STOKEBEAT

KATZ

A rock/prog outfit fron the early 80s. STEVE GRATON - gtr/vox, CHRIS CARTLIDGE - gtr, MARK HOWELL - bass, SIMON BOLTON - drums.

KEN'S FORGETTABLES

Released a number of cassette albums in the early 80s. Based in Hanley.

More Information required.

THE KETTLE ONS

In their own words - chaotic, very fast and very silly Stoke band from late 80's formed by PETE NORCOTT [ex THE FITZ/ALL THE RAGE], TREV RUSHTON, and SIMON WOOLLISCROFT . Only played one gig supporting THE LEMMINGS, though later made 22 track CD, which featured extensive use of totally bizarre samples, Dee Dee Ramone style basslines and very funny lyrics sung in a deadpan style by TREV. Still producing wacky stuff to this day.

http://www.myspace.com/thekettleons

THE KILLJOYS

Early 80s new-wave band, featured ex BEYOND THE WALL & WHITE LIGHTNING BLUES BAND drummer TIM SIMPSON, and STEVE BERRINGTON on vocals/gtr. NEIL HEMMINGS also played drums at some point, he also played in THE PRODUCT. MARTYN PEGG played bass, TOM THISTLETOE played guitar.ROB WILD, ex PLASTIC IDOLS, LOWLIFE & BROKEN BONES was also in the band for a while, as was PHIL ROBINSON. Released a single called This Is Not Love on Clay Records. NEIL, TOM & STEVE also played in a band called THE RUSSIANS.

DEAN BRINDLEY, father of AGENT BLUE'S CALUM MURPHY, was manager at some point.

KINFOLK

Appeared on the 'Potteries Pop' LP.

Information required.

TERRY KING & THE SAINTS

Sixties 'beat' group, performed at the legendary Star Club in Hamburg.

ROY GRANT - vocals - TERRY KING - gtr/vox (formerly TERRY EVANS of THE BLACKJACKS) - GAVIN BALABAN - gtr/vox - CLIVE LOVATT - bass - GRAHAM BIRKS - drums

Performed with Kenny Lynch, Bert Weedon, and Carol Deene.  

post ROY GRANT, the line up was TERRY KING, TONY HOPPLEY, DAVE ROBERTS, BARRY SERGEANT.

Split up in 1967, BALABAN ended up playing country & western in clubs and pubs in the area.
EVANS played cabaret in Spain, Portugal, Malta and on cruise ships. DAVE ROBERTS performed with many local bands, and also as a solo singer.

BARRY KNAPPER

BARRY was a drummer in numerous bands from the late 50s onwards. His personal website has a section on local bands of the 60s, is very comprehensive, and also contains some great pictures from the period.

http://www.barryknapper.com/skinbashers.htm

K-OSS

ROCKO - vox, DAVE EVANS - gtr, CONRAD TRACY - bass, ROB WARDELL - drums. Early 80s punks from Newcastle. CONRAD TRACY & ROCKO went on to play in THE PLATINUM NEEDLES.

LADYFRIEND 

1994-2004 - Previously known as DOLLFACE, changed name in '94 when trying to get signed, and another band in UK named DOLLFACE.
Pop/rock - released 8 self recorded & produced albums.
MARTIN HASSALL - vocals, guitars
JASON WEBSTER - bass, keyboards
GARY WILDSMITH - keyboards, drums

HASSALL & WEBSTER became DUTCH & THE DOCTOR
WILDSMITH's next project was DEAD WASPS

http://www.myspace.com/ladyfrienduk

LAF

One member (QUIV) also played in BROKEN BONES.

More information required.

LAMBDA

On the scene around 1980 time. May have been formerly know as THE GERMS.

More information required.

LAST CHANCE

MARK TURNER, ex FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN & A NUL NOISE on vocals & gtr, KEN on vocals & gtr, TONY on bass, & BODGE on drums. Played the CLAP HANDS gig in '82.

LEARNING TO SPEAK

Headlined at The Vine in '81 to launch the 'peoples march for jobs'. Members included: KEITH HAMMERSLEY on guitar (previously with TOKER, later with HEADGAMES), NICK READ - vocals, JULIA CARTWRIGHT - vocals, ROB HOGGERT - drums (later with BATWING CHAPS) SWEATY on percussion, SIMON GOODALL - bass, later JOHN BALL then PAUL HAMMERSLEY, Plus a few other percussionists including STEVE WALTERS. READ & CARTWRIGHT previously played with TOKER. GOODALL & SWEATY also played with INSTANT CHAOS. GOODALL now plays with THE SCANDALS.

LEGENDARY LONNIE

LEGENDARY LONNIE  has been writing and making music since the 1950's. In the 1970's he gained notoriety with his single release on Charly Records - Wine Glass Rock.
After cutting his musical teeth playing solo and duo around the pubs and other venues in Stoke on Trent in the early 50's LONNIE joined his first band THE ROCKLANDERS.
Then, in the late 50's/early 60's came CARL MAN & THE CANDYMEN, PETER & THE PERSUADERS in the late 60's, and early 70's LONNIES FEW, and in the 90's SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE. He now fronts THE LONNIE COOKE BAND.
Worked for Blood Lloyd records in Stoke town centre in the 1970s, later ran the shop as his own business. 
LONNIE has played and recorded with Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Page, Screamin' Lord Sutch, Demon, Lieutenant Pigeon, THE SUTHERLAND BROTHERS, Clem Cattini (Tornados, Johnny Kidd) and even the infamous wrestling star Big Daddy with his Titanic Survivors. He has also featured on many record labels including Charly, EMI, Nervous, Rebound, Anagram, Barclay, Fast Tracks, Carrere, Satril, Virgin and the very collectable Oak label.
His own compositions (numbered in hundreds!) include Ration Book Boogie, Devil's Guitar (covered by Guana Batz and charted in several European charts), Wine Glass Rock, Begging Bowl Blues, Constipation Shake and The Elephant Dance
The Sunday Best programme on BBC Radio Stoke ran for more than seventeen years with LONNIE in the DJ's chair putting 'hot biscuits on the stove'.
Also stood for parliament for Lord Sutch's Monster Raving Loony Party. 
LONNIE has also been doing shows recently for new station Witch FM, based in Crewe, Cheshire and is currently writing his life story for publication. In 2001, a greatest hits package "Twice As Old As Time" was released. Interview here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2008/09/15/legendary_lonnie_feature.shtml

LONNIE'S single ” Knock me down pick me up” has been remixed and reissued by Fast Tracks Records. Available worldwide from April 2010.

LE GRIFFE

Rock/metallers. Stoke's TORCH magazine said this about them: "CHRIS PERKINS vocals, ROB MOSELY bass/vocals, WOODY lead gtr, PAUL IBBS lead gtr, MARTIN HIGGINS drums. Emerged from the wreckage of BACCHUS PLATEAU as a four piece, WOODY came in on gtr. leaving CHRIS to handle vocals. Debut gig in December '81 at The Mayfair Club, went on to support Magnum at The Vicky Hall in '82."

However, this was on the NME site: "LE GRIFFE's original line-up comprised CHRIS HATTON(vocals, guitar), PAUL WOOD(guitar), TIM BLACKWOOD(guitar), KEVIN COLLIER(bass) and MARTIN ALLEN(drums). Quickly becoming popular on their local live circuit, the band signed to the (now defunct) Bullet Records label, who released a three-track EP entitled Fast Bikes in 1981. The EP was a worthy debut, featuring melodic rockers reminiscent of early Def Leppard coupled with 12-bar Status Quo-style boogie. The band gigged extensively throughout the UK and released a mini-album, Breaking Strain, again on the Bullet Records label, in 1984. At the time of its release guitarist TIM BLACKWOOD left the band to be replaced by AMOS SANFILLIPO, but the band dissolved early in 1985. COLLIER went on to join Rogue Male."

THE LEIF ERICSSON

THE LEIF ERICSSON were formed in September 2001.

WILL FARLEY - guitar/vocals

NEIL DURKIN - drums/vocalsMARK COLLINS - bass/vocals

DAVE COLLINS - guitar/vocals

One member, THE SLUG, was formerly in SPY VS. SPY.

They released their debut 7", a split with metallers Beecher, on In At The Deep End Records in 2002.

In February 2003 Crackle Records and Hermit Records jointly released the Milloy / THE LEIF ERICSSON split CD/10" containing 4 songs from each band.

www.myspace.com/theleifericsson

THE LEMMINGS

Four-piece punk/pub-rock band, formed sometime around 1979 in Hanley by JOHN BLAKE, who had previously performed under the name JOHNNY OATCAKE. JOHN handled lead vocals & guitar, other members were JOHN'S brother PHIL BLAKE, also on guitar, GREG on bass, & KEN BECKETT on drums. GREG & PHIL started out as THE HUMAN CABBAGES.

The band gigged just about everywhere around the area for at least 10 years, and are sort of still together now. Contributed a track to the Stoke Musicians Collective's album CRY HAVOC - Young At Heart.
THE LEMMINGS occasionally gigged under the name 48 HONEYS (while dressed as women!)
KEN BECKETT joined THE INKERMAN STREET RHINOS.
The bass player in THE SKALINSKIS, ROOSTER, was in the original line up of THE LEMMINGS, before PHIL & GREG joined. DEAN BRINDLEY, father of AGENT BLUE'S CALUM MURPHY, was manager at some point.

KEN BECKETT died in 2004.

http://www.myspace.com/thelemmingsengland

LEMMY

LIONHEART

Stafford band, members included MARTYN HEATH & MICK DUGGAN, who played together in NICE ON THE ICE. MARTYN was previously in THE NERVES. He went on to form THE THUNDERING HEARTS.

THE PHIL LITTLER BAND

Starring PHIL LITTLER on lead gtr and vox, heavy rock/pub rock sort of sound. Formerly known as BLISTER. One or two decent support slots, eg MEDICINE HEAD.

JEREMY LO

In 1981, this 15 year old Alsager boy released a single on Smile Records called Monologue.

More information required.

LOCARNO HONEYMOON

DES PARTON on vocals, LONNIE COOK on gtr, IAN on gtr, VIC on bass, PHIL on drums.

THE LORRIES

Pop/rock band from the late 70s, played a mixture of covers and originals. Recorded a single on Market Drayton's Redball Records.

LOST JUNGLES

Featured on the mid-80s compilation album "To Boldly Go" with the track Sending Messages.

More information required.

LOWLIFE

Featuring ROB WILD & MICK TOMKINSON, ex PLASTIC IDOLS, and ADRIAN from VERMILION HAIR.

ADRIAN left and MICK brought his brother STEVE in, and a lyricist called MARK TEMPEST. The band relocated to Cheshire. Release one single on Clay Records. After the band fizzled out, WILD played for a short while with THE KILLJOYS & BROKEN BONES. 

THE LYRIC

Mid-sixties combo, ALAN JONES/gtr, JAKE PLANT/bass (ex DANNY & THE RAIDERS), GEOFF WATTS/drums. The band auditioned unsuccessfully three times for the T.V. show Opportunity Knocks. PLANT subsequently played in a number of pub & club acts in the 70s & 80s.

THE MACC LADS

In their own words:
THE RUDEST CRUDEST LEWDEST DRUNKEST BAND IN CHRISTENDOM.
What being is in a band is all about.
Unsurprisingly hailing from Macclesfield.
http://www.macclads.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/macclads

MAELSTROM

Formed in 1999 by drummer PHIL BRERETON, following the demise of his former band PARANOIA and a ten year 'lay off' from the music scene.
MAELSTROM could possibly be described as a meltdown of Siouxsie And The Banshees, Penetration and Incubus Succubus.
Line up: JO CUMMINGS, gtr & vox, JON CUMMINGS, gtr, HARRY DAGGER, bass, & PHIL BRERETON, drums.
Full info here: http://maelstrom.itgo.com/

More information required.

THE MAN UPSTAIRS

An early 80s post punk outfit, tipped for big things that never happened.

More information required.

THE MARAUDERS

Sixties beat group which evolved from a little known band called THE SHONDELLS; THE MARAUDERS were regulars at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, and comprised DANNY DAVIS gtr, BRYN MARTIN ld gtr, BARRY SARGENT drms, KENNY SHERRATT bs, CHRIS RENSHAW gtr, GARY CREWE gtr. CREWE left the band before they signed a deal, and joined the police force.
45s:
1 That's What I Want/Hey What'd You Say (Decca F 11695) 1963 (No 43)
2 Always On My Mind/Heart Full Of Tears (Decca F 11748) 1963 (-)
3 Lucille/Little Egypt (Decca F 11836) 1964 (-)
4 Baby I Wanna Be Loved/Somebody Told My Girl (Fontana TF 609) 1965 (-)
They were featured on Decca's 1964 Saturday Club compilation, playing Greenback Dollar and on Thank Your Lucky Stars, Vol. 2 a year earlier with That's What I Want. They were also featured on At The Cavern playing Dr. Feelgood and Keep On Rolling.
Other compilation appearances have included: Doctor Feelgood and Keep On Rolling on Original Liverpool Sound (LP) and Live At The Cavern (CD); That's What I Want and Hey Wha' D'Ya Say on Rare 60's Beat Treasures, Vol. 2 (CD); Lucille and That's What I Want on Weekend Starts Here (LP); That's What I Want on The Beat Scene (CD) and Beat Merchants (Dble LP).

MARION

Macclesfield based 90s Brtipoppers, praised and tipped for big things by Morrissey himself. EDWARD GRIFFITHS, brother of drummer CHRIS, wrote this:

"After MARION split after the archetypal 'difficult 2nd album', JAIME got into drugs, PHIL started working with New Order and also did a side project with CHRIS GRIFFITHS on drums and a couple of friends (JOFF WHITTEN guitar, JULIAN PHILLIPS bass) in a band called LABEL. JOFF WHITTEN later moved to Manchester then Leeds, and for a couple of years played as a solo project under his own name doing folky acoustic/electric music that got good press; for a while it looked like it might happen for him, with a couple of feature articles including a big piece in Manchester's Metro paper. After Label stopped working, JULIAN PHILLIPS went on to play bass with a reformed Echo & Bunnymen. PHIL is still working with Bernard and Steve from New Order in a new band called Bad Lieutenant; their album's out over the summer".

WHITTEN & GRIFFITHS also played together in SECOND SUN.

MARION eventually reformed.

http://www.marionuk.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/marionuk

EDWARD GRIFFITHS now runs LICORICE SOUL RECORDS. http://www.licoricesoul.co.uk/

MARLO

Known firstly as MIRAGE, made up of four teenagers from North Staffordshire, won the BBC's Get Your Act Together talent show in 1999 This victory saw the band handed a prestigious recording contract with Polydor as their prize.

Drummer MATTHEW JOHNSON  left the band a short time later and joined another North Staffordshire band called KISA.

They won the Signal One Battle of the Bands contest in 2001 and were awarded a slot at the Live in the City concert at the Britannia Stadium. He was killed in a road accident in December 2011.

MASAI

An early 80s reggae band, members from Stoke & Wolverhampton.

More information required.

MASQUE

This outfit from 1981/2 were into mime, dance, and theatrics. They may have also played a little music.

MASSIFF IDDITION

A Stafford based band from about 1982.

More information required.

MASTER STASH

JOHN MAYALL

The godfather, nay, the grandaddy of British Blues, born in Macclesfield in 1937. Many of the bands on this site would never have existed if it wasn't for the influence of this man.

http://www.johnmayall.com/

THE MEMBRANES

Blackpool postpunk outfit who relocated to Stafford in the early 80s! Why? Vocalist JOHN ROBB formed GOLDBLADE in the 90s, and also became a well known author and journalist.

METROPOLIS

Formed about 1980, originally playing jazz/funk, evolved into more of a disco band after a couple of years. Line up was TREVOR SMITH vocals/guitar, DAVE BROADHURST lead guitar, STEVE PYATT drums, KARL MILLER percussion, DAVE EDWARDS trumpet, WAYNE DAVIS saxaphone, and PETE BACANIN bass. DAVE EDWARDS  also played with THE BATWING CHAPS. DAVE BROADHURST previously played with EXPOZER. PETE BACANIN now plays with Steely dan tribute band NEARLY DAN.

MIGHTIER THAN KONG

Formerly known as PASSPORT SMILES, early 80s indie rockists, JEFF on vocals (he used to work in LONNIE'S shop in Stoke), DAVE LOWNDES - keyboards, STEVE TIBBE - drums, TIM HOWLE - gtr, and BEN BOWKER on bass (last seen in 2007 on Henry's Parade at Alton Towers playing guitar for Henry Hound!!!).

Highlight of their career was supporting The Human League at Bingley Hall. Released one single, a cover of The Tams "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me". Gigged everywhere in 1982/3, DAVE left to be replaced by TIM (from Quartet music shop) on keys.

THE MITTENS

One member IAN EVANS went on to join HOROWITZ.

More information required.

THE MOIST

A band featuring ANDY BUTTERS.

More information required.

MONSTER AGOGO

JAMES HUGGETT, gtr/vox, ED GRIFFITHS (ex PIGEON KICKERS), drums, NEIL WATKIN, bass. Macclesfield based hardcore/noise trio. HUGGETT now moved to the USA, and records under the name COMBAT ASTRONOMY. http://www.myspace.com/combatastronomy2

NEIL MORRISSEY

Local actor NEIL MORRISSEY had a Number 1 hit with the theme to the children's TV series Bob The Builder.

 

THE MOSTONS

Once upon a time in a lovely town called trentham mummy moston and daddy moston had two ickle boys, they were lovely. These lovely little boys were christened arsewhistle and cherryplops...but after years of ridicule they were re-christened lovely ROBERT and lovely MARK. Lovely ROBERT grew up singing in choirs and painting trains and lovely MARK grew up looking at choirs and singing at trains, then after years of therapy MARK stopped and was accepted in society, ROB never was.
They aged and grew and began to sweat more over the years and began to realise what gifts life had bestowed upon them...none at all. So ROB went through his high school years carrying numerous gay rumours and MARK had to live up to the reputation that ROB had set for him...he went back into therapy after the Hanley town center cross-dressing incident. But anyway, one day they both decided to start learning musical instruments. ROB learned the guitar case and MARK learned the triangle. They both progressed into terrible musicians and years on formed THE MOSTONS, the story of how they chose their name is a long and involved tale of love and hate (yours to own on DVD or VHS from 19/5/2008).
So now THE MOSTONS are formed, bringing their unique blend of crap and music to venues across the immediate local area because they aren't good enough to do anything else. The end.

MOUTHLESS DEAD

A Stafford based band from about 1982.

More information required.

MR. X

One man, a guitar, a poor man's Billy Bragg. He used to be in GRIME.

NADSAT PATIO

Based at Stoke Poly in the early 80s, this student band were one of the many bands of the time influenced heavily by JOY DIVISION.

THE NERVES

One of the region's very first punk bands forming in OCTOBER '77, this Stafford based trio comprised MARTYN HEATH, JOHN GLOVER & MICK BODEN, who had replaced PAUL CASSON. Released a single in 1978 T.V. ADVERTS/SEX EDUCATION on Lightning Records, and undertook a short tour of France early in the same year.

MARTYN HEATH & JON GLOVER played in LIONHEART, and in NICE ON THE ICE. MARTYN also played in THE THUNDERING HEARTS.

http://www.myspace.com/thenervesuk

www.myspace.com/mjoeheath

THE NEW SUBTERRANEANS

Formed by GARY JEWESS, ex BEYOND THE WALL, DECADES BY NIGHT, R.A.X., & THE FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN.

GARY JEWESS - Guitar & Vocals, ANDREW CAIRNES - Drums, GRAEME BEARDMORE - Bass & Vocals.

The bands influences are quite diverse and too numerous to mention, basically it's everything punk/mod and English.

http://www.myspace.com/thenewsubterraneans

NICE ON THE ICE

A Stafford band from the early 80s. MICK DUGGAN - gtr/vox, JOHN GLOVER - percussion, MARTYN HEATH - vox/gtr, PETE WAINWRIGHT - bass/vox. MARTIN & MICK were previously in LIONHEART, MARTIN was in THE NERVES. GLOVER worked with THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND on one track.

NO POPPIES

A duo comprising ex IMMORTALS drummer NICK RHEAD on vocals & percussion, and a keyboard player called BEV. CND influenced songs, in existence for a few months around 1984/5. NICK was previously in A NUL NOISE, and was also involved with DAY FIVE.

THE NUKES

With GLYN WADE on vocals, BEDE LANDON on bass, GORDON LEE on guitar and his brother STIG (DAVID LEE) hammering away on a Simmons drum kit. Back in the eighties and rehearsals took place at Sub Sound studios in Stoke. Lots of gigs followed - North Staffs Poly (as it was then), Canterbury University, The Bowler Hat, The Albion, Pool Dam and two tours of Cornwall. (These were called 'The Four Minute Warning tour' and 'The Any Excuse for a Holiday tour'!) They appeared on a cassete compilation released in a rare presentation box with such luminaries as THE LEMMINGS, VA-T-EN, and The Rampaging Tomatoes. Eventually they got round to recording their album - Assimilation, which can still be purchased via http://www.subissues.co.uk/ . Then, before the album was released.......they imploded.

http://www.myspace.com/thenukesengland

JOHNNY OATCAKE

JOHN BLAKE, (who later went on to form THE LEMMINGS) - usually found supporting DISCHARGE in their early days, or busking around Hanley. Threw oatcakes into the crowd. Stoke's answer to John Otway.

THE OBSESSIONS

One of the numerous punk bands that emerged from Stafford in the late seventies. Supported Wire in July '79 at The Top Of The World, then split up after a back stage fight. Bassist DAVE TOMLINSON went on to play in THE POSITIVE IONS and THE AUCADION.

THE ODD ONES

Formed in 1963, split in 1964, one of the first Mod bands in England. Based around Holden Lane. WILLY THOMPSON/bass, RAY PRICE/gtr, PHIL TUNSTALL/lead gtr, DEREK LYNDSAY drums. TUNSTALL became a promoter in Stoke before his death in 1984.

OEDIPUS COMPLEX

Regulars on the local scene around 1981/82 playing a Bunnymen/Teardrops/60s psychedelia inflenced set.

More information required.

OLE VARADI

A heavy metal band which featured PHIL LITTLER [lead guitar], dressed as Oliver Hardy.

OLLIE VEE

Rockabilly act, KEVIN PARRY - vox, JOHN TURNER - gtr, GARY MERRIT - drums.

THE ORBEATS

PHIL JOHNSON  gtr, TERRY PROBYN  gtr, STAN BAYLISS  bass, TONY CHATTERLEY  drums.
Together for around 5 years from the early to mid sixties, this Bradwell based band played R & B, and Beatles/Stones/Searchers style songs.

http://www.theorbeats.page.tl/Home.htm

See GODIVAS

OUT AFTER DARK 

A blues band from the early 80s, made of up various ex-members of THE WHITE LIGHTNING BLUES BAND, D.I.Y., & PERCY & THE PENGUINS.

PARANOIA

Formed in 1984 from the remnants of CIVIL DEFENCE. Line up was :
PAUL BRERETON, PHIL BRERETON, MICK EGGINGTON, & JAN EGGINGTON.
They gigged in London, had a couple of tracks included on a compilation album and released a single of their own and had a couple of air plays on the John Peel Show.
PHIL BRERETON took a 10 year break when the band split in 1989, befoe joining MAELSTROM.

DAVID (DES) PARTON

He started his career with GREEN GINGER in the late 1960s, fronted and recorded with STRANGE FOX, HUNTER, and COLOUR SUPPLEMENT in the mid 1970s and for more than five years was lead vocals with THE CYRIL DAGWORTH PLAYERS (1976 Album) often sharing the stage with LONNIE COOK.
Song-writing success came in 1974 with Sad Sweet Dreamer reaching number one in the UK charts performed by top band Sweet Sensation. This successful partnership produced a second hit, Purely By Coincidence, charting at number eleven. 
DES sang his own way to success in 1975 when he stormed the UK charts at number two with his cover of Stevie Wonder's classic Isn't She Lovely and released his first solo album, Snaps, recorded with the Rubettes.
He continued to sing, record and produce into the 80's and 90's and is still writing and recording today from his studio in Cheshire.

PASSPORT SMILES

Rock/new wave band featuring JEFF on vox, STEVE drums, and PEG on guitar. JEFF worked in LEGENDARY LONNIE'S record shop in Stoke. They changed their name to MIGHTIER THAN KONG in 1981.

PETER & THE PERSUADERS

Stoke-on-Trent was this band's home patch and they specialised in cover versions of late fifties rock'n'rollers like The Wanderer, which was included on their four track EP released in 1965. Other tracks were Oh My Soul, LONNIE'S Wine Glass Rock, and Cross My Heart, which was written by JACKIE TRENT, which was an uncharacteristic excursion into beat-pop territory.

DAVID IONS went on to become general manager of DJM's publishing branch

THE PHANTOMS

Local boxing legend PAT BROGAN was lead singer with this early sixties beat group. He also sang with THE BLACK CATS.

More information required.

THE PIGEON KICKERS

Macclesfield based Hawkwind influenced outfit. PETE TEAGLE, gtr/vox, MATTHEW BRIGGS, gtr/vox, JEFF PARRY, percussion/vox, ED GRIFFITHS, drums. ED GRIFFITHS is the brother of MARION drummer CHRIS GRIFFITHS. He also played in MONSTER AGOGO.

THE PITS

Stooges/Dolls influenced band from Alsager. Formerly known as DISTURBANCE.

THE PITS - mark 1

Tim Shutt - lead vocals

Phil Murphy - lead Guitar

Clive Williams - Rhythm guitar

Lynn - Bass

Phil Bourne – Drums

Vocalist TIM was a cross between Iggy Pop & Norman Wisdom! He later joined THE HAPPY REFUGEES. BOURNE joined THE COLOURS OUT OF TIME.

Played a series of notorious gigs around the area becoming legendary in the process for their wild on stage antics and raucous anthemic songs. Recorded now sought-after single Terminal Tokyo/ One Hell Of A Kiss which was 'Sounds' Record of the week, but after 'The Observer' found them too wild to interview and lack of promotion for the single they split up and formed......

THE PITS  - mark 2

Phil Murphy - guitar/vocals

Clive Williams guitar/ bass

John Gilhooly - Drums/vocals

Equally legendary line-up but for different reasons. They decided videos were to be future so made their own instead of playing live. As a result A&M and EMI records were both interested in them. The classic I Got Standards/Hi-Tech Fast Action single however never made it to release. Their next bizarrre move was forming 'The Brazilians' a very highly rated Beatles cover band on local club circuit in order to improve playing abilities a la Beatles in Hamburg and get girls. The lure of London and Manchester and new band opportunities  eventually pulled them apart.

THE PLAGUE

A band formed out of the punk/ new wave scene in 1978/79 by a bunch of lads who had previously attended (used in the loosest term) Thistley Hough High School.

The line up was;

TONY 'BEANO HAZELDINE on vocals - went on to join ASYLUM.

ANT FINNEY on Bass

MARK 'BOCKO' BOSSONS on Lead Guitar- went on to join PLUS SUPPORT.

ROB 'LEGGY' LEDGAR on drums.

The band had close links with THE FITZ. 

RICHARD PLANT

THE PLASTIC IDOLS

Formerly known as WILLY NILLY, THE IDOLS were Stoke's very own futurist band. Signed to CLAY RECORDS in 1980, released one of the label's earliest singles, Adventure b/w Remix. Two excellent tracks, the single was actually played on Bruno Brookes' Radio 1 show. Unfortunately, the rest of the band's set wasn't quite up to the same standard, or big time may have beckoned. Had a few support slots to big name bands: HUMAN LEAGUE, FISCHER Z, ANY TROUBLE, Q-TIPS, RELUCTANT STEREOTYPES.
Line-up:
D aka DAVE GASCOIGNE - vocals, MICK PENKETHMAN - guitar, JOHN SIMPSON - bass, DAVE WINDSOR - keyboards, ROBERT WILD - drums. DAVE GASCOIGNE is the brother of one time Vine landlord Willie Gascoigne. DAVE GASCOIGNE went on to form TOWNHOUSE. PENKETHMAN left to form THE PRODUCT, he was replaced by MICK TOMKINSON. WILD & TOMKINSON formed LOWLIFE.

http://www.myspace.com/plasticidols

THE PLATINUM NEEDLES

Punk band formed late 1979 in Market Drayton, the original line up of SHANE HENDERSON  vocals, GARY SEWELL  gtr, STUART MUIR  bass, & SHAUN EVANS  drums, recorded 2 tracks for the Stoke Musicians Collective's album CRY HAVOC - Organised Disruption, & Telford. Bass player MUIR left after these recordings, to be replaced by KEVIN YALE. Various line-up changes occured, including the arrival of CONRAD TRACY on bass, and ROCKO on drums from the band K-OSS. A full history can be found here: http://www.platinum-needles.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/platinumneedles

PLUS SUPPORT

A JOY DIVISION type band from the early 80s. Had quite a big following, were due to play the CLAP HANDS concert in '82, then pulled out.

MARK 'BOCKO' BOSSONS - Guitar - now performing with UMBRELLA SUN.

CARL 'BAZ' BARRETT – vocals

DUNCAN 'DUNC' - (can’t remember his surname) - drums

Other members may have been ANDY 'MANDERS' MANSFIELD ex THE FITZ or TIM 'MAC' McLOUGHLIN ex DARK PARADE.

POPWALL 72

POPWALL 72 consisted of GRAINGER REECE, guitar, synth and scary vocals, MARK CAPEWELL, bass, and TERRY SUTTON, guitar; 3 young Stoke lads who practiced in the basement at the Burslem Leisure Centre. The name came from a combination of a wall called “the popwall” in  the basement and the fact that GRAINGER stated that it all started for him in 1972. Did a bizarre version of Stepping Stone in their live set.

THE POSITIVE IONS

Formed by DAVE TOMLINSON after he quit THE OBSESSIONS in 1979, the band featured DAVE on bass NIGEL REES (guitar), ALPHONSE (drums), CHRIS PRICE (synth and drum machine), and JILL APPLETON (vox). JILL left in July '80 to be replaced by NORM THE STORM on vocals. Around this time the band became THE AUCADION.

THE POTTERS

We'll Be With You, released in 1972 on Pye Records to celebrate S.C.F.C.'s trip to Wembley for the 1972 League Cup Final, was recorded by the Stoke squad under the name THE POTTERS.
Written by local singer/songwriter and Stoke fan JACKIE TRENT with her husband Tony Hatch, it reached number 34 on the charts.

PREDATOR

Rock.

More information required.

THE PRODUCT

4-piece punk band featuring ex-member of THE VEINS, STEVE THORNHILL - bass, plus ex PLASTIC IDOLS member MICK PENKETHMAN, NICK HEMMINGS, ex KILLJOYS on drums, and a female vocalist. Signed with Clay Records in '81, released a mini-LP called STYLE WARS, a number of tracks were played on John Peel's Radio 1 show. Ex VEIN DAVE JENKINS was rumoured to have been a member in the band's early days. HEMMINGS also played with THE RUSSIANS.

PROXIMITY

4-piece synth combo from Crewe, a sound reminiscent of Gary Numan. IAN BOURNE, brother of COLOURS OUT OF TIME man PHIL BOURNE, and cousin of NEALE DOWN (ALL THE MADMEN) played synth. Vocalist was called CLIVE. In 2010, the track My Thoughts Correspond appeared on an unofficial American release, CRISPY NUGGETS VOL.3.

PSEUDO-FREAX

One of the bands on the early Stoke Musicians Collective scene. They became THE SQUARE PEGS.

PSYCHE

A Leek band, they released a single in 1983 on Burning Worlds Records entitled NEVER LAUGH.

More information required.

THE PUBLIC

On the early STOKE MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE scene, played the Burslem bandstand concert in July 1980.

More information required.

PYRAMID

Rock band that split in June 1980.