(c’87-’89) Nathan “Argonaut” Lyons (guitar), Jason Edge (vocals), Julian Turner (bass), Clare Brassington (keyboards/sax) and Paul Godfrey (drums).

The Sensory Assault at a Collingwood Sixth Form Party c’88. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut

The band’s first ever gig was at a Collingwood Sixth Form Party where their drum, then bass, intro went on for ages as Turner was stopped from coming onstage by a teacher investigating a ‘vodka violation!’ They organized and played a number of DIY gigs at Chertsey Road Hall, Windlesham and one gig at Lightwater Country Club.

The bands most infamous gig was an illicit show to the students at the Gordon Boy’s School that descended into a teenage riot. A bootleg tape recorded the immortal phrase ‘quick, shut the door, they’re trying to get out!’. The band played covers of INXS’ “Kiss the Dirt” and “Satisfaction” by the Stones along with original material heavily influence by Julian Cope, The Mighty Lemon Drops, That Petrol Emotion and Duran Duran.

1 July 1988: The Sensory Assault, Eat My Shorts and The Sugar Mountain played Lightwater Country Club. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut

On 1 July ’88, The Sensory Assault, Eat My Shorts, and Sugar Mountain played Lightwater Country Club; one of the posters for which featured a photo montage of Eat My Shorts guitarist Adrian Barry’s (later of The Ha Ha Men) family. The band joined The Cesspit Rebels and Flexible Inconvenience on 10 September ’88 at the Village Hall, Windlesham. Ten days later, on 24 September ’88, the band appeared with The Cardigans – not the Swedish band of “My Favourite Game” and “Lovefool” fame, they came later – at The Chertsey Road Hall, Windlesham on 24 September ’88.

24 September 1988: The Sensory Assault and The Cardigans were at The Chertsey Road Hall, Windlesham. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut

A demo cassette of such original material was released in ’89 carrying “Primetime”, “Perfecting Perfection”, and “Welcome Back Detroit”. Artwork also exists for a cassette LP titled “Gravel Pop”; a truly “conceptual’ exercise for Godfrey’s work experience at a graphic design firm. The LP’s songs existed – except those previously released – in title only, were never written or recorded; the artwork was from a history text book; and the record label was totally fictious.

The Sensory Assault demo cassette EP inlay. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut

Godfrey was later in The Outcast Band. Lyons went on to join Big Wednesday; notably fellow Big Wednesday member, Mark Austin, drank a ‘carrier bag of beer’ and then passed out on stage at a Sensory Assault gig while the band played resulting in an invitation from Lyons to join Big Wednesday.

Gallery:

1 July 1988: The Sensory Assault, Eat My Shorts and The Sugar Mountain played Lightwater Country Club. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
The Sensory Assault’s concept ‘album’ cover. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
The Sensory Assault demo cassette EP. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
24 September 1988: The Sensory Assault and The Cardigans were at The Chertsey Road Hall, Windlesham. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
10 September 1988: The Sensory Assault, Cesspit Rebels and special guests Flexible Convenience gig poster. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
10 September 1988: The Sensory Assault, Cesspit Rebels, and Flexible Convenience gig poster. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
Nathan Argonaut of The Sensory Assault c’87. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
The Sensory Assault c’87. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
The Sensory Assault c’87. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut
The Sensory Assault c’87. Picture courtesy of Nathan Argonaut