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Too Many Cameras
(c’89) Andrew Playfoot (vocals), John Atterbury (guitar), Owen Wilson (bass), and Russ Wilson (drums).
This funk rock band’s 4th live appearance was at The Devil’s Dance Party, organized by Carlo Borsattino, at the Civic Hall, Guildford on 23 March ’89 – that also included The Button Factory, Calamity Sax, Napalm Groove Squad, and Van Gogh and the Earlobes. Before their set at the Devil’s Dance, during which they performed a memorable rendition on ‘The Track’, the band distributed match books emblazoned with their logo.
Picture courtesy of Marcus Cowley On 4 December ’89 the band headlined at Fresh, held at the Bull & Gate, Kentish Town, with Marlon and The Sinders in support. Ten days later, on 14 December, the band were at The Cricketers, Westfield.
Atterbury had been in 32:20, and with Wilson in Life Under One Sun at the beginning of the ’80s. Prior to that Wilson had maintained the beat for Planetarium.
Gallery:
Clipping from PG Tips (30 March ’89) on Too Many Cameras handout at The Devil’s Dance Party on 23 March 1989. Picture courtesy of Daniel Hiscocks 
Backstage Pass for The Devil’s Dance Party, 23 March 1989, that included Too Many Cameras. Picture courtesy of Daniel Hiscocks 
Review of The Devil’s Dance Party from Soundscene (30 March ’89 column), that included Too Many Cameras. Picture courtesy of Daniel Hiscocks 
Too Many Cameras gave out these boxes of matches at The Devils Dance Party, at the Civic Hall, Guildford. Source: Owen Wilson via Russ Wilson 
Too Many Cameras. Source: Owen Wilson via Russ Wilson 32:20, Andrew Playfoot, Bull & Gate, Calamity Sax, Carlo Borsattino, Civic hall, Fresh, Guildford, John Atterbury, Kentish Town, Life Under One Sun, Marlon, Napalm Groove Squad, Owen Wlson, Planetarium, Russ Wilson, The Button Factory, The Cricketers, The Devils Dance Party, The Sinders, Too Many Cameras, Van Gogh and the Earlobes, Westfield -
Sideways
(c’92-’95) Sam Johnson (?) and ?.
This Woking band competed in The White Hart, Frimley’s Battle of the Bands on 3 December ’92, against Serious Plankton – It is unknown at this time if they won that bout.
Their track “Summers Here to Stay” was featured on Farnborough Groove Vol.5 in ’95. Twelve years after XLR8 split, they reformed one more time for a gig supporting Sideways on 14 February ’95.
At a later date Sideways took on a new bassist and became Grasshopper.
Tracks:Gallery:
Sideways’ “Summer’s Here to Stay” appeared on Farnborough Groove Vol.5. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole 
Sideways get a brief mention in this review of Farnborough Groove Vol.5 in the Staines & Ashford News from 8 Sept 1994.
Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD
Sideways competed in The White Hart, Frimley Battle of the Bands in 1992. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter 
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Little Stabs of Happiness
(c’91-’94) Scott Field (vocals), Andy Jefferys (guitar), Stuart Jebbitt (bass), and John Martin (drums).
Formed from the ashes of The Breslaws, and named after a Ken Jacobs film, this Frimley / Woking band recorded their first demo at DNA Studios (also known as JTI Studios), Brixton.
They played venues locally and up into London, such as The Bull & Gate, Kentish Town with Who Moved the Ground? on 15 September ’93 and The Old Trout, Windsor, also in ’93. The band were featured on Farnborough Groove Strikes Back, Vol.5 with “Disease” in Sept ’94.
Track:Gallery:
15 September 1993: Little Stabs of Happiness supported by Who Moved the Ground? played the Bull & Gate, Kentish Town. Source: Who Moved The Ground? Little Stabs of Happiness’ “Disease” appeared on Farnborough Groove Vol.5 Little Stabs of Happiness get a brief mention in this review of Farnborough Groove Vol.5 in the Staines & Ashford News from 8 Sept 1994.
Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD
Little Stabs of Happiness -
Sang Froid
(c’85) Simon “Tarquin” George (vocals), Kirk Kelly (drums), Mark Luscombe (bass), Pedro ? (vocalist #2) and Dean Lewis (guitar).
Karl Moult replaced Luscombe on bass. Ex-Screaming Lullabies George took a stab at relaunching the Kavern Club for a third time at The Old Schoolhouse, Woking on 2 May ’85; along with KURRU, and 20 Flight Rockers – although it was originally billed that Who Pays the Ferryman would play -, Sang Froid were on the bill.
Welshman Lewis, Acton based Moult, George, and Kelly went on to form Savage Opera.
Gallery:
Ex-Screaming Lullibies Simon relaunches The Kavern with Sang Froid, KURRU, and Who Pays The Ferryman in 1985 
Sang Froid headline the first Kavern Club night at the Old Schoolhouse, Woking on 2 May 1985, with KURRU and 20 Flight Rockers in support. Picture courtesy of Sharon Pilling of Screaming Lullabies and Kurru. -
New Ballroom, Guildford
(c’51-56) Situated in the T.A. Centre (Drill Hall), on Sandfield Terrace, Guildford the venue hosted promoter Syd Norris’ ‘One Night Stands’ on Saturday nights. Regulars to the New Ballroom would pop across York Road to get their ‘refreshments’ at The Elm Tree, now The Boiler Room, as the venue was alcohol free.
The T.A. Centre (Drill Hall), Guildford photographed in 1948 as part of Britain from Above. Source: Frank Nigel Phillipson via Guildford Town Past & Present The building itself was originally used as the “Japanese Village” at the Edinburgh Exhibition and was transported and re-erected at a cost of £1,000 plus £1,500 for a 21 year lease of the land on which it was to stand in 1891. The hall, of corrugated iron and wood, was 18ft high, 120ft long, 52ft 6ins wide and ‘paved’ with wood blocks, was officially opened on 18 July 1891 as the Drill Hall of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment.
The venue posted the ‘house full’ sign at 8:30pm on 10 February ’51 for the Johnny Dankworth Seven, much to Norris’ satisfaction, who wrote to Dankworth’s agent, the Wilcox Organisation, praising the band. Syd Norris Entertainments, who also handled Dorking Halls, booked Graeme Bell’s Australian Jazz Band for 3 March ’51 and Freddy Randall three weeks later on 24 March. The Ray Ellington Quartet performed on 19 December ’53 and for the three celebratory nights of Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Years Eve Freddy Faulkner and His Band – who were the house band for a spell – along with vocalist Johnny Lawrence entertained the crowds.
New Ballroom Guildford Advert. NME, 18 Dec 1953 The first concert on ’54 was on 2 January and featured Vic Lewis and his Orchestra. On 24 April ’54 it was the turn on NME poll winning trumpet player Kenny Baker and his quartet. The following Saturdays progressed with Gracie Cole and her All Girls’ Orchestra (1 May), Sid Phillips and his Band (8 May), and Freddy Faulkner and His Band returned on 15 May. The next month saw a double header directed by Ronnie Aldrich on 29 May that featured The Squadronaires and the Harry Bence Orchestra. Jumping to ’55, on 5 March, the Frank Wier Orchestra played the New Ballroom as part of a national tour, bringing the voices of Ric Richards, Jean Hudson, Lisa Ashwood, and Russ Hurren with them.
Over the years the venue was open it also hosted Lonnie Donegan and Chas McDevitt with their respective groups, in addition to the above.
Notably, during the floods on ’65 the police and army evacuate several people from along the River Wey and took then to the Drill Hall, where almost 250 people were accommodated.
Gallery:
The T.A. Centre (Drill Hall), Guildford photographed in 1948 as part of Britain from Above. Source: Frank Nigel Phillipson via Guildford Town Past & Present 
NME, 23 April 1954 
NME, 16 Feb 51 
NME, 16 Feb 51 
5 March 1955: Advert for Frank Wier Orchestra dates list New Ballroom, Guildford. NME, 25 Feb 1955 Chas McDevitt, Dorking Halls, Drill Hall, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Exhibition, Frank Wier Orchestra, Freddy Faulkner and His Band, Freddy Randall, Gracis Cole and her All Girls’ Orchestra, Graeme Bell’s Australian Jazz Band, Guildford, Harry Bence Orchestra, Japanese Village, Jean Hudson, Johnny Dankworth Seven, Johnny Lawrence, Kenny Baker, Lisa Ashwood, Lonnie Donegan, New Ballroom, NME, Ray Ellington Quartet, Ric Richards, Ronnie Aldrich, Russ Hurren, Sid Phillips and his Band, Syd Norris, Syd Norris Entertainments, T.A. Centre, T.A. Drill Hall, The Boiler Room, The Elm Tree, The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment, The Squadronaires, Vic Lewis and his Orchestra, Wilcox Organisation -
Post War Nudes
(c’81-’83) Gregg Vincent Skerman (guitar/vocals), Guy Adam Skerman (?), and Genevieve Stevenson (?)
This Guildford new wave trio, formed by the two Skerman brothers, Gregg and Guy, and Guy’s then girlfriend, Stevenson, signed to Virgin in ’80-’81.
Clipping from Record Mirror – 15 January 1983 Rolling back to 6 November ’75, The Sex Pistols played a 10-minute opening slot for Bazooka Joe at St. Martin’s College of Art in London. Gregg, who was doing a foundation course at St Martin‘s, was in the audience, of about 20, that night and music became his preferred canvas. Before Post War Nudes, he joined a local band, who recorded four tracks around ’77/’78 at Surrey Sound Studios, Leatherhead with Chris Gray, igniting another passion – the recording process. About the same time, Guy was employed as a tape operator at Surrey Sound Studios, working on a couple of sessions by Roogalator, as well as Joan Armatrading demos; and learned about wiring up a mixing desk. Gregg also recorded an LP demo for Birmingham’s Diamond Head and met Art Hammer, later call Towering Inferno. Then in late ’78, early ’79, the brothers set up Catch 44 Studios, Godalming. While running Catch 44, they formed Post War Nudes.
Side One of “So Now” They released the 7″ single “So Now” on Virgin [VS 550], which was produced by Greg Walsh – who also worked with Heaven 17 that year – on 14 January ’82. The track was played by Tommy Vance on the Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1 and Alan Freeman on his Capital Radio Monday night Rock Show; surprising placements to promote a new wave single by the promotions team.
A young 8-year-old called Cary Marsh was the model for the singles’ cover and appeared in the video, which was directed by Nigel Papworth, too. By ’83 the band were ‘former Virgin Records artists’ and renamed themselves Three Easy Pieces, recording two tracks: “The Heated Room” and “Sweet Drowning” for Crepuscule, but the planned 7″ was never released. However, the band kept going.
Gregg also wrote a track called “Russian Train” while in Post War Nudes. About five years later the band had a chance encounter with Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, who had a photo session with photographer Ian McKell who shared London studio with the group. OMD were signed to Siren by Ross Stapleton, who had previously signed Post War Nudes to Virgin. He signed the band to Siren as Balance.
The brothers also had a disastrous collaboration with Wim Mertens in his studio in Brussels under the monikers: 3 Easy Pieces and Les Disques du Crepuscule.
Now listed as Swiss, rather than from Guildford; Gregg, who was possibly at the TonMeister Course at the University of Surrey, Guildford – toured with Towering Inferno as the band’s live sound man for years. He was also the engineer on the band’s “Kaddish” LP released in ’95. He is now mixing films and was also involved with Pimmel.
Tracks:
Gallery:
Acetate version of the “So Now” single. 
White label version of the “So Now” single 
Cover of bands only single, “So Now”. 
Back cover of “So Now” single. 
Side Two of the “So Now” single carried an instrumental track. 
Post War Nudes clipping from Record Business 10 January ’82. 
Clipping Record Mirror – 15 January 1983 
Post War Nudes publicity photo 3 Easy Pieces, Alan Freeman, Art Hammer, Balance, Bazooka Joe, BBC Radio 1, Brussels, Capital Radio, Cary Marsh, Catch 44 Studios, Chris Gray, Crepuscule, Diamond Head, Friday Rock Show, Genevieve Stevenson, Godalming, Greg Walsh, Gregg Skerman, Gregg Vincent, Guildford, Guy Skerman, Heaven 17, Joan Armatrading, Kaddish, Leatherhead, Les Disques du Crepuscule, London, Nigel Papworth, OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Pimmel, Post War Nudes, Roogalator, Siren, St. Martin’s, St. Martin’s College of Art, Surrey Sound Studios, The Sex Pistols, Three Easy Pieces, Tommy Vance, Towering Inferno, Virgin, Wim Mertens -
Flavour
(c’92-’93) Jason ? (?) and ?
Flavour were a band from Fleet who dished out stickers that read “No Flavour, No Taste”.
A local band night at The Buzz Club saw Flavour take to the stage with Slug, Phobia, The Rachel Papers and The Vinegar Blossom on 4 January ’92. The next month Slug would support Flavour at The George, Ash Vale.
9 May ’92: The Deep Season were supported by Giant Arc, Flavour and Pomeroy The Buzz Club had The Deep Season headlining on 9 May ’92 for another local band night at the West End Centre, Aldershot, supported by Flavour, Giant Arc, and Pomeroy. Flavour also played The Old Trout, Windsor on 10 September that year according to a gig list in an as yet unidentified fanzine. This was the night That Petrol Emotion played The Old Trout, so we’re guessing Flavour were the unnamed support.
Rolling into ’93 the band supported Swineherd at The Vertigo Club, held at The Falcon, Camden on 8 January. Later that month The Buzz Club had Poise and Flavour supporting Cornershop on 30 January ’93.
Gallery:
15 February ’92: Slug support Flavour 
10 September 1992: Flavour played The Old Trout, Winsor. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter
8 January 1993: Flavour supported Swineherd at The Falcon, Camden. Source: Indie Through the Looking Glass 
30 January 1993: Cornershop, Poise and Flavour were the Buzz Club, West End Centre, Aldershot. -
Bick Ford
(c’63) Robert Bickford (vocal / guitar)
Ford lived in Woking with his wife and child, when as a Daily Mail reporter, he put himself up for ‘grooming’ by Robert Stigwood to become a pop star under the stage name Bick Ford. The Daily Mail covered each step of his progress. This culminated in the release on 11 April ’63 of the, Charles Blackwell penned, 7″ single “Cheat, Cheat” on Parlophone [R.5018].
The record was launched at the Dorchester Hotel, London with 10,000 copies pressed and Bick Ford, backed by The Hi-Fi’s, went on an All-Stars Package Tour with the likes of Mike Sarne, John Leyton, Mike Berry, Don Spencer, The Innocents, Jet Harris & Tony Meehan, Billy Doyle, Duffy Power, Grazina, The X-L Five, and Billie Davis to promote his single across the end April and through May ’63.
The tour was the typical relentless trek up and down the country, performing two shows a day per-venue. It started at the Essoldo, Brighton on 28 April ’63. Over the next two day they hit Ipswich and Rochester’s Gaumont, followed by the Odeon, Southend on 1 May ’63.
1 May 1963. Source: bradfordtimeline.co.uk It continued, non-stop for another 17 days: Essoldo, Tunbridge Wells (2 May), Odeon, Romford (3), Guild Hall, Portsmouth (4), Gaumont, Watford (5), Odeon, Cheltenham (6), Capital, Cardiff (7), Gaumont, Wolverhampton (8), Regal, Wakefield (9), Odeon, Manchester (10) Opera House, Blackpool (11), Empire, Liverpool (12), Gaumont, Bradford (13)…
13 May 1963. Source: bradfordtimeline.co.uk …Gaumont, Derby (14), Granada, Greenford (15), Theatre Royal, Norwich (16), Granada, Edmonton (17), and Winter Gardens, Bournemouth (18).
Ultimately, the track never succeeded in the charts and Bick Ford reportedly returned to reporting. “Cheat, Cheat” was covered by Johnny Cymbal and released in the US in ’64.
Tracks:Gallery:
Bick Ford clipping from Pop Weekly, 27 April ’63 
Bick Ford’s 7″ single 
Bick Ford clipping from who knows where? 
Bick Ford’s “Cheat, Cheat” sheet music 
April/May 63: Front cover of the All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
April/May 63: EMI Records advert from page 6 of All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
April/May 63: Bick Ford is listed on page 8 of All-Stars Package Tour souvenir program. Source: www.bradfordtimeline.co.uk 
Bick Ford, Bick Ford & The Hi-Fi’s, Billie Davis, Billy Doyle, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brighton, Capital, Cardiff, Charles Blackwell, Cheltenham, Daily Mail, Derby, Don Spencer, Dorchester Hotel, Duffy Power, Edmonton, Empire, Essoldo, Gaumont, Granada, Grazina, Greenford, Guild Hall, Ipswich, Jet Harris & Tony Meehan, John Leyton, Johnny Cymbal, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Mike Berry, Mike Sarne, Norwich, Odeon, Opera House, Parlephone, Portsmouth, Regal, Robert Stigwood, Rochester, Romford, Southend, The Innocents, The X-L Five, Theatre Royal, Tunbridge Wells, Wakefield, Watford, Winter Gardens, Woking, Wolverhampton -
Hung Inverted
(c’91) Mick Hamilton (?) and ?.
On 5 February ’91, Hung Inverted appeared at The George, Ash Vale and two months later, on 18 April, at The Cricketers, Westfield. Later in ’91 the band competed in The Buzz Club‘s Midsummer Madness. Four heats were held on the 12 to 15 June ’91, at the West End Centre, Aldershot to qualify for the final on 22 June. Hung Inverted, Big Wednesday, My Blue Heaven, Not Just a Pretty Face, and Something Religious competed in the first heat on 12 June.
Hamilton was last seen performing with Guildford function band The Steamers in 2014.
Gallery:
12 June 1991: Flyer for the first night of the Buzz Club’s Midsummer Madness local band competition 
12 June 1991: West End Centre info sheet convering the first rounds of the Buzz Club’s MidSummer Madness local band competition. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter -
Savage Opera
(c’85-’88) Simon George (vocals) Kirk Kelly (?), Dean Lewis (?), and Karl Moult (bass).
Out of the ashes of Gitche Manitou, Savage Opera were formed. They played a few London and Surrey gigs, but didn’t release anything.
On 14 September ’88, Savage Opera headline at The Sir George Robey, London with The Passengers and Ten Dead Men in support. The band were back at the venue Christmas Eve, on 24 December ’88, again for the Paul Ronan Revue Bar night, supporting headliners Mega City Four along with Snuff, Shout, Thrilled Skinny, The Guttersnipes, and Jellyfish Kiss.
Ex-Screaming Lullabies, Vale of Eden, and Sang Froid vocalist George passed away on Christmas Day 2019 after a very dignified battle with cancer. Regrettably, Kelly has also left this realm. We have lost track of Lewis and Acton born Moult.
Gallery:
Savage Opera band pic. L-R Simon George, Carl, Kirk Kelly, and Dean Lewis. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly 
Savage Opera band pic, L-R Simon George, Kirk Kelly, Dean Lewis, and Carl. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly 
14 September 1988: Savage Opera headline at The Sir George Robey, with The Passengers and Ten Dead Men in support. Source: Tom A Deakin via Mega City Four 
24 December 1988: Savage Opera supported headliners Mega City Four at the Sir George Robey, London for a Paul Ronan Revue Bar Christmas Eve event along with Snuff, Shout, Thrilled Skinny, The Guttersnipes and Jellyfish Kiss.
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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