Jon Greenough is back. The Disco Students guitarist from 1980-82+ returns to the cause.
Our first rehearsal with the new line-up will be soon.

One thing that has crossed my mind as I write this blog is "Does anyone actually read this?"
Perhaps, as an experiment you'd email me at simonred@msn.com and just say, "Yeah- I do".
Well, I've got the test pressing from the CD company - and it sounds good. There's a few bits and pieces to finish on the cover, then "9-8/9/10/11" will be ready for release.

We're a man down. After the performance at POP on Tuesday night, Kevin our guitarist told me he was leaving the group.
You've picked a fine time to leave me Lucille.
We have the Live in New York CD ready for release next week, and plans are already being made for the recording of "Most Handsome Man On TV" and "Mark E Smith's Dead" as well as "The Homecoming" gig in Aylesbury on 7th January.
Initially, I was in two minds what to do - to pull the plug on The Disco Students and call it a day? Or say "Bollocks - let's get on with it".
I have chosen the latter.
We had always said if one of us felt they needed a break - that would be fine - we'd simply put the Disco Students on the back burner for a few weeks.
It is such a bloody waste - all the work, money and time we've all put in to write the new material and hone it into a tight, energetic set.
But there we are - The Disco Students will continue!!

There's a bit of a hold up regarding the pressing of the new CD. The people in Scotland who are working on it are all down with flu and lost voices. Oh well, I'm sure they'll soon be cured and things will be working normally again. We play at POP in Soho Street tomorrow night - Tuesday 2nd November. We return a month after a 3 man DS had to make excuses and leave.

9-8/9/10/11 - The Disco Students Live in New York 2004 - uhhuh5, will be released in just over a week. The sleeve looks great - done in the style of a New York subway sign. I went down to Sudbury last week, to the House of Sound - a small studio run by New Zealander Campbell Downie. We spent a few hours tidying the recording up - and it sounds good to me.
My friend John Catlett has done the cover - all very nice.
So, we await the results - the master and the artwork have been sent up to Muirhead in Scotland for pressing. More news soon!

Been bit of a strange time at Lake Disco Student. A spot of the old internals - but now all is ok.
We had to cancel the gig at Eyelash @ POP - at the very last moment. The live CD from New York is in the process of being released - should be out in a couple of weeks. I'm really pleased with it , it's a tad rough and ready, but I think it is far more representative of The Disco Students than the GLD EP was.
We're now looking at recording our next studio record - "The Most Handsome Man On TV" and "Mark E. Smith's Dead" look like being two of the tracks with one other.

It's going to be a busy Autumn for The Disco Students. The live New York CD - "9/8.9.10.11" is going to contain eight songs - from our performance at Pianos on 9th September. Hopefully,it'll be out in a month or so. We've lined up four more dates for October and November and we're planning to go into a studio to record a new three track CD. Looks like "Most Handsome Man on TV" and "Mark E. Smith's Dead" will definitely be included, with one extra song to be decided upon. We had to pull out of our gig at Eyelash at POP last week - the first time The Disco Students have ever had to cancel. We're also looking at playing at The Limelight Theatre in Aylesbury on 7th January - "The Homecoming".

Back from New York - a really good trip. CBGB's is really unique - although the place was far from full, the atmosphere are feel of the place is amazing. The ghosts of Johnny Thunders and the spirit of Patti Smith looked over us. The other three dates, Piano's, Siberia and The Continental were great as well. We recorded a couple of the performances abd now we're planning a three track live EP to commemorate the visit. The other bands and indeed the people at the venues all made us very welcome - making it a successful visit. Away from the clubs we used the days to do all the usual NYC tourist stuff. Who knows, we may well return one day.

We're getting it together. Three really good performances in a row - Salisbury, Marquee Hertford and yesterday at The Rock Garden. We've trimmed the deadwood from the songs - introduced a band new song "Mark E Smith's Dead" and brought back "Lake Superior " - from 1982.
The sampler is working well as is the megaphone .
Off to New York tomorrow for four nights - just read a preview in The Village Voice - we're old, smug and full of Brit-Wit , they're spot on.

A good performance at The Old Ale House, Salisbury . So good ,
the local newspaper The Salisbury Echo thought we were "not bad" - hey, hey !
The gig saw the debut of the sampler , which worked well.
We've taken the editing scissors to the set, cutting off the fleshy bits - we're now left with a tight, no-nonsense collection of songs - and we're about to add a couple of new compositions.
"Mark E. Smith's Dead" and "My Favourite Slit" could well make into the set for our next run of dates.
Another thing we're looking at is arranging a performance in Aylesbury - I'm visiting a couple of venues this week to see if it's feasible.
This coming Thursday we're at The Marquee in Hertford .

It's not only the football season that begins this week - The Disco Students commence a new season, having rested for a couple of months. We play tomorrow night at The Old Ale House in Salisbury - and the performance sees the debut of the sampler - just a couple of decades behind everyone else, we tip our toes into the technological waters.
Morale is high in the DS camp, we have three dates confirmed before our trip to New York, and there's talk of some kind of link up with Lauren Harries. For those who are unaware, Lauren was once James, the precocious antiques "expert" who , briefly in the late 80's and early 90's amazed TV viewers ( me included) with his , well, I don't know quite what.
Predictably, he had a sex-change operation and is now Lauren. The Disco Students have taken the liberty of using her image on our new posters - and we have contacted her to see if she'd be up for a touch of multi-media cross pollenation - you know the kind of thing. We'll see.

I've been listening to The Idiot by Iggy Pop - almost non stop for a week. Why? Who knows?
Once, when I lived in my first flat - I awoke one morning and just HAD to have some milk.
I walked bloody miles to buy a carton, and drank it down greedily. Something to do with the body telling the brain it was lacking in calcium ( so a friend told me - sounds reasonable).
Perhaps, my "The Idiot" phase is in a similar envelope. I used to play it a lot when I was 19 - maybe I just like to think I'm 19 again. Nothing wrong with that I suppose.
Well, we're nearing the end of our Summer rest - and we're ready for a new musical season.
I've got a feeling we've got something up our sleeves.

Being an undiscovered genius - it seems so obvious, that I would one day write a song "Undiscovered Genius".
We're into our second year as Disco Students II - and so, time to take stock. Yes, we're back - and now it's time we stepped up the pace. We've taken a break for a few weeks - a good move, we do not want to turn into one of those "Hardest Working Groups In Town". We have rested, now we will create . More news soon.

Strange occurence in the Kimble Tandoori last night.
Went down to get a take away - Chicken Bhunna , Madras hot - since you're asking.
Anyway, went to the counter to announce my arrival to the affable Mr Khan - and as is his want, he let me have a "quick half on the house" - always much appreciated.
There, sitting on the sofa , awaiting a table were a hideous foursome of middle aged "rock folk". Clearly a ghastly band of some kind. Smoking like chimneys, drinking lager and discussing the "merits" of their vile musical allegiance.
Now, Kimble Tandoori is not the biggest of places - these fools were just inches from me.
Oh , I wish you'd been there too - just to hear their nonsense!
"Josh Stone - mindblowing" , " We really do rock" - honestly, this was just some of their drivel.
But then, as they were being wheeled in to their table - one of their number had the audacity to whisper into my ear " You can stop listening now, mate".
What I should have done of course, was punch the biggest of the fuckers in the mouth and told them I was a Disco Student.
The fucking cheek and bare brass neck of these idiots.
Just the idea that they felt I was eavesdropping enviously on their vulgar empty-headed chit chat mabe me bileous.
We, the Disco Students, could knock their miserable impotent creations into a cocked hat.
Oh yeah, and one of them was trying to look like Roger Daltrey.
Utter wankers.

I'm in the process of putting together the trip to New York.
End of August - looks like we'll be playing three dates.
Not easy - a bit like one of those games you get in a Christmas cracker - getting all the balls in their respective holes.
No? , oh well - you should get better crackers.
I've just written a song called "Ear, Nose & Throat" - a love song.

We're moving into a new phase - a lull on the gig front, somewhat due to my business interests! Well, I can't be in two places at one time, and like us all - I need to put bread on the table.
The planning for the New York trip is going well - it looks like we'll be going out there at the end of August to play 3 dates.
We're going to record our next CD - but where and when has yet to be decided.

We're starting to think about the recording of our next CD. Another 4 track EP - the process of deciding what songs will be included has begun.
At rehearsal the other night, I brought along two new songs - "The North Is Bad" and "The Kitchen Sink Discotheque 23.04.04". I think both are really good - somewhat different from the material we have produced before. The KSD song is , obviously, a record of our trip to Manchester and includes the chorus "Tara Mascara has gone and lost her headphones".
"The North Is Bad" is chock full of melodies and hooks. Both will be contenders for the new CD.

Back from Manchester where we played at The Kitchen Sink Disco. A really great night. The two other bands on the bill, The Retro Spankees and Stazi were by far the best we've played with. One thing I have noticed is just how homogenised the other groups we have played with have been. On Friday at the KSD there was a real feeling of innovation and energy. Maybe it is just the London "scene" - but the groups we have shared bills with in the capital - apart from a couple of exceptions - have been predictable and dull. Good musicians, no doubt - but sooooo boring. We pride ourselves on our originality and downright oddness - it was nice to share a bill with fellow pioneers.
We're now thinking about the recording of our next CD - aiming for a late summer release.

A friend who saw us at The Telegraph in Brixton has let me know that Sophie Ellis-Bextor was in the building as we performed. There was talk of us, at one stage, attempting a cover version of "Murder On The Dance Floor" - Ms E-B is currrently heavily pregnant ( Oh no) - perhaps witnessing our version of her song could have broken both her heart and her waters.
Preparations are now afoot for our trip to Manchester, our first venture outside London. I have , after three attempts, now settled on a sampler - a Roland JS 30 to be exact. This one cost me just £70 and seems to be perfect for our needs.

It's been a quiet week at Lake DiscoStudents. The gig at The Telegraph that produced a neat, strong set and an argument. And to top it all - the website Punk and Oi reviewed our CD. Now, they give marks out of 5 for the records they review. What do you think we got ? 3 ? 2 ? 1 ? No. 0.
0 out of 5 . That's relegation form.
I can only presume they are idiots.
By the way, I've written a new song "The North Is Bad" - rather fetching if I say so myself.