Interviews
Dennis Munday
Billy Hassett
Sounds 1979
Martin Mason
The following was a questionarre which Martin filled in for me. I am hoping to get all the members to fill one in at some point. I should be doing an interview with Buddy soon about The Chords and the other bands he was in after. If you have any questions use the contact page.

If you have any scrap books or magazine interviews, promptional material I would really like to include them in the site, and of course anybody who supplies material will get a mention.

Martins Questionaire

1) What were you doing before the band, job, college
Buddy Working with his brother
Billy Trainee Draughtsman
Chris Student
Martin Student


2) Where are you all from
Buddy Bromley [via Orpington and Japan]
Billy Ireland [via Deptford and Japan]
Chris Catford
Martin Bermondsey


3) What were you first musical encounters
Me and Bill played together at school and also with some other people that Bill knew. We played some local gigs but decided we needed a second guitar

4) Did you see any early punk gigs like the pistols etc.. and what did you think
I never saw the pistols - I did see the Clash a few times, Stranglers, Jam, Buzzcocks, Undertones - basically If someone was playing I would go.

The quality was variable - sometimes the venues were odd but the energy level was fantastic.

5) What gear were you using at the time, guitars drums etc..
Buddy premier
Bill Rickenbacker and Gibson SG
Chris Les Paul and Les Paul Junior
Martin Rickenbacker and Precision

6) How did you hear about the Quadrophenia film, was it common knowledge.
Read about it NME

7) Did you spend 78 writing tunes etc.
No mainly rehearsing and playing

8) How come Buddy joined , was Paul no good.
No, Paul wasn't as committed - he had other things in his life at that time

9) Did you play at all before Buddy joined.
Yes, but only a couple of gigs.

10) What was the intention for the band was just for fun or world domination.
We really loved playing but quietly hoping that we would get spotted.

11) How did you manage to get so many people to see you so quickly
It was mainly word of mouth - the network was small but effective and all of a sudden there were hundreds of people turning up - the gigs were never properly advertised.

12) For the next year you seemed to play everywhere, did you have a management deal?
No but we did have an agency deal and we wanted to play as much as possible

13) Who were all the people at tower bridge?
Friends and relatives (one of the people is known to be Terry rawlings)

14) Jimmy Pursey, what happened there ?
He saw us at the Rock Garden and was keen to get a few bands involved with his label

15) You video for London weekend, was this a mod special ?
Not a special - more about youth styles

16) Were the gigs paying, how did you get around ?
We didn't make money if that's what you mean. We usually hired a van and a minibus.

17) You played with all the revival bands, what were they like
They were a good bunch really and they still are - playing together at events you develop a strong camaraderie and we all support each other. Bands like the Circles, Killermeters, Times it's good that they're still playing. Gives us somewhere to go.

18) How is it you toured with the Undertones without a deal
The agency set it up

19 ) How did you eventually sign for Polydor.
Pursey was with Polydor and we got transferred

20 ) What songs were in the set at this time
Mostly the material on the album and a few covers

21) What was it like when 'now it's gone' charted
Disappointing because we felt that it could have gone higher

22) Was recording fun,
Sometimes

23) Did you meet John Peel, was he playing your records.
Never met him but he was playing our stuff

24) What was top of the pops like, who was on your week.
We were on twice [and cheggers] Nolans, Jimmy Ruffin, Dexys, Boomtowns

25) Being arrested isn't big or clever explain
Brett said he would answer this!!

26) Are you still married bill, in fact are you all married ?
The only one not married is Chris

27) You had to rerecord songs for telly at the time was this a pain
It was Ok but very rushed - usually you only had an hour or two to get the tapes to the tv centre

28) Did you ever do any video's
No

29) Was there many people at gigs, as you always imagine lots but
Sometimes hundreds [I think we still hold the record attendance for the Marquee] other times not so many - to be fair not many people would come out to see a band on at midnight on a Tuesday

31) After the non stop giging of 79 and 80, by 81 you seemed to slow down.
Yes, it was really looking for somewhere different or new to play

32) By 81 had the mod scene start to fade
Yes in the early 80s guitars were out and synths were in 4 piece bands had had their day it seemed.

33) Your last gig, did you know this was to be the last one.
No

34) What did you do after
Buddy continued playing
Billy lived and worked in Ireland for a while then Japan
Chris continued playing
Martin back to university and then into the world

35) I personally was very grateful when you did mods mayday last year as I was to young to have seen you.
Thank you [I don't believe the bit about your age though]

36 ) Does it touch you when people still like you music?
Yes - hopefully we can reach new people through releasing the cds, playing and this website

37) If you had your time again would you do it different

Some things - at the time its difficult to make sense of everything and opportunities aren't fully realised but also destiny plays a role- mapping out particular paths and decisions. What we didn't have was a guiding hand in the shape of a manager - you can't learn this business as you go along - you need to benefit from others experience

38) What do you think to music these days

It's interesting how many cover versions there are in the chart but there are some excellent young bands and I for one am delighted that the 4 piece guitar band has had such a resurgence

39) Do you think it would be a good idea to regroup full time or just for fun.
Lets see what happens when the cds are released [first one out now]

40) Have you been in rehearsal for this tonight. (Liverpool)
Yes - couldn't you tell?