Photograph
The Megaband
Bakers Vaults
1985

“Has the Bakers Vaults got a cellar then ?
Tony Small -he was in the Tongues for a short while, Long running Tech man at the acadamy in town.
Warty was spotted at a funeral a few weeks back .”

“I thought Tony had done a brief stint in the Tongues but suspected it might have been a dream.”

“The Bakers not only has a cellar but a Sub Basement below that. Its not open to the public though its where all the beer pumps are and its used for storage.It was cleared out for the party. Sam the current Landlord lets us rehearse in there sometimes . Its not ideal but Landmark gets chance to blow his lungs out without disturbing neighbors etc...”

“Stalwart is currently playing in France with The Stalactites, mainly to an audience of German skiers in hotels in Brides les Bains. I have witnessed these gigs first hand and delight every time he gets his bass sax out, hits a very low, loud note and proclaims to the bemused audience, "That's the noise that the Bismarck made, just before it went down...."”

“You dont get that at Chill Factor...Lets hope he doesn't precipitate an avalanche with the subsonics....”

“I remember 'The Stalwart' (Stuart Butler), he played in my band The Ride and was on our single, Half Ten Closin Again, great guy drove an old Lagonda Symphony, he looked like a gangster with his bald head and sax case getting outa that, cool dude, Phil Platt
www.philplanet.co.uk www.darksideoftheearth.co.uk”

“I remember seeing the Ride play at the Manchester Arms (I have the tape I bought on the night).I thought you were pretty good and was deeply envious of the Roland guitar synth.”

“Wow thanks, thats amazing, we played the MA loads of times as Dot was a big Ride fan, I had all the Roland synth range at one time or another, trouble was is that people just thought it was the keyboards, most people didnt get the idea that a guitar could play a synth then, I had GR700, GR300, GR707, as they came out, there are loads of pics and info on Ride on my website at: www.philplanet.co.uk I still write and play and have a new thing going at www.darksideoftheearth.co.uk
Thanks fer the comment, nice to here from someone who was there, do you remember Mick Diffley, (now of late), Cheers, Phil”

“I saw Ian and Dot last night in the Bakers (they are in there most Tuesdays fot the Jazz)There is talk of a Megaband revival in the pipeline...We probably have many mutual friends but I dont remember Mick Diffley.”

“Hey if you see Dot and Ian again send them my regards, yep I know loads from Stockport, Graham Nall, John Dickenson, Graham Attwood, Dave Barrow, Pete McClean, John Brett, lPhil Ellis and co, the late Stuart Siret, loads more as well, any good?”

“I was actually out with John Dickenson, John Brett was in there too.I will pass on your regards next time.....”

“Nice one thanks, PS I am putting together a website with all my old stuff on there, John D has loads of reall good 10X8 black and white close ups of The Riders as he was a big fan in them days, can you ask him if he will sort me out some digital copies for me, tell him I will credit him for them, my site is at www.philplanet.co.uk and www.darksideoftheearth.co.uk my email is phil@philplanet.co.uk, if yah will it would be much appreciated, PS tell John I am also in touch with Cam Cambell again ex Ride bassman and now still in the punk band in London, www.andisexgang.com, Cam will be playing on my new band/project "Dark Side Of The Earth" nice one and thanks, Phil”

“Will do, wont see him till next week though........”

“Nice one thanks a lot, this site is actually amazing, I have got to find loads of my old band mates on here and am now working with some of them again, all through communications with people like yourself, like you say it wouldnt suprise me if I know you or have met you at some point, I certainly spent a lot of time in Stockport as I was from Cheadle Hulme, Thanks Again, Phil”

“JD and I both saw Stalwart at the funeral of Dave Moss on 28th Aug. Very moving occasion, Dave's tenor sax was carried behind his coffin. Ian and Dot were there too. RIP Dave Moss, sax player extraordinary.”

“Wow another good man done gone...
P”

“I saw Stalwart last Sunday (see earlier comments) He was playing Sax (of course) in a Dub Reggae band by the name of Homegrown Effect who did a nice Dubby version of "Groove is in the Heart" they were on in Bakers Vaults”