(c’87-date) Eric ‘Ferric’ Gosling (vocals / guitar / harmonica), Chris ‘Wheelbarrow’ Brayne (drums), Tim Wheatley (bass / vocals), and Bill ‘Hillbilly’ Hill (guitar / vocals).

This Godalming / Guildford R&B combo formed in the spring of ’87 following Brayne’s return from Thailand. Brayne. who had done a stint with Nashville Teens and The Stormsville Shakers, also did his time in Mungo Jerry, The Famous Rondini Brothers, Poker, Manhole, and Backhurst, recruited Gosling – previously of early ’70’s Tempus Fugit and known for a growling vocal style – from Manhole / The Riff Power Blues Band, along with Tim Wheatley – a musician and producer with ties to bands like Good Earth, Taggart, House, Gracious, and Poker, as well as having been the engineer at Keynote Studios, Frensham and owner of Chestnut Studios, Churt – and Hill. The band rehearsed in a cottage in Hurtmore, and are known to have played at the Village Hall, Chiddingfold; The Three Lions, Farncombe; The Maltings, Farnham – they were certainly there on 1 December ’88; The Halfway House, Heath End; as well as The White Hart, Frimley.

Cryin’ Out Loud playing at The Blues Tavern, Farnham in 1994.

The band also ventured a little further afield, appearing a number of times, including 27 April ’90, at The Hatch, Old Basing. In ’88 they recorded the cassette LP It’s Your Own Fault, live at The Maltings. Matt Wheatley took on the drums and Mike Windus the guitar / vocals and they added piano around ’97. Richard Ashworth deployed Cryin’ Out Loud’s rhythm section of Tim & Matt Wheatley on his “Songs to Grow up With” album in ’97, which included the song “Wilbur Rowe”.

In the mid 90’s Clodagh Rodgers held a benefit for her husband, guitarist Ian Sorbie, who had cancer and regrettably died in ’95. A pick-up band, that included Tim Wheatley, performed at the event held at the Village Hall, Chiddingfold. Brayne, who was nicknamed Wheelbarrow, had also played drums in Jackie Lynton’s Happy Days Band for quite a while and is the subject of the bands The Worlds a Wheelbarrow”; is sadly no longer with us having passed in ’96. That year there was a commemorative gig for him, with Jackie Lynton, Cryin’ Out Loud, House and a pickup band that included Ray Dorset. The reformed House recorded a track for a commemorative CD in ’97.

Cryin’ Out Loud are reportedly still gigging today, regularly appearing at Scratchers and Music in the Park, Godalming, amongst other venues.

Gallery:

The Gazette Extra covered Cryin’ Out Loud’s gig at The Hatch, Old Basing. Source: Billy Hill
Cryin’ Out Loud at The White Hart, Frimley in 1992.