Sometime in 1976 in a garage somewhere near Bristol 4 kids with a passion for the new 'punk' music started playing together. Influenced by The Sex Pistols, Eddie and the Hot Rods and The Adverts they soon developed a style with their own songs. The band played a dozen or so gigs in the Bristol area before splitting in 1978.
Geoff Fulton
"Gigs played included Chipping Sodbury Rugby club - Nick Swatton's party, Mangotsfield hall where I got drunk on cider with the roadie and played like a madman, a school in Winterbourne playing support to some boring rock covers band, a local talent contest - we came 2nd I think and played support at Filton college to The Europeans, a hideous rock band who won.
I've played in dozens of bands since then. Worked with name musicians, toured europe several times, recorded albums, hit some high points with some compositions.
Nothing has come close to the energy and fun with The Struts - we played out of our skins, full on, no compromise. I remember going home after gigs and being unable to sleep - the buzz lasted several days. I've had few gigs like that since. If I could only play in one band, The Struts would be it.
But we were young and did'nt know what we had. Thankfully some recordings survive to relive those days .
Anyone got any photos ?"
From Nick Rippington's blog
http://whaticookedlastnight.blogspot.com/
"It did help me to recall some great days, though. Playing a gig at Sodbury rugby club which a Yate band - The Numbers - tried to hijack, then driving back to Winterbourne in singer Adi Hulbert's car when he suddenly became paralysed on one side and I had to operate the gears. Christ, wouldn't fancy doing that now. There was also a talent contest in which we lost out to a band who continually played Wild Thing by the Troggs, and a gig at Filton High School which was a real blast.
Like all bands, however, we split up because of musical differences. Geoff, Kev the drummer and Adi the singer all fancied themselves as heavy metal maestros. I said they were making a mistake as they were only good enough to perform in punk bands. So they split and formed a heavy group that lasted about one gig.
Meanwhile my amplifier caught fire during practice due to a can of beer falling off the top of it and getting the wires and valves all wet and while it went to the repair shop I went to journalism college, hoping one day to be able to afford to retrieve it. I didn't, but my brother sneaked it out ahead of me. He went on to play in a number of bands and make quite a music career for himself with such wonderfully named outfits like the Beatnik Filmstars and the Forest Giants (his current mob). I sit here writing and thinking: It could have all been so different. Strummer and I, we would have had the meanest of bands. "
The two tracks on the CD are 'The Jester' and 'Waitin' in the dole queue' and were recorded by Geoff Fulton at Chipping Sodbury Town Hall, sometime in 1978 on a Akai reel to reel tape recorder.
