Post by Les on Jan 19, 2018 15:28:28 GMT
I wonder if anyone still remembers a couple of bands I was in through the 60s and into the 70s?
The Web was formed in 1964 with a line-up consisting of Steve Bush (drums), Chris Gammon (vocals), Tony Skinner (guitar), Mick Williamson (bass) and myself on guitar.
In 1967, we found ourselves short of personnel as Chris Gammon and Tony Skinner left to pursue other interests.
At the same time, Phase Five also found themselves short of members as Tim Huckstep and Pat O’Nion had left. The band had been formed in 1963 with a line-up consisting of Rod Baker (bass), John Bray (guitar), Tim Huckstep (drums), Pat O’Nion (vocals) and Keith Parks (guitar). When Rod Baker left he was replaced on bass by Keith Parks. Brian Cook (keyboard) joined at that time. Mick Card (sax) joined the band in 1965.
It was decided to combine the two bands and The Web Foundation was born. This merger left the band with two bass guitarists and Mick Williamson switched to baritone sax. In 1968 Steve Bush left the band and was replaced on drums by Roger Cable and in 1969 Colin Middleton (trumpet) was welcomed aboard. The band continued with this line-up until the mid-1970s. Keyboard players through this period were variously Brian Cook, Chris Hocking and John Watson.
In 1997 and 2002 the band held two very successful reunions and since 2002 have been working together under various titles (Mick’s Bunch, Old Pals Act and BC among them) and with varying personnel. In 2010 it was decided to adopt the original name and The Web Foundation was re-born. With four of the original band – Mick Card and Mick Williamson (saxes), John Bray (guitar) and Colin Middleton (trumpet, flugelhorn and keyboard) – the line-up has been completed by Tony Bathurst (vocals), Pete Gamble (drums) – who joined when Roger Cable was forced to retire due to ill-health – and Don Vann (bass), who replaced the late and much lamented Dave Balchin. The band play at venues around the South East and occasionally in South-West France where they perform with members of a band formed by ex-Maidstone guitarist Mick Forrest.
Sadly, I now live too far away to be a regular band member but have joined the others for one of their French outings.
If anyone would like to get in touch with the band, they can be contacted via mick@pentype.co.uk ... I know they would be delighted to hear from you, as would I.
Peter Capon
Hi Mike, I was at school with Tony Skinner and in fact had an e-mail from hime last week. Strangely I had not heard of him for nearly fifty years, he going on to Tech I think and me at St. Francis. Pat Onion was at Tech. Coll. doing business studies at the same time as myself and its probably forty five years since I have seen him. Tony Bathurst scared the sh.... out of me so I never really knew him untill many years later he came into a hairdressing salon that I was working in sat in my chair and trembled I mean really trembled saying sorry mate I just have a thing about having my haircut it scares the sh.. out of me. I thought if he only knew how he scared us kids in the old days.... Funny old world innit.