User:Chaztempest

The Marble Index (1977-2003) In November 1977 Matt Johnson placed an advert in the New Musical Express music paper, asking for `Bass/lead guitarist into `Velvets/Syd Barrett'. Two musicians met him, a bass player who never appeared again, leaving Charles Blackburn. Rehearsing every Sunday through January and February 1978, gradually they came up with a song `Automaton'. After a mid-year lay-off (CB returning to Hull), they joined up in October with a drummer and bass player to rehearse at Matt's parents pub in Loughton. These were recorded by Matt. By February 1979 with the drummer dropping out, and the bass player needing to revise for exams, Matt and Charles agreed the first in carnation wasn't working; Matt then placed a second advert in the NME, stating his new influences `the Residents/Throbbing Gristle'. Janice Higgs, Peter Fenton Jones and Keith Laws met Matt to begin `The The' (Janice Higgs left after the first rehearsal). In May `The The' played third on the bill to `Scritti Politti' and `PragVec'. Due to Peter Fenton Jones disappearing with their fee, Matt and Keith carried on for two and a half years as a duo, using tape backing tracks for the drums and bass. (A mutual friend, Chris Wilson, has rare rehearsal/live tape recordings from this period). At the concert Charles Blackburn met Janice Higgs to try and start a band. That August after Janice announced she was meeting some other musicians Charles suggested he might do so as well. Terry Wade, Ian Derby and Nick Neocleous, met Janice and Charles in Tooting Bec to begin the second incarnation of `the Marble Index'.

Chaztempest (talk) 13:32, 4 October 2008 (UTC)chaztempestChaztempest (talk) 13:32, 4 October 2008 (UTC) Charles Blackburn published the memoir `Trouble: the King's Cross Journals', by `larkin' publishing, in 2002, under the name C.B. Tempest. In November 2002 a reading was performed for Hull's literary festival', the `Humber Mouth', at the Red Gallery, with Stewart Home.Chaztempest (talk) 13:32, 4 October 2008 (UTC)chaztempestChaztempest (talk) 13:32, 4 October 2008 (UTC)