New project ahead. Going under the name  noun:verb

Here are a couple of photos of the group taken in Regents Park in 1981.  This was a photo session funded by Peninsula Music - an offshoot of Island Records.

A couple of new songs are in the mix - 'You Sold Me This Bad Muck'  and  ' Iggy & David '  - listening to Frank Zappa. 

11th October 1980 .

Just discovered this from October 1980.

One should never decorate one's self with the feathers of another bird ,  but you don't need me to tell you that .

Climax Club, Coventry 5.11.79

Music blog  'This Is Then'  have unearthed these photographs of the group playing The Climax Club, Coventry on 5th November 1979.

Here's some news.  The Disco Students have written some new songs and will be recording them . This is good news for some - not so good for others .

Not much activity in 2010 - the main reason is my studio was knocked down in April - the new one will be up and running at the end of next month. New material has been written. Four new songs are ready to be recorded when everything is ready.  They are:
Peat Man In a Bog.
I am an Island.
I Hate Peter Out and The Faders.
Life's Tough (At Aylesbury Grammar School).

Just a month after we lost original drummer and founder member Graham Hocking, news reaches me that guitarist Karl Perkins - who was in the group in 1979/80 and played on the 'A Boy With A Penchant For Open Neck Shirts' EP  passed away on 23.12.09

L'Etranger - Radio in Brussels

Here's a fine radio show. Three D/S tracks played in one night. An interesting show, to be sure.

Graham Hocking:

Hi, I am contacting you to inform you of some very sad news.  Graham Hocking, the ex-drummer and one of the founding members of The Disco Students tragically died of Lung Cancer on 23/12/09 in Halifax in the arms of his wonderful wife Debbie (who he married just a few days before).  He faced, and dealt with the disease honourably; with humour and dignity.

Graham lived in Yorkshire and spent 18 years in the Meat trade.  He then lived in Barrow In Furness (Cumbria), where he worked with people with Learning Disabilities.  A job in which he excelled. He possessed endless patience, people skills and humour that this required.  It was during this time (about 10-11 years ago) that I worked with Graham, and found that we shared a mutual interest in drumming.  We spent a great portion of our shifts together laughing and joking, telling tales of when we were in bands and drumming on the table and annoying everyone!

The news of his illness devastated all who knew him, yet the last time I spoke to him he laughed and joked just like the Graham everyone had got to know and love.  Every time I picture Gra, he always has a big grin on his face!  That is the enduring image I will always have in my mind.  I can truly say that he touched many lives, and was adored by a great many people, and he will be very sadly missed.  I had the honour of attending his funeral in Halifax (where he later moved to), and the tributes read out by mourners ALL said the same things; that Graham had the qualities of sense of humour, of having endless patience, of making people feel special, of being intelligent, and that he was an all round great, nice bloke.

I, and all who had the honour of knowing Graham will miss his presence greatly, and can't believe he's left us before he was meant to.  To Debbie, and Gra's family, I extend my deepest sympathy at this sad time.

God Bless You Graham.  You're a pure Diamond,

Dave

Graham Hocking - R.I.P.

Here's a nice link.  My secret?  Consistency - note the same world weary scowl from 1978 still being used to great effect in 2009.
http://www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk/friarsheroesdiscostudents.html

Plans are in place for the DS to play some dates in Germany - February 2010. Siggi, a friend of the group from way back is on the case, and we are looking to play 2 nights in Berlin and the same in Hamburg with the possibility of 1 or 2 dates in Holland. More news as and when.

Onwards.......  the next project is a 12 track CD - provisionally titled "30 Years Singing In The Wrong Key".
This will contain the following: Rough Trade/ Platform Boots/RU Karl Burns/ Mitten on a Railing/ Stormy Sea/ When Girls Sleep/ My Girlfriend's Fiance/ Fire at Earth Records/ I Met My Girlfriend at a Friars Gig/ My Wasp Synthesiser/Daddy Don't Drink So Much/ I Never Noticed You Until You Wore That Fantastic Bra.
I'm working on it now - looking for an early 2010 release.

Lots of news , reviews and photos from the Friars gig on YouTube and the Friars site: www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk
I was pleased with the performance - we did what we were intending to. Mission completed.
Here's a photo of an over excited fellow receiving his 'Friars Hero Award'

The set for the recent gigs, and for Friars is :
1. Song For Mark E Smith/Mark E Smith's Dead
2. Kafkaesque
2. South Africa House
4. Mark E Smith Wannabe
5. The Most Handsome Man On TV
6.. I Ain't Been With No Prostitute
7.. Fire At Earth Records
8.. I Met My Girlfriend At A Friars Gig
9. We're All Gonna Die .

Two songs from 1979 - two from the last month - the others spanning the history of the DS.

We've played two warm up gigs - at the Bull & Gate, and Wendover Arms - and all's well. We've got the set right, and the group is working well.  The single will be ready in a couple of days - it's already available as a download. 

Here's the sleeve for the new single. Designed by Kris Needs.  It is a good thing. The single will be back from the pressing plant in around 10 days - I'm just sorting out the ITunes release.  We're off to the charts.

We've just recorded the two tracks for the single - 'I Met My Girlfriend At A Friars Gig'  and 'Fire At Earth Records'.  Kris Needs has been good enough to design the cover, David Stopps has recorded the intro - and I'm so pleased with the results.
We recorded the songs at Appletree studios in rural Ludgershall. Years ago, I wouldn't have entertained using a studio in a little Bucks village - I'd have insisted on being in London - you know, at the centre of everything. Isn't it interesting looking back at yourself? The record is now being pressed, and will be ready in around 10 days.