(c’86-’88) Nic Butt (drums), Nick Whitehouse (bass/vocals), Peter Sherry (guitar/vocals), and Alan “One The Buck” Clutterbuck (Guitar/vocals)

This Guildford/Godalming band played The White Lyon, Worplesdon and The Duke of Wellington, Farncombe quite a few times – they actually rehearsed in a cellar over the road from the Duke. They also gigged extensively in Guildford, Godalming, Ash, Gomshall, Woking, and up into London. They recorded an eponymous demo cassette EP at Wood Court Studios in March ’88, that carried “Fat World”, “Cut”, and “Comic Strip Heroes”.

Sleeve for Piccadilly Mudmen’s eponymous cassette EP. Picture courtesy of John Hudson

The 2 April ’88 found them, supported by His Wooden Fish, at The Red Lion, Milford and two months later, on 1 June ’88, the band were booked, along with Hill Stormers and Cha Boom Cha, for the new band night at The Tunnel Club at The Mitre, London.

We know that the band went through a total of three drummers, with Butt, who may now be in Cambridge, having the longest tenure. Ros Paxman, of Hector’s Breakfast and The Polite Young Men fame, also spent a spell as vocalist with the Piccadilly Mudmen, along with ex-Bloodhound Nick Gibson on sax. Whitehouse, who spent a brief spell in The Flying Tigers around the ’89/’90 period, as did Gibson, relocated to Edinburgh and is now further north. Clutterbuck had previously been in The Golden Age of Metro and Strange Brew, and is reportedly still playing.

Gallery:

1 June 1988: Piccadilly Mudmen, with Hill Stormers and Cha Boom Cha were all part of a new bands night at the Tunnel Club. The Mitre, London. Advert from NME’s 4 June 1988 issue. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole