SMALL CHANGE

Involved with the STOKE MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE in the very early days.
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THE SIGNIFICANT ZEROS

The great white hope of the early Stoke Musicians Collective, this band based at Alsager College never quite lived up to expectations. Recorded a cassette single, and also signed with the indie Zip Records, but no releases were forthcoming. Went out on a national tour supporting Weapons Of Peace, eventually moved up to Edinburgh. A video can be seen here: http://www.archive.org/details/SignificantZeros-Live

THE RISK

Early 80s band. Involved in the very early days of the STOKE MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE.
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THE PUBLIC

On the early STOKE MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE scene, played the Burslem bandstand concert in July 1980.
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PSEUDO-FREAX

One of the bands on the early Stoke Musicians Collective scene. They became THE SQUARE PEGS.

POPWALL 72

POPWALL 72 consisted of GRAINGER REECE, guitar, synth and scary vocals, MARK CAPEWELL, bass, and TERRY SUTTON, guitar; 3 young Stoke lads who practiced in the basement at the Burslem Leisure Centre. The name came from a combination of a wall called “the popwall” in the basement and the fact that GRAINGER stated that it all started for him in 1972. Did a bizarre version of Stepping Stone in their live set.

THE PLATINUM NEEDLES

Punk band formed late 1979 in Market Drayton, the original line up of SHANE HENDERSON vocals, GARY SEWELL gtr, STUART MUIR bass, & SHAUN EVANS drums, recorded 2 tracks for the Stoke Musicians Collective’s album CRY HAVOC – Organised Disruption, & Telford. Bass player MUIR left after these recordings, to be replaced by KEVIN YALE. Various line-up changes occured, including the arrival of CONRAD TRACY on bass, and ROCKO on drums from the band K-OSS. A full history can be found here: http://www.platinum-needles.co.uk/

SEWELL formed the punk trio PLUTONIUM in 2017.

THE LEMMINGS

Four-piece punk/pub-rock band, formed sometime around 1979 in Hanley by JOHN BLAKE, who had previously performed under the name JOHNNY OATCAKE. JOHN handled lead vocals & guitar, other members were JOHN’S brother PHIL BLAKE, also on guitar, GREG on bass, & KEN BECKETT on drums. GREG & PHIL started out as THE HUMAN CABBAGES.
The band gigged just about everywhere around the area for at least 10 years, and are sort of still together now. Contributed a track to the Stoke Musicians Collective’s album CRY HAVOC – Young At Heart.
THE LEMMINGS occasionally gigged under the name 48 HONEYS (while dressed as women!)
KEN BECKETT joined THE INKERMAN STREET RHINOS.
The bass player in THE SKALINSKIS, ROOSTER, was in the original line up of THE LEMMINGS, before PHIL & GREG joined. DEAN BRINDLEY, father of AGENT BLUE’S CALUM MURPHY, was manager at some point.
KEN BECKETT died in 2004. PHIL BLAKE died in 2015.

ILLEGAL

One of the bands on the early Stoke Musicians Collective scene.
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THE HEATERS

Formed in 1979 in Congleton, the remnants of an abortive jazz-rock band. Contributed the reggae-influenced song Expensive Jeans to the Stoke Musicians Collective’s album CRY HAVOC. The track, recorded at Manchester’s Smile Studio, featured STEVE JONES – gtr & Vox, IAN JONES – bass, SIMON MELLOR – drums, and SEAN McALLISTER on piano.