THE DOLE

Peterborough

 

Ian (Emu) Neeve - Vocals Simon Page - Lead / Rhythm
Peter Howsam - Keyboards Matt Gillatt - Bass
Paul Vjestica - Drums
 

 

New Wave Love / Hungry Men No Longer Steal Sheep But Are There Hanging Judges

Catalogue Number - ULT. 402

Label - The Ultimate Record Label

Year Of Release - 1978

Quantity Pressed - 2000 (Confirmed)

 

Ian “Emu” Neeve

Pete Howsam Paul Vjestica Simon Page Matt Gillatt

 

The DoLe were formed by Simon Page in 1977. The original line up was:

Simon Page - Lead Rhythm Guitar
Andy - Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Paul Vjestica - Drums
Matt Gillatt - Bass

After a couple of local gigs the band enrolled Peter Howsam on keyboards. Further local gigs followed after which Andy decided to leave. Peter suggested that the band gave his friend Ian "Emu" Neeve an audition on vocals. The audition took place and within a couple of numbers it was clear that Emu was exactly what the band needed.

With Emu the band's local popularity grew with gigs the Key Theatre, The Bull & Dolphin, Focus Club, The Grenadiers Club in March and Peterborough Technical College to name few.

It was about this time that the band came to notice of Roger Slater, owner of the independent record label "Ultimate Records". One track that especially caught his eye was "New Wave Love". And so one Saturday morning a makeshift recording studio was set up in an empty house on Eastfield Road in Peterborough by Roger Slater and Adrian Knight. Twelve hours of blood, sweat and tears later, the master tracks for "New Wave Love" and "Hungry Men" were laid down. The double "A" sided single was released in June 1978. The music press liked it, with good reviews from Sounds, Melody Maker and The New Musical Express. The band were now in demand and supported top acts such as 999 at the University Of East Anglia, Radiators From Outer Space at Chelmsford College and Tonight at the Kings Lynn Corn Exchange. Meanwhile the single reached the dizzy heights of number 3 in the NME's independent chart. After a headline gig at Sandpipers Nottingham, bassist Matt Gillatt decided to leave the band and suggested his good friend Jon Cauwood would make a good replacement. But, by late autumn 1978, Jon and Peter both left The DoLe to pursue other band projects.

Now the three remaining members, determined to carry on, needed to find a bassist and a keyboard player if they were to continue. Within weeks, The DoLe mark 2 up and running with Mirko Obradovic on keyboards and Nick Joinson on bass. In addition Nikki Warmisham joined Emu on vocals. Their first gig at Chelmsford football ground was swiftly followed by a local gig at St Barnabas's Church Hall supporting the UK Subs. In November 78 The DoLe supported the UK Subs once more, this time in London at The Last Bastion White Hart in Acton. A month later the two bands should have played the same venue but with The DoLe headlining. Sadly this was not to be as the venue was forced to close down after fights breaking out at an intervening gig. Early 1979 the band recorded five demo tracks at Spaceward Studios Cambridge and supported The Only Ones at Focus Club in Peterborough. February brought a supporting slot for Rudi and Raped at The Bull and Dolphin. The DoLe's final gig came in London, March 1979 supporting the Skids at The Marquee. To play that venue was the dream of every punk band. Sadly the band split shortly afterwards, with its members following various music projects.

In April 2014, the sad news emerged that Emu had lost his fight with cancer. He was only in his early fifties. On hearing of Emu's death, initially Matt Gillatt and Belinda Cauwood contacted the "Killed by Death Records" website in the hope that the other band members would read about Emu's passing. It eventually took some detective work via the internet, to find the remaining band members. But, in the meantime, a DJ from the Rebellion Festival expressed his interest on the "Killed by Death Records" site of the band reforming and possibly getting a slot at the Blackpool festival. The ball was well and truly rolling.

Initially, Matt Gillatt approached Gizz Butt (The Prodigy, English Dogs, Pyogenesis etc), as he knew he was a big fan of The DoLe's music. On hearing of a possible reunion, Gizz happily offered to front the band in memory of Emu and in tribute to him.
In June 2015,a reunion meal was organised. Present were; Simon Page, Matt Gillatt, Paul Vjestica, Jon Cauwood and Belinda Cauwood. During this meal, the possibility of re-uniting was discussed. The ultimate aim, being offered a slot at the Rebellion Festival 2016. As the meal drew to a close, and much to everyone's surprise and delight, Jon produced from his pocket a C120 cassette tape of a complete DoLe practice session. It then also emerged that Paul had a copy of 5 tracks recorded at Spaceward studio in 1979. Gold dust!!
 

Paul Vjestica

 

Ian “Emu” Neeve

 

'Suburban Studs', 'Buster James Band', 'The Dole' live at "The Focus Club", Dogsthorpe, Peterborough on Saturday 14th January 1978.

 
'The Stadium Dogs', 'The Dole' & 'Pipedream' live at the "Peterborough Technical College" on Saturday 6th May 1979.
     

'The Drones', 'The Dole & 'The Now' live at "The Focus Club", Dogsthorpe, Peterborough on Saturday 14th October 1978.

'The Gobblinz' & 'The Dole' live at the "Community Complex", Peterborough on Friday 4th November 1977.

 

'The Dole" live at "St. Barnabas Hall", Peterborough on Friday 26th January 1979.

 

Rehearsals are now well under way, with Mirko returning on keyboards. The DoLe have now been approached by Detour Records. Discussions are under way for the release of an album of the original DoLe tracks.

The Current line up:

Gizz Butt - Vocals / Lead Guitar

Simon Page - Rhythm

Matt Gillatt - Bass

Mirko Obradovic - Keyboards

Paul Vjestica - Drums

 

Page Two

 

Thanks to Matt Gillatt & Belinda Cauwood

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