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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. -
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 -
The Plaza, Guildford
As well as hosting the Ricky Tick Club, Guildford for a couple of years, The Plaza also had a life of its own.
It opened as the Central Hall Picture Palace in July 1910 with 600 seats. Then, in 1923 it was re-named Central Picture Palace. It was taken over by the County Cinemas chain in October 1930 and was re-named Plaza Cinema. In September 1939, it was taken over by the Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres Ltd.

The Plaza in 1944/45 The Plaza Cinema closed on 29 September ’56 with Kenneth Moore in “Reach for the Sky” being the last showing. It was boarded up and lay unused for several years, and sometime in ’59 was converted into a venue/bingo club, with Ken Slater starting the Plaza Ballroom, managed by Ken Brewer. The Plaza’s house band would play the dance music of the day, and a group called The Tropics, featuring Mick Douglas and the late Chris Crinnel, appeared regularly when it first opened as a dance hall. Ex-The Rhythm Five and Crescendos member Dave Brice worked the door and met artists on the outskirts of Guildford to guide then to the venue and the back door. While playing at The Plaza, Pete Chester caught The Crescendos – he’d previously been in The Five Chesternuts with Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch of The Shadows, and his band had a brief residency at The Plaza – asked members of The Crescendos if they could go pro’ and fill in for members The Pete Chester Combo. Also while playing at The Plaza, The Crescendos were joined on stage by Vince Taylor of Vince and His Playboys. Around ’59, Farnborough born Nelson Keene had formed The Raiders with a few friends, and along with winning contests they played The Plaza.

The Crescendos at The Plaza, Guildford. Sitting on the stage is Vince Taylor. Source: Nick Way via Guildford Town Past & Present On the 7 May ’61, Gene Vincent played what was labeled The Plaza Ballroom. Backed by Sounds Incorporated, Vincent was so exhausted after 20 minutes – having been working in a TV studio since 5am that morning – that he had to be helped off the stage. The Stormville Shakers won the 1st heat of the All England Beat Competition, held at the Plaza Ballroom, on 24 Sept ’63. It was later that year that the Ricky Tick elevated the venue when it moved in on 29 November ’63; but moved out after almost 2 1/2 years in February ’66 when The Plaza was leaning more and more toward bingo hall. In the mid-60s local group The Vibros hit the stage. Meanwhile, around ’65, The Stormsville Shakers were part of The Larry Williams Show and these recording sessions led to their appearance on the snappily title “The Larry Williams Show Featuring Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson with The Stormsville Shakers” LP, the cover of which carries an image taken at The Plaza, Guildford.

Ivor Shackleton and Kirk Riddle of The Stormville Shakers at the Plaza, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Pat Conroy The first Guildford Arts Lab event of poetry and folk music, took place on 26 October ’65 in a cellar behind The Plaza. In ’65/’66, Wounded John Scott Cree played a number of times in that cellar in ’65/’66.
Bingo began to take over the venue, but the music didn’t stop totally although details are patchy: teenage brothers, Mike & Richard Ashworth, as Wax Promotions (they managed Wax Records in Woodbridge Rd), along with Pete Newberry, who was responsible for the Gin Mill, Godalming put on the first Dr Feelgood gig in Guildford at the Plaza in 1974, booking them at least once more. Mike Haldenby recalls going to the gig, where Dr Feelgood were supported by a band called Heritage, and at the end of the gig the Feelgood’s roadie gave out bundles of posters, several adorning his sixth form common room for a while listing Dr Feelgood at The Gin Mill, Guildford. That same year A Band Called O, Phoenix, The Splendid Humans, and Zox and the Radar Boys ventured into The Plaza; and on 30 October, Judas Priest’s ‘Rocka Rolla’ tour pulled into the old cinema.

September 1974: MadGin Mill flater for the Plaza, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records These teen-impresarios also booked a band called Casablanca to play The Plaza; and Bruce Foxton‘s pre-Jam progressive garage band called Rita appeared there. Another band with local connection, Asylum played the venue a couple of times. Sometime around ’75, Stray appeared at the venue. From around 2001, it became the Drink nightclub and by 2014 it was the Casino nightclub.
Gallery:

Thomas Wilkie photograph of The Plaza, Guildford in the 1960s. Source: The Tony Ford Collection courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records. 
Old picture of The Plaza, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Peter Winning 
In 1965 The Larry Williams Show featuring Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson with The Stormsville Shakers LP was released. The cover picture was taken at the Ricky-Tick Club at The Plaza Ballroom, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
The Plaza in 1991 A Band Called O, All England Beat Competition, Arts lab, Asylum, Bruce Foxton, Casablanca, Casino, Central Hall Picture Palace, Central Picture Palace, Chris Crinnel, County Cinemas, Crescendos, Dave Brice, Dr Feelgood, Drink, Farnborough, Gene Vincent, Gin Mill, Godalming, Guildford, Guildford Arts Lab, Heritage, Johnny Watson, Judas Priest, Ken Brewer, Ken Slater, Kenneth Moore, Mick Douglas, Mike Ashworth, Mike Haldenby, Nelson Keene, Odeon Theatres Ltd, Oscar Deutsch, Pete Chester, Pete Newberry, Phoenix, Plaza Ballroom, Plaza Cinema, Richard Ashworth, Ricky Tick Club, Rita, Sounds Incorporated, Stray, The Larry Williams Show, The Pete Chester Combo, The Plaza, The Raiders, The Rhythm Five, The Splendid Humans, The Stormsville Shakers, The Tropics, The Vibros, Vince and His Playboys, Vince Taylor, Wax Promotions, Wax Records, Wounded John Scott Cree, Zox and the Radar Boys -
Kamaleon
(c’86-’87) Keith Davies (guitar), Alex Marler (vocals), Paul Dreczko (keyboards), and Rob Selway (bass).
In November ’86, Guildford based Kamaleon’s demo cassette earned them a letter of interest from CBS Records; as a result, they spent 11 hours in Catch 44 Studio, Godalming and left with an Ampex mastering tape, paying £8/hour and an extra £1 for the tape, on 28 November.
The band were subsequently invited to meet with CBS Records International at Soho Square, London; but Lincoln Elias (then 18/19 and the A&R guy who would sign Terence Trent D’Arby, Des’ree, Reef, Toploader, and Jamiroquai among others) was looking for something more commercial, like ‘Frankie‘ by Sister Sledge. Kamaleon choose to get back to him on that.
Dreczko, who’d previously replaced Philip Joseph on keyboards in La Maison du Chants, would later audition to join Sweetlife, but didn’t, and joined Nightshift in the early ’90s. Selway had been in Blank Expression before co-forming Pied Piper and The Rats and went onto play in Big Belief after Kamaleon.
Gallery:

Kamaleon (L-R: Davies, Marler, Dreczko, and Selway. Source: Paul Dreczko 
Kamaleon publicity photo c’86 (L-R: Davies, Marler, Dreczko, and Selway). Source Paul Dreczko 
Kamaleon’s Letter of Interest from CBS Records from Nov ’86. Source: Paul Dreczko 
Kamaleon’s Ampex mastering tape from Catch 44. Source: Paul Dreczko Alex Marler, Big Belief, Blank Expression, Catch 44 Studios, CBS Records, CBS Records International, Des’ree, Godalming, Guildford, Jamiroquai, Kamaleon, Keith Davies, La Maison Du Chants, Lincoln Elias, Nightshift, Paul Dreczko, Philip Joseph, Pied Piper and the Rats, Reef, Rob Selway, Sister Sledge, Sweetlife, Terence Trent D’Arby, Toploader -
Lakesiders
(c’80s) Linda Smith (vocals), David Clarke (guitar), Joe Breitenfeld (bass), and ? Russell (drums).
These two pictures and a bit on the members is all we have on this 4-piece band.
Clarke went on to join Cut the Mustard. Prior to Lakesiders, Breitenfield, a character who didn’t suffer fools gladly, had been in Feast, Grant’s Tomb, and Luvaduc. He resided in West Clandon and played bass in T Model Slim before his sad demise in 2022. We understand that Smith, who’d been in a combo called Redwood c’78 with Breitenfield, had moved to the Isle of Wight and has also now sadly passed.Gallery:





































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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