(c’82-’84) Ian Steward (bass / vocals), Dave Raphael (keyboards / harmonica), Malcolm Dewhurst (drums), Brian Hanlon (guitar / vocals) and Graham ? (keyboards).

Both Raphael, who’d previously been in Cutting Edge, and Steward had recently left Panther when they got together with Hanlon, who’d been in The Fix, to form Precious Few. We know the band played regularly at The Cricketers, Westfield in ’82 – they were certainly there on 1 October ’82 with Raphael’s other band at the time XLR8 in support. Ex-The Lurkers, Howard Wall took on vocal duties with the band for a couple of gigs, including one supporting Nashville Teens at the Co-op Halls.

Steward left under amicable conditions in Sept ’84, having slipped a disc, but left the band seeking a bassist with a record deal in the works and a possible compilation slot. There is a studio taped LP cassette to be uncovered with tracks like “Koo Stark” and “Down in the Dungeon”. By ’85 Hanlon, Raphael and Dewhurst, along with Nigel Turner, were China Heart.

Gallery:

Howard Wall’s brief involvement with Precious Few gets a mention in this Sounds interview with The Lurkers MkII, published 10th July 1982.
1 October 1982: Precious Few, supported by XLR8, at Cricketers, Westfield. Picture courtesy of William de Kock