ReMember, ReMember, just how good were The Members

CAMBERLEY’s finest THE MEMBERS are set to release two new archive records featuring rare soundtracks from 1978 and 1979 – ‘The Members At The Coach House’ original studio tapes from the 1978 lineup, and ‘(At The) End Of Term – The Lost Masters’ four-track, 10” EP, both via Cadiz Music.

The band produced a unique post-punk, surf sound, combining a dual guitar attack with reggae basslines and incendiary drum work, and found themselves in the studio with producer Steve Lillywhite working on a recording of their best material at the UK’s first black owned studio, Eddy Grant’s Coach House Studios.

But ‘The Members at the Coach House’ saw the band at a crossroads – on the edge of their biggest record, the studio was about to have their biggest hit, and Steve Lillywhite was at the beginning of a huge career. But also because guitarist JC Carroll was working in a bank and couldn’t make it to the backing vocal sessions, so he was replaced by his brother Meesh, and future World Domination Enterprises bass player, Steve Jameson.

The band also announce the first vinyl release of the ‘(At The) End Of Term’ 4-song EP. Recorded in 1979, the lead song intended to be their answer to Alice Cooper’s ‘Schools Out,’ but the end of term school deadline was missed with the song left on the shelf gathering dust.

However, fast forward to 2012 and an unlikely meeting at a suburban car boot sale… 

“Those of you who know me well will be aware that I collect musical instruments,” said JC Carroll. “To get the sound that I need in the studio it’s sometimes necessary to use old instruments. In 2012 I was at a car boot sale buying an old 60s Farfisa organ – think Percy Sledge or Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs.

“Derek, the seller, asked me if I was in a band and I told him I was in The Members. I bought the organ but Derek had left the pedal at home so I gave him my phone number and asked him to call me to arrange a time to pick it up. When I went to Godalming to collect it, Derek surprised me, “My son in law’s got a big tape of the Members – a master tape,” he said. He then explained to me that his son-in-law’s father used to own a recording studio in London. A few phone calls and months later I found myself looking at two one inch, eight track, Ampex master tapes of The Members recorded in June 1979.

“I had found the Holy Grail of Member-O-Bilia. The other three tracks were ‘Normal People,’ ‘Muzak Machine,’ and a song called ‘Gang War.’ The last three songs were recorded on the second Members album. I had the tapes baked, then transferred onto a hard drive and opened them in my studio. It was a perfect time capsule – all the instruments and voices were clearly recorded on the tape. The songs sounded fresh and vibrant, full of youthful energy. This was The Members Mark 1 at the top of their game.”
 
Further details HERE