lancasterband

1974

Lancaster Band evolves from 1970 school-days garage band, Korczak, comprising Robin and Harry Lancaster, Cheryl Gunning and Robert Schafer. Howard Butcher joins from SACS garage band, Andromeda, which includes Dish Deavey. Deavey later forms the legendary Safari Suites which gigs with LB in the late 1970’s.

In the formative years the band plays school and scout halls around the southern suburbs of Cape Town. “Non-Whites” and liquor are banned from venues and an entrance charge is typically 50 cents (2 Rand equals 1 UK Pound which buys $4 US). A gig playing covers and a hand full of original tunes earns R75.

Band equipment is begged, borrowed and stolen and it is not unusual for Robin to sing through the same amplifier that he uses for guitar, a Vox AC30, that he will still play on in 2004. Arthur Eacher (first roadie) uses a wheel barrow to transport a bass amp to the rehearsal which takes place outside Cheryl’s house.

The 1974 line-up comprises Robin Lancaster, Harry Lancaster, Howard Butcher, Cheryl Gunning and Charl Vorster.

1978

An awareness of bigger things to come prompts a line-up change in LB that is motivated by Harry’s call up to army (national service). Robin Auld joins to play Farfisa organ (later guitar) and Lloyd Martin replaces Harry on drums.

Musically the band is pulled in different directions due to the diversity of influences exerted by the members. Surf culture, progressive jazz and reggae are all a part of the prevailing head-spaces. The first elements of ska surface in the band.

A new US Fender Jazz bass costs R750 and the lightness of aliminium beer cans amazes everyone. Wild Youth (punk band from Durban) are SA’s answer to the Sex Pistols.

1979

A security policeman threatens to arrest Brian Davidson for causing a disturbance when Lancaster Band congests the Strand Concourse at 6am on the 17th August 1979. The Concourse is a thoroughfare for train commuters entering the city of Cape Town. The garb was a feeble attempt at anonymity: Left to right are Robin Auld, Robin Lancaster, Brian Davidson, Howard Butcher and Harry Lancaster.

Poster for Club 1886

1979 is a definitive year for the band. The line-up fuses into a tight, high-energy unit that is described by Music Maker magazine as “an amazing show”. The group competes in the televised battle of the bands, Beat 79, and runs-up with their entry “The Kite”. Later the same year LB wins the national Battle of the Bands presented by Ballyhoo’s Attie Van Wyk (now of Big Concerts).

The press comments frequently on the standard of output and the LB regularly receives editorials and reviews. The Argus newspaper carries a full page colour poster of the line-up and Club 1886 offers its first residency to the group.
The Freedom Farm Festival (Hermanus) contracts the LB to headline its bill and 20 000 people turn out to party in the sun, wind and rain. Security police turn away “non-white” patrons and performers. Two months later, at a Hermanus gig, security police arrange a set-up and raid the band’s accommodation unit at 4 am searching for narcotics. They find nothing.
Selwyn Miller (Selroy Music) briefly undertakes management of the LB and plays the group a cassette demo of an unknown up-coming outfit that his brother manages in the UK. The group is the Police. Richard Black records and produces four numbers in four hours at Cambell & Carge Studios and these are shopped around the record industry.

Argus ‘pop poster’ appearing June 1979 after winning the Battle of the Bands-Tony Pupkewitz writes…

“Howard Butcher must have springs in his shoes. He jumps about so much its hard to see how he lays down the bass that Harry Lancaster’s crisp drumming emphasizes. Brian Davidson puts everything into his vocals, rocking back and forth and spurring on the others whilst not singing. As for Robin Auld and Robin Lancaster, they both came out with unexpected riffs that left one breathless.. their whole show is amazing.”

Howard Butcher, Brian Davidson, Harry Lancaster (drums), Robin Lancaster and Robin Auld at Rotunda 1979

1980

Lancaster Band is one of the hardest working original-material groups around, playing regularly to packed houses but the unity that binds the rhythm section with Robin Auld and Brian Davidson starts to show cracks. The band plays a series of Joburg dates that include performances at Plum Crazy and Roxies. Tensions come to a head at Ciros when a press and record industry gig turns into a signing auction.

After the gig executives from major labels lobby members of the band whilst plying whiskies and tequila which leaves almost everyone smashed. The band’s management departs back to Cape Town in disgust.

Success overtakes sensibility at times and its not unusual for Brian Davidson to turn up fashionably late for gigs. At Roxies in Joburg Brian pushes the limits when he appears out of the audience, like an apparition, just in time to take the stage and sing the first verse of Dead Cat’s Cry which the band pumps without him. Robin Lancaster is about to undertake the vocal.

This leads to discussions amongst the rhythm section that will pave the way to a further line-up change and ultimately the identity that endures till today. Robin Auld departs to pursue his own successful career and Brian Davidson does the same. Paul Zammak of EMI Brigadiers offers the band a record deal.

Garth Hichens joins on lead guitar followed by Hamish Davidson on Sax. Narrow ties, dark jackets and hats replace the assortment of uncoordinated dress that prevails in the 1970s. The music of The Selector and The Specials is ubiquitous at parties and LB’s ska identity matures. Others will follow such as the Rudimentals (apparently no connection to the Rudimentals of the new millennium).

Left: Robin Lancaster and Hamish Davidson

The Argus newspaper carries a second full page colour poster of a 1980 line-up. A chance meeting introduces Simon Cotton (ex Sandhust military officer) to the band and he jams his brit-style vocal at a rehearsal. The fusion works well and Simon Cotton joins full-time.

Robin and Howard meet sax player Gambu Paseya through a mutual friend, Matetu, who runs the Nyanga Art Studio. They persuade Paseya to join the band to give it an authentic ‘afro’ element. Rehearsals entail excursions into the depths of Cross Roads squatter township to extricate Gambu from shabeens where he hangs out. This invariably turns out to be a drinking session, which is conditional, if Paseya is to attend rehearsal.

The band discusses production of the Comic Strip Heroes album with Tulley McCully (Spaced Out Sound) following the offer from EMI Brigadiers.

Robin Garth Harry and Howard

1981

Tulley McCully produces Comic Strip Heroes (at Spaced Out Sound) for distribution by EMI. His studio produces almost every successful act of the period. The track Modern Science reaches No. 1 on Capitol Radio’s charts whilst Radio 5 (now 5FM) rejects it’s play-listing. (Radio 5 states its policy is to promote “international artistes”). The album receives a Sarie Award nomination.

Gary Munoe joins the band and shortly after Garth leaves due to work pressures. Simon Walker replaces Garth on guitar.

LB plays the Good Hope Centre (right) with German group Supermax. The audience is confined to seats and the house is brightly lit.

Gigs are regular, often three a week, and LB moves between Scratch, 1886, 604, De Akker and a handful of other clubs in and around Cape Town.

Howard and Robin persuade Tony White of the Brass Bell (Kalk Bay) to open his venue to bands and LB becomes the first group to play the venue. It will continue for almost twenty years as one of the best day time venues to live music. Local residents object and eventually entertainment is restricted.

Concerts are hosted all over the world to create an awareness of Nelson Mandela’s incarceration. Few people living in South Africa know what he looks like.

1982

The band is invited to perform the music score of Fangs, a Ken Leach production in the style of Rocky Horror to be presented at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. Bill Fairley (Joburg-based musical director) is looking for a cohesive sound he believes he wont find easily amongst session musicians. The band negotiates a fee and signs a contract that will commit it to almost three months of constant work.

Fangs has nothing to do with ska but the promise of a regular income for the group is attractive. Simon Cotton (vocals) is not required and he stands down.

Bill Fairley is horrified when he attends a full production rehearsal and discovers that none of the members can sight-read the score. Despite this the band pulls the show off with the help of Mike Perry and Merton Barrow.

The production and LB’s performance is well received and Bill Fairley admits the risks paid off.

1983

New-romanticism overtakes new-wave and, although ska is a music genre that will remain, its relevance seems to diminish. Apart from the influence it will have on LB’s new material, the trend changes little within the band.

Robin Auld’s solo career develops. He records his first album ‘At The Corner’ which is produced by Kevin Shirley who assisted Tulley McCully with the production of the Comic Strip Heroes album.

Yellow Level at the University of Cape Town hosts a series of gigs which are packed to capacity. LB plays the venue with the Safari Suites, Housewives Choice, The Rudementals, Private File and The News.

Simon Cotton

1986

Brass Bell Celebration

The profusion of 1980’s electronica does little to inspire and the preceding two years have seen relatively little activity from Lancaster Band. The prospect of a second album seems remote as military service continually interrupts every-day life in South Africa. The crisis of Apartheid comes to a head and the government’s rigid policies threatens everyone’s security. Conventional careers have long since become the focus of the members.

A reunion of past band members is planned and this eventually materializes in a celebration gig at the Brass Bell. Robin Auld, Brian Davidson, Simon Walker, Gary Munroe and Garth Hichens are amongst those who play with the rhythm section of Robin, Harry and Howard which has prevailed since the inception of the band in 1974. There is an overwhelming turn-out and the venue is packed to capacity. This will be the last time LB will play for many years.

1999

Robin and Harry Lancaster team up with early Korkzak bassist Robert Schaefer and they present a reunion gig which includes Howard Butcher and Gary Munroe. This is the first occasion in a decade that a LB line-up has played together.

The intervening years have seen Harry Lancaster forming a contemporary music project lightheartedly named The Absent Follicles, Robin assists with the production of an early Kelvin Declined line-up and Howard records and produces ambient trance band Nagual and performance-art project Odd Enjinears from his studio in Knysna. Gary Munroe works with Dave Nissen and others in various projects.

Talk of actively playing again surfaces often and although not much transpires Robin, Harry, Howard and Gary collaborate frequently. Harry’s son Brett and daughter Tamsyn become musically active as does Howard’s daughter Jessamine. Later Brett Lancaster and Jessamine Harvey-Butcher will play drums and bass respectively in OVERGRAZE. Brett will also join LB on guitar and keyboards.

2004

Harry Lancaster invites Robin and Howard to play a fund-raiser for Nelson Mandela’s ‘My Acre of Africa” project at a Constantia venue. Brett Lancaster joins on guitar and there is a positive response to the band’s reappearance. A plan is made to explore the possibility of a club date before the year is out.

The Independent Armchair Theatre (Observatory) expresses interest and LB plays the venue in December with Overgraze. Chris Quirk of Private File is amongst the audience which has many friends and fans.  It is 30 years since LB was formed in 1974 and “the Kite” is belted out with mixed emotions as Lancaster Band plays a tribute to the memory of Brian Davidson.

Gary Munroe, Robin Lancaster at the Armchair Theatre, December 2004

Garth Hichens makes contact and expresses interest in playing again. Brett moves to keyboard and Gath is back in his familiar ‘white suit’ and Fender Strat on lead guitar. Houtstock invites LB to play their 19th February 2005 festival and Kevin Winder at Mercury Live talks about a Lancaster Band/Rudimentals/Hog Hoggidy Hog ska gig some time around March 2005.

Brian Davidson dies in Thailand aged 53, his body is cremated in the local tradition and his ashes are scattered before the fact is well known in the RSA. South African press is awash with tributes as we all come to terms with the fact that we have lost a living legend.

Radio 2000 presents a half hour interview with Harry Lancaster in December 2004. Email is are received from a variety of people expressing interest in the revival of the group. The original line up plus new generation Brett is back together again.

The 2004 line up is :  Garth Hichens (guitar), Brett Lancaster (keyboards),Howard Butcher (bass), Gary Munroe (saxophone, flute) Harry Lancaster (drums) & Robin Lancaster (guitar & vocals)

Gigs at Mercury Live, Independent Armchair Theatre, Zula Bar, Acoustic Café, Cool Running’s, Houtstock and Robertson Rocks festivals follow in a blur. Each one an opportunity for the band to revisit it’s long standing energetic song book and to explore crowd response to new material.

In December of 2005 the band is in studio to record this new material. The result, the EP- “Eden Sessions” which includes the tracks “tears in our eyes”, “psycho-babble”, “this ecstasy” and “don’t want you”, all penned by the band since it’s reunion. The track “obscene gestures” is also included on the EP. It was recorded by Tully McCully at Spaced Out Sound studio in 1981 for the ‘Comic Strip Heroes’ LP released by EMI Brigadiers. The track, withdrawn by EMI due to its risqué content was never published, so the band takes this opportunity to release it.

Remarkably, coinciding with the revitalisation of the band, an alternative mix in MP3 format of the 1981 vinyl LP, ‘Comic Strip Heroes’ is discovered. This ‘alternative’ master is re-mixed and re-released as ‘Comic Strip Heroes - re-worked and re-issued’. It is in every way superior to the original vinyl mix.

Shortly after the publication of the new and revised LB material, Howard Butcher chooses to part with the band. He decides to spend more time on projects in his recording studio which is set up at his Knysna based home. The Band recruits long standing musical collaborator Terry Corbett and continue to gig and expand the song book. New material including fresh material penned by Brett Lancaster is added to the current live set.

In 2008 another ground breaking line up change takes place that has significant meaning for the band. Bassman Terry takes the opportunity to revise his involvement in the band and to play a back up role to Garth Hichens son Dylan who takes over the primary bassman reins. Given Dylan’s pedigree and history this is a very special and significant addition to the band. He joins Brett as the second ‘next generation’ member to join the original line up.

Collectively Lancaster Band has maintained a fresh approach to making its own music for over three decades. An energy band that has long since rated on the South African contemporary music landscape and widely acknowledged as having spearheaded ska in South Africa in the late 1970’s. Lancaster Band continue to perform in the best live venues in Cape Town. Expect a lively show presented with infectious grooves and pace making it infinitely dance-able and visually exciting. The Lanc’s have been around for a long time;  what sets them apart is that they are accessible, playing today and still happening.