The
Surprises. by John Wormald (guitarist) 2005
The band met in Moseley, Birmingham, all living within a stone's throw of
one another. I suppose it was inevitable that we all bumped into one
another at various pubs and parties. A combination of being students/on
the dole etc...we had the time and the attitude. We started playing just
sitting around in the flat next door with band members of Dangerous Girls,
and did quite few gigs on the Moseley scene. We did a few gigs, our first
was supporting Dexies Midnight Runners, and we also played on the same
bill as The Beat and UB40. It was inevitable that we would try and put out
a record...
Conrad had written this song "Jeremy Thorpe is innocent"...(we never did
get sued! )which was an obvious choice to release. we added "flying saucer
attack" as well. Back in those days other outfits were proving that it
could be done, so we scraped together the money, booked a studio slot and
a pressing plant, and that was it. little sir echo came to be recorded
because I'm sure Conrad must have started singing it one day and it just
came together straight off, we were all familiar with it and it was just
so much fun to do. We had a decent live set, a lot of it written by
Conrad, with a few classic covers and pastiches. I remember we used to do
"Shakin' All Over" (Johnny Kidd & the Pirates), "Polythene Pam" (The
Beatles) and a version of "Tell Laura I love Her", which we did as "Tell
Nora I love Her". Somewhere in the back of somebody's cupboard there may
be rough-mix cassette tapes with several of our numbers on it, but I've no
idea where they may have got to.
John Peel...We just sent a copy of the record in, and he played it! When we
heard that it was going to be played we were overjoyed...how cool was
that, getting played on John Peel! (along with hundreds of other young
hopefuls). We had a few reviews in the local press, but nothing in the big
music papers.
Janice Connolly is very active on the comedy scene, having appeared on
Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, and as her alter ego "Mrs. Barbara Nice" (she's
got a website). Rob, the drummer on the record, is still active on the
music scene I believe, collaborating with Boo Hewardine. John Nestor the
bass player runs a greengrocer's in Dorset (well, that's what I've heard),
and Conrad Schwartz, lead singer and guitarist is technical director of
the Dominion Theatre in London. I'm still in Birmingham, running my own
business.
I re-established contact with Conrad and Janice a year or so back...we went
out for a drink together.
The ep was intended as a one-off effort, and we moved onto other bands.
Janice and Conrad were in the Everreadys (and put out at least one single)
and I played with The Hot Pencils, with Chris Ames, ex guitarist with
Dangerous girls (now living in the South of France).
The ep goes for 40quid and upwards on ebay? I think that's great, although
I'd be intrigued to know who's buying them. It's quite nice to know
someone out there recognises something about what we did....or am I reading
too much into it? I've got my copy framed and on the wall! |
