Page 4
Pages |
||
We lost Barry because at 18, he wanted to get married and this came as a great shock to us. I had another schoolmate who was always following the band around. He could play guitar a bit so one day I suggested that he learn to play bass. Derek Perris jumped at the chance and I taught him all the songs.
In the winter of 1971 he joined Final Decision taking Barry's place. Derek and I were great mates and we were always playing and learning new numbers.
Within the year the group suffered another huge blow as Kate left the band leaving just the 4 of us. This meant that I had to assume lead vocals and the other guys had to deal with the harmony legacy that Kate and Barry had left us with. This was probably the most difficult thing to overcome as Derek, Paul and Jeff were not great singers themselves. At two points during during 1971 we tried to reintroduce girl singers (Paul's cousin Diane and Lorretta Morris) back into the band but it just wasn't the same without Kate.
But as 1972, dawned new and exciting plans were made for the 4 main members of Final Decision. After cutting some more demo-disks we were given the opportunity by Jeff's dad Jack to turn professional and go on the road!
At midnight on April 23rd 1972 we sped off in the band's Ford Transit to an unknown future. The first stop were auditions with agents in Huddersfield and Newcastle. We came back with enough work from northern pubs and clubs to see us playing every night for the next 4 months.
|
We were tasting our first real successes as we were absolutely amazed at our appeal to young audiences. The band's exciting repertoire covered many of the day's groups like T-Rex, Slade, Alice Cooper and Deep Purple. The band was getting really good too with a much harder edge and stage show that left girls screeming! One night in Norwich I suddenly noticed Dereks bass playing take-off like a rocket. From then on his style was very unique and very powerful and I knew then he had achieved his dream.
We did a deal with White's of Sunderland to renew our musical equipment to professional standards. I acquired my Les Paul, derek got a Rickenbacker bass, Paul received a Hammond L100 organ and Jeff got his dream double bassdrum drumkit. We also got a new powerful PA too.
It was inevitable (although now when looking back on it - highly embarrassing) that current fashion dictated that we improved our image to fall in line with what other bands were wearing! (Oh my God!)
The following year, after a remarkable 1972, saw the band go abroad to work for Geisler Gunther agency in Frankfurt Germany.
Money was tight and I remember a diet of Weetabix and water washed down with tumblers of neat brandy given to us by our American hosts! Our base was Frau Bette's guest house in Langen-Hessen near Frankfurt.
Core
| Profile
| Live Music
| Recording
| Video Animation Image | Web Design
| Education
| Links | Misc | Contact
© d y s o n g s 2009
© d y s o n g s 2009