(c’83-’86) Toby Burton (vocals / guitar), Michael Wilson (bass), ? (sax), and Stuart Clapp (drums)

Siere Novar’s founding members and friends, Burton and Wilson, had been writing songs together in Wilson’s bedroom for a while and had played in bands together at Broadwater County Secondary School, Farncombe – most memorably the notorious a cappella, cardboard-guitar-wielding, anti-royalist punk outfit The Playschool Barmy Army. They formed Siere Novar in the summer of ’83, just before and Clapp came in on drums, and the trio were soon joined Clapp’s music student neighbor on saxophone to complete the band’s early lineup. The group’s debuted with a couple of local gigs, including a house party.

When Wilson, Clapp, and Burton moved to Godalming Sixth Form, they met keyboardist Gavin Richards, who’d come over from Glebelands, Cranleigh who offered the band a way to push their sound closer to the new romantic acts they admired, chiefly Duran Duran and Japan. By ’84 they were a regular lunchtime fixture in the College Hall – a venue at which they reportedly held the attendance record – including an appearance on 3 October ’83.

8 June 1984: Sirer Novar headlined their own show at the Wilfred Noyce Centre, Godalming supported by Casibe. Image courtesy of Toby Burton

The next year, on 8 June ’84, they headlined their own show at the Wilfred Noyce Centre, Godalming supported by Casibe. Then in ’85, they supported Flow Motion at The Royal, Guildford on 1st February 1985, and Yellow Lifetime at Shalford Village Hall around the same time. Their only demo – recorded at Catch 44 Studios, Godalming – carried four original tracks: Ship in the Night, Basilisk Dance, Lizard and A Crown of Thorns. Jokers Wild played The Royal on 25 April ’85 and were oddly supported by Siere Novar. The band also returned to play their old school Broadwater, before a run of gigs at Carl’s Wine Bar, Godalming in ’85 through to ’86, where they expanded their repertoire with cover versions to fill two sets a night.

The lineup then shifted. Clapp departed and, after auditions failed to surface a suitable replacement, Richards stepped across from keyboards to drums. It was a significant change in feel – his straighter rock style a considerable distance from the Steve Jansen-influenced rhythmic complexity that had characterized the Siere Novar sound.

On 17 August ’86 the band travelled to London for their first gig in the big smoke at Dingwalls, Camden. This was followed by the multi-band event held to mark the closing night of the Rex Cinema, Haselmere on 29 November ’86. Both shows earning them coverage in the Surrey Advertiser.

The lineup shifts also prompted a new identity for the now trio, with Siere Novar becoming 1967, a nod to the year all the members were born.

Gallery:

Siere Novar at Godalming College c’84. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
c’85 Siere Novar at Broadwater School. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
1 February 1985: Poster for Flow Motion supported by Siere Novar at The Royal, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Du Kane
Siere Novar at Methodist Church Hall, Godalming. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
Siere Novar at Methodist Church Hall, Godalming. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
Siere Novar at Godalming College c’85. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
c’85-’86: Siere Novar at Carls Wine Bar, Godalming. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
13 December 1985: Clipping from Surrey Advertiser on Rex Cinema, Haselmere’s last concert. Image courtesy of Toby Burton
15 August 1986: Clipping from The Surrey Advertiser. Image courtesy of Toby Burton