(vocal and instrumental group)
(1967-1972) Hokey, Buz, Bob & Tim.
The Music
Like the lightshow, the music was constantly changing. It could be early R&B covers done to a Ginger Baker beat one minute, then a Ska version of a Beatles' song the next (no white band played reggae or ska at this time). From the Shadows to Hendrix and on to the electronics of early Pink Floyd, and pastiches of the classics.
The Audiences
Were equally varied. Mainly they liked to dance, but they enjoyed a spectacle too ...........and they got one. They were a lot of young people enjoying harmless fun plus the usual subversive element which would include boys with an unhealthy interest in amateur plumbing and testing fire extinguishers (unsupervised testing that was!). They could also be very appreciative. The first time we switched a fuzz box on - the crowd went crazy! The first time we used a strobe light the same thing happened. When we played the opening bars of Cream's 'I'm So Glad' at one venue, we were greeted with a rapturous 'knowing applause' as though we were Cream! One couldn't help but smile.
The Gigs
Were in places that often smelt of disinfectant and were run by jobsworths who were very suspicious of us and the name of the band.
Unfortunately most of the venues weren't licensed so those with a taste had to smuggle their own poisons inside and hope they weren't spotted - That's not hard liquor your drinking is it?
Sometimes gigs would develop into full blown mayhem and the local constabulary would be called in to calm things down.
Chairs would be thrown, hand basins removed from the walls etc. Occasionally we'd get banned from a place after a particularly rowdy evening.
We've never had any trouble like this before,
remarked one organiser after a disturbance that resulted in the hall being emptied half way through the evening.
Headmasters in the area became aware of the name and refused the requests of persistent pupils who wanted the band to play at their school (for shock value?), safer acts landing the gig.