Barmy Surplus sprang into life like a coiled sponge round a table outside The Eastdene Working Men’s club in Barnsley. It was a warm summers evening and Al, Jethro and Faz waxed lyrical about the tunes they could cover and the sound they wanted to create with both their own numbers, and other peoples.
A name for the band had still to be thunk up, but this wasn’t a priority as at the time they didn’t even have a drummer or bass player. The first meeting was productive none the less…they all went home half cooked!
Stu, Faz’s younger brother had been chopping away at a bass for a year or so and had just started to take lessons, Faz called round one day and paused on the doorstep of Stu’s little mansion to listen to a familiar bass riff coming through the open window. Faz knocked and the music stopped. Stu answered the door and denied all knowledge! ‘tha earing things!’ was Stu’s response. Faz knew different…he let Stu believe he’d convinced him…for now anyways!
2 weeks later and Al secured some rehearsal space at a friends lock up. Their first practice consisted of 2 guitars, a tambourine, some words printed off the internet and a 4 pack of Stella each. What came out of this session wasn’t much tune wise, but they each knew they wanted to continue their attempt of world domination via ska!
Another couple of weeks pass by and up pops Stu to rehearsal, Fender bass in one hand, amp in the other…’I’ve not been playing long but I can kinda keep time and blag my way through if you want me to join rehearsals….just until you find someone proper!?’ They welcomed Stu with open arms and helped him in with his gear. ‘He was nervous’ remembers his big brother Faz,’ but I knew he had been practicing hard from the day I dropped by his place’. Stu plugged in and went straight into the bass solo from Nite Klub…The lads carried on feeding wires and plugging in but each had tipped a wink and a nod at the other. ‘I didn’t want him to stop playing’ says Jethro, if we’d have stopped what we were doing to listen and watch, he would have gone all bashful on us and stopped playing…’we were all very very impressed!’ an argument ensued between the 2 brothers, ‘I knew that was you when I called round that day!!’ etc etc.
So then they were 4. A number of friends and family came in on drums to assist the lads in their quest, unfortunately the only one worth his salt had just become a new dad and couldn’t commit, but would sit in with the lads from time to time and knock some rhythms together on the back of the guitars, bass and vocals. A chance meeting of ‘the guy who practices drums next door’ happened at Barmy Surplus’s new rehearsal place at Heritage Music Studio’s. Neil was a decent enough sort of geezer, still learning, but could keep time and blag his way through. ‘Ah soddit’ the lads thought…if he can commit to regular rehearsals and the odd gig at weekends, then lets ask him to step in. Neil was more than eager to start, and filled the slot nicely for the first 18 months of gigging. Alas, Neil came under increasing pressure from work to work funny shifts, Neil and his misses Sally had 3 kids under five and another one on the way so something had to give. Neil left the band late in 2007. Neil and Sal still come to the gigs when they can get a baby sitter, and are regular and supportive members of ‘THE BARMY ARMY’ (The official fan club)
Within a fortnight the lads had auditioned and rehearsed another drummer Eddie. Eddie came straight from Ponty based band and stalwarts of the local Oi/Punk scene, The Yorkshire Rats, so his pedigree was second to none as far as the band were concerned. Eddie was a hard drummer, knew his onions, and was keen to get up and running. He also hailed from Hemsworth, Stu’s home town.
So the line up was complete once again…or was it!??
With approaching 100 gigs under their belts, the band have recently made another signing. Welcome on board (Well keyboard anyway!) Alan Stevenson. Alan and Jethro are long term friends and can be seen jamming together on campsites and round friends back garden barbecue’s on occasion. Alan has brought another dimension to the Barmy Sound, not just with his expertise on keys but also with his vocals. Alan has bags of experience performing live, and his knowledge and understanding of vocal harmonies and how it all fits together is a welcome addition to rehearsals…And so the Barmy Battle Bus trundles on! Barmy Surplus have recently secured another support slot with 80’s Ska legends the Beat after their successful support slot at Holmfirth Picturedrome in the summer of 08. The lads are keen to write more of their own stuff and showcase it at festivals in 2010, feelers are out but if anyone knows anyone who would be willing to take them on at a festival…please contact Barmy central.
See you down the front HIGGIT!!
