(c’77-’83) John Bush (guitar/vocals), Mark Parratt (bass/vocals), and Steve Everett (drums).
Formed in mid-’77, Human Beings began life as a punk band, migrating into ‘soft rock’ as they rehearsed in the cellar of a house in Farnham. They played all over West Surrey, East Hampshire and into Sussex (The Grange Centre, Midhurst) and supported T. T. Transmission at the Town Hall, Farnham, The Vapors in Guildford – who were reportedly not amused by the meaning behind “Hit Pick” – and The Suspects at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford.
We do know that in October ’77 they supported Trapeze at Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke. We lose track over the next couple of years until they got involved with the Stonehenge Festival Farnborough Benefit in ’80 to fund local bands appearance at the event. The Human Beings went ahead and joined those other local bands: Vixen, Lynx, The Larry Miller Band, The Vulgar Bros., Blue Unction, Roosta Boots, The Torpedoes, Animal, and Magic Pictures to play the Stonehenge Festival that year. On 29 August ’80 they were at The Royal Oak, Passfield,.
The Royal, Guildford hosted the band on 8 February ’81, and they climbed onto the stage at the Technical College, Farnborough on 27 March ’81 with Deadlock in support. A return visit to Basingstoke on 6 June ’81 saw them perform at Bass House. Also, in ’81, they released one single on Bognor Regis based Airship Records [AP 159] titled “Amnesia“. Pitched as a double B-side single, it carried “Amnesia” and “New Song” on one side and “Mrs. Marshall” on the flipside. This was recorded at the University of Surrey, Guildford studio by John Groves, and whether they also laid down the likes of “Dance ’til You Vomit“, “The Hollow Life“, or “Rock Dreams” is unknown.
The band also competed in the “Rock and Pop Contest” at the Top Rank Suite, Reading and performed on a roof at one (possibly in ’81) of the Free Fest Guildford events at the University of Surrey. Human Beings kicked off a ‘local’ tour on 22 August ’81 at the Sussex Hotel, Bognor Regis; followed by August 23
The White Hart, Purbrook (23 August), Robin Hood, Standford (24 August) and Passfield’s Royal Oak, which they visited twice on 25 August and 16 October ’81. But before that second visit to Passfield they also hit Target, Reading (28 August), and Jethroe’s Wine Bar, Windsor (29 August). Following a few days break Rocky’s Nite Spot, Farnborough was visited on 19 September, then they graced the carpet of The Cricketers, Westfield on 25 September ’81. This was their last gig before what was billed as a special gig at Gossips, on Dean Street, London on 28 September ’81.
On 3 October, the band included an outing to The Wooden Bridge on the ‘tour’ followed by The Adur, Brighton on 10 October ’81. After Passfield, and towards the end of the month, they returned once more to The Robin Hood, Standford on 29 October and on 30 October ’81 they also returned to Farnborough Tech, seven months after their first appearance. The Frotteurs supported the Human Beings at their Christmas Party, held at The Wooden Bridge on the 23 December ’81.
The busy band supported Alexei Sayle at the West End Centre, Aldershot on 5 September ’82 and may have made another appearance at the Stonehenge Festival in ’83 or ’84.
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