Grannie

Guitarist Phil Newton and bassist Dave Holland (10) regularly jammed together with local rock outfit Powerpack at the Bridge House pub in Canning Town. It was here they gelled as musicians and entertained the idea of forming their own band. Grannie eventually formed in Manor Park, London in 1969 and was initially a cover band playing gigs along the East London pub circuit. Newton then began to write original material for the band and they began to master playing tracks like Leaving, Romany Refrain and Saga Of The Sad Jester in rehearsals. Around this time, Newton saw an advert in Melody Maker magazine for an all-inclusive deal at David Richardson’s S.R.T. business that offered 8 hours of studio time, a master tape and 99 finished LPs for £100, so a booking was made. Band members came and went over the years, but the line-up that went into the studio some time in 1971 was Phil Newton (lead guitar/vocals), Dave ‘H’ Holland (bass/vocals), Fred Lilley (lead vocals), Johnny Clark (drums) and the future wife of Newton, Janet Chandler (flute/vocals). There was also an appearance by John ‘Stevie’ Stevenson who played keyboards on one track, Coloured Armageddon. The band began to play on the club circuit at venues like The Greyhound, The Marquee and even The Roundhouse. They also secured a residency at The Speakeasy Club in London. One Saturday night in late 1972 after playing at 'The Speak', the band loaded their equipment in to a van owned by the club's manager Laurie O'Leary. The equipment was to be driven back to his home in Bethnal Green and returned to the club the next day ready for a rehearsal. When members of the band arrived at the club the following morning, they were informed the van had been stolen along with the band's instruments and equipment, including a rare and expensive Mellotron owned by Chandler. Grannie continued trying to make ends meet, but eventually split in early 1973. "The quality of this unknown outfit's sole album effort is clear. It's guitar-led soft rock, similar in style to Wishbone Ash's debut, with the bonus of a half-decent singer and an absence of keyboards. One of the rarest albums of the period, and a very pleasant surprise." - Giles Hamilton/Galactic Ramble. Bass – Dave Holland (10) Drums – Johnny Clark Flute – Jan Chandler Keyboards – John Stevenson Lead Guitar – Phil Newton Producer – Dave Richardson (2) Vocals – Dave Holland (10), Fred Lilley, Jan Chandler, Phil Newton