The year was 1976 my first band was called Osmosis while i was still at school in Oadby Leicester.We played covers at local youth clubs and also once provided original music for a youth drama production.It was the other guitarist John who wrote the songs for that.I called it a day in 79 due to my exams and after a few failed trys to form/get in a band i was about at the point of selling my gear in late 1982. I then saw an advert in the Leicester Mercury asking for members to form a New Wave/Jam/Costello type band.After a bit of umming and arrhing i replied and ended up with three other Jam fanatics.Rob the founder member and guitarist was at Leicester Uni and it was great as it had Halls of Residences dotted around Oadby and each had a social sec who put shows on.We ended up doing a bit of a tour round them and it paid quite well.I suddenly found my muse and original songs started to flow out of me.This particular line up never really ventured out of Leicester,i think the furthest we went was Hinckley but at that time we had loads of venues to choose from,Tommy Cook(now a housing estate),International Bar(just an hotel now)Bakers Arms( Now a block of flats),the Charlotte had just reopened as a venue,Jokers etc etc. We sadly had a difference of opinion late 84 and split 50/50 Mick the bass player stayed with me.We enlisted another Tim from my old school as a drummer and carried on as a 3 piece.We did some demo`s then the other Tim decided to leave early 85.I then enlisted the help of Simon from my old band and we appeared in a battle of the band competition at the Leicester Phoenix,"Keep the jive alive in 85" though we didn`t come anywhere.Mick then decided to leave as he was a student at the Poly(now De-Montfort Uni)and wanted to concentrate on his studies.We had a gig booked at a Leic Uni so Steve Bizley rejoined us on bass from my Osmosis days.After some extensive rehearsal we managed to pull it off. I can`t remember why that lineup didn`t continue but Steve later joined a very good band called Beat the Retreat.
As we were down to a two peice again an advert in the Leicester Mercury yielded Andy Palmer on bass and keyboard player Midge Hassel.We had built up a bit of a Mod following with local Leicesterites and also for a strange reason Long Eaton in Nottingham.One of these,Craig,is still a very good friend.Nick Morley was our man in Leicester and helped run the 501 club where we played on a regular basis.He later moved up a gear and put on bigger gigs at the International Bar.We supported The Purple Hearts,Making Time(with a future member of the Charlatans in it) and Long tall Shorty.We ventured a bit out of Leicester playing Birmingham and Northampton.The biggest thing we achieved was a track on unicorn records "Modern Times " compilation.The track was called "Point me in the right direction".They sold all 2000 copies and i got my one and only royalty cheque.I wish i hadn`t cashed it now and put it in a frame,it was about £18.00 if i remember rightly .We lasted till 1987 then after a particularly uninspiring gig at the Royal Mail Midge decided to call it a day saying "it had lost it`s zing".I then decided not to carry on and broke the news to the other two .I didn`t really know what to do next but i was missing playing in a band.Midge then rang me a few months later and obviously felt the same way and we decided to give it another shot.As before we put an advert in the Mercury and first got the mighty Des Hunt on drums.A bass player proved more elusive but Des had seen a advert in the legendary Carlsboro music centre and had made a phone call.The funny thing was i had seen the same advert but had dismissed it due to the influences quoted.We auditioned a very talented Andy Askey and after hearing another bassist play decided he was the one and the Career Girls was born.As Andy was from the north and Des from the south we supplemented the usual Leicester gigs by venturing a bit further affield.We played alot of student venues from Bury down to London.When we showed our face in Leicester we usually had a a reasonable turn out.We appeared in the local rag a few times and did an interview on the local radio.Lot`s of good venues,particularly O`Jays, The Magazine and the Royal Mail, sadly none of these with us anymore and a few good gigs at the Charlotte.Inbetween two recording sessions we added Maria on backing vocals and we used to have a good laugh on stage with our (what we thought was)witty banter.The highlight for this particular lineup was doing the Abbey Park Festival when Diesel Park West and Crazy Head were the special guests.Lot's of other good bands played as well like the Scum Pups,Elyesian Fields and HBM.There was a bit of a buzz at the time and Leicester seemed to be about to break through and become a big player on the music scene.We had had some very positive interest from Island records ourselves but sadly nothing happened in the end.Midge left the after band not long after Abbey Park.We carried on without replacing him as we had a studio session booked.I had to do a bit of over dubbing to compensate for this.After alot of discussion it was decided the live sound wasn`t full enough so we brought in Dave Hamilton on guitar.We carried on as before playing various student venues around the country.Locally we seem`d to play the Pump and Tap(a partial outdoor venue,usually when it was freezing cold).Once it was snowing and it was blowing through a gap in the roof.We put down probably some of our best demo`s at a studio in Stoke but in Feb 97 i decided to call it a day after a gig at the Pump and Tap.My first child was on the way and i`d had a great run of 14 years doing mainly my own stuff with a great bunch of people. In the last 10 years i have gained another child ,been to some great gigs.I follow my old bass players band Echolocation(in my friends,check `em out).I really enjoy myspace and have some great online friends.i couldn't play in a band again as i can`t give it the commitment required but have been putting my toe in the water and showed my face at some open mic nights.It went quite well so i may continue to do this and perhaps do some full acoustic slots if i get the chance.Videos:Come see about me Afghan Whigs,Teenage Wristband,Twilight Singers,The Jam ,Eton Rifles,Diesel Park West,Bell of Hope,,Echolocation,Dog with two Heads,
Afghan Whigs - Come See About Me
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