GOG MAGOG (1990-95)
After the break up of the mind-boggingly naïve Ariel Skylight, myself with singer/songwriter Tom Davis formed Gog Magog at Harlow College, along with a fresh-faced 60’s keyboard player named Adam Davies. Performing ten minute long Prog rock epics (with costume changes) to an audience of grunge kids didn’t quite fit the mood of the times.
After a good haircut and some rehabilitation, we eventually emerged as a hardcore punk band, and to shocking effect. We recruited a hot local rhythm section, namely; Danny Wright on bass and Wasif Hussain on drums; and with me on guitar and Tom as vocalist we burst onto the scene like a bomb on a plane.
Our first demo was taken up and released as a 7" single by ORG Records in 1994 and a lot of the big boys were sniffing around for a while; and still we managed to fuck it up!
The bubble burst (or rather deflated) as we got bogged down in the studio recording our first album.
SUB PATROL (1996-98)
Sub Patrol sort of evolved from the recording sessions of Gog Magog through various personnel changes. We emerged as a tighter, funkier outfit while maintaining a raw edge.
We gigged for a bit and made some fine recordings, but through lack of commitment and interest from record labels we finally folded it up in 1998.
THE CHEVRONS (2002-04)
The Chevrons was the brainchild of keyboard player Adam Davies: a ska band anyone? Yes, why not?
It quickly became a sort of hub for stray musicians who weren’t in bands anymore, and under the united flag of ska, offered a new lease of life to the otherwise musically moribund.
After working our way through the ska standards we quickly grew to writing our own songs.
The band swelled up to an eight piece; and with a lively set and an ever-increasing array of outfits, we became popular on the live scene.
Alas, it wasn’t to last. As is often the way with ska bands; they’re not prone to longevity. We recorded a couple of albums worth of material before it started to dry up. The river had run its course.
