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The Gigging / Recording Years .


The first ProfessionalDemo's were recorded at AVM Studios in Hanley ( S-O-T ) and
Were Engineered by DEMON Guitarist Les Hunt and Des Parton ( of  " Isn't she wonderful "
fame ) . Of all our recording sessions , the time spent with Les & Des ( TWO PINTS OF CIDER
AND BLACK PLEASE ) were the most fruitfull , both in  terms of  the standard of our music -and of actual recording quality .
It was very rare that any new songs were " scrapped " in those days - in fact the New Material was fastly casting many good tracks to the No Favors scrap heap .
 
  WE NOW HAD A PRODUCT TO SELL .
With a decent Demo , Good Image - and a new
Van ( thanks to a bank loan ) we were ready to take on Gigs  anywhere in the country . We became the " STAND IN "  support band  at the Premier Gig in Staffordshire  ( Victotia
Hall ) . During these days we supported  Name bands  - Magnum ( twice ) , Hawkwind , FM  & Georgia Sattelites  . We were short on funds to " buy onto " a tour with a top band , but the Gigs at Vicky Hall  ( Victoria ) gave us an insight on how to survive on the top level  = we just watched Carl do his stuff . Pay to Play was the name of the game .  ie : if you wanted  more                                                                                          
PHOTO
Swallow Recording Studios Congleton Cheshire
L to R : Rob , Neil , Carl , Nick  .
than one Spotlight , and the sound levels  ( at least ) Half Decent  , then a certain amount of Cash had
to be handed over . Enter Carl  our very own Diplomat  .
These days were very busy , the tapes sent out led to many Gigs - and also to one particular Low point in our struggle to sign with a Record Label . Neat Records & Ebony  both showed interest in the band  . We were asked to do a Showcase Gig for Neat Records , so Carl booked the only Gig available in their area ( Newcastle - upon - Tyne )  a Berni Inn called the Red House , as well as hiring a
PA system . We all took time off from work & headed north and found the Record Company where we found out that the person that we were dealing with was a YOP  ( Youth Opportunity Scheme ) lad , just out of school , with no " Say " in the Dealings of the Company . He was apparently trying to Impress the Boss  = He didn't Impress us much . So , we played our " Showcase " in front of an addience of 1 - needless to say we didn't Land a Major Deal . The " Highs " were the Gig at Congleton Town Hall for A Great Friend of mine/ours = John Roney . We helped to raise  money for a Wheelchair he needed . The Town Mayor was there  but John Missed most of the evening  ( something to do with a Whisky bottle ), so that was the reason for organising another one a year or so later .

We were approached  - and subsequently managed by Pat Brogan ,
the world famous Boxing Promotor . Tapes were sent to his contacts in the entertainment industry . Pat promoted our Gigs , and thins looked promising until Nick left the band . Neil soon followed - and things fell apart for a while . Me & Carl joined forces  with  
local  Band
One Knockout Picture .
L to R : Neil , Carl , Pat Brogan ,Rob ,Nick .
PHOTO
Mad Hatter  in 1988  ending with me going on a tour of USNAF  bases throughout
Italy & Germany . THEN .
 Along came an old Favourite Tim Bedson ( Drums ) closeley followed by Dave Day on Guitar .