Soundsurround aka Black Orchid

My First Band.

So when did it all start? Not at home with Mom and Dad that's for sure - we did have a piano which my dad would often sit at and bang out his idol, Buddy Holly's hits, the occasional Elvis ditto and lots of other stuff I have no idea was. I asked him to teach me some stuff and he taught me the chord C major, he told me to learn this as it was a 'common' chord. But that was the last lesson he gave me.

So, after several years and when I was about 19 it was just like this; out of the blue sitting minding my own business my brother Philip said 'fancy starting a band?'. So I thought this over for, ooh all of 3 seconds and having decided none of us had any instruments, could play an instrument or knew anybody who could, well naturally I said 'Yeah Ok.'! So we decided I'd learn the drums and he would learn keyboards - we went up to a place in Birmingham called, well I can't remember but it was opposite what is now Argos and sold mainly home organs. The salesman (who must have rapidly realised he was dealing with a pair of silly bastards) lead us over to a Casio 1000P which basically was an electronic organ - but he told us it was a synthesizer. I got some finance (about £425 I think) and away we trotted with this 'synth'. Drums next. We went to a shop near Snow Hill station called Yardleys which was principally a drummer's shop (no jokes please). We didn't have much cash, we carried home.. a 12" tom tom.. and some sticks.

It rapidly became apparent that Philip wasn't a keyboard player and that I was able to quickly adapt to the instrument and since I got the finance for it, I took it home. We eventually got a full drum kit and we both found places that did lessons. I went to a place in Hall Green ran by Alan Abraham who my dad put me in touch with - he apparently had also given Jeff Lynne (ELO) lessons, well that's what he said anyway. Philip got lessons with none of than Steve Palmer, brother of Carl Palmer of ELP fame. He had a studio above Musical Exchanges in Birmingham.

Philip's brother-in-law, Peter decided he also wanted to be part of our supergroup and got himself a bass guitar and amp - couldn't play the bastard to save his life but he did try, bless him. We rehearsed in my bedroom, at my mom's maisonette in Shopton Road, Shard End. It didn't last long. Drums ain't quiet. Peter also soon gave up being the next Mark King.

Philip's sister-in-law, Carol lived next to a guy called Ian who played guitar and she connected us with him. Turns out he was forming a band of his own with friends Nigel (bass) and Nick (vocals). We all hooked up and got on really well. We secured a local church (I later got married in) for rehearsals and finally started playing 'proper' music.

Well I thought it was proper at the time. Nigel was a great guy. I would play with Nigel in bands later on. Nick too was also a nice enough chap but to say he wasn't a singer is somewhat of an understatement. Everything he sang was in falsetto! His idol was Freddie Mercury (Queen) and he adopted Freddie's flamboyant  nature but sadly did not have the great man's vocal abilities Sorry Nick if you're reading this.  Rehearsals were also something of a joke. Apart from the first one I don't think we ever had a full complement of members. Either Nigel would be ill, Nick couldn't make it could his mom was ill, Ian couldn't do it this week cos his guitar was ill.. etc. Sometimes we had extra members, Ian's girlfriend Judy became an unofficial member and once treated us to her Joan Baez esque folk compositions. Joan Baez was a joke too far without somebody trying to be her for fecksake! But even she was better than Nick. Anyway Ian soon realised long before any of us that we were a shower of shit and soon just stopped turning up. He even moved away from next door to Carol probably in case we tried to track him down.

There are some recordings of Soundsurround and I fear that I may even clean them up and pop maybe a few seconds on here for you to listen to, more than that would be harmful to your health. All I can say is thank FUCK we never gigged! I heard that Nick found another bunch of poor bastards to torture with his vocal athletes foot and did actually gig at The Railway in Curzon Street, Birmingham. Whether or not its true or not I don't know but apparently his entrée was to leap onto the stage in a Flash Gordon style cape and as soon as he started 'singing' he was laughed off the fecking stage. Believable.

Soundsurround (aka Black Orchid). Weren't we cool!!! No.

Nigel, Nick, Ian, Phil, Judy & Me.

After Ian (and Judy) left Philip soon packed in Soundsurround and drumming altogether. I think he was disappointed we weren't going to be Depeche Mode overnight. I don't know when Nick left! Nigel fared better and found Mindz Eye.

This page was last edited 02/09/2007