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When I first realized that
music was the most important thing in the world to me I thought I’d better
start trying to make my own, so I got a reel to reel tape recorder and a
guitar and spent the next 2 years teaching myself to play and to write
songs. When the time came to be in a band I found one through the
small-adds because I was quite reclusive and did’nt know any other
musicians. So I joined Matt on guitar and Henry on drums, I played bass.
Matt was the leader and what he wanted was to re-create the Jimi Hendrix
Experience. We practiced regularly for weeks and then Matt decided to jack
it in. This was quite a good thing in a way because although I liked
Hendrix, I also knew that it was “old hat” and I was really only doing it
in the absence of any better opportunities. |
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to the small-adds then, and enter Arctic Frost. With me on bass
again this was a much better venture, I was a serious XTC enthusiast
by this time and Tim the drummer was into Elvis Costello so the
rhythm-section was on the same wavelength. Dave and Darrel still had
hippy sympathies but Dave actually came up with one of the most
modern quirky songs of the set – “Cowboy”. Other notable
contributions from Dave were “Dogs Life” and “Emu In Gogessita”. We
played only original songs, no covers, and we always had an equal
number of Dave songs and my songs. Some of mine were “Nothing Left”
“Seen a lot of People” and “Tight Strings”. |
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Our career
on stage went as follows:
1st gig - The Roxy Club, London.
2nd gig - two and a half weeks later – The Adeline Geneé Theatre, East
Grinstead.
We continued to rehearse but I was still feeling that I wanted something
more of the moment and more professional.
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Three weeks
later I was at the PIL auditions, a week after that I left Arctic Frost.
No, not for PIL, but to play bass for an established London band called
Smak, who were Ronnie Britton – vocal, Rocco Barker (later of Wasted Youth
and Flesh For Lulu fame) – guitar and vocal, Ken Kostik – guitar, Russ
Greenaway – drums, and now myself on bass and vocal.
This band was in a different league. Hanging out together, going to gigs,
playing gigs, listening to music. I was a happy boy. |
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Above article
courtesy of Alderman
Huggins 20/9/2006
http://www.myspace.com/aldermanhuggins
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