(c’90-’97) Rodney Shack (vocals / guitar), Ian Bridgeman (guitar), Nigel Morley (vocals / bass) and Mark Ellis (drums).
This Aldershot 4-piece, who were sometimes referred to as T.O.D or TOD, may have derived their name from the line ‘Play our music for the thieves of dreams” from Reluctant Stereotypes’ track “M.O.D.”. Ellis left in late ’90 to travel the world and was replaced by Simon Moore.
Our first recorded gig for the band is a support slot for Who Moved The Ground? at The Four Horseshoes, Camberley on 18 May ’91, which reportedly went down well with supporters of both. The Army & Navy, Aldershot was the bands home venue throughout ’91, hosting the band on the 16 and 30 June, and 14 July ’91. They ventured out to The Iron Duke, Crowthorne on 20 July and then, with Blue Velvet, hit The George, Ash Vale on 21 July; returning to The Army & Navy on 28 July. Only one appearance in the following month, again at Army & Navy, on 18 August ’91. Teaming up with Pretty Green on 22 September, TOD were back at The George, Ash Vale. The following week they returned to their home venue on 29 September. On 11 October the band traveled up to The Cleveland Hotel, London to perform at The Mojo Club. Thieves of Dreams and Blue Velvet were then at Army & Navy on 13 October and The Fighting Cocks, Bagshot on 9 November ’91; with the Thieves stealing the show at Dover Castle, London six days later, on 15 November ’91. By late ’91 Ellis had returned and rejoined the band. That same month, on 22 November ’91, they supported Who Moved the Ground? again, this time at Farnham Art College. In November ’91 they released the 4-track demo cassette “Florence Ain’t No Nightingale!”. This was recorded at Ghost Studios, Send and carried “Children of The Night”, “Smiling Game”, “Am I Happy Now?”, and “Shelter”. TOD recorded a further two demos at Ghost, including “We Were in Love”. “Florence Ain’t No Nightingale!” sold out within a fortnight, putting the band at the No.2 spot on County Sounds radio’s local artist chart.
TOD continued to gig once or twice a month throughout ’92. On 5 January ’92 they were once again at The Army & Navy, Aldershot. In February they were with The River Thieves at White Hart, Frimley on 6 February and then The Swan, Farnborough welcomed the band on 22 February ’92. Pretty Green were their collaborators again at The Four Horseshoes, Camberley on 14 March. Then there was a return visit to The Fighting Cocks, Bagshot on 11 April ’92. A ferry was needed to reach their next gig at Ryde Castle, Isle of Wight on 24 May ’92. The band had no gigs for almost two months, getting back on the horse at The Cricketers, Westfield, supporting Vox Pop, on 17 July ’92. The band then had two gigs at Bracknell Football Club. The first was with The Revs on 14 August, the next was the following month, on 19 September ’92, supported by The President’s Men. At this point the band started travelling up to ‘The City’ to play. There was a gig at St. Johns Tavern, London on 29 September ’92, with The Nerve; The Bull & Gate, Kentish Town with The Direction on 24 October; and back at St. Johns Tavern on 1 December with The Most. The bands “Give the Game Away” was included on Son of Farnborough Groove Vol.2 in ’92.
1993 opened with a gig on the coast at The Railway, Gosport supporting Restless Natives on 2 January. St. John’s Tavern welcomed them back on 19 January ’93, a show that included The World and Direction on the bill. Another venue in Gosport, The Trade Union Hall, booked TOD for 30 January ’93 and so started a year of gigs on the northern shore of the Solent. The band teamed up with Restless natives at The Civil Service Club, Gosport on 5 February. A week later they were back at The Railway, Gosport followed by a gig at the Royal Navy’s engineering training establishment, HMS Sultan in Gosport on 6 April ’93. Thieves played two dates with My Mates a Hairdresser at well-known student and live music pub The Hobbit, in the Bevois Valley area of Southampton on the 10 July and 6 August ’93. On the 24 September ’93 they were back at The Railway Inn, Gosport. Farnborough Groove welcomed the band back in ’93, including “Shelter” on Return of Farnborough Groove Vol.3.
A six-month gap in live appearances ended on 16 April ’94 at The Swan, Farnborough followed several weeks later with an appearance at Wild Ridings, Bracknell on 3 June ’94. There were then three consecutive gigs at The Iron Duke, Crowthorne on 9 July, 6 August, and 10 September ’94. The next day TOD were in Aldershot at The White Swan. Six days later, on 17 of September ’94, TOD and Restless Natives were back at The Trade Union Hall, Gosport; with the band wrapping up their year with a performance at The Iron Duke on 8 October.
TOD’s first gig in ’95 was at The Fighting Cocks. Bagshot on 18 March. The next month they were at The Swan, Farnborough on 8 April, followed by a trip down to Gosport’s Olivers on 21 April ’95. Riser, Mandate and Thieves of Dreams all appeared at the Cellar Bar, South Hill Park, Bracknell on 22 June 95; and TOD supported Restless Natives on 14 July ’95, at The Trade Union Hall, aka Trades Club, Gosport. TOD were back at Olivers on 22 September and at The West End Centre, Aldershot the next day. A trip out to East Suffolk on 7 October ’95 saw them at the Victoria Hotel, Lowestoft; before returning to The Swan, Farnborough on 11 November.
The band were back at The Swan to open their ’96, with a gig on 20 January. A couple of months later, on 8 March, they were at The Wheatsheaf, Aldershot. North Wales beckoned the band in April with a booking at the Marina Hotel, Rhyl on the 6 April and back home for the 12 April and The Windmill, Four Marks. TOD performed three times in May ’96: On 3 May at Tumbledown Dick, Farnborough with Innocent, returning to the venue on 11 May, and onto The Wheatsheaf, Aldershot on 31 May.
In ’97 the band started work on releasing “I Could Be…” as a single. They got as far as designing the sleeve, but unfortunately it never came to fruition. As recently 2022 it was still a rumored possibility.
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