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The Lovelies
(c’89-’97) Andrew “Bug” Gregory (bass), Simon Gray (drums), and Tobin Thomson (vocals/guitar)
In July ’90 a three-piece band from Ramsdean, near Petersfield, self-released on their own Ephemeral Records “Potatoes for Pleasure”, a limited edition of 200 cassette EP demos, carrying four tracks: “Money Grabbing Fools”, “I Don’t Want to Be”, “Stop Being Silly”, and “Friends”; and so, we discovered The Lovelies. This was followed by the “Happy Wednesday” cassette EP in April ’91. Also limited, this time to 300 with the first 50 signed, in carried another four indie pop tracks: “Happy Wednesday”, “Trippy Hippy”, “Tell Me If I’m Going Too Slow”, and “Don’t Listen”.
Spanish indie label, Elefant Records, picked up on the band in ’92 compiling The Lovelies demo tapes onto the “Growing Up in a Small Town” [ER-011] cassette LP. Although, this did skip the whole of “Potatoes for Pleasure” and the closing track from “Happy Wednesday”; this compilation did include “Stupid Habit”, “Forever”, “November” and “Them and Us” from other sessions recorded at Watershed Studios, Portsmouth. The band rarely appeared live and remained relatively unknown in the UK, although they did headline The George, Ash Vale on 9 September ’92.
The afore mentioned tracks from sessions recorded at Watershed would later appear on the 300 copies of “Grown Up and Gone – The Shed Sessions” along with “Bright New Day”. Victoria Park”, “The Right People are Hard to Find”, and “Bow Down”; which was released in January ’94. By this point Thomson was the only original member; Ben Lower was on bass, Matt Williams on drums, and Chris Thiessen provided violin/viola. The band had also moved south to Portsmouth.
In ’93, Elefant Records put out the 7″ vinyl EP “Nothing La-Di-Da” [ER-104]. All the tracks: “Bright New Day”, “Spanish Girl on T.V.”, “Forever”, and “Bow Down” were all recorded at Watershed and engineered by James Perrett, as had all the previous sessions. It sold out, becoming, according to Elefant, an underground hit. The band were back at Watershed again, with Perrett, in ’94 to record the “Somer Runner” EP. Geoff Smith had replaced Lower on Bass within the band; co-writing the “Troublehead” track which was included on the EP that they licensed to German label Meller Welle Produckte [MEL08], which also featured “Floor 17”, “Tack Magnet”, along with the title track.
95’s Love-Lack single The following year the band released their first single: “Love-Lack” on Seattle based Cher Doll Records [CHER 08] in the United States. They recorded and mixed the title track and the b-side’s “Troublehead (pt.two)” and “The Tuff of the Tracks” at Watershed again. A video was shot by C.J. Howes and directed by Robin Skinner, for the release, and this was released in ’97 on VHS.
Still from The Lovelies video for Love-Lack In ’97, two years after “The Tuff of the Tracks” was on the b-side of “Love-Lack” it became the title track for The Lovelies CD album on Elefant Records [ER 1026]. In addition to all three tracks from “Love-Lack” the band included 11 new tracks. The video for “Weekenderman” appeared on the “20 Framed Beats” film which accompanied the release of Tony Rollinson’s book “Twenty Missed Beats” also issued in ’97. Elefant’s work to promote the band secured them a live session on the Spanish National Radio show “Viaje a Los Suenos Polares”. The four tracks played in Madrid were recorded and released as a promo cassette in ’98, titled “Live Radio Session .016”. At some point the band signed to UK based R2 Management.
99’s Sampler A DIY CD-R release followed in early ’99 called “Sampler”. This was chased, that same year, by a CD EP titled “Haircut EP” on Tuff Track Records [TT109]. This was again recorded and mixed at Watershed but engineered by Drew Hamilton. The next year “Country Turn” a CD single was issued, again on Tuff Tracks [TT112]; which was followed by the CD single “Bottles and Stones” in 2001.
Over the years The Lovelies music has appeared on over 30 compilations. Thomson reportedly could occasionally be seen presenting on TV. He would appear again under the name Tobin Prinz in Reading / Portsmouth based pock punk duo Prinzhorn Dance School.
Tracks:
Gallery:
’92’s Growing Up In A Small Town 
’92’s Growing Up In A Small Town 
’93’s Nothing La-Di-Da 
’93’s Nothing La-Di-Da 
’94’s Grown-Up And Gone (The Shed Sessions)
’94’s Grown-Up And Gone (The Shed Sessions)
’94’s Grown-Up And Gone (The Shed Sessions)
94’s Somer Runner 
94’s Somer Runner 
95’s Love-Lack single 
’97’s The Tuff Of The Tracks 
’97’s The Tuff Of The Tracks 
’98’s Live Radio Session 
99’s Haircut EP 
99’s Sampler 
99’s Sampler 
99’s Sampler 
2000’s Country Turn 
2001’s Bottles and Stone 
The Lovelies (L-R: Gray, Thomson, and Gregory) Andrew Gregory, Ash Vale, Ben Lower, C.J. Howes, Cher Doll Records, Chris Thiessen, Drew Hamilton, Elefant Records, Ephemeral Records, Geoff Smith, James Perrett, Madrid, Matt Williams, Meller Welle Produckte, Petersfield, Portsmouth, Prinzhorn Dance School, R2 Management, Ramsdean, Reading, Robin Skinner, Seattle, Simon Gray, Spain, Spanish National Radio, The George, The Lovelies, Tobin Prinz, Tobin Thomson, Tony Rollinson, Tuff Track Records, United States, Viaje a Los Suenos Polares, Watershed Studios -
The Visionaries
(c’87-’88) Kym Wright (vocals), John Wey (guitar), Pete Burgess (bass), and Shaun Jackson (drums).
The Visionaries. Photographed by Martin Crook, courtesy of Shaun Jackson The nucleus of this Farnham / Crowthorne based goth band was Burgess and Wey. They left their previous band and formed Artistic License. Jackson was added shortly after and The Visionairies were born in August ’87; with Wright joining that September. They soon became part of the Frimley band co-op known as The Grain. Along with fellow members: Magic Moments at Twilight Time, The Charles, Momento Mori, Slack Bladder, and Greed they put on a The Grain Festival at Highland Farm, Frimley Green, on 20 September ’87, in aid of Greenpeace. This was The Visionaries’ debut gig.
Wright was replaced by Richard Craft on vocals and guitar in mid-December ’87. The Visionaries released a demo, which was recorded at Matinee Studios, Reading, in the first quarter of ’88. This included the tracks “Red Flower” and “Lonely Streets”. On 14 April ’88 the band played at the Technical College, Farnborough; and at the end of the following month, on 30 May ’88, The Visionaries played at The Rock Garden, Covent Garden at one of the venue’s ‘Breakthrough’ nights, along with Heaven Can Wait, The Persuaders, Pride and Prejudice, and The Glasshouse.
Eventually the band slimmed down to a duo with drum box. Wey was also in Last Danse c’94, and at about the same time Burgess would join Headcopter, along with Jackson, who had also been in Slack Bladder and went onto Peachrazor.
Gallery:
The Visionaries vocalist Kym Wright at The Grain One Day Free Festival, 20 Sept 1987. Picture by Pippa, courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Visionaries, sans vocalist (L-R: Burgess, Jackson and Wey). Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
Clipping for The Visionaries from Farnborough News, 8 April 1988 edition. Picture courtesy of Shaun Jackson 
30 May 1988: The Visionaries performed at The Rock Garden, Covent Garden. Picture courtesy of Shaun Jackson 
The Visionaries. Photographed by Martin Crook, courtesy of Shaun Jackson Artistic License, Covent Garden, Crowthorne, Farnborough, Farnborough Tech, Farnham, Frimley Green, Greed, Greenpeace, Headcopter, Heaven Can Wait, Highland Farm, John Wey, Kym Wright, Last Danse, Magic Moments at Twilight Time, Matinee Studios, Momento Mori, Peachrazor, Pete Burgess, Pride and Prejudice, Reading, Richard Croft, Shaun Jackson, Slack Bladder, Technical College, The Charles, The Glasshouse, The Grain Festival, The Persuaders, The Rock Garden, The Visionaries -
Bo and The Generals
(c’79-’81) Steve “Bo” Benham (keyboard/vocals), Nick Powell (vocals/guitar), Steve Prudence (bass) and Dickie Knight (drums).
Benham and Powell were previously in The Pleasers, forming Bo and The Generals (sometimes listed as Beau and The Generals) in mid ’79. In the buildup to formation, Benham wrote some songs with David Fenton of The Vapors, although to our knowledge none were ever released. The band signed to Island Records and Powell and Benham sought out ex-Unicorn bassist Patrick Martin and Gary Smith (drums) as session men to record “Rich Girl”; and the combo hit the Basing Street Studios, where the single was produced by the producer of Squeeze. Unfortunately, Martin and Smith were too busy with other projects to commit to gigs.
In the early ’80s, Island Records pressed a number of promotional records in a “Pre-Release Limited Edition” series for promotion of their records in the UK, numbered RSS. The 12″ RSS 26 featured “Rich Girl” by Beau and the Generals, along with U2’s “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”; “Boys Cry” by The Distractions; “Party Games” by The Jags and “007” by Desmond Dekker to name a few. Later that year Island Records issued the 7″ vinyl single “Rich Girl” [WIP6603] backed by “I Know”.
In 1980, Island Records issued the Bo and The Generals’ 7″ vinyl single “Rich Girl” [WIP6603] backed by “I Know”. Steve Prudence, from Godalming and ex-member of The Jags, who’d been temping for Manpower (in Debenhams, Guildford and at the tip in Cranleigh), rehearsed briefly with Squire before joining Bo and the Generals just after the single was released. Another ex-Squire member, guitarist Steve Baker, who’d also been in Panther also joined the band for a while. The live band now consisted of Benham, Powell, Knight, and Prudence, and Knight who had been in White Gold prior to being a general. After a handful more gigs, including an appearance at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford, Powell decided to concentrate on his social services career. The “Rich Girl” track later appeared on “Metrojets Vol. 1”, a compilation CD issued by Red Rubber Ball Records [RRB CD 001].
Bo & the Generals (c’81) at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes Benham would later format and produce New Music Television for ITV & MTV, with shows that helped introduce the likes of Feeder, The White Stripes, and The Hives to the UK audience. Powell, who’d also spent time in Evening Sun and Dr JJ’s Blues Band, regrettably died in 2020 from COVID. Smith would reappear in Square One, while Baker went onto Cutting Edge.
Tracks:Gallery:
Bo & the Generals (c’81) at The Woodenbridge. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Bo & the Generals (c’81) at The Woodenbridge. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Bo & the Generals (c’81) at The Woodenbridge. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Bo & the Generals (c’81) at The Woodenbridge. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Picture courtesy of Steve Benham 
In 1980, Island Records issued the Bo and The Generals’ 7″ vinyl single “Rich Girl” [WIP6603] backed by “I Know”. 
“Rich Girl” later appeared on “Metrojets Vol. 1”, a compilation CD issued by Red Rubber Ball Records [RRB CD 001]. 
“Rich Girl” later appeared on “Metrojets Vol. 1”, a compilation CD issued by Red Rubber Ball Records [RRB CD 001]. Basing Street Studios, Beau and The Generals, Bo and the Generals, Cranleigh, Cutting Edge, David Fenton, Debenhams, Desmond Dekker, Dickie Knight, Dr, Dr JJ's Blues Band, Evening Sun, Feeder, Gary Smith, Guildford, Island Records, ITV, MTV, New Music Television, Nick Powell, Panther, Patrick Martin, Red Rubber Ball Records, Square One, Squeeze, Squire, Steve Baker, Steve Benham, Steve Prudence, The Distractions, The Hives, The Jags, The Pleasers, The Vapors, The White Stripes, U2, Unicorn, White Gold, Wooden Bridge -
The Grain
(c’87-’88)
To help promote a joint gig at Frimley Community Centre, members of Magic Moments at Twilight Time and The Charles decided to launch a fanzine called The Grain. The first issue of which was published in June ’87 and could be picked up for free at The Rock Box, Camberley. It ran for 10 issues, ending with “The Last Grain” in February ’88.
The Grain was also the name given to the Frimley band co-op that included Magic Moments at Twilight Time, The Charles, Momento Mori, The Visionairies, Greed, and Slack Bladder; and they all featured in later issues. Volume 2, also issued in June ’87, doubled as the program for the initial two bands first gig. The Grain Volume 6, published in September ’87 doubled as the program for the free festival held at Highland Farm, Frimley Green, on 20 September ’87, in aid of Greenpeace.
Other links:
History of The Grain – http://www.mickmagic.net/The%20Grain%203.htm
The Grain’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/TheCamberleyGrain/Gallery:
The Grain Vol.1, June 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.2, June 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.3, July 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.4, August 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.5, September 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.6, September 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.8, December 1987. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.9, February 1988. Picture courtesy of Mick Magic 
The Grain Vol.10, February 1988. “The Last Grain” . Picture courtesy of Mick Magic -
Imperfect Hold
(c’80-’82) John Clarke (guitar), Richard Tull (drums), Andy McInnes (vocals), and Philip Gebhardt (bass).
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes In June ’81 the band played at the Student Union at the University of Surrey, Guildford, appearing at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford that year too. They also supported The Birthday Party at University of Surrey on 24 Oct ’81 (the gig where Nick Cave puked on stage) along with The Sleep. We are also aware of an appearance at Godalming College in ’82.
24 Oct 1981: Imperfect Hold, along with The Sleep, supported The Birthday Party at the University of Surrey. Picture reproduced with permission of www.fromthearchives.com Clarke and Tull were both in Matrix. Prior to Imperfect Hold, McInnes was in Disruptive Patterns and went on to join Funtime, as well as being the designer for The Vapors “Turning Japanese” single.
Gallery:
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
One-liner on Imperfect Hold from page 3 of the Bitch Bitch No.1 fanzine. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Fred Pipes 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
John Clark of Imperfect Hold at the USSU Bar, June 1981. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford c’81. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford c’81. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan 
Imperfect Hold at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford c’81. Picture courtesy of Sophi MacMillan -
Mayflower 20
(c’92) ?
This band supported Adorable, who had having just released ‘I’ll Be Your Saint’, at the Buzz Club, at the West End Centre Aldershot on 18 July ’92. That same year they were featured in an issue of “Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!“, where they are listed as headlining at The George, Ash Vale on 19 August and back on 10 September ’92 to support Slug and Peachrazor.
Gallery:
This issue of 1992’s “Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!” fanzine featured Mayflower 20. PIcture courtesy of Steve Porter 
“Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!” lists Mayflower 20 headline The George, Ash Vale on August 19 and back again on September 10 to support Slug and Peachrazor. -
33AD
(c’90-’91) Steve Mann (guitar), Daren Allder (bass), Andy Smith (drums) and John Kennedy (keyboards).
Camberley based 33AD released a 4-track demo cassette EP in early ’91 and their track “It’s Only Progress” appeared on Farnborough Groove Vol.1 later that year.
On 14 June ’91, 33AD entered The Buzz Club‘s Midsummer Madness Band Competition at the West End Centre, Aldershot; where they competed against Red In Bed, Close Quarters, Giant Arc, and Lou Sends. Who made it to and won the final on 22 June is currently lost to the mists of time.
Tracks:
Gallery:
33AD’s 4-track demo cassette EP 
33AD 
The Farnborough Groove; Vol.1 -
Home Again
(c’89-90) Tim Sherrington (vocals/guitar), Mike Boylan (bass), Paul Ruske (drums), and Jo Clyne (keyboards).
Sherrington, Boylan, and Ruske formed a band called The Followers in the summer of ’88. By the following summer they had added Clyne and renamed as Home Again. In Sept ’89 they won a Battle of the Bands at the Limelite Club and were building a name for themselves on the Oxford club scene. That same year they recorded the “Hard Rain City” demo cassette EP, which reached the top of the UK Demo Chart.
The George, Ash Vale hosted Home Again on 10 April ’90. Unfortunately, shortly after this gg, around mid ’90, they realized that their management had taken them for a ride resulting in the loss of a record deal and the band breaking down. In late ’90 they started to rehearse again; and Boylan introduced guitarist Steve Bray to the mix. In ’91 the band’s “Hard Rain City” was included on Farnborough Groove Vol.1; by which time they were called The River Thieves.
Tracks:Gallery:
The Farnborough Groove; Vol.1 -
Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!
In ’92, Vis The Spoon produced 6 issues of ‘Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!’, a 4-page fanzine dedicated purely to local bands and happenings in the Woking, Guildford, Camberley and Aldershot area.
We currently only have images of the cover and gig list from the August ’92 issue, which carried articles on The Outcast Band, Mayflower 20, and Peachrazor. Strewth… inspired Pete Cole to start his Home & Away zine.
Gallery:
Cover for Vis The Spoon’s “Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire!” fanzine. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter Gig listing page from an issue of Strewth! The Cat’s on Fire! fanzine. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter -
West Surrey College of Art & Design, Farnham
The Student Union at West Surrey College of Art and Design (WSCAD), aka Farnham Art College, like many in the 70s and 80’s put on gigs for their student body; and these activities bleed into the early 90’s. WSCAD was formed when Farnham School of Art merged with the Guildford School of Art in ’69, and it continued as such until ’95, when the Surrey Institute of Art & Design was created following the merer of WSCAD and the Epsom School of Art and Design in ’94.
On 27 April ’72, Skin Alley, the first non-American act to be signed to Stax, were paid to visit West Surrey Art College. The Grade-II listed Hatch Mill house and hall were occupied by the college for a while, and it was here that Fleet based Ebling Mis performed on 25 October ’73. Over a decade later Erasure included WSCAD on their BPM Tour, performing there on 1 October ’86. The following year The Larks turned up on 12 February ’87 and Cat & Mouse were there on 17 December. Many may recall The Grooveyard’s appearance at the college on 11 February ’88. Valentine’s Day ’89 was marked by a gig from Shark Taboo and ATG took to the ‘stage’ on 2 November that same year.
Jazz musician Courtney Pine, having played sax on the closing portion of the Pet Shop Boys “Nothing Has Been Proved” single the previous year, performed there on 10 May ’90. The Fat Ladys Sing were with the Gutter Brothers on 5 December ’90. We are also aware of an appearance by the James Taylor Quartet at the college in ’90, and that Beautiful People played the Wonderful World event at Farnham Art College on 8 December ’90. On 31 January ’91 the Art College, Farnham hosted the Signet Rings supported by Peachrazor – This was Peachrazor’s debut gig! On 22 November ’91, Thieves of Dreams supported Who Moved the Ground? at the College. There was also a charity gig at the college on 15 May ’93 at which J.C. Regulator played, their last before disbanding.
As with most Art Colleges, WSCAD also produced musicians and bands if its own. Farnham Art College student Bob McGarth was the nucleus of Hogsnort Rupurt for example.
Gallery:
The James Taylor Quartet at Farnham Art College Student Union in 1990. Picture courtesy of Ben Darnton 
8 December 1990: Beautiful People played the Wonderful World event at Farnham Art College. Source: The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene Art College, ATG, Beautiful People, Bob McGarth, Cat & Mouse, Courtney Pine, Ebling Mis, Epsom School of Art and Design, Erasure, Farnham, Farnham Art College, Farnham School of Art, Guildford School of Art, Gutter Brothers, Hatch Mill, Hogsnort Rupert, J.C. Regulator, James Taylor Quartet, Peachrazor, Pet Shop Boys, Shark Taboo, Signet Rings, Skin Alley, Stax, Surrey Institute of Art & Design, The Fat Ladys Sing, The Grooveyard, The Larks, Thieves Of Dreams, West Surrey College of Art and Design, Who Moved the Ground?, WSCAD
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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