When I moved to Liverpool in 1983, I acquired a synthesiser, experimented with sequencing and adopted a more heavily-processed guitar sound. I decided to start a band, and advertised for musicians*. I formed Paddys Wigwam with no-nonsense bassist Bryn Frankland, and flamboyant singer/violinist friend Charlotte Hodgson.
Bryn, Charlotte and I composed and recorded a number of demos under the working title The Rabbit and the Dog, which continues to gather dust, along with all my other demo tapes from the eighties.
Some of the tracks had potential, but we struggled to find time in our hectic lives to write and play together. Plans to perform were never made, and the band fizzled out a few months later. I later co-founded Back to the Grind and went on to join First Night with the Indians.
Personnel
- Keith Nuttall – guitar, synthesiser and bass
- Bryn Frankland – bass and guitar
- Charlotte Hodgson – voice and violin
Listen
* The first person to audition was a young man called Nitin Sawhney, who surprised me with virtuosity in both keyboards and guitar. But, we had no common musical ground and I never took it further. Nitin went on to become quite a famous musician. My wife delights in telling this story to our friends.
Later that year, Nitin, friends Bruce, John and I formed The Temple City Moose Club — a joke/concept band, playing the wrong instruments enthusiastically with minimal rehearsal. We were booked to support chart act The Lotus Eaters, but were dropped when our MO was discovered.
Nitin recently appeared on Desert Island Discs. When asked if anyone ever said “no” to him, he replied that it never happens. My wife briefly considered phoning in.