The Auctioneers (Part 2)

                                                                                                                                                                      

Recording with The Auctioneers began for me in a sixteen track 

Southend studio. 'House' is the only one of the three songs we did that I enjoy now.

The other two in my opinion we're not thought out enough before and during a typical rushed recording attempt. Some nice parts but the whole lets them down.

I remember the band working on my initial idea for 'House' and being very happy with it when we pulled it into shape. Our man at EMI publishing rated it the best demo of that year 1987. At least that's what he told us!

Even after the positive response to the 'House' demo's playing live didn't seem to be working. We even had a ludicrous two week officially announced name change until someone saw the light and it was swiftly changed back. By this time London based ex Doctors Children Keyboardist Matthew Woodman had  joined as it was decided we needed to fill out the live sound. He came in via another Melody Maker ad. I remember rehearsing a lot with him in south London in the summer and not playing live too much for a while. When we did start again I thought it sounded a lot more confident and together.

The last demo's we recorded were with Matthew in Peckham south London.
 I was happier with all three tracks this time. Everyone seemed to be into it and playing and singing well. 'Watch It All Come Down' I really like. I got a very over driven guitar sound for a change via the studios Marshall amp. 'Wire' and 'Violent Kisses' I think are good songs that again could have benefited from a little more time spent on them. 'Wire' has quite bad tape hiss at the beginning that maybe I should try and remove one day.

Unfortunately behind the scenes the original band members decided that after all the keyboard wasn't a sound they wanted. The main complaint was that it made us sound too obvious. Too much rock n roll. Not only that but 'The Auctioneers' was a band they didn't want to do anymore either for various reasons and called it a day.
They went on to form another band soon after with a heavier 'Pixies' type sound.
Sorry guys can't remember the name!
Listening back after all this time I think stopping at that point was a mistake.
We should have carried on a while longer and built on all the hard work.

Afterwards I found out that our manager had been asked by EMI publishing for my phone number. They were interested in me as a potential replacement for Terry Bickers in The House Of Love. She mysteriously told them she had lost my number.
Finding it later when I got a call from her about joining her sons band! I could have been a contender? I'll never know.
Beware management types and their 20%. Lesson learned trust no one.




I'm still in touch with half the band. Chris Clarke is currently not involved in music I'm told. His brother Martin Clarke has never stopped making music and is one prolific musician. Now working with prog/pop project 'Those Men' amongst other things.
Martin Temperton runs a restaurant in Maldon in Essex. Mathew Woodman now lives in Cornwall and fronts a Paul Weller tribute. And I'm writing this and remembering.

DK.