In 1998 at the tender age of 18-20 odd we took part in the local event of the year, Windsor Rock Week. Sponsored by Windsor recording studio Running Frog Music, it was an original band competition held at Windsor Arts Centre in the sweaty dungeon room, but it was an awesome experience and I remember it fondly. Back in those days !daft! was an original band featuring me (Graeme) on bass guitar, Esroy Simpson on vocals (and primary songwriter), Scott Davies and Geoff Portwain on guitars and Matt Siddall on drums. We were all from the Slough area and mainly knew each other through school, although I had known Matt since first school. Esroy wrote great songs, very chirpy and upbeat, quirky in places and we had a sound quite relevant to the time, that twangy, brit-pop kinda thing. The main requirements were good catchy choruses and bright sounding guitars.

Having enjoyed all the stories in the new Facebook group Windsor Past and Present for all I thought I would share this old Windsor Rock Week album, it’s not a live recording, but features the main tracks performed by each of the 15 bands that took part in the event that year. If you are 30 something and from Windsor/Slough area this may be quite interesting to you, there are actually some quite good songs on this little collection of demos.

Tracks

1. Rubout by Vacant Stare – A spacey electrothrash track, reminded me of Senser at the time.
2. Freak Daddy by Buffalo Power – I remember thinking they looked exactly like Toploader. Funky grooves in a catch pop song here. Think they came second??
3. I Need to Unwind by Parachute – A nice track, kind of Suede like vocals, lots of high octave harmony.
4. Now I Know by Jamaflip – Singer sounds like Damon Albarn, another of the era sounding track, nice work.
5. Introdestruction by Tongue – A fierce sounding song, riff led, sounds very Therapy?
6. Funky Monkey Man by Confuzin Jack – Probably the finest crafted track on the album. Infectiously catchy and very funky! Written and fronted by my mate Melo who is now a professional Johnny Depp lookalike!
7. Mr. Sunshine by !daft! – Well obviously my favourite track on the album I have to say I do love this song, very bright and easy to listen to. Despite it being full of little schoolboy errors I wouldn’t change a thing on it. A small secret – we weren’t feeling this take (it’s a live recording) and by the end had decided via various looks at each other that we wouldn’t keep it so we ended up doing a bit of a wet ending on it. After we ran out of time or something so ended up using it complete with it’s ropey ending.
8. Got To Get Ya by Ricochet – Another great performance band if I remember right, music to get you bouncing.
9. Twilight Hours by Belisha B – I remember thinking at the time that they were a professional band. A nice catchy brit pop feel female led track. Nice use of phaser on the guitar! Wow.
10. Going Down by Cobweb Strange – I may be wrong but I think these guys won WRW 1996? A very nice track, beautiful tempo, warm sound and a very nice production. Check it out!
11. I Don’t Actually Think, I Have by Oil – Very punky-pop Green Day sounding track. I would be surprised if there was any more influence than Dookie on this track! But a nice effort on a catchy punk pop track.
12. What Nobody Will Know by Substatic – Funky  kind of rock, hard to define, but a nice overall rock track with some nice bass work.
13. Science Fiction by Roadrunner – A typical, fairly messy, rock track.
14. Parasite by Tono Tono – These lads I remember well, very young Japanese boys from the Teikyo School in Slough. I think their English was limited but their rock was perfectly fluent! Very thrash, they love that thing out in the far East!
15. Life Jim by Pimblico – If my memory serves me correctly this was sung by Natalie who’s voice I loved, was the purest of them all at the time. A cool and calm interesting Trek inspired track.

Whilst this trip down nostalgia lane might not be applicable to many, to those music lovers in the Windsor area this album may bring about some fond memories so it’s for you I post it.

If you are one of the bands mentioned here please get in touch and let us know how you’re doing!

Hope you enjoy the tracks and thanks to Phil Ray, John Mills and co for putting this event and CD together all those years ago.

Graeme.

Friday 23rd March 2012 saw us play a debut date with The Crown Hotel in Chertsey and without doubt, it was a great night. Loads of face we knew came along, way too many to list, plus I always end up inadvertently forgetting to mention someone! So I shan’t list. But it was a great night and we hope that we will be able to return there in 2013 if not before. Thanks to Tony and Sian for having us and to those who came and supported! Oh, and also Gareth, one of the young bar staff who came and sang with the band. Great work!! Here’s the pics for you.

The Crown Hotel, Chertsey, 23rd March 2012

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This was a debut gig at the Falkners Arms for us and it turned out to be a really great night! The venue management are fantastic, very hospitable and friendly. We would love to play there again in 2012 but we fear there will not be enough space in the diary, however we are currently looking at this! The gig was eventful. A surprise appearance from an Elvis impersonator in the pub who joined us for Suspicious Minds, a very cool guy called Rick who we liked very much. Lee Aaron of the Lee Aaron Band also joined us on drums and we jammed Led Zepplin’s Rock N’ Roll. We were also delighted to have Smokey Joes Roadhouse owner Lee Page in the house with us on a rare social visit! All in all a great night, a pleasant, clean and tidy pub with great clientele. Thanks for having us!

The Falkners Arms, Fleet, 10th March 2012

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A really great night at Smokeys for this gig. There were 4 birthdays in and lots of ladies! For Friday it was very busy and felt like a Saturday more than a Friday. A good rock night as well, which works well in support of Smokey’s new Rock On Friday theme. Some GnR, ACDC, Kings of Leon all in the set last night. Thanks to Smokey’s and the great crowd that’s always there!

Smokey Joes Roadhouse, Maidenhead, 2nd March 2012

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This week’s gig was at the Bier Keller, Bracknell, part of the Coppid Beech Hotel. It was a great gig, 3 hen parties, 100 people pre booked plus a couple hundred more on the guestlist. It was also good to see some members of local bands Prezence and Something Borrowed at the gig. Thanks also to the Windsor lot who came down as well as those from Camphill. Kim was in her most outrageous “costume” to date. Here are the pics for your review!

The Bier Keller, Bracknell, 25th February 2012

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