We spent a lot of time developing an odd mixture of Folk/Punk/Jazz cross-over (!) playing loads of gigs - mainly at Pee Wee Hunt's place in Trowbridge.
By 1987 the band's line up had stabilised into me, Pat, Myke Vince, Pete Causer, Xavier Tutein (Si going up to Liverpool to play with Mike Badger's OnSet).
In November 1987, we released our first record - a single - on our own Ophiuchvs Recordvs label : "Serpent And The Bearded King"/"Song For Pym". The single was produced by the Climax Blues Band's guitarist Pete Haycock - who could tell a good story or two about nearly getting killed with Lynyrd Skynyrd, or how Ike Turner gave him a gold-plated guitar!
Strangely Lynyrd Skynyrd (who I have never listened to in my life) came back to haunt us when Liverpool's legendary PROBE label boss Geoff Davies suggested our debut LP should be called "Pronounced Offee-ick-cuss" - a nod to their first album title, also acknowledging the unpronounceable. It was released on PROBE in 1989.
An EP "The Lost Tribe Of England" was recorded in 1990, but it remains un-released. Oddly though, one track from those sessions - "Big Guns" - was filmed by the BBC, with The Cruel Driver and Dick in all their glory, and it was shown a few times on the telly! (see below)
The group split in 1991 - our last gig at Ashton Court Festival that summer with Pat and I from the original line up, and the musicians who would later become Wicca Man. But that's another story ...
Jon Cousins, Glastonbury 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiuchus_(band)
Serpent And The Bearded King [1987]
'Scene West' feature: 'Love Has Been Thrown to The Floor', on BBC 'Points West' [1988]
Lady Take My Hand - live [1988]
Memories Of An Atlantic Beach [1989]
Some Say The Devil Is Dead [1989]
'Scene West' feature: 'Big Guns', on BBC 'Points West' programme [January 1990]
Big Guns (Are Firing Out The Plain) [1990]
Solstice Day and The Hard Times Of Old England - live [1990]