SFW

Mark Caffrey sent us this; "Here's a brief history of SFW, some of the dates might be out - it was a long time ago! The band started in late '74, me on bass, Shaun Carter and Pete Gallagher on guitars and Chris Flynn on drums, we all went to All Hallows school, Wythenshawe, all great friends. We did the normal early gigs-youth clubs etc. then went onto pubs and clubs. We had several roadies - Steve Taylor, Joan O'Connor and 2 guys called Rod and Gary, can't remember their surnames. We got a manager called Norman Piersonon who was an entertainment manager for a few pubs around Manchester - the most noticeable ones being the "Phoenix" on Oxford Rd and"El Patio", Stretford. It was a great music scene. Then we started gigging further afield - London to Carlisle. Played "Impact '76" in Wythenshawe with John-Cooper-Clarke, played bigger gigs like the Champness Hall Rochdale, "DeeplyVale" in '77 with local band "Tractor". And "Seasalter" Festival, Kent in '76, as well as Owens Park collage with " L'Arbre" and "Supercharge". In '77 the NME did a review of one of the Phoenix gigs - Paul Morley wrote it (went on to manage "Frankie Goes to Hollywood", now a radio and TV presenter). In '78 we cut our one and only 45 single - "True Life" and "The March". Only 1000 copies they are now worth about £50 each on ebay! We met Elton John at the studios in London (SARM), he was producing ex-Marmalade members in their new band called "Blue". Shaun and me moved to Oldham in '77, and Pete and Chris left. We got a replacement drummer - Martin Schofield, went out as a 3-piece for a while, before merging with a local band called "Dirty Dogs" - (Raymond "Raz" Lyness and Ian "Cammy" Cameron) as a 5-piece, and called ourselves "SIC" - recorded and played gigs to good critical acclaim but disbanded in 1980. Many Thanks, Mark Caffrey."(Submitted 19.07.08)