-
Borough Hall, Godalming
Borough Hall was built for approx. £1000 and opened on 27 February 1861 as the Godalming Public Hall. It was the venue for bi-monthly meetings of the County Court.
The King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band on stage at the Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Brian Page By ’65 it was being used as a venue for live bands. Around this time the King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band played at the venue. On 9 May ’67 a charity blues concert was held at the hall and headlined by the Graham Bond Organisation, with the Georgia Skin Men, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers, Alfie Lucas & Jim Cook, Tony ‘Duster’ Bennett and The Combined Forces in support. On the night, on the occurrence of consuming some Polish pure spirit, Ian “Mayo” May, the vocalist with The Combined Forces ‘stepped’ off the stage but got up and carried on. On being asked ‘how?’, May smiled and simply stated “I was pissed”.
7 August 1976: Poster for the very first GBH Ceilidhs organized by StagFolk with The Albion Dance Band. Source: Lawrence Heath via Godalming Town Past & Present From ’76 the GBH Ceilidhs (barn dances) organized by Stag Folk Club started being held, featuring live bands – such as with The Albion Dance Band who appeared on 7 August ’76 – and singers. The Godalming Blues Club also took up residency at the hall. Keilyn Entertainments presented Rodeo on 23 June ’79 and had Reading based Jackel in support.
Charity gig on 24 February 1984 covered in local paper, featured Zugang, Calibre and Cow. Picture courtesy of Kevin Phillips On 12 November 1881, Godalming was the first place to have both private and public electrical supply. As part of the centennial celebrations, Just So Stories performed at the Borough Hall in November ’81. On 24 February ’84 there was another charity gig, this time in aid of the Red Cross, that featured Zugang, Kalibre and Cow. The Ha Ha Men along with Yellow Darkness, Bushpigs, Octopussy and M.O.E. entered the venue on 14 July 1990 for The Myriad Syndrone II.
14 July 1990: Yellow Darkness played The Myriad Syndrome II. Picture courtesy of Marcus Cowley. Godalming’s Borough Hall is being used for the arts: theatre, comedy, pantomime, dance and live music to this day.
Gallery:
The Whisker Davies Blues Stormers in 1966, reportedly in the stage at Borough Hall, Godalming. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. advert from Melody Maker. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: Flyer for the charity blues concert. Picture courtesy of Ben Darnton. 
9 May 1967: Article on charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall. Picture courtesy of Jim Cook’s Memoir, Mostly Music & Me 
9 May 1967: Ticket for charity gig at Godalming Borough Hall, featuring the Graham Bond Organisation, Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records
23 June 1979: Rodeo, supported by Jackal, played the Borough Hall, Godalming. 
28 June 19??: Johnny Mars Blues Band, with guitarist Ray Fenwick, supported by Mandrake played Borough Hall, Godalming. Picture courtesy of Adam Russel Alfie Lucas, Borough Hall, Bushpigs, County Court, Cow, Duster Bennett, GBH Ceildhs, Georgia Skin Men, Godalming, Godalming Blues Club, Graham Bond Organisation, Ian May, Jackel, Jim Cook, Just So Stories, Kalibre, Keilyn Entertainment, King’s Biscuit Boys Jug Band, M.O.E., Octopussy, Public Hall, Red Cross, Rodeo, Stag Folk Club, The Albion Dance Band, The Combined Forces, The Ha Ha Men, The Myriad Syndrone, Tony Bennett, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers, Yellow Darkness, Zugang -
Asylum
(c’74-’76) Sev Lewkowicz (keyboards / vocals), Greg Terry-Short (drums), Gary Deeves (guitar), Andy Stewart (bass), and Howard “Polley” Paul (vocals).
Asylum… Originally called Percy, the band used to appear at the Bottleneck Club held at The Star, Guildford and at The Plaza, Guildford, in ’74. They band recorded and produced, along with Martin Adams and singer-songwriter Richard Ashworth, a 7″ single at T.W. Studios, Fulham in September ’74, releasing “(It’s My) Destiny” on the Wax Records label [FR2073] later that year. The A-side was written by Deaves and Burton, although we don’t have any information on Burton to date, while the B-side carried two tracks: “Lazy Love” (Paul & Lewkowicz) and “Suzy’s Back” (Burton & Lewkowicz).
Front of sleeve for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single. It was around this time that the band were photographed by Brian Duffy (no, not Jet Black of The Stranglers), who was also working with David Bowie and Black Sabbath around the same time. In December ’74, Asylum supported Greenslade at the Technical College, Farnborough, then Caravan at the Civic Hall, Guildford in February ’75 and Budgie, a few days later, on 20 February ’75, back at Farnborough Tech. On 31 April ’75 the band played at the Marquee, London.
There was also reportedly a studio recording session with Tony Visconti. Managed by Ashworth, Guildford based Asylum secured a month-long residency at the Marquee, at which Backhurst supported, in early ’76. Terry-Short, along with Lewkowicz, would join Backhurst for a couple of tracks. This included appearances 14 February and 7, 14, 21, and 28 March ’74. At the end of the Marquee residency Asylum dissolved and out of the ashes, along with members of Backhurst, folk rock band House formed in May ’76.
In 2009, “Suzy’s Back” from the B-side of the bands single was included on, bootleg / semi-official label, Past & Present Records’ [PAPRCD2093] CD release: “Various – The Electric Asylum Volume 1 (Rare British Acid Freakrock)”; describing Asylum as ‘sublimely bonkers’.
Lewkowicz, who’d previously been in Running Dry with Deeves, went on to perform in Headwaiter and Soho, both with Terry-Short, who also joined the Jackie Lynton Happy Days Band. Deaves and Stewart have both sadly passed, while Paul has vanished.
Tracks:Gallery:
Back sleeve for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single. 
A-side label for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single 
B-side label for Asylum’s 1974 “(Its My) Destiny” single 
Asylum, photographed by Brian Duffy. 
14 February 1976: Asylum played Marquee 
7 March 1976: Asylum headlined at the Marquee. Source: Ulrich Wegener via Keep It Out Of Sight 
Asylum’s “Suzy’s Back” was included on this Past & Present compilation in 2009 
Asylum’s “Suzy’s Back” was included on this Past & Present compilation in 2009
Andy Stewart, Asylum, Backhurst, Black Sabbath, Bottleneck Club, Brian Duffy, Budgie, Caravan, Civic hall, David Bowie, Farnborough, Fulham, Gary Deeves, Greenslade, Greg Terry-Short, Guildford, Guy Deaves, Headwaiter, House, Howard Paul, Jackie Lynton's Happy Days Band, Jet Black, London, Marquee, Martin Adams, Past & Present Records, Percy, Richard Ashworth, Running Dry, Sev Lewkowicz, Soho, T.W. Studios, Technical College, The Plaza, The Star, The Stranglers, Tony Visconti, Wax Records -
The Parrot Inn, Shalford
Built in 1890, a number of bands used to rehearse in the function room at the back of the venue. This included The Combined Forces who used the room prior to their one and only gig on 9 May ’67, and Sammy Rat’s Big Big Blues Band.
The Combined Forces rehearsing in the back room at The Parrot Inn, Shalford. Source: Brian Page via Godalming Town Past & Present An amusing tale involving the pub was told in the late 50’s / early 60’s, the narrative of which has one of managers at The Tunsgate Club, Guildford buying an old Foosball table from the Shalford Parrot for £10.00 and on opening it up, once installed at the club, finding £20.00 in tanners inside.
On 17 November ’89, The Flying Tigers, supported by Walking the Dog, played the pub. Sammy Rats did not just rehearse at the venue, on 19 February ’93 they performed there too. Other bands to grace the back room included Route 66.
The Parrot, Shalford in 2023. As of 2023 it was a sorry sight, another lost venue and boozer. It had closed in September 2019 and was purchased by Red Mist Leisure in February 2021, who reportedly commenced an extensive refurbishment that went nowhere.
Gallery:
17 November 1989: The Flying Tigers, supported by Walking the Dog, played The Parrot, Shalford. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
Parrott Inn, Shalford. Source: Trevor Hudson via Guildford Town Past & Present 
Parrot Inn, Shalford in 1969. Source: Robert Jones via Guildford Town Past & Present 
Parrott Inn, Shalford. Source: Nick Girdler via Guildford Town Past & Present -
The Virgin Daze
(c’81) Alan Rawlings (guitar / vocals), Neil Finch (guitar), Paul “Trogs” Trew (bass), Phil Fortescue-Longdon (synth), and Tim Huthert (drums).
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. After Cowboys International, local lad Rawlings went on to form The Virgin Daze with fellow ex-members of Thane and The Torpedoes. On 17 March ’81 they played The Venue, London which was videoed for posterity. Things were looking up with a lucrative record deal in the works. Huthert left college and all was set for a debut. Then, as these things do, it fell through and the band dissolved.
Huthert, who’d also previously played with Out of Order, the Alan “Spike” Rawlings’ Quintet and The Vandals, went on to play with Specimen and is now an Industrial Designer in the US. Rawlings went onto Spelt Like This and Penetration; as well as getting a ‘thanks’ on Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls “Searching for Heaven” single. Ex-Thane Trew had also been in The Desotos with Huthert, had played in White as White (and Twice as Dirty), and joined The Vulgar Bros.
Tracks:Gallery:
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze’s Rawlings and Trew on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze’s Rawlings on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. 
17 March 1981: The Virgin Daze on stage at The Venue, London. Alan “Spike” Rawlings Quintet, Alan Rawlings, Cowboys international, London, Neil Finch, Out of Order, Paul Trew, Pauline Murray, Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls, Penetration, Phil Fortescue-Longdon, Specimen, Spelt Like This, Thane, The Desotos, The Torpedoes, The Vandals, The Venue, The Virgin Daze, The Vulgar Bros, Tim Huthert, White as White (and Twice as Dirty) -
Obsession
(c’85) Obsession was a Farnham based fanzine, produced by Matt Siebert and John Andrews, with photographs by Guy van Steene. It featured both national and local acts with issue No.1, which was printed by Martin ?, running to 40 pages including the covers. It included The Service and Controls from the local area alongside The Fall, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and The Smiths.
We do not believe there was ever an Issue No.2, which was supposed to include an interview with The Smiths, and pieces on The Chameleons and Ben Watt.
Gallery:
The Obsession No.1 fanzine covered The Fall, The Luddites, The Service, Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, Room 101, The Controls, The Smiths and Chestnut Studios amongst other things. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 2 of Obsession No.1 fanzine. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 11 of Obsession No.1 fanzine, and the first page of The Service interview. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 15 of Obsession No.1 fanzine, and the first page of the Controls interview. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 20 and 21 of Obsession No.1 fanzine, featuring The Fall. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 24 and 25 of Obsession No.1 fanzine featuring The Fall. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 27 of Obsession No.1 fanzine, with ad for local Stupid Rabbit Tapes. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 31 of Obsession No.1 fanzine and the Red Lorry Yellow Lorry article. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 33 of Obsession No.1 fanzine carried a review of The Smiths at The Electric Ballroom, Camden. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor 
Page 40 and the back cover of Obsession No.1 fanzine. Picture courtesy of Tim Naylor -
Donegal Joe
(c’71-’91) Joe Canning (vocal / guitar)
Canning’s early path to a music career saw him playing in talent contest, before taking his acoustic 12-string and mike taped to a broom handle to Indian restaurants for a musician’s wage of a fiver and a chicken biryani. As a guard for British Rail, he ended up in Woking, and played at The Red House, Woking and the Working Men’s Club, Woking as Donegal Joe.
Donegal Joe’s second cassette LP ‘Home to Donegal‘ He released two cassette LPs, the first titled ‘A Mother’s Loves a Blessing‘ got some positive coverage in The Irish Post. Prior to release, Canning recorded his songs on a personal tape recorder and sent the tape to Terry Duffy. After Duffy arranged and recruited a number of musicians to lay down the backing tracks, they met in Tyrone to record the vocal track. The second cassette LP ‘Home to Donegal‘ was recorded in well-known Donegal musician Charlie Dolan’s Studio, Argery Ballindrait, County Donegal.
He is related to Birdie Gallagher, also played with Bob Oliver & The Mayberries. Now residing in Strabane, to commemorate his 70th birthday he reissued ‘A Mother’s Loves a Blessing‘ on CD
Gallery:
Donegal Joe c’71 
The Irish Post review ‘A Mother’s Loves a Blessing‘ 
Reissued ‘A Mother’s Loves a Blessing‘. -
Crazy Paving
(c’69-’70) John Gamble (vocals), Keith Rendal (bass), Dave Goode (drums), ? “Dinger” Bell (rhythm guitar), and Brian Robinson (guitar)
Crazy Paving, originally called Track One, played the local circuit, including the Cambridge Hotel, Camberley; Town Hall, Farnborough; the Technical College, Farnborough; The Central Ballroom, Aldershot; 4A’s Youth Club, the Atalanta Ballroom, Woking, and The Mill Stream, Farnham.
They also visited Penzance, including The Barn Club where band’s receive free accommodation for the night, in a fly filled caravan and £40 for a Saturday night. Potter got 10%, as did The Barn’s agent, returning home to Surrey/Hampshire on Sunday afternoon with maybe £3 each in their pockets for 24 hours work. They also venture to northern venues when they were signed to Bob Potter’s agency, as well as backing Dusty Springfield.
Robinson joined the band, replacing Ron Bushaway, and was subsequently replaced by Jimmy Spence and his Gibson 330. Randal was replaced by Brian Smith.
On 1 October ’69, Crazy Paving were one of the many bands, including Sky, Wishful Thinking, The Embers, The Late, Canterbury Tales, Chimera, and Magic Alice that played a benevolent concert at Samantha’s Club, as the Agincourt, Camberley was called for a time. This was compered by Dave West and also featured the Radio 1 D.J. Ray Moore. A year later, on 28 October ’70, the band were performing at The Pheasantry, Chelsea.
Robinson, who went on to play in Bloodhound, and Bushaway would be later found in Grapevine. Smith had spent some time in The Embers. Spence has sadly passed.
Gallery:
1 October 1969: Crazy Paving played Samanthas (Agincourt Camberley). Image courtesy of Maureen Gamble 
28 October 1970: Crazy Paving played The Phesantry, London according to this Melody Maker advert. Source: www.garagehangover.com 4A’s, Agincourt, Aldershot, Atalanta, Atalanta Ballroom, Bloodhound, Bob Potter, Brian Robinson, Brian Smith, Camberley, Cambridge Hotel, Canterbury Tales, Chelsea, Crazy Paving, Dave Goode, Dave West, Dusty Springfield, Farnborough, Farnham, Grapevine, John Gamble, Keith Rendal, London, Magic Alice, Penzance, Radio 1, Ray Moore, Ron Bushaway, Samantha's Club, Sky, Technical College, The Barn, The Central Ballroom, The Embers, The Late, The Mill Stream, The Pheasantry, Town Hall, Wishful Thinking, Woking -
Mr. Kipp’s, Farnham
This nightclub at 1 Bear Lane, Farnham was once the Territorial Army / Army Cadet Drill Hall, then H.Q. of 229 Squadron, A.T.C. It opened as Harvey’s in May 1973, before becoming Mr Kipp’s in the mid-70s.
It operated mostly as a nightclub but did feature live bands. T.T. Transmission was one of those bands that played the venue in the late 70s, which was managed by the band’s manager Mike Utting. Sunday nights were quiet at Kipps, so they hosted local bands and reduced admission charges to attract punters. Many band members recall its popularity with the Scandinavian and Spanish girls from the Farnham Au Pair College, which in turn attracted many others…
It was later renamed Yogi’s – with Ted Bates on the door – then The Buckingham Snooker Club, owned and run by Karim Lawrie, before closing in ’88/’89. There are houses on the site now.
Gallery:
Buckingham Club membership card. Source: Graham Varney via Historic Farnham Town And Surrounding Villages 
Flyer for Harvey’s which briefly mentions ‘Live Groups’. Source: Susie Habgood via Historic Farnham Town And Surrounding Villages 
The old Drill Hall, when it was The Buckingham Club. Source: Graham Varney via Historic Farnham Town And Surrounding Villages -
Eye to Eye
(c’88-08) Keith Smart (vocals / guitar / keyboards) and Ian Roworth (bass).
Also known as i2i, the duo responsible for GZ Image in ’85, reappeared as Eye to Eye around ’88. The pair were augmented for live performance by Stuart “Sticks” Warren (drums / vocals) and Malcolm Humphries (keyboards / vocals).
Warren and Humphries would later join the group, and they released a single 45 titled “Money (Equals Friends)“, backed by “Life on the Street” on their own G.Z. Records in ’89. Cut at Abbey Road Studios by Chris Blair; the tracks were worked on at Notice Studios, London and Midas Studios, Surrey, and the cover featured a picture of Tracy ? in a bath of bank notes.
Eye to Eye at the Mean Fiddler, Harlesdon. Known to have played at the Mean Fiddler, Harlesdon, by 2004, Eye to Eye were a three-piece band, without Humphries.
Gallery:
Eye to Eye pictured at rehearsal 
Cover of Eye to Eye’s “Money (Equals Friends)” 7″ single, featuring Tracey ? in the bath. 
Side One label of Eye to Eye’s “Money (Equals Friends)” 7″ single 
Side Two label of Eye to Eye’s “Money (Equals Friends)” 7″ single 
Band promo shot for Eye to Eye 
Band promo shot for Eye to Eye -
The Vandals
(c’78) Paul Trew (bass/vocals), Keith “Kipper” Ledgerwood (guitar), Tim Claydon (drums), and Joe Power (vocals)
The Vandals were a ‘One Gig Wonder’, playing only once, supporting T.T. Transmission at the Agincourt, Camberley on 7 January ’78. The gig was a second audition with RCA for the headliner, and it is possible that Radio 210 recorded the whole gig too.
Claydon also played with The Mode, and Ledgerwood and Trew played in The Torpedoes and The Virgin Daze.
Gallery:
7 January 1978: Rock at The Agincourt featured T. T. Transmission supported by The Vandels. Picture courtesy of Mark Terry
Our Soundscene 
Human beings takes me back to 1981. Followed them all over the Surrey reading area for a year a great band and 3 good guys playing well written songs of the era. I wish john Tim and steve well what ever they are doing now. Should reform for a few shows just like Oasis but do the wooden bridge.
LikeLiked by 1 person