After nearly 4 months in Germany playing on NATO bases during 1973, mostly to the Germans and Americans, we started our journey home after our very successful european tour. But when we reached the ferry terminal at Ostend to buy our tickets, we discovered we had enough money for the four of us but not our driver Jack ! The answer was to bundle Derek into a sleeping bag and sit on him hoping his muffled moans and groans would not be heard. Thankfully it worked and the 5 of us got through both ports.

Once back home, we had a week or so off then our next assignment was a residency in a hotel in the Channel Islands on the Island of Guernsey. This was a real experience for us and we spent all summer on the beaches by day and playing by night. Heaven!

But what came as a big shock was just after we got home Derek and Paul decided to call it a day. I never really knew why. This was the end of the band and with shattered dreams I reluctantly went back to a boring 9 to 5 job at Opperman Gears in Newbury. Ironically Derek also got a job there and although it was a tense time for a while for both of us as we blamed each other for the band split, we got over our differences and remained good friends, working together in a number of short-term band projects over the coming years.

However musically I did not have to wait for long before I joined another band.

Answering an advert in the local paper Chris Robinson came to see me from local band Uptown Traffic - a seven piece rock and soul band looking to replace thgeir lead guitarist. I immediately accepted the offer and joined Chris (rhythm guitar) along with Tony Locke (drums), Jed Waters (bass),
Paul Carter Sax, Richard New (sax) and Graham Hayes (trumpet).

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