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Who can forget 1979? Maggie Thatcher became Britain’s first female prime minister, Sigourney Weaver kicked extraterrestrial ass in Alien, Gloria Gaynor “survived” at the UK number one spot for a whole sorry week, oh yeah, and Julie Gregitis’ punk wannabee’s, Graff X, took their first tentative steps on the rock n roll treadmill. And the Spice Girls thought they invented girl power in the 90’s!
It all began, as so many suburban dreams did, with an ad I placed in the classified pages of Sounds. “Guitarist/songwriter looking for Singer to form band, must be into Banshees, Ants, and Bowie etc. No timewasters.” The ad was seen by well known face about town and avid Sounds reader Julie, and so the seeds of what was to become the most important part of my life for the next three years, Graff X, were planted.
Within weeks of forming we landed a support slot to The Klingons (anyone remember their great single Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Oh, just me then), at the Triad club up in Bishops Stortford. Panic is a good leveler, and it suddenly seemed like a bloody good idea to put a band together post haste - although we had already convinced lead singer Sarah, we had one good to go. Luckily Julie had met ace bass maestro Nick Molosovitch in a club somewhere, and convinced him over large infusions of alcohol, and bodily threats that he really really wanted to throw his hat, and more urgently, his bass in with us. So with a handful of half worked out songs, a stand in drummer called Dave (who had all the rhythm of a lapsed Catholic) and some very questionable trousers, we hit the stage running. It was fucking magic!
The new decade started off with a vengeance. A permanent drummer, Mr Steven Lee, was recruited in a punk shop in the Charing Cross Road (answers on a postcard coz I can’t remember its name – although Steve assures me that “a tasty bird used to work there” – his post modernist words, not mine!), a full time rehearsal studio, The Works at Warren Street, and an ever growing diary of gigs. A record of these early performances still survive on a C60 tape, caught by our trusty roadie, Mr John Delaney, at The Cleveland Pub (he even saved the hand made flyer for fuck sake!) We also got ourselves a manager, an ex hells angel and Psychedelic Furs roadie who went by the name of “Chopper”, apparently because he always carried an axe around with him. Funnily enough, we never had any trouble getting paid!
August also saw the first proper studio recordings of the current line up, featuring four songs culled from the live set. My only memory, sketchy at the best of times, was of a shitty little four track with little or no separation – and absolutely no overdubs. Listening back to the tapes today reveal a snapshot of a very young band of limited technical ability, but with shed loads of ideas, attitude and enthusiasm. A bit heavy on the flanger, but great stuff all the same!
Months of constant gigging around every toilet south of Watford, however, came to nothing, and by the end of the year the band saw a couple of departures from our ranks, fed up with the brick wall we seemed to be constantly hitting. First to leave was Steve Lee, to be replaced eventually, after a Spinal Tap like succession of sticksmen, by Des Connolly, an old friend of Julie’s. This line-up was the one featured on the “We are your Toys” sessions, recorded in April 81, a much more mature recording to the previous one. Next on the casualty list was our old friend Nick who wanted to pursue a different musical path – the now clichéd musical differences had reared its ugly head. His successor was south London’s finest - Steve Bradley (GX rules stated there must be at least two Steve’s in the band at any given time), whose approach to bass playing took the band into a much funkier area, more in keeping with the new decade. With the new line-up came a new name – Victian Terranta (Hmmm – must have been the Red Leb!) There then followed more writing, rehearsals, shows, general ligging, and much interest from the industry, but still no elusive recording contract.
By the end of 81, the cracks were beginning to show. Nearly three years of living out of each others pockets, and Julie and my personal and musical visions were splitting at the seams. What had started out as fun was now definitely not. Something had to give. By the time of the “Resistance” sessions (December 81 at the Elephant studios in Wapping for all you trainspotters) things had come to a head, and the tension can be visible heard in the recordings. For the sessions we added brass, synthesizers, and percussion. A far cry from our humble one chord wonder beginnings.
Early 82 saw the last shows at the Moonlight Club, and our swansong to the loyal fans at Gossips in Dean Street, where the sight of Charlie Harper, replete in donkey jacket, dancing away the night is a memory to cherish! And that was it.
Julie formed a new combo Circus of Tuolena with Des, which saw the welcome return of Nick on bass duties, plus a new guitarist and violin player.
Quick off the mark, and licking their wounds, they were first in the studio to record a superb session (although at the time I would never have admitted it!) She later went on to work with members of Bronski Beat amongst others.
I put together the band Papa Jive with Bradley, and a bunch of South London jazz musicians. We played London club circuit with bands like Eighth Wonder, around 83/84, to the post new romantic set. Our last stab at fame and fortune was with vocalist and general head job Jay from Soul II Soul, under the very modest banner of Giant, before settling down to produce new young bands whose time it now was.
Fast forward to 2007, and Myself, Julie and Steve Lee find ourselves back in a rehearsal studio in Old Street, not million miles from some of our old haunts. No Nick (we did try, and if anyone knows his whereabouts do get in touch) so my son Dan took on four string duties like a pro. His band Shadow of Doubt are excellent – check out their My Space. Our old Roadie John D asked if anything else was in the pipeline, but I doubt it, as we are all busy and far flung members of the old fart fraternity now. Maybe some new recordings are possible, as it can all be done in cyberspace these days – truly the spirit of 76 – but until then were all off to see Penetration at the 100 club in November. Hope to see you there.
Steve Watson 2007
Anyone wanting to get in contact with Steve, please email
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