In the deep tropical heat of the summer of '74 the group (?) was formed. The original line up was John Connell, vocals, Chris Whalley , lead guitar, Graham "Boggy" Marsh. bass guitar; . William Douglass keyboards, arid the drummer, the on1y non-6th former, Nigel Jones
Their first primeval strains could be heard straining at a thundering 20 watts from a garage somewhere near the Oxford. Owing to the appreciation of the neighbours, the group moved to the Whittaker Dance School in Coronation Street. High up on the second floor the sounds of Yes (etc.) flowed into the night, attracting crowds of passers-by and several men with blue uniforms
The money that poured into buying equipment was astounding lead guitar (plus case) £15, bass guitar £15, organ £5, drum kit 37p, amplification and P A - nothing (didn't have one) The most expensive instrument was John's musical saw.
Their talents (?) were first revealed to the public late in September under the name of Jack Stropp and Support Band, where they performed so magnificently that they changed their name to lllyria for fear of future recognition After the second concert they decided it would be wise to change name again, so they appeared on the third occasion as Snowplough II
After the third concert came a big break for the group Under a new name of ISIS they performed to an audience of ten-year-old children in a hut in the wilds of Anchorsholme. Who would guess that this was to be the turning point in their careers? [it wasn t] What could they do? There was nowhere left to hide. Then suddenly, like a knight in shining denims, Dave Marshall asked the noble band to appear at the Contemporary Music Society's Christmas Dance, with some obscure hand called "Smokey" to support them. This concert was a great success, and it was then that Kevin Jon first spotted the great talent which was lurking somewhere in the band.
Things were looking up for ISIS, and the mood of the group reflected this, for they lost their compulsion to change their name.
The group went to sleep after Christmas until Easter loomed up, and the first of a series of two changes hit the group Isis decided to embellish the vocal harmonies and added two new vocalists in the shape of two identical twins. Anne and Julie Lloyd After only three rehearsals, with the girls, ISIS faced its biggest gig up till then, to play at the F.S.F..A. Easter Dance at Tiffany's This was a concert which would either make them famous or infamous A spokesman for ISIS said after the concert "it wasn't all our fault - honest. We had a spot of bother with the P A " Unfortunately they had sprayed 'ISIS' on their equipment so changing to another name was out of the question. Whilst wondering what to do, a message came from the great Kevin Jon and so ISIS were to play upstairs at Papa Jenks. Despite illness in the group, the concert went ahead, and this more than made up for Tiffany's At last ISIS had made a good name for themselves and had established useful contacts in the music world.
But then a set-back occured. With one member gravely ill after Jenks, and other tensions, the drummer left suddenly, which left ISIS in trouble as they were due for a much-demanded return to the Sixth Form. The concert was cancelled and adverts were pot in the papers for a new drummer. The response was astounding, and after many auditions they selected a new drummer, John Blaise, who is settling down nicely, and with his new style and doing some new original material a new ISIS will soon burst into the scene.
The members of Isis would like to thank Borodin for his 3rd Polonesian dance which they adapted, and they are grateful to John Wood and Gary Hardwick for transport, equipment and for being roadies.
W. R. DOUGLASS 6Sc II
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