby on bass and another Caludon ex pupil, Mick Harris, joined on
keyboards. Punk Rock appeared distantly on the horizon and influenced by
Edgar Broughton, Heavy Metal Kids and Alex Harvey, BPS began to lean
towards more radical, original material. Their stage act contained some
visuals and some dramatic sequences. “Brutus” “Mr. Unusual,” and “Small
Maladjusted and Mean” were popular with audiences. A stage act which by
now could be both explosive and controversial got them banned in s handful
on pubs in Birmingham and Coventry. During this time however, they also
played Nottingham, Warwick, Coventry and Birmingham Universities, where
larger and more diverse audiences liked their approach to satire and parody.
Occasionally they strayed further south, notably with a gig at Hitchin Poly
where they played support to Rocky Sharpe. ( Later The Darts).

By 1976 Graham Caldicott had drifted away. Then the group was rocked
by Vance announcing that he was quitting to join another Coventry Band, The Flys.
Vance proved impossible to replace. His brilliant musicianship and
spectacular stage presence had been invaluable in a band which by now was
doing almost exclusively their own material. It was an amicable parting.
Vance eventually relocated to the USA where his studio production and
organisational skills endeared him to a number of prestigious stars. This
included Stevie Wonder and Tony Bennett who recruited him as a Tour
Manager. BPS members kept in touch with Vance all the way to his death
in ???

BPS took the decision not to replace Vance but migrated steadily
towards a Folkier, more acoustic sound. They added Eddie Jones on fiddle
and accordion. Martin Smalldon continued to play a few gigs on acoustic
bass. Much of the older material stayed on the set list, with “I am a Vacuum
Cleaner.” still attracting a lot of attention. So much so that in 1978 Chris King
The Flys manager, impressed by the originality and outlandishness of BPS,
offered them a recording, management and publishing deal. Their mini album
“Roll It Up and Eat It,” was released that same year in vinyl, on King’s Zama
Record label, with Vacuum Cleaner promoted and packaged as the single. It
was recorded in Pathway Studios, London, and remixed at Monty Bird studios
in Warwick. Jim Pryal was drafted in on drums and bass player Arun Bhandari
also worked on the recording. Some of the Flys personnel put in some
sessions work on the tracks. The picture disc and sleeve carried the
nomenclature “Black Parrot Seaside and The Exploding Sheep.” The sheer
wackiness of “Vacuum Cleaner” continued to be popular and the single
attracted new fans like DJ John Peel who played it several times on Radio
One.

After the recording and record release, the BPS format settled as a four
piece. Martin Smalldon continued to make occasion forays on electric and
acoustic bass. By 1976 BPS were hosting The Bulls Head Folk Club in
Brinklow, running on a Friday night.

BPS added guitarist John Walker (yet another ex Caludon Coventrian)
to the line up. The band finally folded in 1982 as other commitments took
precedence.

Not quite the end of the story however as in 2007 they were invited to
reform for a one off Charity Bash in Brinklow. They had so much fun doing it
(and such a positive reaction), that they stayed together until 2014, recording
a second full length album titled “Aint It Grand?” This was produced and
engineered by Norman Wheatley. New songs and traditional covers featured
on it, including the ubiquitous “Vacuum Cleaner.” The band continued to play
Folk Clubs and Festivals, with their last ever gig being at Nuneaton Folk Club
in October 2014. During this time the band also appeared with different line-
ups and under several aliases including The Grit Tray and Macaw On Tour.
Local folk musicians often made guest appearances on such occasions.

Chevy

 

Chevy

by Pete Clemons

The recent loss of lead vocalist Martin Cure had me searching for reviews of Chevy that indicated just how good this band was and how close they were to making it big. Luck and timing is everything of course and I cant help they somehow got lost in a crowded market.


General Wolfe 1980

And the heat was on. Outside the evening was warm and pleasant but inside was hot, hot, hotter than hell. The sort of Turkish Bath conditions that melt your shirt, lubricate your trouser legs and make catching a band more a case of survival than anything else.

But Chevy, blending inspiration and perspiration to a fine degree were worth dropping the odd pound for. Simply, they were a revelation. The stage was cramped, the PA small and the crowd similar but the band rattled through an all too short set of harmony tinged US style rock, a boogie with the sort of confidence that only comes from knowing your good. And, of course, they are.

Guitarists Steve Walwyn and Paul Shanahan play with a power and finesse reminiscent of Boston at their knee trembling best, drummer Chas Chaplin and bassist Bob Poole provide an unfaltering backbeat and singer/sometime guitarist Martin Cure proves the possessor of a very healthy pair of lungs indeed. But then, coming from the spa town of Leamington (as do they all) that's just what you'd expect.

But what convinces me that the name Chevy wont provoke cries of 'who?' for very much longer is the quality of the songs. To combine raw, gutsy power with instant memorability is no easy task but this band do just that, ensuring that their John Stronach produced debut album will be worth saving the shekels for.

Particularly ear catching are 'Chevy' (their contribution to the patchy 'Metal For Muthas Vol 2'), 'The Taker', 'Rock On' and the magnificent 'Rock City' which sounds like prime singles material even to these battered ears.

In September the band will be leaving for America where, being as their music is more in synch with Zep and Bad Co. than Saxon and Maiden, their management feel they'll be more rapturously received, but hopefully a few British dates will precede their departure. So if you get a chance to check them out then do. I guarantee you'll be impressed. And, if not, well you can always send me back to Coventry - as long as Chevy are playing there.

Chevy article 1980 (rated 4 stars - precious metal)

Riding out from Coventry, this five piece strike out with a decidedly natural Transatlantic blend of effervescent melodies and primal boot boy aggression. Formed two years back the band has remained constant in their line up. Martin Cure (lead vocal/guitar), Paul Shanahan and Steve Walwyn (guitar/vocals), Andy Chapman (drums) and Bob Poole (bass/vocals), first came to the public eye via their signature tune 'Chevy' on EMI's album, 'Metal For Muthas Volume 2'. Since then they've signed with new label Avatar, owned by Alvin Lee's manager Jon Brewer, subsequently releasing their first single 'Too Much Loving' towards the end of July 1980. During the remainder of that year you did hear and read a lot about Chevy. At the start of Autumn they'll be out on tour with Alvin Lee and there's a proposed US trek in October (again with Lee), to coincide with the British release of their first album.

Gillan/Chevy

1981 seemed to be shaping up more positively. For a start the disintegration of the heavy metal bandwagon had led to greater demand for diversity and depth laying more emphasis on songwriting, structure and execution, all of which were in Chevy's favour. Their was a graceful thrustfulness about this quintet that took your breath away. A selection of quality material from the thunder of 'The Taker' through to the majesty of 'Skybird' won over an audience to whom Chevy were previously an unknown quantity. The release of 'The Taker' confirmed Chevy's natural class and potential. Towards the end of that year, this promise began to harden and take real shape when the band unleashed three new songs on the Hawkwind tour. 'Wind of Change', 'Same Old Feeling' and 'Hit and Run' were instant classics. Chevy have had a virtually stable line up since it all began in early 78. The sole change being the addition of guitarist/vocalist Steve Walwyn (in October of that year) to the quarter foundation. So, given the length of time this band has been together playing hard rock (a full 18 months BEFORE the HM media explosion), its incredible that they've been accused of bandwagon jumping.

This was based on a misconception concerning a certain cabaret act with which various members of Chevy appeared at one time - Cupid's Inspiration.

'The fact is we were getting great money for going out as Cupid's' added Bob Poole. 'Switching to hard rock has meant us taking a large drop in earnings'.

Another problem was that Chevy weren't too pleased with their debut album.

'I don't think it helped that working on 'The Taker' was the first time the band had gone into a studio properly' said Poole. 'We just kept our mouths shut and let the producer get on with the job, which was a mistake'.

Voyage 35 - The Nostalgia Collective

 

Voyage 35 - The Nostalgia Collective

By Pete Clemons

The link between Porcupine Tree and Coventry is a tenuous one but bear with me. The band played Antics club - formerly known as the Tic Toc during 1993 - on the bands very first tour. It was actually Porcupine Tree's third or fourth ever gig. Depends on if you include a Marc Radcliffe BBC radio session or not. Plus Coventry holds the distinction of being the only place where the band performed as a 3 piece.

Porcupine Tree's now 30 plus year history has taken its own story but began as a live band with Steven Wilson, Richard Barbieri, Chris Maitland - who left during 2002 and Colin Edwin - who remained with the band until they took a hiatus in 2010.

As Porcupine Tree grew more famous and took on a heavier direction, their earliest tracks were left behind. Edwin, and a dedicated team, decided to take a real risk by creating a band to play these classic songs again with a fresh approach.

Two years on from those initial thoughts and a band with the name 'Voyage 35' pays tribute to Porcupine Tree's famous 1992 ambient track, Voyage 34 and many others have just completed their debut tour. The set list focuses heavily on music from the early 1990s up to the 'In Absentia' era.

Voyage 35 does not just play the old songs al dente, they bring a full live band and authentic visual elements to every show. They even tour with the original psychedelic light show known as Fruit Salad Lights.

The Voyage 35 project started after bass player Colin Edwin reconnected with original drummer Chris Maitland and reminisced over the old mid-1990s recordings. They were reminded as to how good that early music was.

According to band co-founder Colin Edwin, Maitland remains a full-time working drummer, and his schedule lacked the required flexibility to commit to a full tour schedule. Instead, Alessandro Vagnoni, a band mate of Colin's from O.R.k. was recruited to handle full-time drum duties.

The O.R.k. Link continued when vocalist and keyboard player Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (Lef) was drafted into the band.

Finally, former Colin Edwin approached John Wesley to join the project after they reconnected when Wesley provided guest guitar work for an O.R.k. Track. John Wesley joined Porcupine Tree as a touring guitarist and backing vocalist in 2002 during their In Absentia world tour. He stayed with the band for nearly a decade through 2010, performing in over 450 shows and contributing to albums like In Absentia and Fear of a Blank Planet.

Voyage 35 have released fresh studio takes of early gems like The Nostalgia Factory and Even Less to prepare themselves for the stage. The live set gives fans a rare chance to hear atmospheric, lesser-played tracks that have not been performed live in decades. And wow have they given them a new lease of life. Voyage 35 honoured the enduring material by interpreting classic tracks with a fresh modern energy.

Steven Wilson, who continues to push boundaries with his music, has also expressed full support for Voyage 35 project.

Just as impressive has been getting this project together in terms of geography and logistics. John Wesley is from Miami in Florida while both Alessandro and Lef reside in Italy.

In its formative years, as much as Porcupine Tree was a bedroom conception, it took the efforts of many others to springboard it into the music loving public's eyeline. And this tour was an incredible reminder just what a force Porcupine Tree had become. Booking agent Glenn Povey and his Circle Sky Agency ensured that the whole tour was an unconditional triumph and inspired thinking to actually do this.

A delighted manager, Richard Allen, and for whom the tour has far exceeded expectations mentioned after the tour 'A group effort that came together pretty much as planned. It was obviously meant to happen!'.

Richard continued 'We genuinely had no idea how it would do. We only had a hunch that there were fans out there who loved the early period of the band. I've said many times I wasn't really into what they did later although I respected it. Prog Metal was never my thing. It's good to know that those 12 years at the start are remembered because PT was a different animal back then as I'm sure those who never saw them now realise. Signify remains my favourite album and I have a soft spot for the first one not least the lyrics of the late Alan Duffy (RIP) It's a real shame Alan never got to see this tour'.

Finally, and back to the Coventry gig of 1993, I had a brief chance to say hi to Colin Edwin during the tour. His razor sharp memory remembered that particular evening. The memory brought back a wry smile and the comment 'how did we get away with that one'.

Nektar 74 – Down to Earth

 

Nektar 74 – Down to Earth

by Pete Clemons

Chipping Norton Studios. Gerry Rafferty recorded "Baker Street" there. Radiohead recorded their debut album Pablo Honey (including "Creep") at the studio. Duran Duran recorded major parts of their debut album here. Status Quo recorded "In The Army Now" at the location.

Another, more less remembered album recorded at the Cotswolds studios created by Richard and Mike Vernon, initially for the Blue Horizon Label, was “Down to Earth” by Nektar – the bands second album to be recorded in the UK. An article about that particular journey within the bands history is reproduced below............

Hidden away in the depths of Oxfordshire is a small village by the name of Chipping Norton. There you'll find a small studio hidden away in the back streets, and this is where Nektar are working rigorously on their new album to meet the deadline only days away.

Studio time costs money and the band aren't exactly overloaded with riches. They are in the unique position of managing themselves and this means they have to cover their own expenses.

Still the British tour they've just completed has proved to be a quite rewarding exercise and they're hoping to completely break into the circuit next time round. But future plans were far back in their minds and their main concern was to complete their fifth album.

Those who are familiar with the band will know that although their origins lie in Britain they spend all their time in Germany, apart from when they tour.

'People regard us as a German band and I suppose that's true' says Mick Brockett, the guy responsible for the bands intricate light show. When I saw the band they were laying down the final tracks on one of the numbers. They were going to record the last track 'Show Me the Way' the next day.

They had all the basic tracks for it laid down. All that had to be worked in was the vocals, lyrics and let PP and Kenny Arnold and Bob Calvert (alias the mischievous Captain Lockheed) do their bit.

They were certainly looking tired, it's not surprising, apart from spending virtually all the hours of the day getting the album together they had already been on the road for 12 months. The smell of cigarette smoke and stale lager filtered around the studio and the pale, disheveled figures of the band were crumpled on studio seats.

It was in the early hours of the morning that Derek Moore thought it would be ok to hold the interview. Derek, apart from playing bass guitar is the band's manager and generally gets things together. He's a tall, thin and amiable guy and it still puzzles me how he and the rest of the guy's can contain so much enthusiasm and dedication after being on the road for so long.

Obviously the rewards have been good, they are mighty big in Germany and have secured various recording contracts all over the world. They desperately want to break in Britain as they feel it will open the pathway for them in other countries and also because it's their home.

By the looks of things they're well on the way of doing so, every place they played has asked them back and their price is getting higher each tour.

The album, provisionally titled 'Down to Earth' will be released to coincide with the bands next British tour in June. They will also be releasing a single off the album.

'We know which one we'll release in Germany, but we haven't decided for England. This is no kind of plunge for commercial success it's just that the songs on this album are shorter and more straight to the point. There are still some long ones but there are quite a few prospective singles'.

'The idea for calling this album 'Down to Earth' is because all the other albums have had a spacey feel and the run of the titles have been rather spacey and we thought we'll keep the title in the same vein but the meaning will be entirely opposite'.

This is the longest time they've spent on an album and personally I think it's their best. It packs more of a punch rather than the inert loose feel the others had. It's also more representative of the band live which is something else again.

Like their previous recordings the album follows a concept which revolves around a story about a circus. I asked Mo if there would be anything special about the presentation, 'I don't really know. Three days before we came into the studio we hardly had any numbers ready. Then we had three days rehearsal and started getting ideas together'.

'Now in the studio's we're doing things bit by bit. So we're not sure at the moment what the end's going to be'.

The band remind me a lot of Man. Both have the ability to jam and make it sound as if they were working off a score, but still retaining that raw, fresh energy that you get when you improvise.

It seems that Man are getting bigger all the time so its logical that Nektar will start picking up too, as this kind of freestyle sound is beginning to rear its head in the music scene.

'I think the music scene is beginning to stagnate. Everyone's looking around for something new. Every ten years or so everyone stops and say's well we've got nothing to follow now and they start looking around. First they go backwards and dig out all their old records and try and make it happen again and it doesn't but something new comes out of it. I think that period has arrived again'.

Very true indeed. The main base of criticism against the band has been that they sound very psychedelic and their colourful light show adds to the air of hipness. Well that's definitely not how the band want to be classified. Now that money's beginning to flow the light is going modified and a bit slicker and with Mick in charge, spectacular.

The album is tighter and might prove to be more acceptable to the airwaves who have pretty well ignored them here in Britain. But don't worry it's still Nektar, just a little more......down to earth.

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band / The Travs

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band / The Travs

By Pete Clemons

Johnny 'Slide' Alderson

With changing landscape it is a rare thing nowadays to see a band the calibre of this. One whose band members grew up to and inspired by the family group of John Mayall music and the British blues boom of the late 1960s.

The late British blues movement was driven by powerhouse bands and virtuoso guitarists who shifted traditional American blues into heavy, high-volume blues-rock and early psychedelic styles. Key purveyors included John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown, and Chicken Shack and, to an extent, Led Zeppelin.

The Travelling Riverside Blues Band (often called The Travs) has its roots tracing back to Coventry, Leicester and the Midlands live music scene in the early 1980s, with members active across regional venues in the UK for over four decades, including recent active performances.

The bands line-up has changed extensively through those decades but, in recent times – and for a good number of years, has settled with founding member Johnny (Slide) Alderson on guitar, Trev Mugleston on keyboards, vocals and harmonica, Steve Hawkins bass guitar and vocals, and Jeff Durow on drums.

The earliest formation of The Travelling Riverside Blues Band I remember was with Tony 'Mojo' Morgan (bass), George Stevens (drums) and Trevor Jones (vocals). The band has had various line-ups but 'Johnny Slide' (John Alderson's other persona) now being the only constant original member. The long gone and well remembered Sunday Sessions at the Whitley Abbey Pub on Abbey Road was an early venue the band played in.

On the evidence of what I saw recently at The Broomfield Tavern The Travs are smoothly elegant and still bring total conviction to the music. They continue to regularly tour and play regional Midlands pubs and clubs near Coventry and Leicester. Their set list, which has never remained stagnant, typically consists of classic rock, pop, and blues covers tailored to the live pub crowd. Some of the songs they cover were written decades earlier but spotlighted by the British blues boom era.

Man of the World
Need Your Love So Bad
I cant quit you babe
Copper head Road
Gimme Some Lovin
I'm a Man
I Feel Free
You Shook Me

Johnny 'Slide' has always been fondly remembered in these parts. After all he had been a member of Coventry favourites Wandering John who were active between 1969 and 1971. When I mentioned I had recently seen The Travs it prompted some amazing comments. They were too good not to be included in this article........

Wandering John bass player Ade Taylor remembers: 'He always has been a great guitarist, since the day I joined the band "Interior War", Johnny was playing number 2 guitar to Rod Grant. I replaced John Westacott on bass, and after 2 gigs, there was a revamping of the band, and Johnny and myself were sacked!. We then decided to put our own band together, and when John Gravenor and Al Walder joined, "Wandering John" emerged as a new band. This time, John Alderson was lead guitarist, and his reputation as a top guitarist grew and grew! I'm so proud of him and John Gravenor'.

John Gravenor, nicknamed Wandering John, and where the Coventry band got its name said:
'John Alderson one of the best guitarist Coventry ever produced so proud to be part of his career'

If the late 60s, early 70s British blues scene peaks your attention then don't pass up on the opportunity if The Travs pass by your way.

Chesford Grange – The Twist Den

 

Chesford Grange – The Twist Den

by Pete Clemons

During 1964, the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire was owned and operated by the Hames family. The Hames family originally took over the estate just before World War II (moving from the Kenilworth Castle Gatehouse) and successfully developed it back into a premier hotel and nightlife venue by the mid-1950s.

Michael (Mike) Eckersley served as the General Manager of the Chesford Grange Hotel from January 1964 through to sometime during the 1970s. And during his tenure, the Warwickshire venue was a highly popular hotel and live music destination.

As the 'Swinging Sixties' took off, the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth introduced a 'fabulous discotheque' downstairs in its old cellar bars to target 18-to-25-year-olds. It became known as 'The Twist Den'.

The Twist Den existed at Chesford Grange for roughly 5 to 8 years, operating from the mid-1960s until it was rebranded in the early 1970s. The space evolved across two distinct eras: The Twist Den Era that incorporated the flourishing beat scene and then the Mid-to-Late 1960s which became host to the British blues generation.

Said manager Mr, Michael Eckersley during 1968 'Chesford Grange has seen some of the better pop groups, but the scene is changing and Teenagers want blues and we want to keep up'. And his hunch paid off as hundreds would turn up for gigs. As many as 800 were mentioned.

The Twist Den featured a packed underground bar with psychedelic, ultra-violet lighting projected onto the walls. It ultimately became famous for hosting local and burgeoning rock acts, including a bi-weekly residency by The Andicaps (which could well have featured a young Jeff Lynne, later of ELO fame, as he was with the band till around 1965), as well as acts the like of the John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and John Lee Hooker.

In fact after John Lee Hookers appearance it was reviewed very elegantly 'John Lee still shows magic He strolled in, grabbed a chair, sat down and began to play the blues, very quietly, very modestly, John Lee Hooker had arrived at the Chesford Grange. It was ear-straining to hear him'.

Even London's psychedelic nights were catered for and recreated at the Chesford during 1967 and 68 as bands like The Mood, Psychotic Reaction and From the Sun played regularly. Thursday evenings gave way to these night and to complete the London scene feel they came complete with Juliana's discotheque. Early April 1967 it was reported that the venue was 'invaded by pop musicians when auditions were held to select groups for Saturday sessions'. This I understand was promoted by local philanthropist David Owen.

Another name also referenced as a major contributor within the music booking history circles at the Chesford Grange is Peter Martin. I don't think he was an employee of the hotel but worked as an independent booking agency. Regardless of that, both Eckersley and Martin appeared to be incredibly hip and forward thinking. They certainly had their finger on the pulse by way of recognising the changing scenes and the bands they went for.

A newspaper article from 1969 mentioned 'We agreed on a form of cooperation said Mr. Peter Martin, of County Town Entertainments, who run's the Sunday concerts'. He went on to say that 'he had never known any trouble at the venue'.

That said things never went entirely smoothly. It was revealed during 1969 that P. P. Arnold was to have received £225 for a date and that about 500 people were at the Chesford to see her. However P.P. Arnold and her group, T.N.T., did not turn up. Martin had to face the disgruntled customers.

The Early 1970s saw the music scene at Chesford Grange shifting towards heavier progressive rock and a massive rebranding. The venue was renamed The Kinetic Kenilworth, and the old downstairs Twist Den was converted into the Kinetic Cellar. And during this heavy metal and progressive 'underground' era, the cellar hosted legendary acts such as The Groundhogs, Hawkwind and Van der Graaf Generator for entry fees of just 40p.

The overarching 'Kinetic' music venue era at the hotel came to an end around 1973, paving the way for later iterations of the hotel's nightlife spaces, such as the Camelot Suite and Oliver's. Meanwhile the cellar bar rebranded itself with names like Blaises and the Stables as the 'disco' generation took over.

At its peak the Twist Den regularly pulled in 700 to 800 revellers.and claimed that 'The cream from Radio 1 will be performing here by Monday'.

The Chesford Grange hotel continues to thrive successfully in its beautiful setting. Apart from relaxing stays it also offers a gym and pool facilities as well as catering for flamboyant weddings. Music is still there as well.

Sir Colin Campbell / The Phoenix - Coventry Venue Closes

Sir Colin Campbell / The Phoenix - Coventry Venue Closes.

by Pete Clemons

The times, and interests, they are a changing. And its quite clear that going to the pub and watching live bands are not on the social calendar quite as much as it once was. It is all still there but has somehow become more niche.

As another pub bites the dust, and whose to say it wont bounce back, here is a potted history of the Phoenix/Campbell. In terms of popular music culture the Phoenix/Campbell has an impressive one. This overview is not concise, it's far from complete, far from comprehensive, it's more of a summary.......

The Phoenix in Coventry (located at 122 Gosford Street) has officially announced its permanent closure on 6 September 2026. The building has stood since 1720, but its true musical roots took hold under its previous, legendary identity: The Colin Campbell (or simply "The Campbell").

The Sir Colin Campbell pub in Coventry—which was famously renamed The Phoenix before its final closing in September 2026—hosted hundreds of influential rock, punk, progressive, and alternative bands over its decades-long history as a staple of the city’s underground music scene.

Live music typically took place in the function room upstairs, which operated under various legendary club names over the decades.


1960s Music Scene and Performers

Folk and Acoustic: Local performers such as Ron Shuttleworth and Barry Skinner frequented the venue's acoustic and folk circles during the 1960s.

The Village Rock Club (1970 transition): Moving right at the turn of the decade into the 1970s, the upstairs function room hosted heavy/progressive rock bands like Indian Summer (who played a notable gig there in July 1970), April, Boots, and Flood, accompanied by progressive rock DJ Malv Preece.

The 1970s: "The Village" Prog & Heavy Rock Era

Between 1970 and 1975, the upstairs function room was home to The Village, a legendary rock night and progressive disco advertised in the historic Hobo Magazine:

Boots (also known as Gregorian Chant / Children): A heavy rock group that apparently featured Carl Palmer's brother, who headlined a historic "heavy evening" at the pub in December 1970.

Flood: A popular regional band out of Nuneaton that drew local rock crowds to the upstairs venue.

April: A well-known Coventry folk-rock outfit that played a legendary Boxing Day show at the pub in 1970.

Indian Summer: Performed several times live at the venue during their active early Gosford/local gig circuit days. The Coventry rock/blues band played at the venue in July and August 1970.

Wandering John: Band members like John Gravenor explicitly recalled playing gigs at the venue during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Asgard: Part of the active local Coventry underground and alternative scene tied to the pub and contemporaneous local spots like the Umbrella club. They performed at the venue in January 1971

Junkhouse: A local heavy rock band that frequently played the venue during the peak of the 1970 progressive scene.


Adrian Mitchell and George McBeth: Performed a lunchtime poetry and literary gig at the pub in February 1971


Local Folk and Acoustic Acts: The venue and upstairs spaces played host to local folk figures and club organizers like Pete Willow (who ran acoustic and folk sessions). In particular the Magic Lamp Folk Club alongside Bob Powell.

Posh Annie's (Silk's Graham Wood) above Colin Campbell October 1981/March 1982. Posh Annie's was in the upstairs room and had a short Friday night residency playing rock and progressive music on an in house DJ set up.

The 1980s: The Pilgrim Club Era

In the mid-1980s, the pub’s upstairs venue hosted The Pilgrim Club, which became a vital hub for early indie rock, space rock, and post-punk:

Spacemen 3: The legendary alternative rock band famously played some of their earliest gigs here. Recordings of their 1985 sets at the Sir Colin Campbell have circuited widely among fans.

Pop Will Eat Itself (PWEI): Before finding major chart success, the Stourbridge band (fronted by Coventry local Clint Mansell) played the venue numerous times under their early moniker, Wild and Wandering.

The Macc Lads: The irreverent punk rock band played notorious, high-energy shows at the venue.

The Pilgrims / Furious Apples: Local post-punk mainstays tightly tied to the curation of the Pilgrim Club.

The Long Range Weather Forecast: A notable local comedy rock band that performed there in 1985.

Popular Coventry folk blues singer songwriter - Rod Felton organised a folk club at the Colin Campbell c 1981 also.

The 1990s to Modern Era

In the 1990s and early 2000s (when it was known simply as The Campbell), the venue shifted focus toward punk, metal, indie rock, and student-centric nights. The 2000s marked a major transition for the venue. The official shift to The Phoenix in 2003 shifted its identity slightly more toward a modern student-and-sports bar, though it retained its alternative grit and live music spaces for years

Bridges (later The Enemy): Local indie musicians and upcoming university bands got their start here.

Local Dance & Techno Sound Systems: In the early 90s, the venue hosted side-room raves alongside underground DJ crews.

The Student Shift: Rebranded as The Phoenix in 2003, it shifted toward a lively student-centric music hub due to its close proximity to Coventry University. It blended late-night DJ sets, weekly student nights, and grass roots live entertainment.


The "Scream" Era: Rebranded under the "It's A Scream" student chain in the early 2000s, the pub combined cheap drink deals with raw talent, featuring a community-voted "rock hall of fame" feel.

Acoustic and Songwriter Hubs: In the later 2000s, the upstairs room regularly hosted acoustic music nights like Emma McGann's Songbird events and sessions by local artist Kristy Gallacher.

Underground Electronic and Reggae: Beyond guitars, the venue welcomed subgenres including the popular Dub Cave nights, providing a platform for Coventry's diverse sound systems.

The Wednesday Night Legends: Midweek student nights became part of Coventry folklore, acting as a crucial pre-club gathering for music fans heading to the Colosseum (now the Kasbah).

Flyer for the Village Heavy Rock Club 1970

Membership card 1970 Village Heavy Rock Club - Colin Campbell

The Village advertised in The Broadgate Gnome in 1970.

And by 1974 they had moved the Climax and advertised in Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) - below

Some later posters

Shel Naylor - One Fine Day

 

Shel Naylor

by Pete Clemons

Shel Naylor, (real name Rob Woodward), was a singer, songwriter, and musician from Coventry who released two singles on Decca Records in the UK. Both singles were produced by Shel Talmy: the debut, "How Deep Is The Ocean" in November 1963, and a second single, "One Fine Day", in March 1964.

Rob was discovered at the age of 17 while performing as Rob Woodward at the Orchid Ballroom in Coventry. He won a talent contest that earned him £50 and a recording contract with Decca Records. His now manager, Larry Page, gave him the professional name "Shel Naylor".

On tour Rob was described in programme notes as follows: Seventeen year old Shel Naylor comes from Coventry where he worked in the car industry. He taught himself to play four instruments, piano, clarinet, guitar and ukulele when he was very young and it was the late George Formby who gave him his first ukulele. Besides being a singer he writes many songs.

He is a very keen athlete and has run the 440 yards in record time. Contemporary art holds a great interest for him and he spends much of his time visiting exhibitions.

Key details about Rob's singles:

First Single: Released November 22, 1963 ("How Deep Is The Ocean" / "La Bamba").

Second Single: Released March 6, 1964 ("One Fine Day" / "It's Gonna Happen Soon").

Both singles were produced by the legendary Shel Talmy. The 1964 release "One Fine Day" is historically significant as it was written by Dave Davies of The Kinks and featured session musicians Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.

Shel Talmey remembers: 'I was reminded of this record recently, as one of the favourites I had produced, so I thought I would bring it to everyone's attention one more time.

Although by February 1964 I had gone fully independent, I was still producing discs on behalf of Decca Records. Some of the last sessions I did at the labels studio in West Hampstead in North London was with a group of artists from the Midlands town of Coventry. This included John Goodison, aka Johnny B Great and the schoolgirl vocal trio The Orchids, both of whom I recorded on several singles in 1963.

Another Coventry artist that I produced for Decca was born Rob Woodward, but used the professional name, Shel Naylor (and no I don't know if he stole my first name or not!)

I did two singles with Shel and for the second one, I decided to feature a song by the new group I had just signed to Pye Records - The Kinks

Even though Ray Davies was the leader of The Kinks and the groups chief songwriter, the track we recorded, 'One Fine Day', was written by his younger brother Dave.

The song was a rocker in The Kinks' early style. For the session I used Bobby Graham on drums and Jimmy Page on guitar, so the track came out with some of the flavour of the records I would soon produce with the group.

The single came out in March 1964 and like the early Kinks releases, didn't go anywhere'.

The singles were reviewed by music paper critics as follows:

How Deep is The Ocean/La Bamba (Decca F11776): New boy with a violent vocal style who veritably attacks the oldie. Sings the verse first with biggish backing then roars into the evergreen lyrics. Irving Berlin never, no not never, heard his song treated in this way. But it's in the correct idiom and could easily take off into a sizeable hit status. Good backing (Charles Blackwell). Flip has had a lot of different treatments, dating back to Ritchie Valens. Shel injects a lot of fire.

Another review mentioned:“How deep is the Ocean” has been dressed up to 1963 style with a Charles Blackwell arrangement, augmenting Shel Naylor’s forceful vocal delivery. Seventeen-year-old, six foot tall Shel hails from Coventry, where he works in that city’s motor

One Fine Day/Its Gonna Happen Soon (Decca F11856): Fast beat on this rock disc which moves along at a brisk danceable pace.

Shel Naylor was managed by the manager of Coventry's Orchid Ballroom, Larry Page, who later inserted himself into The Kinks operation and would soon start to claim credit for their success.

While in Coventry Larry would, of course, promote his protege at the ballroom.

A 1963 gig for Decca Records saw Shel performing at a twang night that included Johnny B. Great and The Goodmen, The Avengers, The Chimes and The Orchids.

During 1964 a Shel Naylor gig was advertised: the 18 years old Coventry recording artist and his new group, The Goodmen (who had previously backed Johnny Goodison), are to turn the clock back to the era of rock 'n' roll. He has teamed up with them and we hope that the Goodmen play their favourite type of music.

Rob Woodward did eventually found UK chart success in the early 1970s with the group Lieutenant Pigeon who had a big hit record with an instrumental called 'Mouldy Old Dough'.

One Fine Day Shel Naylor

It's Gonna Happen Soon - Shel Naylor

How deep is the Ocean - Shel Naylor

La Bamba - Shel Naylor

Tony Clarke (Moody Blues) – A Fascination With Space and Astronomy

 

Tony Clarke (Moody Blues) – A Fascination With Space and Astronomy.

By Pete Clemons

NASA’s Artemis program, recently, successfully completed its historic first crewed mission, Artemis II, which launched on 1 April 2026 and safely returned to Earth on 10 April 2026. The focus of today's lunar efforts has officially shifted to hardware preparation and crew training for the next phases of deep-space travel.

NASA has also introduced the designated crew for the Artemis III mission which will return humans to the lunar surface. Reusable Rockets using the frequently used Falcon 9 flights and ongoing test flights of large next-generation vehicles like SpaceX's Starship system will drive down launch costs.

This is all a far cry from the days when music producer, Tony Clarke, took some of his inspiration from the space age days of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Yes, it appears that Tony Clarke, often called the 'sixth Moody Blue', had a huge fascination with space, he visited Cape Canaveral several times as a guest of NASA, and that fascination influenced some of his production work.

Coventry born music producer Tony Clarke had a large telescope and a custom dome installed on the roof of his house for stargazing. Moody Blues band member, the late Ray Thomas, recalled going up to the roof to look at the moon and stars with Clarke while discussing philosophy and music.

Clarke's deep fascination with astronomy directly inspired the space-themed concept for the 1969 Moody Blues album To Our Children's Children's Children.

While the band’s relationship with NASA was extensive—their 1969 album To Our Children's Children's Children was inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing. The album also had a strong connection to Apollo 15. The Astronaut Playlist for the crew of Apollo 15 (1971) carried and listened to the album To Our Children's Children's Children on cassette tape during their mission.

For the song 'Higher and Higher', the band initially requested a recording of a rocket launch from NASA. When they found the provided audio unsatisfactory, they created their own 'space sound' (partially by dropping a piano off a building) and sent it back to NASA for their potential future use.

'Higher and Higher' opens the album with a dramatic custom rocket launch sound and spoken-word poetry celebrating humanity breaking Earth's gravity.

Another tune, 'Gypsy' (Of a Strange and Distant Time) explores the emotional isolation and vast distances of a long space voyage.

'Floating' a whimsical track by Ray Thomas was quite possibly imagining a low-gravity walk on the moon.

'Out and In' and 'Candle of Life' can be percieved as both reflecting on the quiet isolation, the journey, and the beauty of looking back at the world from the cosmos.

Finally 'I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Hundred' / 'I Never Thought I'd Live to Be a Million' could be contemplating the immense stretches of time required for deep-space travel.

Dirt Road Band – Godiva Festival 2026

 

Dirt Road Band – Godiva Festival 2026

by Pete Clemons

The much maligned Godiva in the city 2026 wasn't all negative. Yes the administration of the event left room for improvement – absolutely no accountability for tickets appeared to be one of the main issues - but, from what I saw, and I only attended the millennium stage, the organisation and the artists who appeared were excellent.

The Millennium stage, ironically, was set within the area of the site where the long lamented Coventry Theatre once stood. Of course the Millennium square is now in the shadow of the transport museum.

And finding a temporary outdoor event stage on or very near this exact footprint is fitting given the area's rich history. The former 2000 seat Coventry Theatre (originally the New Hippodrome) on Hales Street was a local cultural staple before its demolition in 2002. But this is now in the distant past, generations before many of today's younger music lovers came along.

While there isn't a permanent theatre on Hales Street any more, a variety of exciting performances and theatrical events regularly take place across the city centre. And this festival was no exception.

However, back to the music, and one of the highlights for me was the late addition of the Dirt Road Band.

Don't be put off if you hear that Dirt Road Band are just another blues combo and you prefer your music a bit more edgy. Dirt Road Band are a rock 'n' blues band rolled into one satisfying whole. Dirt Road Band delivers raw power, gritty guitar riffs, and deep emotional grooves. They combine the fast energy of rock with the soul of the blues.

On the Millennium stage Dry Road Band, as they were inexplicably introduced, were positive and aggressive blending their usual attack with tunes like 'Never get over losing you' and 'Worry no more'.

If you enjoy seeing a band playing exceptionally good music please make a point of seeing Dirt Road Band who stand out within their field.

Set list.......

'Never Get Over Losing You'
'Instinct to Survive'
'Cutting Room Floor' – dedicated by Horace to the Smithfield Pub
'Worry No More'
'And Johnny Winter' - the working title of a brand new song
'Down to the Doctors' - Steve dedicated this tune to his 32 years in Dr Feelgood

Fingers crossed the organisation team can have better control over ticketing next year. People intuitively grab anything for free regardless of whether they use it or not. The overused adage 'lessons must be used' has to come into play. Exceptional artists deserve better.

Coventry College of Education (Canley College)

 

Coventry College of Education (Canley College)

by Pete Clemons

Graphic from Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) February 1974

For many years any gig I saw on the Warwick University campus I simply referred to seeing the band at Warwick Uni. Generically called the place Warwick Uni when I referred to gigs. Only recently, through research, have I discovered that some of those bands may actually have been at Coventry College of Education.

As such I am attempting to rectify this situation and give Canley College the recognition it deserves.

Also it personally explains a decades old puzzle as to why venues, at times, looked different. I guess I assumed the Uni simply had several band rooms which technically it did. But at that time, bearing in mind I was probably still a teenager, I was more interested in seeing the band rather than wonder about the room they were playing in.

People, me in particular it seems, absolutely got confused, primarily because both venues operated as bustling, high-profile stops on the UK college gig circuit. Adding to the confusion, the former Coventry College of Education was absorbed into the University of Warwick in the late 1970s and became its Westwood Campus.

The history of the college can be traced through several key milestones. It appears that the college began around 1948 when it was established on Kirby Corner Road inside a converted wartime workers' hostel to urgently address a post-war shortage of teachers.

By 1958 the college became coeducational and was officially renamed the Coventry College of Education. Under the long-standing leadership of principal Joan Dillon Browne (who served from 1948 to 1975), the student roll grew to approximately 1,500.

Canley College of Education (historically known as the City of Coventry Training College for Women then Coventry College of Education) was a prominent teacher training institution in Coventry that operated as a separate entity until its incorporation into the University of Warwick in 1978. It expanded significantly in the 1950s and 60s, offering specialist courses in areas like secondary PE. Later, the site is known as the university's Westwood Campus.

From the late 1960s to the late 1970s, the Coventry College of Education (colloquially known as 'Canley College') boasted a fantastic live music scene. Students flocked there to see massive touring acts such as Genesis, Thin Lizzy, Wizzard, Status Quo, Stealers Wheel, The Pirates and many more. Meanwhile, the University of Warwick (and its growing Warwick Arts Centre) was pulling in the likes of Pink Floyd, The Wailers, and The Smiths.

And maybe I am not alone in my generic terminology of 'Warwick Uni'. It appears that because the college sat roughly 2 miles from the main Warwick campus, ticket buyers regularly mixed up which campus venue hosted which artist.

The fact that the Coventry College of Education sat in Canley (while Warwick sprawled out toward Gibbet Hill/Coventry) made directions tricky. Once Warwick absorbed the site, many gig-goers simply remembered seeing historic bands 'at Warwick' without realising the specific venue changed.

Either way the legacy as a whole, whether it be Canley College, Warwick Uni or the Arts Centre is something to be admired. And still today great entertainment can be found at the venue.

THE FORTUNES 1965

THE FORTUNES 1965

BY Pete Clemons

The Fortunes, who have had strong Coventry connections through the year, are to this day still thrilling audiences. Incredibly they are on a second tour of America as part of the 'Happy Together' tour which acknowledges 60 years since the invasion of British pop into the US. The following article goes right back to 1965. Not when The Fortunes formed but when they finally became a unit and the hits started to flow......... Considering all the well publicised praise that's been lavished on them, The Fortunes remain unusually unaffected. 

Leafing through their credentials I see that - long before they ever made anything remotely resembling a hit record - they were being hailed by a recording manager as the best vocal harmony pop group in Britain, by a television producer as 'too good for his show', by Johnnie Ray as 'wonderful fantastic, etc and billed breathtakingly, as 'the group who stole the show from The Beatles'. Well if they'd inspired all that gush before, you can imagine how I expected them to be after, after two solid hits, that is - for 'Here it Comes Again' looks like duplicating the success of 'You've Got Your Troubles'. But perhaps because The Fortunes had a solid two years of troubles until the good times started to roll, they've stayed totally level headed about their good fortune. When they began they were three - Rod Allen, Barry Pritchard and Glen Dale. 

But three didn't turn out to be a luck number: the musicians they used as accompanists had a habit of turning ugly and saying they weren't getting paid enough. And, although the boys were working steadily enough, they just didn't seem able to pull in the big money with their records. This, despite the fact that few groups have been launched with such careful planning as The Fortunes. The threesome lived together at Clifton Hall, Rugby (the massive mansion bought by manager Reg Calvert as a potential headquarters of a Midlands commercial radio station: when commercial radio was not legalised by the government Reg set up Radio City instead in the Thames estuary and used the Rugby house as an incubator for The Fortunes). 

Anyway, this year The Fortunes tiring of squabbling with backing musicians decided to become a complete unit and so they added a drummer - Andy Brown, and singing organist - Dave Carr, and turned themselves into a quintet. They also had a change of A & R man and began an association with arranger Les Reed. Said Rod: 'Troubles was certainly the best record we'd made by a long way. But we weren't sure we'd made a hit'. Glen said: 'But we've only just got our foot in at the moment. We've got to get to the top and stay there'. But who were those accompanying musicians? Well for that I tapped into the memory of Tom Long who also worked for Reg Calvert. It seems that Chris Capaldi played keyboards and Gary Fletcher drums but 'he left very early on' remembered Tom. Another musician was Tony Britnell who later featuredwith Jigsaw. 'He was a phenominal sax

The Flys Talking – Taking off February 1978

The Flys Talking – Taking off February 1978

by Pete Clemons

The Flys. Group of Coventry origin: Neil O'Connor guitar and vocals; David Freeman lead guitar; Joe Hughes bass; Pete King drums.

Flying Start: 'Me and David and Joe have been playing together for three or four years. The front room situation!' - Neil

'Neil started us off. We began writing songs together and recording them on beat up cassettes' - David

'We were originally called Midnight Circus. You see I was really into the Pretty Things and that came from a song of theirs. That was the first working situation, but it was not easy or right to remember' - Neil

'We all made lists of names for the band and The Flys on two people's lists. So that was it' - David

'F-l-i-e-s may be correct, but looks terrible. Flys is visually more acceptable. We were not thinking of insects, zips or anything like that. Though when zips became trendy friends accused us of that implication' - Neil

'Coventry died in the disco thing. The only live music is from club bands. We had difficulty in finding a drummer, because most to work in a £5 job in the clubs, rather than do something new' - David

'Its only recently that people have tried to get something together. There are four or five new wave bands in the area and one club has a new wave night. It may only be 18 months late but in Coventry.........' - Neil

'One club used to book us when other bands cancelled. People must have got fed up with seeing us'. 'One night Peter almost refused to play there. That night we got an encore' - David

'Four or five night supporting Buzzcocks helped us. They paid for us out of their own money'. 'Yeah, they're really decent blokes' - Neil

'EMI saw us at a gig with them. It also brought us to London' - David

'Even before EMI came along we decided our own record out. We wanted to put out value for money so put out value for money so we made a five track EP for 90p' - Neil

'We recorded 13 tracks in two days at Pathway Studios. 2350 printed and it made number ten in the Lightning new wave chart. We were going to put out 7000 then EMI showed interest' - David

'We were surprised when EMI said they wanted to put out 'Love and a Molotov Cocktail' on the single. It was on our own record label too and has been in the set for months and we were getting a bit tired of it. Now we can't put it on the rest pile' - Neil

'Big interest from EMI came after Buzzcocks Marquee gig. There were so many bands in London that it had been difficult for us yo get gigs here because we were not a London band. We've still only played here a handful of times' - David

'Coming from Coventry we felt a bit like country bumpkins. Sometimes it seems a bit strange with us in Coventry and the company in London but I wouldn't want to live here full time. I wouldn't mind somewhere we could stay when we're down here though. Whether we can afford it is another matter though' - Neil

A Fly in the ointment: 'You're the most rubbishy band we've ever seen. And I'm going to tell all the other people I know not to book you. Here's a fiver' - manager of a London club

Flying squad: 'A year ago we did a gig up Redcar way and it was so heavy we were scared stiff. There was a long line of bouncers armed with wooden clubs forming a line in front of the stage. People were shouting: 'come on be a punk. Do something outrageous'. The manager of the place told us we'd be alright the next time as the next gig was at an elite place. But it turned out to be near a skinhead stronghold and they were chucking bottles at the stage and pouring beer down the neck of the roadie sitting at the mixing desk. The manager had to take me through the crowd to get to the toilet and told me very reassuringly - 'your going to get fucking battered tonight lads'. Our van was showered with missiles. We had to have a police escort. Can you imagine the police protecting a new wave band?' - David

Fly blown: 'We supported the Rich Kids at the 100 club and had no room to play at all. Their roadies set their stuff up on stage and we weren't allowed to move it, so we ended up cramped up trying to get our gear and ourselves on the stage as well as their gear. Consequently we were pretty crappy' - David

'We've vowed that that sort of thing wont happen when we're at the stage of having someone support us. Support bands should get the chance to have a soundcheck, use of a good PA and other equipment if necessary. Groups can't forget what they had to go through can they? Some of them obviously don't remember the days when they used to be supporting better known acts and what they had to put up with' - Neil

'It's not always the bands fault. Some of the roadies get a bit bossy' - Neil

Fly paper: 'Some of our mates were dead jealous when we told them we were being interviewed by Sounds magazine, it's the first time we have been interviewed' - David

'When we released our EP that for us was fulfilling our fantasy. Then when we signed with EMI that was a further step into the dream world' - Neil

'Now our fantasy is to be on television. Your standards and hopes rise all the time as things develop. It was incredible to hear our record on the radio, even though John Peel didn't sound overkeen on it after he played it. After five years of learning guitar it is quite good to walk in a disco and hear a DJ say; 'this record is by The Flys.....' That is enough to get the heart going very fast' - David

'We're straining at the leash to get into the studio's to start work on the album. We have plenty of material to work on. We have already had six of our songs out on record, which isn't bad going (five of their own on the 'Bunch of Five' EP, with two re-done cuts on the EMI three track single now in the shops)' - Neil

Unidentified flying object: 'People tell us our songs are very melodic. That's just the way they come out. This fresh pop craze is nothing new, just another fashion. It's like at the end of the year all those one-two-three-four punk stuff just neatly disappears for the next craze' - David

'I'm glad we came out at the end of '77 instead of the beginning. We could easily have been swamped in the mass movement. By the end of '77 it was obvious you had to come out with something different if you're going to break through' - Neil

FLY-OVER