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The Emeralds
(c’63-’66) Allen ‘Kerry Rapid’ Hope (vocals), Richard ‘Spud’ Taylor (guitar), Alan Elkins (guitar), Roger Charles (bass), and Brian ‘Brian Allen’ Allender (drums).
Kerry Rapid and Roger Stanley of The Emeralds at Sunshine Holiday Camp, Hayling Island. Source: Alan Hope via Bob Potter’s Bands in the 60s and 70s The Emeralds formed in ’63, a name they adopted after a season at the Sunshine Holiday Camp, Hayling Island as The Nightriders. Originally a 4-piece with Taylor, Allender, Roger Stanley (bass), and Hope, (vocals); they added Elkins shortly after. The band signed to His Masters Voice (HMV) and released the Vic Keary arranged single “The Kerry Dances” [POP 1157] that same year.
1963’s “The Kerry Dancers” Just shy of a month after The Rolling Stones and The Strangers had rocked The Lido, Winchester, along came Dave Curtiss & The Tremors on 17 January ’64, with The Emeralds in support. The next month, on 2 February, The Emeralds opened at the Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, for Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers. The Agincourt also hosted The Emeralds and The Paramounts on 29 March ’64.
In ’64 Elkins left, but we are unsure if this was before or after the Open Air Beat Festival at Botwell House, Hayes, where the band, billed as Daniel Boone & The Emeralds, appeared alongside The Searchers, Eden Kane & The Downbeats, The Migil Five, The Animals, Chris Sandford & The Coronets, The Undertakers, The Interns, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, The Gamblers, Julie Grant, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, The Sorrows, The Hawks, Adam Faith, and Dusty Springfield. That same year the band moved to Decca.
In ’65, through Decca, two more singles were released, but that was after Taylor was replaced by Terry New. “Don’t Listen to Your Friends” [F12096] featured session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan from the Tom Jones band; and was produced by Tony Meehan and written by Jerry Lordan. It did alright in The Netherlands and was played on Radio Veronica and Radio Caroline. “King Lonely the Blue” [F12304] featured session guitarist Jimmy Page was released in The Netherlands with a picture sleeve.
1965’s “King Lonely the Blue” Dutch picture sleeve In early ’65, another of Bob Potter’s bands, The Renegades disbanded, and as was Potters’ management style, Renegade frontman Daniel Boone found himself backed by three of The Emeralds: Woking born Allender, Charles, and Taylor, along with Renegade guitarist Dave Luther. They were billed, for a time and as they had been occasionally before the ‘official’ merging, as Daniel Boone and The Emeralds. Eventually the Daniel Boone stage name was dropped, and Farnborough born Roy Spreadborough – whose middle name was Daniel – went by Roy Daniel instead, and we see the band listed as Daniel and The Emeralds and various other combinations.
The Emeralds agency card. Picture courtesy of Richard Prest via Bob Potter’s Bands in the 60s and 70s Back at the Agincourt, Daniel & The Emeralds performed with The Paramounts, once again, on 31 January ’65. According to the book “The Day Before Yesterday: Rock, Rhythm and Jazz in the Bishop’s Stortford Area, 1957 to 1969” by Steve Ingless, The Emeralds supported Tony Rivers & The Castaways at the Rhodes Centre, Bishop Stortford on 13 February ’65. The Civic Hall, Guildford, on 6 March ’65, hosted Daniel & The Emeralds and The Plebs. Two months later they kicked things off at the Agincourt for Rod Stewart and The Soul Agents. The band, as The Emeralds with Daniel Boone, played two consecutive nights at the 400 Ballroom, Torquay on 9 and 10 April ’65. The Emeralds were back in Torquay, at the 400, on 28 April, 26 June, and the 28 June through 2 July, 14 through 20 August, 13 and 14 September, 18 September, 20 through 24 September, and 13 November ’65. The band did take a quick trip from Devon to Essex on 11 July ’65, to appear at the Odeon, Southend with Tom Jones & The Squires, Nashville Teens, Jalacy Hawkins, The Clayton Squares, and Ray Cameron.
Early in ’66, 9 January, the band opened for The Sidewinders at the Agincourt, but not the “original Georgie Fame group featuring Phil Seaman on drums” as billed. A few days later, on 14 January ’66, the band returned to the 400 Club, Torquay; then supported Dave Berry and The Cruisers at the Town Hall, Farnborough on 16 February ’66, before going back to the 400 on 11 April, and then onto The Marquee, London on 5 May ’66, opening for The Mark Leeman Five. The Emeralds stayed at The Marquee the following night, opening this time for The Sands. Eight days later, on 14 May ’66 the band were in Eastbourne, at Club Continental. On 25 June ’66, The Emeralds and The James Royal Set were performing at Starlite Ballroom, Greenford. The next month, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich headlined at Princess Theatre, Torquay on 17 July ’66, while The Emeralds got second billing, followed by Kim Davis and The Del Five, then Paul & Barry Ryan with the Robb Storme Group. A few months later, on 15 October ’66, The Emeralds headlined at the Locarno, Swindon, supported by, their once frontman, Kerry Rapid and the Soul Tones. Eventually, this new lineup would become Wishful Thinking.
2023’s B-Side of The Emeralds “King Lonely The Blue” In 2023, the rockabilly reissue label TM Records, put The Emeralds’ “King Lonely the Blue” on the B-side of their reissue of Ken Levy and The Phantoms “Missed Out” [45-TM-BI 001].
Allen, who’d been in The Bandits, as had Hope after Allen, had also played with Charles in the band that backed Dusty Springfield and Val Doonican. He would lead The Brian Allen Band in the 90s and early 2000s, but regrettably died on 23 May 2012 following a heart attack at his home in Salignac, France. Spreadborough passed ten years later on 20 February 2022 and New, who’d been in The Lively Set, succumb to cancer on 4 October 2010. From ’71 to ’77, Hope would also sing in Threewheel.
The Emeralds at the ‘Queens Lounge’, Heathrow to perform at the Elliott Automation, Frimley’s annual Dinner and Dance. L-R: Allender, Taylor, Stanley, and Rapid. Source: Alan Hope via Bob Potter’s Bands in the 60s and 70s 
18 May 1964: The Emeralds 
Advert for The Emeralds “Don’t Listen to Your Friends” single from 1965. Source: Roger Charles via Bob Potter’s Bands in the 60s and 70s 
The Emeralds “Don’t Listen to Your Friends” sheet music 
The Emeralds. Clockwise from top left: Allender, Daniels, Taylor, Elkins, and Charles. 
13 November 1965: The Emeralds 
9 January 1966: Agincourt advert 
11 April 1966: The Emeralds 
14 May 1966: The Emeralds 
15 October 1966: Locarno, Swindon hosted The Emeralds supported by Kerry Rapid and the Soul Tones. 
The Emeralds 
Bob Potter Entertainments Agency flyer listing The Emeralds. Source: Steve McKeown via Farnborough (Hants) Nostalgia 400 Ballroom, Adam Faith, Agincourt Ballroom, Alan Elkins, Allen Hope, Barry Ryan, Big Jim Sullivan, Bishop Stortford, Bob Potter, Botwell House, Brian Allen, Brian Allender, Camberley, Chris Sandford & The Coronets, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, Club Continental, Daniel & The Emeralds, Daniel and The Emeralds, Daniel Boone, Daniel Boone & The Emeralds, Daniel Boone and The Emeralds, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Dave Curtiss & The Tremors, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Dave Luther, Decca, Dusty Springfield, Eastbourne, Eden Kane & The Downbeats, Farnborough, France, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Greenford, Guildford, Hayes, Hayling Island, His Masters Voice, HMV, Jalacy Hawkins, Jerry Lordan, Jim Sullivan, Jimmy Page, Julie Grant, Ken Levy and The Phantoms, Kerry Rapid, Kerry Rapid and the Soul Tones, Kim Davis and The Del Five, Locarno, London, Marquee, Nashville Teens, Odeon, om Jones & The Squires, Open Air Beat Festival, Paul Ryan, Princess Theatre, Radio Caroline, Radio Veronica, Ray Cameron, Rhodes Centre, Richard Taylor, Robb Storme Group, Rod Stewart and The Soul Agents, Roger Charles, Roger Stanley, Roy Daniel, Roy Spreadborough, Salignac, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, Southend, Starlite Ballroom, Steve Ingless, Sunshine Holiday Camp, Swindon, Terry New, The Animals, The Brian Allen Band, The Civic Hall, The Clayton Squares, The Emeralds, The Emeralds with Daniel Boone, The Gamblers, The Hawks, The Interns, The James Royal Set, The Lido, The Lively Set, The Mark Leeman Five, The Migil Five, The Netherlands, The Nightriders, The Paramounts, The Plebs, The Renegades, The Rolling Stones, The Sands, The Searchers, The Sidewinders, The Sorrows, The Strangers, The Undertakers, Threewheel, TM Records, Tom Jones, Tony Meehan, Tony Rivers & The Castaways, Torquay, Town Hall, Val Doonican, Vic Keary, Winchester, Wishful Thinking, Woking -
The Angel, Godalming
Prior to the Gin Mill, and many years after it was The Angel Hotel Stables, a blues club was run out of The Angel. It was originally organised by Keith Tillman, founding member and bassist of the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, who subsequently joined John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers.
Chris “Swaggy” Szwaglis (who booked the Civic Hall, Guildford twice for The Equals, but forgot to book the band and appeared on a consumer show for his misdemeanors), then took over, booking The Equals, The Herd, and The Stormsville Shakers regularly. Szwaglis didn’t ‘forget’ to book The Equals for the Angel Blue Beat Club, as it was called, and they appeared on 16 June 1967. The next month, on 22 July, The Herd rolled through. When the Whisker Davies Blues Stormers split in July / August ’67, because Julian Davies went off to the Royal College of Music, they got together for one more gig at The Angel.
16 June 1967: Surrey Advertizer advert for The Equals at the Angel, Godalming. Source: Shirley St Clair via Godalming Town Past & Present When Pete “Hairy” Newberry took on the responsibility for booking bands, he renamed the club: The Gin Mill. Jumping to April ’96 and Issue #3 of Gerfump named Club Stout at The Angel, Godalming the ‘Club of the Month’. Szwaglis passed many years ago.
Gallery:
A late ’60’s Angel Dance Club membership card. Source: Rambling Ron Halls via Godalming Town Past & Present 
The front of an Angel Club, Godalming ‘Free Membership’ card. Source: Haydn Betchley via Godalming Town Past & Present 
The back of an Angel Club, Godalming ‘Free Membership’ card. Source Haydn Betchley via Godalming Town Past & Present 
The Angel c’70. Source: Heather Middleton via Godalming Town Past & Present 
Page 1 of 4 of a Surrey Orbit article on how the Gin Mill lost its venue at The Angel, Godalming. Source: Gin Mill 
Page 2 of 4 of a Surrey Orbit article on how the Gin Mill lost its venue at The Angel, Godalming. Source: Gin Mill 
Page 3 of 4 of a Surrey Orbit article on how the Gin Mill lost its venue at The Angel, Godalming. Source: Gin Mill 
Page 4 of 4 of a Surrey Orbit article on how the Gin Mill lost its venue at The Angel, Godalming. Source: Gin Mill Angel Blue Beat Club, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Chris Szwaglis, Civic hall, Club Stoat, Gerfump, Godalming, Guildford, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Julian Davies, Keith Tillman, Pete Newberry, The Angel, The Angel Hotel, The Equals, The Gin Mill, The Herd, The Stormsville Shakers, Whisker Davies Blues Stormers -
Cabina Telefonica
(c’84-’85) Mark Woolford (?), Aleyn Cain (?), Stephen ? (drums) and Mike ? (?).
These space rockers were ‘highly’ (pun-intended) influenced by Hawkwind, Gong and Here & Now, and gigged at many of the local Memorial / Village Halls.
On 2 March 85, the group appeared with Why at the Village Hall, Hambledon. The next month, on 11 April ’85, they visited the Wilfrid Noyce Centre, Godalming, with supported provided by Technik. There was also a gig at Milford’s Village Hall.
As some point, Technik lent the band their 4-track machine and they recorded some tunes in short order.
Gallery:
2 March 1985: Cabina Telefonica at Hambledon Village Hall. Source: Mark Woolford 
11 April 1985: Cabina Telefonica and Tecchnik played Wilfrid Noyce Youth Centre. Image courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records -
Blank Expression
(c’80-’82) Robert Selway (bass), Stuart Barnett (drums), David Maskrey (guitar) and Chris Try (vocals / rhythm guitar).
16 July 1980: Blank Expression played the Wonersh Memorial Village Hall. Picture courtesy of Stuart Barnett. Maskrey and Try were both at Broadwater School and their first band together was Blank Expression. The band’s debut gig was at Wonersh Memorial Hall on 16 July ’80. They released a 3-track demo, produced by Phil Collins; with Barnett using the same drum kit Phil Collins used on ‘In the Air Tonight“. The next year they appeared at Broadwater County Secondary School, in concert, in aid of Buses for the Disabled on 23 July ’81. On 12 September ’81, Blank Expression were at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford, in fact the band became a regular booking for The Wooden Bridge and we know they were back there on 1 December ’81.
A few months later, on 15 March ’82, they supported The Jam, for one gig, on the Trans-Global Express Tour, along with Urban Shakedown, at Fair Deal, Brixton. Then returned, on 29 May ’82, to the Wooden Bridge once again.
Selway and Barnett started Pied Piper and The Rats after they split from Blank Expression, and Selway went onto play in Big Belief after Kamaleon. Maskrey, who is currently in The Shakespearos, and Try formed Wild Lettuce.
31 October 2020: Blank Expression (L-R front: Selway, Maskrey, Try, and Barnett; L-R back: Clare Barnett ex-Pied Piper and The Rats and Lynsey Ann Newman). Picture courtesy of Stuart Barnett. All four members talked about getting Blank Expression back together in 2021 and doing some gigs. Try and Barnett, with Krzysztof Dudzinski on Bass and Ian Clarke on lead guitar did just that with an initial appearance at the Ivy Leaf Club, Cove on 25 March 2022. Sadly, in 2023, Try sustained severe injuries in a road incident, and passed away. The band continued, even after Clarke left, and remained in the contract with RS Promotions Band Management; adding Darron Edwards on bass, while Dudzinski moved to guitar.
Tracks:Gallery:
12 September 1981: Blank Expression were at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Chris Try 
1 December 1981: Blank Expression, with support, played The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Chris Try 
23 July 1981: Broadwater County Secondary School presented Blank Expression, in concert, in aid of Buses for the Disabled. Picture courtesy of Chris Try 
15 March 1982: Blank Expression were ‘Special Guests’… 
Blank Expression drummer Stuart Barnett, playing at the Sea Cadet Unit, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Stuart Barnett Big Belief, Blank Expression, Brixton, Broadwater County Secondary School, Broadwater School, Chris Try, Cove, Darron Edwards, David Maskrey, Fair Deal, Guildford, Ian Clarke, Ivy Leaf Club, Kamaleon, Krzysztof Dudzinski, Memorial Hall, Phil Collins, Pied Piper and the Rats, Robert Selway, RS Promotions Band Management, Stuart Barnett, The Jam, The Shakespearos, Urban Shakedown, Wild Lettuce, Wonersh, Wooden Bridge -
White Lightning
(c’84-’90) Noel Jones (vocals), Simon Pengilly (guitars), Gerald Goff (bass), and Jeff Ward (drums)
The initial nuclei of White Lightning – yes, without the ‘e’ – were two ex-Iron Pig bandmates, guitarist Pengilly and bassist Goff. They were joined by ex-Static vocalist Jones and then Ward, the drummer from Iron Pig.On 1 November ’84, Sweeny Todd headlined at the Ad Lib Club, held at The Kensington, Russell Gardens, with White Lightning in support. Later in the month this NWOBHM band self-released a small run of the 7″ single This Poison Fountain / Hypocrite – composed by Pengilly with lyrics by Jones – on their Wild Party Record [PP 1000] label, based in Staines. Shortly after which, in late ’84, White Lightning appeared at The Royal, Guildford receiving a positive review from Steffan Chirazi, published in the 9 December issue of Sounds.
White Lightning from Bushy Park photo shoot. Image courtesy of Noel Jones A number of gigs down the road, including The Wellington, Shepherds Bush on 29 July ’87, and a burgeoning repute stalled, then disintegrated, when Ward left and joined Mournblade. But Ward’s mother had sent a tape to Metal Hammer as the band crumbled. The band reformed to perform in Metal Hammer’s ‘Find a Band’ competition, with new bassist Richard Goddard. They didn’t win but garnered the support of Tommy Vance. They began recording again and compiled and pressed a run of no more than 500 LPs titled ‘…As Midnight Approaches‘. Tommy Vance played the record in full on his Friday Rock Show.
White Lightning at King George V Bowl, Douglas on 6 June 1990. Image courtesy of Noel Jones Pengilly decided he never wanted to play live, leading to the recruitment of John Storey. About the same time Workshop Records sought a second White Lightning LP and the necessary the tracks were laid down at Jason Ducker (ex-The Enid) and Max Read’s Lodge Recording Studio, Northampton. Meanwhile, on 6 June ’90, the band supported Meat Loaf at the King George V Bowl, Douglas, on the Isle of Man during the T.T. Races. That second LP however never got released by Workshop and following a final gig at the Corn Exchange, Dorchester the band called it a day.
In 2010, Angel Air Records released both LPs and extra demo and live recordings. Jones sadly passed on 16 April 2019. In addition to Mournblade in the mid-’80s, Ward also performed in Ragged Boys, The Barrelhouse Brothers, and The Hollow. Of Pengilly and Goff we are currently uncertain.
Gallery:
1 November 1984: White Lightning at Ad Lib, The Kensington, Russell Gardens. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
1 November 1984: White Lightning at Ad Lib, The Kensington, Russell Gardens. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
1 November 1984: White Lightning at Ad Lib, The Kensington, Russell Gardens. 
Test pressing of White Lightning’s “This Poison Fountain / Hypocrite“. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
Sleeve for White Lightning’s single “This Poison Fountain / Hypocrite“. 
White Lightning’s self-released single “This Poison Fountain / Hypocrite“. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
Review from Brazilian magazine ‘Rock Brigade’. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
Review of White Lightning at The Royal in Sounds, 9 December 1984. edition. Image courtesy of Pete Cole 
Blurry piece from Sounds on White Lightning’s This Poison Fountain 
29 July 1987: White Lightning wee at The Wellington, Shepherds Bush. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
29 July 1987: White Lightning wee at The Wellington, Shepherds Bush. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
20 March 198?: White Lightning play the Marquee. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
Jones of White Lightning in Lodge Recording Studio, Northampton in 1990. Image courtesy of Noel Jones 
White Lightning article from Riff Raff magazine, mid-1990. Image courtesy of Noel Jones Ad Lib Club, Angel Air Records, Corn Exchange, Dorchester, Douglas, Friday Rock Show, Gerald Goff, Guildford, Iron Pig, Isle of Man, Jason Ducker, Jeff Ward, John Storey, King George V Bowl, Lodge Recording Studio, Max Read, Meat Loaf, Metal Hammer, Mournblade, Noel Jones, Northampton, NWOBHM, Ragged Boys, Richard Goddard, Russell Gardens, Shepherds Bush, Simon Pengilly, Sounds, Staines, Static, Steffan Chirazi, Sweeny Todd, T.T. Races, The Barrelhouse Brothers, The Enid, The Hollow, The Kensington, The Royal, The Wellington, Tommy Vance, White Lightning, Wild Party Record, Workshop Records -
Genesis Publications
Think of Genesis Publications as the ultimate fanzine publisher… It’s a publishing company, based in Guildford, that was founded in ’74 by Brian Roylance. It is run today by his son and daughter, Nick and Catherine Roylance and produces signed, limited edition books about musicians.
It started by producing historical volumes but is now an ‘art house’ publisher in the fields of modern music and culture. The company’s first title to depart from historical reproductions was George Harrison’s autobiography, “I, Me, Mine”, published in ’80. Their books by and about The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Queen and more retail for hundreds.
‘Fifty Years Adrift’, by Derek Taylor was published in ’84, and edited by George Harrison and limited to a run of 2000. Copies are now selling for well over 2,000 GBP.
1984’s ‘Fifty Years Adrift’, by Derek Taylor In 1988 they published “Songs by George Harrison” a book of song lyrics and commentary by Harrison, with illustrations by New Zealand artist Keith West. It was published in February 1988, in a limited run of 2500 copies and included an EP of rare or previously unreleased Harrison recordings. It remains the only formal release for “Sat Singing”, “Flying Hour” and the live “For You Blue”. In December 2006, Record Collector magazine ranked “Songs by George Harrison” 122nd in its list of “The 250 Most Valuable Records of Our Time”, with an estimated value of £800 for the book and disc set.
Late in ’91, Genesis published ‘24 Nights‘ by Eric Clapton, Peter Blake, and Derek Taylor. This documented the run of 24-consequetive-nights across February to March ’91 Clapton performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London to close out the Journeyman World Tour. This two-volume book and CD boxed set was Clapton’s first with Genesis, with a limited 3,500 signed copies produced.
1991’s 24 Nights published by Genesis Ed: We will gradually add and expand this list with images and information on Genesis Publication’s books printed prior to 2000:
- 1987 It Was Twenty Years Ago Today by Derek Taylor
- 1990 Blinds and Shutters by Michael Cooper1991 24 Nights by Eric Clapton; scrapbook by Peter Blake
- 1992 Songs by George Harrison 2 by George Harrison (illustrations by Keith West)
- 1993 Live in Japan 1991 by George Harrison
- 1994 Liverpool Days by Max Scheler with Astrid Kirchherr
- 1995 Paul McCartney: Yesterday & Today by Ray Coleman
- 1995 Sometime in New York City by Bob Gruen with Yoko Ono
- 1995 Masons Yard to Primrose Hill 65–67 by Gered Mankowitz
- 1996 Stuart: The Life and Art of Stuart Sutcliffe by Kay Williams and Pauline Sutcliffe
- 1996 Golden Dreams by Max Scheler with Astrid Kirchherr
- 1997 Raga Mala by Ravi Shankar (edited by George Harrison)
- 1997 From Hamburg to Hollywood by Jürgen Vollmer
- 1997 BIG: Beatles in Germany by Günter Zint (with Ulf Krüger and Tony Sheridan)
- 1997 Crossfire Hurricane by Bob Gruen
- 1998 Wyman Shoots Chagall by Bill Wyman
- 1998 Wood on Canvas: Every Picture Tells a Story by Ronnie Wood
- 1999 Hamburg days by Klaus Voormann and Astrid Kirchherr
- 1999 I Contact: The Gered Mankowitz Archives by Gered Mankowitz
- 1999 Pleased to Meet You by Michael Putland
- 1999 Early Dylan (with Arlo Guthrie)
- 2000 Mania Days by Curt Gunther
Since 2000, and still run out of a house on Jenner Street, Guildford, the cadence of releases has multiplied, and Genesis Publications website is well worth a browse.
Gallery:
Front cover art for the 1980 book “I, Me, Mine” written by George Harrison. 
Promo material for 1984’s ‘Fifty Years Adrift’ 
Flipside of promo material for 1984’s ‘Fifty Years Adrift’ 
The black leather-bound “Songs by George Harrison” Arlo Guthrie, Astrid Kirchherr, Bill Wyman, Bob Dylan, Bob Gruen, Brian Roylance, Catherine Roylance, Curt Gunther, David Bowie, Derek Taylor, Eric Clapton, Günter Zint, Genesis Publications, George Harrison, Gered Mankowitz, Guildford, Jürgen Vollmer, Jimi Hendrix, Kay Williams, Keith West, Klaus Voormann, London, Max Scheler, Michael Cooper, Michael Putland, Nick Roylance, Paul McCartney, Pauline Sutcliffe, Peter Blake, Pink Floyd, Queen, Ravi Shankar, Ray Coleman, Record Collector, Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood, Royal Albert Hall, Stuart Sutcliffe, The Beatles, Tony Sheridan, Ulf Krüger -
Ritz, Woking
The Ritz, in Woking, opened on 12 April ’37 and was located on Chobham Road at the corner of Church Street East. The Union Cinemas chain owned and ran The Ritz, who were taken over by ABC in October ’37, but The Ritz wasn’t renamed until ’62.
Like many of the ABC and Odeon cinemas it hosted package tours. On 12 March ’56, The Ritz hosted the Wakey! Wakey! package featuring Billy Cotton and his Band along with Terry O’Neill and Peggy Haig, Bea & Zelda Marvi, Kendor Bros., Fred Atkins, and Pierre Bel.
In ’72 it was closed for a few months and converted into a smaller cinema and a bingo club. The Cinema closed on 4 September ’82, but the bingo continued until ’87. The building was demolished in ’88, with Hollywood House now standing on the site.
Gallery:
Billy Cotton and his Band, Terry O’Neill and Peggy Haig, Bea & Zelda Marvi, Kendor Bros., Fred Atkins, and Pierre Bel were at The Ritz, Woking. Picture courtesy of Celia Reed 
Inside The Ritz, Woking 
The Ritz, Wokin became ABC. 
The Ritz, Woking -
Annoyance
(c’90-’94) Jay ? (?), Jase ? (?), Jay ? (?), Joe ? (?), and Janie ? (?)
This Godalming based death metal band released a demo cassette in ’91 and followed it with the self-released 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ in ’93. This was recorded at Studio 9, Brixton and engineered by LIV, across the 20 and 21 March ’93, and carried the title track, ‘Infectious‘ and ‘Insufferable Sickness‘ on both sides. The only complete name we have associated with the band to date is the listed EP’s cover artist, Becci Wood.
Annoyance’s 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ from ’93 The band were connected with Powergrind Promotions, also based in Godalming, who may have handled the bands bookings and management, although we suspect this was run by a band member. On 20 February ’93 the band were at The Cricketers, Westfield with Disturbance. Annoyance also appeared at the Guildford Council sponsored Rock Explosion 3, along with Blue, Strangeworld and Vox Pop, on 4 June ’93, at the Civic Hall, Guildford.
Gallery:
Annoyance (L to R: Jay, Jase, Jay, Joe, and Janie) 
Cover of Annoyance’s 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ from ’93 
Inside cover of Annoyance’s 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ from ’93 
Inside cover of Annoyance’s 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ from ’93 
Lyric sheet insert from Annoyance’s 3-track cassette EP, ‘Ultra Violence‘ 
4 June 1993: Guildford Council’s Rock Explosion 3 featured local bands: Annoyance, Blue, Strangeworld, and Vox Pop. -
Iron Pig
(c’78-’80) Jeff Ward (drums), Graham Dundas (vocals), Simon Pengilly (Guitar), and Gerald Goff (bass)
This Farnham based NWOBHM band formed in ’78 with Nigel Augur on drums. Augur was replaced by Ward as Iron Pig’s drummer in ’79. That year the band recorded and independantly released two demo cassettes titled, imaginatively, “Demo I” and “Demo II”.
Iron Pig’s Demo I master tape The first was available in April ’79, having been recorded at at Chestnut Studios, Churt on 5 April ’79, and carried five tracks: ‘Song for a Princess Grace‘, ‘All Night Long‘, ‘Strangers‘, ‘Oxenford / Chains of Destiny‘ and ‘The Iron Bridge Song‘.
Iron Pig’s Demo II master tape The band returned to Chestnut Studios on 16 October ’79 to record Demo II, which included five new tracks, and repeated ‘Song for Princess Grace‘ and was released in late October ’79. The new: ‘Black Gull of Triumph‘, ‘Strange Satin Lady‘, ‘Under the Knife‘, ‘My England‘, and ‘The Whore‘, along with the repeated tracks, totaled just over 23 minutes of play time. Geoff Barton choose to include ‘Strange Satin Lady‘, although it was mistitled as ‘Strange‘, in his Sounds magazine playlist selection along with ‘Monolith’ by Kansas, and ‘Sure Know Somethin’ by Kiss.
The longer, “Demo III” cassette was published in March/April ’80, having been recorded on 20 March ’20th ’80 at Jacob’s Studio, Farnham. It included a cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’, repeated three tracks from “Demo II” and added ‘Wine to Water‘, ‘Tobetty Mole‘, ‘Winter‘, and ‘Children of the Hyperboreans‘ to the catalogue.
Iron Pig’s Demo III master tape We know the band appeared at the Marquee, London and Park View Dance Studio, Hampton Wick at some point, but we have no dates. In 2018, Ward released a CD compilation, via his own Bluestone Recordings label, of Iron Pig’s demos for which, it is reported, he received a cease and desist from Pengilly.
Augur would go on to join Addlestone’s Seducer, while his replacement joined Mournblade in the mid-’80s. Ward also performed in Ragged Boys, The Barrelhouse Brothers, The Hollow, and White Lightning. The latter was formed in ’84 by Pengilly (was he related to Chuck Pengilly of Threewheel?), Goff, with Ward joining later along with ex-Static vocalist Noel James. Dundas, who was also in The Hollow, has sadly pasted.
Gallery:
Iron Pig 
Iron Pig’s Demo II master tape Addlestone, Bluestone Recordings, Chestnut Studios, Churt, Farnham, Geoff Barton, Gerald Goff, Graham Dundas, Hampton Wick, Iron Pig, Jacob’s Studio, Jeff Ward, London, Marquee, Mournblade, Nigel Augur, Noel James, NWOBHM, Park View Dance Studio, Ragged Boys, Seducer, Simon Pengilly, Sounds, Static, The Barrelhouse Brothers, The Hollow, White Lightning -
Strange Cult
(c’78) Alan Clutterbuck (guitar / vocals), John Hudson (bass / vocals), and Jamie Legg (drums).
This Guildford based 3-piece played at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon on 12 March ’78 along with The Ellery Bops, with future members of The Vapors, Ed Bazalgette on guitar and Howard Smith on drums. The Absolute, with future Vapor Steve Smith on drums, were also billed to perform, but didn’t.
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson Strange Cult added Sophie Montague and became The Golden Age of Metro later in ’78. As well as The Golden Age of Metro, Clutterbuck would go on to join Piccadilly Mudmen. Legg – having picked up the nickname “Breezeblock” – joined others to form Matrix. Legg also joined Hudson in Luxury Glass Town and Ill At Ease after which he would go on to be a member of Innocent Bystander, again with Legg; who would appear in Eat the Sofa a few years later and has since joined forces with others to form The True Deceivers.
Gallery:
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
12 March 1978: Strange Cult at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Picture courtesy of John Hudson Alan Clutterbuck, Eat the Sofa, Ed Bazalgette, Guildford, Howard Smith, Ill At Ease, Innocent Bystanders, Jamie Legg, John Hudson, Luxury Glass Town, Matrix, Memorial Village Hall, Piccadilly Mudmen, Sophie Montague, Steve Smith, Strange Cult, The Absolute, The Ellory Bops, The Golden Age of Metro, The True Deceivers, The Vapors, Worplesdon
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.
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