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For anyone who vaguely recalls the Woking / GU postcode area music scene.

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  • Genesis Publications

    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.

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  • Ritz, Woking

    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.

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  • Annoyance

    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.

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  • Iron Pig

    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.

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  • Strange Cult

    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.

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  • Nightshift

    Nightshift

    (c’91-’95) Paul Dreczko (keyboards), Robin Tunnell (guitar/vocals), Barney Godfrey (guitar), Donny Spinks/Shaw (drums) and Graham Hill (bass).

    This Guildford 5-piece blues band played locally and had a mascot called Gilbert. The band played mainly pubs around Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset.

    The Abinger Arms, Abinger hosted the band on 27 August ’91 and the next month, on 13 September, the band were just up the road at The Compasses Inn, Gomshall. A trip out to The Royal Oak, Passfield followed on 26 October ’91.

    The band kicked of ’92 on valentine’s day back at The Abinger Arms, and returned to The Royal Oak eight days later, on 22 February ’92. They rolled into The Cricketers, Westfield on 4 April ’92, before hitting The Abinger Arms once again on 2 May. The White Hart, Frimley was also visited that month, on 21 May. July caught the band back at The Royal Oak (4 July ’92) and The Abinger Arms (11 July ’92) once again. A drive out to Ockham’s Black Swan, aka Mucky Duck, on 12 September, was followed by another return visit to The Royal Oak on 30 September ’92. A trip toward the big smoke on Halloween, saw the band performing at The Grey Horse, Kingston on 31 October ’92. In the lead up to Christmas ’92 the band appeared at The Abinger Arms. Abinger with Rex Goldsmith on drums and Steve “Whitestrat” Wilkie on guitar.

    December 1992: Selway (bass) and Wilkie (guitar) at Abinger Arms. Picture courtesy of Paul Dreczko

    Also, in ’92, they recorded at the BBC’s Technical Music Studios, Shepherd’s Bush using “Good Light” and “Rain” from that session on a demo cassette. The demo was released in early ’93 and received positive feedback in local rags but typecast the band as a pub/club outfit. The band lived up to this specific characterization appearing at the Hockey Club, Guildford on 16 January ’93 and The Ranmore Arms, Ranmore Common later that month, on 29 January. Just the one gig in February found the band at The Three Lions (Scratchers), Farncombe on 26 February ’93. A month off was suspended by a gig at The Red Lion, Milford on 2 April ’93, then a month later a re-booking at The Abinger Arms on 1 May. There were three more gigs later that May: The Parrot, Frimley Green (23 May), The Red Lion, Milford (28 May), and The Ship Inn, Fordingbridge (29 May). Consecutive gigs at Scratchers followed on 7 August and 22 September ’93, with the band wrapping the year up at Abinger Arms on 6 November ’93.

    Nightshift c’93 (L-R: Hill, Shaw, and Tunnell. Source: Paul Dreczko

    Nightshift started ’94 where they finished ’93, at The Abinger Arms on 15 January ’94. The next month, on 11 February ’94, they were back at Scratchers which was followed by along sabbatical. On 16 July ’94 the band played at Hallams Court, Blackheath; then more, now regular, appearances at The Abinger Arms on 24 September and 6 December ’94. The band were fading in ’95, and we only have two recorded materializations, both nautical. The first was on a boat that travelled along the Thames from it’s dock in Surrey to the Thames Barrier and back on 2 July ’95, and the second back at The Ship, Fordingbridge on 8 July ’95.

    16 July 1994: Nightshift at Hallams Court. Picture courtesy of Paul Dreczko

    Dreczko, who’d previously replaced Philip Joseph on keyboards in La Maison du Chants, would later audition to join Sweetlife, but didn’t; and had been in Kamaleon before Nightshift. Hill was first spotted in The Vulgar Bros c’79. Renowned for his pink kit, Spinks was also in a showband called Abacus and did some session work with Womb.

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  • The Plaza, Guildford

    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.

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  • Kamaleon

    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.

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  • Lakesiders

    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.

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  • Village Hall, Chiddingfold

    Village Hall, Chiddingfold

    This single-story plain brick building on Woodside Road was Chiddingfold’s community centre, working men’s club and work-a-day village hall. But ‘The Chidd’ or ‘Chidd Club’, as locals called it, had another side featuring greats of the rock and blues world. Eric Clapton, Gary Brooker, Andy Fairweather-Low, Roger Taylor, Dave Gilmour and Bill Wyman have all rubbed shoulders with card playing pensioners and pool playing village lads.

    Genesis’ ‘End of the Party’ image shot at The Chidd.

    It started with Clapton and Genesis. On the wall was a framed Genesis album cover with the inscription “To the Chiddingfold Ex-Servicemen’s Club. With much appreciation for all the help given to us over the years. Phil and Genesis.” The club had been a great place to rehearse undisturbed in the buildup to ‘Calling All Stations’ and ‘We Can’t Dance’ tours, (they rehearsed there from 13 March – 5 April ’92 for We Can’t Dance) and the acoustics were actually pretty good. It is also said that the main floor space of the Chidd Club was the exact size of the Wembley Arena stage, making it perfect for production rehearsals. It was also a filming location for the TV movie “Genesis: Opening Night” in ’92.

    Rolling back a couple of years, on 23 December ’89, there was a benefit fundraising concert for local charities organized by Gary Brooker, at which Clapton and No Stiletto Shoes, consisting of Brooker (keyboards / vocals), Fairweather Low (guitar / vocals), Dave Bronze (bass), Henry Spinetti (drums), and Frank Mead (sax), rocked a 300-ish audience.

    Word got around and as the leafy rolling hills are peppered with their homes, a few well known bands and individuals, such as Clapton, started showing up. In the mid 90’s Clodagh Rodgers held a benefit for her husband, guitarist Ian Sorbie, who had cancer and regrettably dies in ’95. Sev Lewkowicz played keys for that event, in a pick-up band with Mike Rutherford, Kenney Jones, Spinetti, Richard O’Brien, Graham Cooper and Tim Wheatley; rehearsing for it at Jones house. At Christmas, Gary Brooker put on a charity event with top names dropping in to gig and have fun. Then for two consecutive nights, the 15 and 16 December ’95, Clapton returned to guest with No Stiletto Shoes – Brooker, Fairweather-Low, Bronze, Spinetti, and Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), – on stage, supported by Big Town Playboys.

    Mike Rutherford of Genesis at The Chidd c’96

    In ’96 there was a commemorative gig for Chris ‘Wheelbarrow’ Brayne with Jackie Lynton, Cryin’ Out Loud, House and a pickup band that included Ray Dorset. It became the Chiddingfold Live Music Club with rock and blues acts most Fridays with Howard Williams acting as promoter. Spike Edney’s SAS Band’s Christmas gigs were highly memorable with a who’s who of pop and rock in attendance and Hugh Cornwell revisited the village, that had housed The Stranglers in the early years, to perform at the club on 13 October 2000. Over the years Albert Lee, Wishbone Ash, Jim Capaldi, Caravan Jones, James Taylor Quartet, John Otway, Yardbirds, The Animals, James Hunter, Ainsley Lister, Cliff Bennett, Nine Below Zero, Mike Sanchez, King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, Company of Snakes, Counterfeit Stones, Two Timers, Dr Feelgood, Caravan, Colosseum 2, and Eugene Hideaway Bridges are among the many acts that have performed here.

    13 October 2000: Hugh Cornwell returned to Chiddingfold to play a gig at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club. Picture courtesy of Steve Excell

    On 20 December ’03 and 18 December ’04, Brooker’s charity Christmas gig featured Clapton again, as it did on 15 December ’06, when Clapton sat in on four songs with No Stiletto Shoes, for what was now a tradition at The Chidd. Some of the last gigs at the venue were Brookers Christmas gig on 21 December ’07, The Hamsters on 25 Jan ’08, Killer Queen on 7 March ’08, and The Hoax on 5 May ’08. Dwindling numbers led to the Chidd Club closing in ’08 to make way for housing and a much smaller club. Unused, it became rundown, derelict, and was finally bulldozed in 2011. In September 2012 a replacement was opened – but it’s not the same; with the new housing so close and the smaller size it just not possible to put on live bands.

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One thought on “Home

  1. 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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