Mr Jones
is really the only common (we were going surviving member, but the
others are still alive - just in hiding!) link to the band's
original line up when first conceived in the early '90s. The group,
then affectionately known as The Old Spice Boys, was borne out of a
rather long drinking session (funny that!) between Peter Wareham,
Duncan Newsome and Paul Taylor, all Diageo (an alcoholic beverage
company) alumni. Whilst drunkenly trying to impress an attractive
and clearly disinterested young filly, Peter informed her that he
was the singer in a band (the cocktails were on fire that night!).
When faced with the unexpected response of "Great, where I can I see
you play?", Peter found he'd boxed himself into something of a
corner!
The following day, Peter approached Andy and suggested that he
should consider ending his self-imposed exile from the music
industry and form a band. Not so much 'a mission from god', more a
mission from Peter's libido and rapidly diminishing street cred!
Somewhat reluctantly Andy agreed and the search was then on for
other band members. Paul Taylor was also trying to find new ways of
impressing the ladies and, overwhelmed by the audacity of Peter's
ploy, volunteered to be joint lead singer.
Rehearsals began in a studio next to the Guinness Brewery in Park
Royal. The initial cacophony was quickly brought under control by
Andy's suggestion to maybe consider tuning their instruments,
radically… perhaps even to the same key! This brought forth a great
improvement, until the end of a particularly vicious version of The
Who's 'My Generation', when it was noticed that Bob was still
playing and with his back to everyone, blissfully unaware the rest
of the band had struck the final chord. Sadly, the studio had made
the mistake of installing a wall of mirrors, which Bob was using to
studiously work his way through every rock guitarist pose in the
book. Completely oblivious to anything around him, Bob was
eventually stopped when his amp was switched off at the mains! His
'duck walk' was unfortunately cut off in its prime………………..
After a while Andy tried to convince the rest of the band that they
needed a better place to rehearse, but it took some months to
persuade the others to agree to this - in part, due to the
convenient placement of a branch of that well known gentlemen's
establishment known as Spearmint Rhino (the aforementioned variety
of 'pawn' with the alternate spelling)!
The band's first gig was finally arranged in the company bar. The
young ladies who'd unwittingly played their part in starting the
whole thing had long since transferred any mild interest they might
have held elsewhere, so another reason for the event was fervently
sought. Andy's wife, Jennie, suggested that maybe they should make
the event a charity fundraiser for
Finally, with a renewed sense of purpose, the night of the gig
arrived……………………
Having enlisted assistance from personnel in the notoriously cut
throat Marketing Department, the advertising campaign for the event
was significantly more successful than anticipated. Rather than a
few people who couldn't be bothered to go home after work, the event
was completely sold out and Johnnie Walker on Nine (the company bar)
was packed. Sardines (and rats!) were seen leaving the building in
droves! At this point the inevitable nerves hit Peter. He stood in
front of Andy red faced, with his mouth contorted, jaws flapping
open and closed as if in a silent movie. Immediately realising
Peter had lost his voice completely due to a nervous panic, quick as
a flash, Andy relieved Peter of the key to the locker containing his
carefully horded bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label and induced
him to drink deeply. Within ten minutes, Peter's voice was
restored, although his enunciation appeared somewhat impaired.
The event was a huge success and, despite the sometimes awful noise
coming from the stage, everyone had a great time. More importantly,
a shed load of dosh had been raised for a great cause!
Other mostly annual fundraising events involving the boys followed
and each seemed to be bigger and better than the last. One of the
most memorable being when Richard Shakespeare and Paul Taylor got
chatting to a guy in a bar and mistakenly told him they were in a
band and had a gig in a couple of weeks. The guy informed them he
was a Lighting Engineer and that he had a new lighting rig he wanted
to try out and would the band like some free lights? How could they
say no???
On the afternoon before the gig there was a huge commotion outside
the building, as a large truck blocked the road to unload a
seemingly never ending stream of flight cases and other
paraphernalia. Slowly the realisation dawned that this was the
lighting rig delivery. It transpired that it was approximately half
the rig to be used at a forthcoming REM gig at Wembley Arena. As
the two Lighting Engineers surveyed the bar the boys were playing in
the colour quickly drained from their faces as the gulf between what
Paul and Richard had told them about the gig/venue and the reality
in front of them sank in. Gamely the guys set about constructing a
small rig (it only took up half the bar!). When complete they asked
where the nearest power points were located, as they'd need at least
ten. Unfortunately the single point the whole band was running off
was the only one available – ooops…..!!!
After a fateful
meeting one day, the Head of IT buttonholed Peter and suggested the
band should audition a guy he knew that 'played a bit of sax'.
Bearing in mind that this was Peter's boss and it was his budget
that funded most of the band events, saying no wasn't really an
option. As the band was already fully manned (sorry Jane, fully
personned!), they reluctantly arranged a rehearsal/audition. Marco
Piantino duly arrived, set up and let rip. At the end of the
audition, the whole band asked Marco if they'd got the job, as he
clearly should have been auditioning them!!!
Over the next few
years the band members changed, some left the company, some couldn't
face it, but there were always willing (and sometimes tone deaf)
replacements available. Including………..
·
Paul
Shakespeare – Richard's equally whacky brother, who joined
on bass. We will never forget their frequent nagging and tiffs –
more like an old married couple than two brothers!
·
Tony George – An absolutely
remarkable voice, especially when used at the right time. Also the
man whose diplomatic skills saved one of the gigs, when threatened
with cancellation by a slightly overzealous member of the facilities
team!
·
Howard Gregory – The man
whose utter shock at the terrifying realisation of what he'd let
himself in for at his first rehearsal was a picture to be taken to
the grave. As was the sound of him uttering the words, 'it wasn't
like this in the choir…'.
· Matt Arrowsmith – The awesome New Zealand bass player who did so much to show us what the bands potential could be – and then promptly left the country (mumbling something about having to get married – some excuse!)
Howard persuaded a
newcomer to the Diageo fold, Jane Butterly, to come along to a
rehearsal and give the whole backing singer thing a try. Sceptical,
to say the least, about her own abilities and acceptance into the
band, she agreed to come along and see the band in action. Quickly
bribing her way in by taking responsibility for buying cans of lager
for the rehearsals from the off licence round the corner from the
Shepherd's Bush Studios (Andy had managed to prize the guys away
from the lure of Spearmint Rhino by this time – the fact that the
old studio was demolished helped too!), Jane managed to stun the
entire band the first time she opened her mouth to sing…because she
could! Someone who could actually sing in the right key at the
right time was something of a novelty for the Old Spice Boys.
Jane's elevation to being 'one of the boys' did present some
challenges, as it was patently obvious she wasn't a boy. Therefore,
the name of the band was called into question. Once again, as he
had with the original Old Spice Boys name, Duncan came up with the
'Maniac Street Cleaners' - a play on the name of a well known Welsh
beat combo – and no, we don't cover any of their material!
Due to work commitments, Richard had to pull out of the band's last
couple of company gigs. He was duly replaced by Marc Collins, an
excellent drummer who, like Matt Arrowsmith, showed what the band
might be capable of outside the safety of the company bar.
The rest, as they say, is history…...
