My History

My first appearance was in 1964 but the story begins in 1957, when a guitar was brought into school, it was almost as big as me, that was my first contact with a guitar and the word was added to my Christmas and birthday lists.

Eventually I got an acoustic and played it at, and after, school. I moved to bass only because the school band needed one but even then, in the 60’s, I added 2 more strings to my bass, tuning it an octave down from a guitar. This was a standard four string bass so the strings were very close, but that was my schoolboy beginnings. Various other concoctions came out of the garden shed including this picture of me with a double-neck.

The first band, or group as we liked to be called in those days, started in 1962, we rehearsed after school and became the CULPRITZ, with this line up in 1964, Dave & Kev on guitars, Robert on drums and me on bass. There were a few more performances until 1966 but then we left school. Read on to discover how the 1964 line up reformed for 2004. 

I then moved on to the local youth club and joined a band there. We did a few performances but never played outside the youth club. I played guitar through a 10W amp!, Mark on bass, Kev vocals and a drummer. If you read this and remember the name of the band or the drummer, please let me know. 

In 1968, I joined with singer Barry, and guitarist Mark, who was from the youth club band, to end up playing guitar while Mark played bass, but that was the only band with whom I ever played guitar at a gig. We were the "Mark Barry Trio" but later added "plus one" to the name when Lynn, later to become Barry's wife, joined as another singer. My first recording studio experience when we made a single, 45 vinyl, I think it was called "A One Way Love" made at Shield Studios in Kettering by Derek Tompkins. Where did I put my copy? Has any one any photos?

Over the years I went from Rock & Roll to Cabaret and Dance Bands to Rock Bands. My favourite is entertaining the audience.

The Rock & Roll was a regular "Friday Night with Bobby Leroy". It began at the North Park Club in Kettering, around 1968, and moved to the Windmill Club. Other than Fridays Bobby was a solo act and the others, including me, were playing in other bands. At first I was only playing some Fridays, while Jack did others, eventually I was playing every Friday. Robert was always the Lead Guitarist and there were several drummers including "Webby" and "Flute". Into the studio again with Derek Tompkins, Beck this time at Wellingborough, a 12" vinyl which is still pleasant to listen to.

Eventually I had to give up the regular Fridays when "Concord", later to become the "Jacy G Band", started to get Friday Gigs. There were only three in the original Concord, John and Clive with me on bass. We were mainly a cabaret club band and did occasional dances.

Another studio experience at Beck, this time with Barry Hale, I must ask Barry if he still has a copy, I can't find mine.  12" vinyl again.

I think it was during the Rock & Roll time I bought my first Fender, a Precision, during that time the neck came off and went on to a twin neck home made body (no photos sorry) with a guitar neck, I played that at quite a few Concord gigs. Eventually the Fender went back together and I sold it to a suspecting bass player who spotted the extra holes in the body where I had fitted two other pickups, but he still bought it.

November 1974 I sold everything and bought a house! Silly really because the next year I saw a bass in a second hand shop, bought it and started playing again, first gig was the weekend before I married Sue, and 3 kids later we still have each other.

"The Roy Bishop Sound" followed, in 1975, which was my first introduction to Ballroom music, there were originally six, Hammond Organ played by Paul, Roy on Sax, Bill Guitar, Jimmy Drums and me on Bass. There was a singer, Brian, who did some gigs. April 2006 I received a surprise email from Paul who found this web site, I'm still waiting to meet him again!

During two years with Roy Bishop I changed the old bass for a Hayman '40 40'.

I then rejoined Concord who had changed to the "Jacy G Band" and become a Dance Band. Originals were John; guitar vocals, Clive; Drums, Geoff on guitar who had been added to Concord, and now they had Trevor on Trumpet and Ken on Sax. An enjoyable 2 years of Dinner Dances and Dance Halls.

During that time I began playing a fretless bass, the first was a Fender Precision Fretless, but the light maple fingerboard did not go well with round wound strings.

I then auditioned for a job with a 10 piece Dance band, "John Winston's Selection", and got the job. The band included John; drums, Cyril; piano, Tony; Guitar, Mark and Phil; Trumpets, two Saxes Robin and Phil, and singers Barry and Marie. I enjoyed many years with John's Band, John and some of the others were great mentors, and I learned a great deal about music. Sight reading the bass clef, how to play to an audience and "playing the audience", how to play with dep's and how to play as a dep with another band.  When John decided to retire the band changed its name to The "Tony Park Orchestra and Singers" and quite a few changes followed, including me, but nearly all the members, including John, re-formed for one last gig, which was a great night.

Around 1979 I changed the fretless for a WAL Pro Fretless, this proved to be an excellent instrument, it was my only bass for 10 years but I owned it for 30 years. As I moved up to more than 4 strings I played the WAL less until I very reluctantly sold it at the end of 2009 to Michael in New York, I was relieved when it arrived safely.

My next band was a slightly smaller one, one sax and one trumpet, but I really enjoyed my time with them "The Terry Mann Show Band". There was not a Terry Mann in the band but I would like to hear from someone who remembers who was. I do remember Steve who joined as a singer while I was in the band, I had played with Steve before and have played with him since. The band consisted of excellent musicians and we did a variety of gigs, all very enjoyable. There were several changes in the band during my time with them but the Trumpet and Sax players were the backbone. I discovered, about 2 years after leaving, they had called me "chippy" just before I left them, I hope the reason is explained in the next paragraph. I would like to hear from any of the others who were in this band

The "Dark Ages"; October 1991 I disappeared into hospital with an abscise in my head. I was playing with bands at the time but that stopped.  An operation removed the problem but took away some memory. I came home found a guitar and discovered I could play. It took a couple of years for my memory to recover and to start playing in a band again but read on to see how, the Culpritz are to blame.

An invitation to a Silver Wedding Party dropped on the mat. It was from two friends from the early years Terry & Angie. I arrived at the party, with my wife Sue, and we were shown to a table where there were two men about my age, sitting with their wives. I’m sure we would have passed in the street but it took only a few seconds to realise it was Robert and Kev from the old school band, the CULPRITZ.

After a few weeks of being reunited, a phone call suggested we should attempt to try and play some music, we had the use of a school music room for a day. The day was interesting and we came to enjoy the 60’s music again and stuck with the rehearsing, even doing an occasional gig. Thanks to Kev, Dave and Robert getting me playing again, I was soon to be playing with other gigging bands. They provided what I needed and they are responsible for the musician I am today.

Looking for frets again, in 2001, I bought an Ernie Ball Music Man Sting Ray, although this is a brilliant instrument I only played it at one gig. I then picked up a Five String De-Armand, rather cheep at a local shop, and began using it at rehearsals, my first obstacle was where the notes were on the B string. I found that I was looking away and playing five semis down, that was the hardest thing I have ever found about moving up from four strings. However, before getting to use it at a gig I fell in love with a Warwick Streamer Six, a 6 string bass I found, which had been custom made around the mid 80’s for Mark Griffiths who plays with Cliff Richards and the Shadows. After fighting the five string I found it almost played it's self and had to buy it. The only bass I played at gigs for the next three years. 

After attending "Jam Nights" at local pubs, attempting various rehearsals and playing dep gigs, with various bands, In 2002 I replied to an advert on a local web site and joined a band called "On The Run". Ian and Nick on Guitars, Dave on Drums and the fantastic Theresa the singer, her personality gave us some great gigs but she was not enjoying the best of health and we combined with another band, Loose Covers, and kept the name On The Run. This added Brian on Keyboard and three girl vocalists Anna, Kelly and Lindsay. These three girls singing together were really good but it was disappointing that we never did a gig with all three, some with two and some with one. Anna was the main singer and did most of the gigs but babies followed. Lots of hard work rehearsing brought in two more girls, Natalie and Dee. These two were very good and worked and sang extremely well together. However, work commitments of other band members kept gigs to a minimum so I began rehearsing with UnderCurrent. ON THE RUN WEB SITE

June 2004 I visited the Overwater factory in Carlisle! While they filled my wife with coffee, I was measured up for a 7 string. It took 5 months to build and arrived in the November. This is still my main instrument today, together with an Overwater fretless 6 string they made for me to arrive 2007 and a semi-acoustic 6 string I collected in 2010. 

In 2004 the old school band were invited to a fancy-dress party. It was suggested we dress as the Droogs from Clockwork Orange and maybe perform two or three songs. This escalated leading up to the party and we eventually appeared as the "Droogs" and performed as the main attraction of the evening. Robert and Dave making their first public appearance since 1964. After 2 more gigs Robert the drummer decided to call it a day, this was disappointing but the Droogs returned in 2005.

During 2005, a phone call came from Roger, who wanted to do the same as Kev and Dave, rehearse and only do an occasional gig. A gig with a real 60's band is really enjoyable. With The Droogs, the 60's show was performed on various occasions, and for me, they were very enjoyable evenings. We had enjoyed regular rehearsals for almost 10 years. The last gig I did with the Droogs in 2007 raised £508 for the Air Ambulance. They now have another bass player and have changed to another drummer.

I heard this band were looking for a Bass Guitarist in January 2005 and started to rehearse with them. The band was excellent, formed from 5 different musical backgrounds including the excellent lead vocals from Christine.

I sadly left this band when Sean was moving away to be a university teacher and Christine and her family were emigrating to Australia. Christine is now singing in Australia and has her own web site.  Undercurrent kept going and I did some dep's, rehearsals and gigs, with them at the beginning of 2009, with just two of the originals. Now a very disco band.

November 2005 I enjoyed being a part of the band in the "pit" at the Kettering Scouts Gang Show. The other musicians and the cast were excellent and the show was far superior than I had expected.
During 2005 I had started picking up the WAL fretless again, but I don’t think I could ever permanently go back to four strings, after the seven string it feels like a pencil neck, so I started looking for a five or six string fretless. In November 2006, I went to the Manchester Bass Day where I played a very nice six string fretless, but it was not for sale. Overwater had a stand at the show so I approached them with my slight disappointment with the string spacing on the seven string, and they agreed to make me an Overwater “close string spaced” fretless 6 that finally arrived March 2007. It plays lovely and I amazed myself at the next gig and played it for most of the night.

"Ayleys Comet" I first played with this band in October 2005, when I was completely without a gigging band, first gig at very short notice, Rob and Frank on guitars and Ian  on drums. Frank was about to emigrate and Hayley joined the band soon after me as lead vocalist. This was Hayley's first gigging band, she has a wonderful voice and I'm sure she has a great future.

I enjoyed an excellent time with them through 2006 and continued to enjoy occasional gigs with them in 2007.

Rob and Ian were the stalwarts in the band and Joan, secretary/manager, the wife of lead guitarist Rob, does all the background hard work for the band. A temporary return with singer, Kristina, in 2008 after Breeez decided to fold and then with Toni Marie & Malcolm at the end of 2008 up to New Years Eve. Have they found a permanent Bass Player?  Still doing occasional dep's.

Finding a Musician Web Sites do work, I received an enquiry April 2007 from a group of musicians calling themselves "Better Life", I didn't get any pictures! there were 8'ish of them who wanted a Bass Guitarist to help with a recording. Three quick rehearsals and I was in the studio for several days. My contribution was recorded by Mark Hutchinson at Rooksmere Recording Studios Overstone, using the Warwick 6 string. I now have a copy of the finished CD, hear some tasters on my index page.

"Breeez" I first met Roy, the singer, in 1968, we have always been friends, and still are, but had not played on the same stage at the same time until April 2007! Three rehearsals before the first gig which was very good with Tracey on Keys, Kev on guitar and Jooles on Drums, one of the best bands I have played with. It's difficult to understand why good bands don't always last, I hope my today page will eventually show they do. Although much loved by audiences, the sad decision was made, at the end of 2007, to end March 2008, a decision that did not get my vote but the last few gigs went really well. The final last gig was May 2008.

"Lou Short & The Girls who Love Sci-Fi" Yes I was one of the girls!!!!!! 

My first gig at an acoustic venue. There were about 6 good acts on, it was not strictly acoustic, but we were on last and the audience loved us. Lou has all his own original material, which comes in all shapes and sizes. Click here for Lou's site. We also squashed into a very small Radio Studio at Harborough FM and various other gigs. Lou eventually found a bass player for his style.

"oveRRated" An Oxford based four piece band with a distinct style performing 99.9% their own original material. Performed some small gigs with them in Oxford 2008 and a weekend in Brighton in June 2009.

Who was Jack The Lad ? 50's, 60's and very early 70's music, nothing newer, with emphasis on the entertainment. No rehearsals just gigs, July 2009 well into 2010. The audiences were always guessing if we are all Jack The Lad but it was originally Keith on drums and Martin on guitar and lead vocals. Martin performed and Keith and I were his backing but without a lead instrument I was very busy on the bass. The line up constantly changed, the other picture June 2010 had singer Vicki and Robo on guitar.

I Placed an order at the end of November 2009 for another Overwater Bass. Meanwhile I sold the WAL 4 string fretless to Michael in New York at the end of 2009, who was very pleased with it, and the Ernie Ball Music Man Sting Ray 4 string in January 2010 to Steve from Derbyshire, also very pleased. The Overwater Expression was ready March 2010 so I visited the factory to collect it.

The Expression just being finished in the Overwater Factory.
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