Intro
This history though far from complete covers most of the acts to which I had an emotional bond. There were also however stints jams and sessions with people as diverse as Jack Bruce (Cream), Jon Anderson (Yes), The Skids, The Scorpions and numerous others.
Summer 1973 and I'd been in London a year hanging out at Basing Street Studios the home of Island Records and searching for a band. Attempts at finding a slot in an established act were going nowhere. London was all faded denim, glam rock and sequins and I was heavily into "Mahavishnu Orchestra" and "Carla Bley's Escalator Over the Hill".
Wired
Wired: clockwise fr top left
Me, Richard Marcangelo,
Paul Smith, Mike Taylor
I signed up for a law degree course at Ealing Tech and there met an American photography student named "Paul Smith". He was also a demon bass player, shared my taste for jazz rock and was in a band searching for a guitarist. Wired was duly formed, consisting of me, Paul, Richard Marcangelo later to be a member of the "Bowles Brothers", "Random Hold", "Manfred Manns Earthband" on drums and Mike Taylor later of "The News" ( which became "Classix Nouveau" ) "Sniff and the Tears", "The Records" and "Renaissance" on keyboards. For a short period we were augmented by "John Walters" on sax and flute but his commitments with his own band "Landscape" made it impractical.
We developed a strong following on the London circuit being renown for our intense fusion instrumentals. Naively we declined the offer to record an album for an offshoot Virgin label expecting to sign with a major but owing to our lack of vocals and hence a potential single the major deal never materialized. Most memorable gig, playing at The Speakeasy, a famous musicians haunt to an audience the front row of which included guitarists Chris Spedding and Jeff Beck. Becks next album was ( coincidentally? ) titled Wired.
There were during this period numerous diversions. Providing music for theatre projects for comedian Chris Langham, where it was not unusual to find yourself backstage aftershow sitting between John Cleese and Spike Milligan. A tour with Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson destined to become "The Comic Strip". Backing the motown style "Linda Carr and the Lovesquad" and many others.
19/8/77 "Rank" Gary Twigg, Richard Marcangelo and I get down as Clifton and the Suburbs. The inspiration for Comic Strip's 'Bad News'.
