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Matrix
(c’80-’81) Kaz Jones (vocals) Gavin Dunt (bass), John “Johnnie” Clarke (guitar) and Richard “Tully” Tull (drums).
1980 Matrix photoshoot at the now demolished and rebuilt Sainsbury’s car park, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones Dunt and Clarke got together, with Jamie “Breezeblock” Legg (drums) and Sophie “Sis” Montague (vocals) of The Golden Age Of Metro, to form Matrix. Tully replaced Legg and Jones took over Montague’s vocals role. With a PA supplied by Ray “Bonza” Bradman, these 17 year olds gigged locally at the likes of The Wooden Bridge, Guildford, where they once supported Disruptive Patterns; Godalming College, and the Village Hall, Bramley. Issue No.4, the June/July ’80 issue, of Down in the Street, featured the band along with Actifed, Crisis, and Revolt. The band headlined at The Wooden Bridge, Guildford on 9 December ’80 and their Christmas outing that year at the Youth Centre, Cranleigh garnered 47 ticket sales.
Matrix’s Cristmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones The band recorded a demo at Chestnut Studios, Churt in 1980, which carried “Deja Vu” and the band’s cover of The Tights’ “China’s Eternal”.
Clarke and Tull were also both in Imperfect Hold. Jones went on to join Just So Stories in late ’81; then played sax and piano in Funtime and subsequently Casual Sax, performing with Holy Durex and Steel Bill & The Buffalos. Dunt, following the split of Matrix, got together with a few friends in early ’81 to form Displayed. Legg had previously been in Strange Cult and The Golden Age of Metro, and would join Luxury Glass Town, Ill at Ease, Innocent Bystander and Eat the Sofa a few years later and has since joined forces with others to form The True Deceivers.
Tracks:
Gallery:
Issue No.4, the June/July ’80 issue, of Down in the Street, featured the band along with Actifed, Crisis, and Revolt. Picture courtesy of John Hudson 
9 December 1980: Matrix played The Wooden Bridge, Guildford 
Matrix rehearsal, 1980 with (LtoR) Dunt, Breezeblock, Clarke, two observers, and Jones. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix photoshoot at St Martha’s Church, Portsmouth Road, Guildford. (LtoR) Tull, Clark, Jones, and Dunt. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
1980 Matrix photoshoot at the now demolished and rebuilt Sainsbury’s car park, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix’s Christmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix’s Cristmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix’s Cristmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix’s Cristmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones 
Matrix’s Cristmas 1980 gig at Cranleigh Youth Centre. Picture courtesy of Kaz Jones Actifed, Bonza, Bramley, Casual Sax, Chestnut Studios, Cranleigh, Crisis, Displayed, Disruptive Patterns, Down in the Street, Eat the Sofa, Funtime, Gavin Dunt, Godalming, Godalming College, Holy Durex, Ill At Ease, Imperfect Hold, Innocent Bystanders, Jamie Legg, John Clarke, Just So Stories, Kaz Jones, Luxury Glass Town, Matrix, Ray Bradman, Revolt, Richard Tull, Sophie Montague, Steel Bill & the Buffalos, Strange Cult, The Golden Age of Metro, The Tights, The True Deceivers, Village hall, Wooden Bridge, Youth Centre -
The Age Beaters
(c’63-64). Bert Curtis (drums), Dave Everson (lead guitar / vocals), Alan Hatswell (guitar), and Pete Cannon (bass).
The Age Beaters at Guildford castle. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records This Guildford band played The Ticky Rick Club, Basingstoke – which became the Rang-a-Tang Club in mid-’65 – and the Rock & Twist Dances, Guildford. Curtis had been in Guildford skiffle group The Leopard Spots before going on to join The Age Beaters.
On 4 November ’63, Phil and The Stormsville Shakers headlined opening night of the Rock & Twist Dances at the Civic Hall, Guildford, with The Original Dominos, The Condors and The Age Beaters in support. The Age Beaters returned the next week to support The Raiders with Terry Shane on 11 November; The Condors on 18 November, The Original Dominoes on 25 November, and The Transatlantics on 2 December.
The next year, the band would travel further afield with gigs at the likes of The Pavilion, Clarence Pier, Portsmouth where they performed on 17 May ’64. Later in ’64, on 26 September, the band supported Rip Van Winkle, along with The Dynamos, at The Ticky Rick Club, Basingstoke. Kenneth Payne, a rookie promoter at the time, organized his first event at Foxburrows Hall and booked The Age Beaters
Curtis’ local connections went back a ways as the grandson of Mr Reg “Robin Red Breast” Curtis landlord of the Seven Stars, Swan Lane and the Vintner’s Arms, and son of Albert Curtis Snr who also landlorded the Seven Stars. Sadly, Curtis passed on 3 April 2020
Gallery:
Commencing 4 November 1963: Rock & Twist Dances at Civic Hall, Guildford. Source: Ben’s Collectors Records 
26 September 1964: The Age Beaters play The Ticky Rick Club, Basingstoke 
The Age Beaters at Guildford castle. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records Alan Hatswell, Basingstoke, Bert Curtis, Civic hall, Clarence Pier, Dave Everson, Foxburrows Hall, Guildford, Kenneth Payne, Pete Cannon, Phil and The Stormsville Shakers, Portsmouth, Rang-a-Tang Club, Rip Van Winkle, Rock & Twist Dances, Seven Stars, Terry Shane, The Age Beaters, The Condors, The Dynamos, The Leopard Spots, The Original Dominos, The Pavilion, The Raiders, The Ticky Rick Club, The Transatlantics, Vintners Arms -
The Bill Leru Quintet
(c’ late-50s/early-60s) Bill Leru (double bass), ? (drums), Peter Cauldwell (baritone sax), John Renshaw (tenor sax) and ? (piano).
Modern Jazz quintet from Woking that played mostly Miles and Mulligon material. Prior to forming BLQ, Leru and Cauldwell had been playing rock n’ roll with the Tony Hoadley Band once a week at the Butaca Club, Old Woking. The origin of the bands name is lost to time, but its likely they got some bookings and following the convention of the time choose The Bill Leru Quintet.
BLQ Double Bass player and namesake, Bill Leru. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly Cauldwell recalls BLQ being the warm up band for Tubby Hayes in Farnborough (possibly Farnborough Tech), but not in Woking. Apparently Tubby was getting rather drunk back stage, with a bottle in hand, and there was concern about how he’d manage the gig; but when he got on stage he played like a god. In the late 50’s/early 60’s, Tuesday was Jazz night at the Labour Hall, on Clarence Avenue, Woking and this featured The Bill Leru Quintet supported by the Colin Beeson Quartet.
Tuesday was Jazz night at the Labour Hall, Woking, featuring The Bill Leru Quintet and the Colin Beeson Quartet. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly We find Leru, along with John Nuttall, playing with Iain Ballamy in the early ’80s at the Bisley Pavilion.
Gallery:
Another flyer for The Bill Leru Quintet supported by the Colin Beeson Quartet at Labour Hall, Woking. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records 
BLQ at Labour Hall, Woking. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly 
BLQ Sax player Peter Cauldwell at the Labour Hall, Woking. -
Farnborough Firework Factory
(c’72) Terry Sherring (vocals), Mike Batt (backing vocals), Chris Spedding (guitar), Kirk ‘The Riddler’ Riddle (bass), Gary Cooper (?) and Dave Porter (?).
Sherring, who was based in Ash, Cooper, and Porter had all been members of The Embers. Riddle had spent time in The Stormsville Shakers and Circus, before joining this brief lived combo.
The band released a promo 7″ vinyl cover of Paul McCartney’s “Too Many People” on the Decca label [F 13290] on 3 March 1972. It was backed by the Batt written “She’s Against The Law” and the whole thing was produced and arranged by Batt as well. Parts of the B-side were recorded at Bob Potters Studio in Mychett. Later in the year Decca re-released the single.
Riddle appeared a few years later in Jackie Lynton’s Happy Days Band. Many will recall Batt’s work a couple of years later that produced his first hits as a singer-songwriter/producer for The Wombles in ’74. Spedding had turned down Andy Fraser’s request to join Toby the year before joining Farnborough Firework Factory, but would team up with him when forming Sharks. In ’75, Spedding had a Top 20 solo hit in the UK with “Motor Bikin’”.
Gallery:
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The Late
(c’66-71 ) Pat Martin (guitar / vocals), Ken Baker (guitar / keyboards/ vocals), Pete Perryer (vocals / drums) and Dave McGreggor (bass).
Pre-The Late Edition in 1965 (LtoR: Martin, Colborne, Baker and Perryer). Woking based McGreggor originally joined The Pink Bears and suggested renaming the band The Late Edition, which after a while was shortened to The Late. On leaving school in ’67 they went professional as The Late, starting with local gigs at the likes of the Stereo Club, Woking and the Atalanta Ballroom, Woking.
1 April 1967: The Late played the April Fools Day Beat Dance at Dennis Bros. Source: Tina Morant via Guildford Town Past & Present On 1 April ’67 they played the Dennis Apprentice Association’s April Fools Day Beat Dance in the Dennis Brothers canteen, Guildford; at which Perryer broke his snare skin and had no spare. Howard Crouch offered to fetch a spare snare from the bands shed in Send, in his dad’s Lotus Cortina. He was back in no time with the spare and the Cortina in need of some bodywork having lost it on a corner on the way there. The Late’s “Sleepsong” takes some inspiration from this incident and “Nightingale Crescent” was written by Crouch, who’d got a job delivering for Alsford Timber, Cobham to pay for the repairs, while out delivering to Nightingale Crescent. Both songs ended up on Unicorn‘s Blue Pine Trees LP.
The band spent some time in Graham Clark (yes, the racing driver) Studios in Walton-on-Thames resulting in a number of demos. Atalanta owner Bob Potter became The Late’s manager, replacing Martin’s father; a relationship that lasted three years, starting in late ’67 thru ’69. “Family Tree” from one of the bands demos was picked up by UK publishing company, Planetary Norm, who paid for the band to re-record the track. They however lost interest when they struggled to place it.
Under Potter the gigging increased, with venues across the lower half of the UK, and Trevor Mee (ex-Tony Rivers and the Castaways) replaced McGreggor in the line up. They supported Lunar Two, a USA soul duo and Sue and Sunny (who became Brotherhood of Man). They also supported Geno Washington at the Agincourt, Camberley. In ’68 they became Billy J. Kramer’s backing band for 9 months which included 10 TV and radio spots. On 21 June ’68 the “fabulous much in demand” The Late headlined at Bourne Youth Club’s midsummer nights dance, with The Modern Art of Living in support, held at Bourne Hall. In ’69 they were booked for a residency at The Carousel Club, Copenhagen, playing three 45-minute sets each weeknight and five at weekends.
The Late with their LWB 6 wheel Transit in 1969. Pat Martin’s mum in the background, said “You can’t use that I’ve got my pinny on!”. To accommodate the touring and the gear The Late used a LWB 6 wheel Transit. Reportedly, four musicians, two roadies, a Hammond organ, Leslie, two Marshall stacks, a drum kit, four Wem columns, two SL 100 Wem slaves and a Wem Audiomaster mixer were taken all over England, Scotland, Wales, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Sweden in that van.
The Late in 1969 (LtoR: Mee, Martin, Perryer, and Baker) On 1 August ’69 the combined Farnborough Tech and R.A.E. Apprentices’ Rag Week’s Rag Queen Inauguration Ball at R.A.E. Assembly Hall, Farnborough was headlined by Status Quo, with The Late, and Magic Alice in support. Then, on 1 October ’69, The Late were one of the many bands, including Sky, Wishful Thinking, The Embers, Canterbury Tales, Crazy Paving, Chimera, and Magic Alice that played a benevolent concert at Samantha’s Club, as the Agincourt was called for a time. This was compered by Dave West and also featured the Radio 1 D.J. Ray Moore. About this time Baker started writing his own songs. They recorded several acetates, demos and private recordings, some recorded in Bob Potter’s studio in Mytchett, Surrey on an Ampex 4 and many are now included on Wooden Hill Records compilation “Songs From The Family Tree” [WHCD021]. Potter insisted on the group continuing as a covers band causing some friction and eventually a split.
A demo was cut and the Transatlantic Records label offered a one album deal and “Uphill all the Way” was released in May ’71, along with the “P.F Sloan” single, under the band’s new name, Unicorn.
Front cover image of CD 3 from “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967” on Cherry Red’s imprint Grapefruit Records includes “Family Tree” by The Late. In 2016, The Late’s “Family Tree” was included on Grapefruit Records [CRSEGBOX033] “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds Of 1967” 3-CD compilation box set, compiled by David ‘Dog Man’ Wells who has worked on several projects for Woking label Tenth Planet.
Mee sadly passed away in early July 2015
Tracks:
Gallery:
The Late’s Pete Perryer singing and playing drums with Pat Martin singing, playing guitar and wearing a Santa outfit c’66/’67. Picture courtesy of Pat Martin 
1968 and the “fabulous much in demand” The Late headlined. 
The Late in 1968, from a photo shoot at Bisley Ranges. Picture courtesy of Patrick Martin 
The Late in 1968, from a photo shoot at Bisley Ranges. 
1 August 1969: The Chronic rag mag for Farnborough Tech and R.A.E. Apprentices’ Rag Week 1969 lists the Rag Queen Inauguration Ball at R.A.E. Assembly Hall, Farnborough with Status Quo, The Late, and Magic Alice. 
A Bob Potter contract booking THe Late to play at PJs Club, Truro on 23 August 1969. Picture courtesy of Patrick Martin 
1 October 1969: Crazy Paving played Samanthas (Agincourt Camberley). Image courtesy of Maureen Gamble 
Poster from 1970 for The Late to appear three night in a row at the Blue Lagoon, Newquay. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records 
Agency Flyer for The Late. Purloined from a post by Richard Prest 
A c’71 Unicorn press clipping from somewhere. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records 
Pat Martin of The Late. 
The Late with Transit “tour bus”. Picture courtesy of Patrick Martin 
The Late’s Ken Baker and Pat Martin in their Transit with Dave Helm 
Box set front cover image. Compiled by David Wells, who also has projects with Woking label Tenth Planet, “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967” on Cherry Red’s imprint Grapefruit Records includes “Family Tree” by The Late. 
CD 3 back cover image. Compiled by David Wells, who also has projects with Woking label Tenth Planet, “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967” on Cherry Red’s imprint Grapefruit Records includes “Family Tree” by The Late. 
Box set back cover image. Compiled by David Wells, who also has projects with Woking label Tenth Planet, “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967” on Cherry Red’s imprint Grapefruit Records includes “Family Tree” by The Late. 
Page 31 of booklet featuring The Late. Compiled by David Wells, who also has projects with Woking label Tenth Planet, “Let’s Go Down And Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1967” on Cherry Red’s imprint Grapefruit Records includes “Family Tree” by The Late. 
David Rose looks back at Woking’s Pink Bears and their development, via The Late, into Unicorn in this Woking News & Mail article from 2 November 2017. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records Agincourt, Alsford Timber, Atalanta Ballroom, Billy J. Kramer, Bob Potter, Bourne Hall, Bourne Youth Club, Brotherhood of Man, Camberley, Canterbury Tales, Chimera, Cobham, Copenhagen, Crazy Paving, Dave McGreggor, Dave West, David Wells, Dennis Apprentice Association, Farnborough, Farnborough Tech, Geno Washington, Graham Clark, Graham Clark Studios, Grapefruit Records, Howard Crouch, Ken Baker, Lunar Two, Magic Alice, Mychett, Pat Martin, Pete Perryer, Planetary Norm, R.A.E., R.A.E. Assembley Hall, Radio 1, Ray Moore, Richard Colborne, Samantha's Club, Send, Sky, Status Quo, Stereo Club, Sue and Sunny, Technical College, Tenth Planet, The Carousel Club, The Embers, The Late, The Late Edition, The Modern Art of LIving, The Pink Bears, Tony Rivers and the Castaways, Transatlantic Records, Trevor Mee, Unicorn, Walton on Thames, Wishful Thinking, Woking, Wooden Hill Records -
Redefining Beautiful
(c’92-’95) Martin Warren (vocals / guitar), Matt Harding (guitar / vocals), Russ ? (drums / vocals), Alex Bowen (bass / vocals) and Phil Ernest (guitar / b.vocals).
Redefining Beautiful. Image courtesy of Mick Magic After the demise of Deceased Disease, Harding and Ernest went on to form Redefining Beautiful with Severance bassist Martin Warren on vocals. We believe you would have found this Camberley / Farnborough band at The George, Ash Vale on 2 July ’92 and later that month, on 25 July, playing The Four Horseshoes, Camberley with The Exploding Fir Trees. On the 25 and 26 August ’92, Redefining Beautiful were in Studio Poisson, Crondall – as used by The Vinegar Blossom. They laid down the four tracks: “Swan”, “I Will Tell You”, “Velvet” and “Drift” that were, once produced by drummer of The Sundays, Patrick “Patch” Hannon, released as their “Sky High” demo cassette.
Redefining Beautiful’s “Sky High” demo cassette inlay outer. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren The band rehearsed at The Workhouse, Aldershot and at some point in ’93 we know that Redefining Beautiful played with Fleet based The Hairy Things at Farnborough Tech. The band also, along with Credit To The Nation, performed at Critical Club, West End Centre, Aldershot on 5 June ’93. They were back at Critical Club on 22 October ’93 with Who Moved The Ground? and Serious Plankton.
The following year, on 14 April ’94, the band were joined by J.C. Regulator in supporting Suck Henry at The Shed, South Hill Park, Bracknell, where the band were described by the reviewer for Wokingham News as ‘[blowing] everyone away when all four guitars were blasted manically into action…’. The following month, on 18 May ’94, they competed in the Battle for the Limelight at Princes Hall, Aldershot; along with Who Moved the Ground?, Strange World, Parmaviolet, Blind, and Punching Judy, who all lost to Headnoise. ‘Revenge of Farnborough Groove, Vol.4’ also arrived in 1994 with only six of the 20 bands having appear on a Groove before. This heavy dose of newbies included Redefining Beautiful with “Swan”.
3rd February 1995: Redefining Beautiful openned the first Splatch with Meanwhile, Skipper and The Baby South also on the bill. Source: The Surrey & NE Hampshire Music Scene On 3 February ’95 they opened the first Splatch! with Meanwhile, Skipper and The Baby South also on the bill. That same year their track “Discontent” appeared on Farnborough Groove Strikes Back Vol.5, their second and final appearance.
Ernest went to the School of Audio Engineering, Islington and produced the 7″ Who Moved the Ground? single, “The Chase”, which was released post tour in September ’94, amongst others. Bowen joined Dry Riser in ’95.
Tracks:
Gallery:
Redefining Beautiful – Picture is from Farnborough/Aldershot News c’94. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
5 June 1993: Redefining Beautiful supported Moonflowers, with Credit To The Nation at Critical Club, West End Centre. Aldershot. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
Redefining Beautiful’s “Sky High” demo cassette. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
Redefining Beautiful’s “Sky High” demo cassette inlay inner. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
22 October 1993: Who Moved The Ground?, Serious Plankton and Redefining Beautiful played the Critical Club, West End Centre, Aldershot. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
On 2 July 19?? Redefining Beautiful played The George, Ash Vale then on 25 July they played the Four Hourse Shoes, Camberley with The Exploding Fir Trees. Picture courtesy of Martin Warren 
18 May 1994: Flyer for Battle for the Limelight at Princes Hall, Aldershot. Head Noise beat Who Moved the Ground?, Strange World, Parmaviolet, Blind, Punching Judy, and Redefining Beautiful! Source: Who Moved The Ground? 
Clipping from local rag mentions Redefining Beautiful along with Credit To The Nation supporting Moonflowers at Critical Club, West End Centre on 5 June 1993. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter 
14 April 1994: Review of Suck Henry, Redefining Beautiful, and J.C. Regulator from Wokingham News 5 May 1994 issue. Image courtesy of Matt Harding. 
Redefining Beautiful’s “Discontent” appeared on Farnborough Groove Strikes Back Vol.5 in 1995. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole 
Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse, Aldershot. Image courtesy of Matt Harding 
Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse, Aldershot. Image courtesy of Matt Harding 
Harding & Ernest of Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse, Aldershot. Image courtesy of Matt Harding 
Harding of Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse, Aldershot. Image courtesy of Matt Harding 
Russ (drums) and Harding (guitar) from Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse. Image courtesy of Martin Warren 
Warren of Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse. Image courtesy of Martin Warren 
Redefining Beautiful, and Keith of Study in Scarlet, in The Workhouse’s reception area. Image courtesy of Martin Warren 
Harding of Redefining Beautiful at The Workhouse. Image courtesy of Martin Warren Aldershot, Alex Bowen, Ash Vale, Battle for the Limelight, Blind, Bracknell, Camberley, Credit to the Nation, Critical Club, Crondall, Deceased Disease, Dry Riser, Farnborough, Farnborough Groove, Farnborough Tech, Fleet, Headnoise, Islington, J.C. Regulator, Martin Warren, Matt Harding, Meanwhile, Parmaviolet, Patch Hannon, Patrick Hannon, Phil Ernest, Princes Hall, Punching Judy, Redefining Beautiful, School of Audio Engineering, Serious Plankton, Severance, Skipper, South Hill Park, Splatch!, Strange World, Studio Poisson, Suck Henry, Technical College, The Baby South, The Exploding Fir Trees, The Four Horseshoes, The George, The Hairy Things, The Shed, The Sundays, The Vinegar Blossom, Who Moved the Ground?, Wokingham News -
The Pink Bear
(c’63-65) Pat Martin (guitar / vocals), Ken Baker (guitar / keyboards/ vocals), Pete Perryer (vocals / drums), and Richard ‘Richy’ Colbourne ( bass/ vocals).
The Senders (c’64) first line up (LtoR: Richard Colbourn, Ken Baker, Pat Martin, and at back Pete Perryer). Formed by Martin, who was at West Byfleet CSS and Baker who went to St. Bedes school, (the same school as Eric Clapton) in Send, and after recruiting Perryer and Colbourne (both also St. Bedes boys).
After much rehearsal of covers these 13 year olds; Colbourn on a Strubleminster, Baker playing a Rosetti Lucky 7, Martin his Vox Stroller, and Perryer keeping the pulse, started playing the local youth clubs as The Senders, and then The Pink Bears. Their first ever gig was actually at the Butaca Club, Old Woking.
We know The Pink Bears played at Lancaster Hall, Send in ’65 and that Colbourne left that same year to be replaced by Woking based Dave McGreggor on bass. It was McGreggor who suggested renaming the band The Late Edition…
Gallery:
David Rose looks back at Woking’s Pink Bears and their development, via The Late, into Unicorn in this Woking News & Mail article from 2 November 2017. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records 
The Pink Bears playing in Send’s Lancaster Hall, ’65 -
Smokestakks
(’65-’66) Tony Porter (vocal), Peter Mould (rhythm guitar), Roger Allen (lead guitar), Jeff Smith (bass), Freddie Mills (drums), and William Neal (harmonica / vocals).
This 6 piece blues band were akin to a local band super-group: Porter had been in Astolats and Second Time Out; Mould – Bumblies; Allen – Arfur Fagg and the Dog Ends; Smith – Ricky and the Secrets; and Mills – Roadrunners.
They played Bramley Village Hall, where Phillip Goodhand-Tait saw them play, followed shortly after with them supporting The Stormsville Shakers at Merrow Village Hall on a 31st March ’65. One of the bands most popular covers was “Country Line Special”. Neal left and was replaced by Ian May. Managed by John Hewins and Alan Matravers, they went on to support The Phantom Four and Hogsnort Rupert at the Art School, Guildford in ’66 and played Dronfield’s, Guildford and The Wooden Bridge, Guildford.
Neal continued in the arts, creating the covers for Emerson Lake and Palmer’s “Tarkus” and “Pictures at an Exhibition” LPs amongst other work. He was also a good boogie-woogie piano player.
Gallery:
Poster, designed by William Neal, for Wednesday 31 March ’65 gig at Merrow Village Hall. Alan Matravers, Arfur Fagg and the Dog Ends, Art School, Astolats, Bramley, Bumblies, Dronfield’s, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Freddie Mills, Guildford, Hogsnort Rupert, Ian May, Jeff Smith, John Hewins, Merrow, Peter Mould, Phillip Goodhand-Tate, Ricky and the Secrets, Roadrunners, Roger Allen, Second Time Out, Smokestakks, The Phantom Four, The Stormsville Shakers, Tony Porter, Village hall, William Neal, Wooden Bridge -
The Tunsgate Club, Guildford
This Guildford High Street ‘drinking’ den was above Russell & Bromley shoe shop. Ricky & The Rhythmics were the house band for a while. Another local band Ad-Finitum also played there, as did The David James Band.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Tommy Strudwick manged the club. Husband and wife team, Jerry and Anne, also managed the venue for a while, and ‘Old Jack’ was the doorman. If spread over two floors, with a bar on each, and was renowned for it’s revealing U.V. lighting. One of the venues managers once bought an old Foosball table from The Parrot Inn, Shalford for £10.00. Opening it up, once installed, he found £20.00 in tanners inside.
The venue also infamously banned a contingent of 1,400 French students that were visiting Guildford in the early 60’s. By ’65, The Rivals were playing the club regularly, on Sunday nights, despite the club’s £6 fee!
The Tunsgate Club was later renamed Dronfields, after the then manager John Dronfield, and we know that Smokestakks played the venue under this moniker in ’65 or ’66. In ’71 the club moved to 11 Quarry Street and shortly after was renamed Harpers.
Gallery:
Ricky & The Rhythmics in early special effect picture taken at The Tunsgate Club, Guildford. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records 
Ricky & the Rhythmics on the Tunsgate Club roof over Russell & Bromley. Picture courtesy of Bens Collectors Records 
Tunsgate Club membership application from the 1960s. Source Peter Winning via Guildford Town Past & Present 
Dronfield’s Membership Card. Source: Pauline Kirke via Guildford Town Past & Present -
Roadrunners
(c’62-’67) Roger Newman (guitar), Vic Hatch (drums), Dave Franklin (bass), Mick Cheesman (vocals), and Osmond Abdullah (guitar)
All we have is this one publicity photograph taken at St. Catherine’s Chapel, Guildford of Worplesdon based Roadrunners. They formed at the village’s youth club in ’62 and rehearsed at the Memorial Village Hall, Worplesdon. Around ’65/’66 the band held a residency at the Harvest Moon Club, Guildford.
The band folded in ’67, with Newman and Abdullah forming a new band that played in Spain and on cruise ships. Reportedly, at some point, Freddie Mills played drums with the combo, going on to join Smokestakks.
Gallery:
The Roadrunners at St. Catherine’s Chapel, Guildford. Source: Dragon News Archives via Jonathan Piers Butler
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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