IN THE BEGINNING...............
There was a lanky teen with a cheap guitar, in his bedroom without a clue!
I still make music in my bedroom and still seem to be making it up as I go along! But back then I had my Axe Riffmaster, an amp I can't remember and some Tab books. In an uncommon display, my mum talked to the glass collector at a local WMC (do they even exist anymore!?!) about my musical aspirations. He was taking guitar lessons and was also a metalhead. He volunteered to mentor me in the ways. This Jedi to Padawan relationship continued until Ian "Fatha" Thomas stated "I can teach you no more".
Several bedroom bands existed in these wilderness years, some almost came close to gigging. Most never made it past drunken rambles in the Charters Arms Public House. Which is where I made my first public appearance. Hiding behind a pool table and a couple of backing singers, nervously playing a patchy take of Knockin on heavens door. After this I moved on to jamming with what I shall refer to as "The Usual Suspects", mostly with affection. Apart from the odd one or two characters that I wish had not been in as many episodes as they were.
THE ORIGINAL TUT BAND
Featuring some of the Usual Suspects!
My first "Real" band was put together after a standard drunk conversation that was actually followed through. Myself, Mark D (first generation Usual Suspect), a vocalist called Glam Tony and a real drummer by the name of Gary. I think we jammed 2 songs for several hours! But it was a start. Glam Tony faded out. Mark D drifted from guitar, to Bass and eventually lead Vocals and Fatha Thomas came in on bass. We never actually gigged, but I learned how to work in a band format, work on cover versions and began writing tunes. This band went the way of "Artistic Differences".
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My "Day Job" working life has been as varied as the rest of my life. I found myself working in a legendary town centre Public House - The Tut'nShive.
This place was a living entity! It shaped and moulded the very existence of its staff and patrons. From this petri dish emerged a band, initially to play theme nights. Mark D and I were joined by Drummer Wilf, Bassist Rik (Gen 1 Usual Suspects!) and an unsavoury character on guitar who shall not be named. We played a Rocky Horror Themed night that made the local papers! Wilf was the Drummer for Sheffield rockers Innocent Child so we shared the odd gig and stage a few times. Ultimately Wilf's main band took priority and a new drummer was sourced. Kev (1st gen Usual Suspect!) took up the throne and Rik (a man so Goth he shat Bats!) named us Morphic Oceans.
I didn't stick around - Artistic Differences! I attempted to worm my way into local legendary band Goatleaf (I'd known the drummer since college) but didn't get anywhere, probably for the best really. I ended up playing lead guitar in a new project named Swamp Donkey. we gigged as a cover band across the region for a while until I hit a confidence crisis.
Nothing much happened for a while. I decided to go back to college while rounding out my time in III Duke of Wellingtons Regt. Popular Music at Rotherham College was a creative environment filled with amazing talented individuals. Bands formed and merged fluidly, I learned so much about being a working musician. Upon my return from some compulsory training I found myself out on a limb. Our end of year performance was set out to feature bands of differing genre's. In my absence I had been placed with a group who had chosen "Glam & 80s Metal". Not a problem..... apart from no guitarist was needed. And that's how I ended up becoming a singer. And that's when "He" was born!
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THE PROTO BARON AND THE BANGKOK LADYBOYZ
The band formerly known as Turtle Z, transformed into a glam/hair metal powerhouse. This was specifically for the Yr 1 Final Performance. The assignment brief asked for genre specific bands. We had some old school indie, some heavy stoner groove, some generally weird stuff and us! The band had been formed, the set discussed  and a lot of ground covered before I returned from deploy. I got my musical boots back on the ground and slid into the lead vocalist spot. When I heard the concept, I was honestly super excited and Immediately wanted to channel my inner Alice Cooper and spam up completely. It was quickly decided that we went big or went home! We were all having costumes! Rehearsals were electric and all eyes (Some of them green!) would be on us at that performance. We did a practice set in the afternoon at the Rotherham College Studio Theatre and then got ready for the main event.
Looking back, I don't think anyone really knew what we were actually going to do. We put on our costumes and face paint. Suddenly some of the other bands were scrambling for gimmicks and painting scars and comedy 'tash's on their faces. We hit the stage and the place exploded. It was like the Rocky Horror Gig on a big venue scale. It felt like the entire place was singing and dancing. I feel like that moment, that first real taste of audience euphoria woke up my spare personality and "He" The Baron was born. In every band I had played in before I had hid behind my instrument and been pretty self deprecating. The Baron was the complete opposite. The stage, the room, you and your first born were all his! Vincent Furnier, the man behind Alice Cooper always says they are 2 separate people. I kind of get that now!
Any how, We were an amazing success. We made the local papers and got booked for gigs that very night. What followed was a bit of a whirlwind of a year with a silly amount of gigs. And adoration! The Baron loved it and his power grew! Unfortunately, we burned too bright and fell to ash when we finished our course and dispersed to other educational facilities. We were and still are remembered for that gig. Even now, over a decade since the Bangkok's first ever performance. People say we were "The Darkness" and "Steel Panther" are before they even existed. The Baron slept, it wouldn't be too long before he woke again.
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