(c’92-01) Kev Billing (bass), Dick(ie) Earll (drums), and Bruno Skrastins (guitar / vocals).
This Aldershot / Farnham band formed in July ’92, as The Johnson County Regulators, a 4 piece comprising: Edwin Barnes (guitar/vocals), Earll, Billing and Skrastins; and rehearsing at The Workhouse Rehearsal Studios, Sebastopol Road, Aldershot. Barnes, who had worked in A&R at Blast First Records in London, wrote all the lyrics, suggested the name shortening, and was a major driving force in this early J.C. Regulator.
The plan was to utilize Barnes’ network there to secure potential gigs with the labels roster of signed bands. Some dates playing with the American band Band of Susans were thought to be in the offing, so J.C. Regulator booked local gigs to prepare themselves for “the big time”. By the end of the year they had successfully completed two gigs, on the 4 and 30 December at The Fox & Hounds, Fleet and The George, Ash Vale; with Eskimo Shah, respectively. After playing 8 gigs and recording a 3 song demo cassette, it was clear by the Spring of ’93 that the Blast First plan was not going to happen.
The band were occupying the carpet at The George once again on 26 January ’93, with Wicked Vicar. On 24 April ’93, the band spent the day recording at Washouse Studios, Brighton with Andy Neal (Jah Nellie), returning on 2 May for the mix. But all was not well. Earll wanted to leave and after auditions to find a replacement came up empty, the band folded 2 months after a charity gig at Farnham Art College on 15 May. Then, on 3 July 1995: J.C. Regulator played on the steps outside the Princes Hall, Aldershot.
In August, Billing, Earll and Skrastins got together for a jam at The Workhouse and decide to reform. They started writing new material and local promoters suggested they retain the name and so J.C. Regulator was reborn as a 3 piece. They also recommenced rehearsing at the Workhouse. On 30 October ’93 they were back recording at The Washouse, with additional recording on 7 November and vocals on 18 November; then mixing on 29 November.
1994 consisted of steady gigging with the likes of Suck Henry, Who Moved The Ground?, Big Boy Tomato, and Serious Plankton. Their appearance, on 14 April ’94, where they were joined by Redefining Beautiful, in supporting Suck Henry at The Shed, South Hill Park, Bracknell, saw the band described by the reviewer for Wokingham Times as ‘the highlight to my evening’. On 10 July ’94, J.C. Regulator performed at the Woking Raft Race held at Goldsworth Park. They also spent 6 days recording and mixing at their studio of choice, Washouse. The three-piece released the “Sold As Seen” demo cassette EP in early 1995 having recorded all 5 tracks at the Washouse, Brighton with Jah Nellie at the sound desk. The gigging increased across 1995. In April ’95 there was a short, 12-day tour of Germany and Poland with Who Moved The Ground?
Shortly before leaving, the Ford Transit van that was to be used by both groups was trashed in an accident. Billing saved the tour by finding and buying at very short notice a replacement Black and Yellow Bedford. Only Billing, Earll and Skrastins could get insurance at such short notice; so loaded with all seven people, instruments, backline amps and drums the three of them shared the driving of the Bedford. It was a tight fit; but the van was surprisingly good on fuel economy and ran fast and sweetly.
On 18 April the bands played Leipzig; on 21 April the two bands played Kino Teatr Tecza, Warsaw with Polish crust/punk band Sanctus Iuda; and back for a repeat performance in Leipzig on the 25 April. All was going well 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.
We also know from an Ashamed & Bored fanzine review that they supported Satellite Beach with DC Rhino at Aldershot’s West End Centre, pumping out “songs which had a throttled pop edge” with Bruno’s voice described as “cool…a distinctive, throaty garble.” The band’s track “Go For It” appeared on the B-side of Farnborough Groove Strikes Back (Vol.5) in ’95 and they appeared again in ’96 with “Paradise Found” on the A-side of The Best Farnborough Groove in the World – Ever! (Vol.6). Earll left the band in ’96 and was replaced by Adrian Pringle, but we are uncertain if that was before a headline spot, reviewed in the Gerfump! fanzine, back at The West End Centre on 22 March ’96, with Headnoise and Sandwhich Box in support, where they knocked out “New Horizons” and “Nice Try Julie” as part of their set. The night before they had played South Hill Park, Bracknell supporting Elevate, who were fresh from supporting The Flaming Lips and Papas Fritas. Later in the year, On 23 November ’96, J.C. Regulator performed at Farnham ’96; this one-day festival was presented by Shed Club and Bluefire/Snakebite City. and included Dweeb, Posh, Supermodel, Chuck, Inter, Redwood, The Hairy Things, The Bigger God, Pharmacy, PA Skinny, Twister, Avalanche and Snowball. The band were back in a supporting role again, on 10 October ’97, at The West End Centre, Aldershot, this time for Animals That Swim and Twister. The band closed out with an appearance at the Snakebite City New Years Eve Party, with Ex Boyfriends, Inter, Cornered, and Breaker.
The bands’ cover of “Leaving on a Jetplane” was published on Bluefire Records’ “Snakebite’s Coming Home” compilation (released between volumes 8 & 9 of Snakebite City). In 1998, the German Meller Welle Produkte label put out a compilation CD titled ’25 – A Silver Jubilee’ [MEL 25] that included J,C. Regulator’s “There’s Always One”. In late ’98 the band went into hiatus; reconvening in ’99 with Paul Mackenzie on drums this time. Towards the end of the year, they spent several weekends recording in Studio 125 in Burgess Hill, Sussex. The result was the recording of a 16 track LP, titled “The Wyoming Cattle Wars (and other short stories)”. The album was never released, as the members work/life commitments forced the band into on/off intermissions.
A couple tracks from these sessions did appear on Farnborough Groove and Snakebite City. “Barry & Cody Live in Leeds”, Vis The Spoon’s debut poetry album, featured a specially commissioned electronic reworking of a J.C. Regulator track from the Snakebite City compilations. The band reappeared on Farnborough Groove Vol.9 with “Mandy” in 2001. While their songs appeared on these compilations their gigging continued until 2001 with regular appearance at the West End Centre and Shed Club.
In January 2002, the band got together with original drummer Earll and new recruit Patrick James Sullivan on lead guitar. Sullivan, a veteran of Soundscene area bands including West One, Blue Velvet, Ghandarva and others, was was a highly competent and technical guitarist and added significantly to J.C. Regulators’ sound. On 13 April, the new line up played their debut gig together supporting Vex Red with Mindwire and others at The Big Day In at the Civic Hall, Guildford.
A few weeks later the band gave what was reportedly one of their best ever performances, playing a support slot at The Verge, Camden. That same year there was to be a 4-track vinyl EP (Ed – we can’t find it) and they were organizing the Bucket & Spade Experience tour. However, just as things began to look up, work and life got in the way again and the band broke up one final time.
Skrastins had been in The F1-11s before J.C. Regulator.
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