Who Moved The Ground?

(c’89-’96) Rich Savage (Vocals/Guitar), Sid Stovold (Guitar/Vocals), Les Green (Bass), and Chris Redmond (Drums / Vocals).

Aldershot band Who Moved the Ground? played over 550 gigs and supported the likes of Citizen Fish, Crazyhead, The Buzzcocks, Oasis and, on four separate occasions, the UK Subs. Who Moved the Ground?’s very first gig was at the Fox & Hounds, Fleet on 4 November 1989.

The Studio demo “Good Night Danny” was released in late 1990 and was recorded and mixed with Pete Mills at Ghost Studios, Send. In June ’91 they competed in the Buzz Club’s Midsummer Madness local band competition with the home recorded “Black Market Luncheon” demo tape appearing shortly after. A stint of two days in December ’91 in Phoenix Plaza Studios, Wokingham resulted in the unreleased “No Help From The Allies” single. This 4-piece, now billed as from Farnborough, released the live cassette LP “Lineker” (M&E 053) in July ’92; having recorded it at The Powerhaus on 25 February.

Who Moved The Ground?’s “Lineker” live cassette LP insert, recorded at The Powerhaus, 25 February 1992. Source: Who Moved The Ground?

In December that year Who Moved The Ground? competed in The White Hart, Frimley’s Battle of the Bands. The Technical College, Farnborough hosted the band on 4 February ’93 with the entire gig recorded for posterity (see video section below). In September ’93 the 7″ “Barneydancing EP” was released; which was produced by That Petrol Emotion’s Steve Mack having been recorded at Bang Bang Studios, Crouch End, in July that year. Also in ’93, a remix of “Paper Happiness” appeared on Return of Farnborough Groove Vol.3. Shortly before their July ’94 European tour, taking in Poland, Germany, France and Holland; the band entered the School of Audio Engineering, Islington and worked with Phil Ernest to produce the 7″ single “The Chase” which was released post tour in September ’94, backed by “What’s That?”. That same year Revenge of Farnborough Groove Vol.4 carried “Please Don’t Leave” and the following year their track “Boredom” appeared on Farnborough Groove Strikes Back, Vol.5. A CD single, “Good Question”, was recorded at The Old Smithy, Kempsey, Worcester in February ’95. In April ’95 there was a short 12-day tour of Germany, Poland and Switzerland with J.C. Regulator. Shortly before leaving, the Ford Transit van that was to be used by both groups was trashed in an accident. J.C. Regulator’s Billing saved the tour by finding and buying at short notice a replacement black and yellow Bedford. Only J.C Regulator could get insured at such short notice; so loaded with all seven people, instruments, backline amps and drums the three of them shared driving the Bedford. It was tight; but the van was surprisingly good on fuel economy and ran fast and sweet. That was until the Bedford Bandwagon’s engine died in the early hours of 27 April, about 8 miles short of the German/Swiss border, en route to Zurich for the final show of the tour.

The gig was cancelled and both bands had to head back to the UK in hire cars, arriving home on 29 April. The van meanwhile was taken to a garage and deemed a write-off. The insurance company had it towed back to the UK, where it arrived, with both bands gear on board, two weeks later. Time was also spent in Studio 2 at Surrey University in January ’96, but the 5-track “If Pleasure Was Illegal (Good Question)!” (M&E 355), which was released November ’96 with cover art by 4 year old Jamie, was recorded the next month and mixed in March at The Studio, Brixton.

Early ’96 also saw them sign a two single and an LP deal with Riot/Clone Records and launched the “Good Question” fanzine. This was quickly followed by an appearance on Croydon’s UATV on 14 March ’96 performing “Mother”. October that year saw WMTG pottering at The House In The Woods Studio, Bletchingly. Pete Frame, he of Rock Family Trees fame, mentioned WMTG in Rockin Around Britain under Farnborough. One Sunday night it took three cars full of ‘old bill’ to remove the boys from the stage after they refused to stop playing at a local hostelry. This was shortly before “Suffocation” appeared on Bluefire Records Snakebite City Two compilation. They also appeared on Snakebite City four with “Pet” and Snakebite City Five with “Angry Disco”.

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