(c’72-’77) Paul Trew (bass), Ian Mckean (guitar), Richard Houghton (drums), and ‘Paz’ Mansoni (keyboards).

Trew and Mckean had a combo called Illyidre in ’72. When Houghton and Mansoni joined these 16-year-olds formed White as White (and Twice as Dirty) in ’73; playing mostly in the Farnborough, Aldershot, and Basingstoke area.

17 December 1973. White as WhPicture courtesy of Paul Trew

They debuted at St Patrick’s Hall, North Camp on 14 December ’73, with a gig poster created by a 15-year-old John Bently. They also appeared at the Windsor Free Festival in ’74 – where Graham Parker was working a food stand – and Watchfield Free Festival in ’75. Trew and Houghton traveled to the Windsor Free Festival, 3-up, on Ray Everett’s moped. While at the Watchfield Festival, Mckean lent Joe Strummer, who was playing with the 101ers, his guitar for part of their set. They found themselves supporting Savoy Brown and Babe Ruth.

8 March 1975: Pallantine, Odd-Sox, and White as White (and Twice as Dirty) were at Farnborough Recreation Centre. Picture courtesy of Paul Trew

Pallantine, Johnny Odd-Sox, and White as White (and Twice as Dirty) were booked and performed at a ‘Triple Band Spectacular’ put on by The Hard Rock Club on 8 March ’75 at the Recreation Centre, Farnborough. Five months later, Johnny Odd-Sox, and White as White were back on 8 August ’75, along with Wooden Lion, Palantir and Narziss for a five-hour long gig to raise funds to perform at Windsor Free Festival Benefit from 28 August that year for nine days, but we do not know if any of the bands made it to Windsor. The band said farewell to all after a gig at Mister Kipps, Farnham in ’77.

Mckean went on to play and record with Thirteen, Twenty Flight Rockers and Balaam and the Angels; and also played with Judy Tzuke. He is currently the rock band teacher at Wetherby School, guitar teacher at Loughton Music Academy and St Bonaventure’s RC School, and is performing in London regularly as part of Bones and the Aft with Bently, who is now a London based artist and teacher. Manson was in T. T. Transmission, with Houghton; who also played in Blimus with Trew and appeared at Guilfest, Guildford and Weyfest. Trew played with many local bands including the The Vulgars Bros, The Torpedoes, The Vandals, The Virgin Daze, and Out of Order.

Gallery:

White as White band info sheet featuring photos of the band at Farnborough Town Hall in July 1975. Picture courtesy of Paul Trew
8 August 1975: Flyer for a Windsor Festival Benefit gig at Farnborough Recreation Centre, for White as White, Johnny Odd-Sox and Wooden Lion; also featuring Palantir and Narziss. Picture courtesy of Paul Trew