old band - Automatic fine tuning

By the way I do LOVE that Red Rick 4001-my fave Bass Gtr.

Going back to something Trev mentioned on Page 1 - this is cool:

 

Hi Tony, I remeber Budgie well:the albun cover with a budgies head on a warrior? Paul & I are quite amazed by the responses on this AFT site & quite touched that people appreciate what we were trying to do;which was to write a quasi classical 2 movement symphony with none of the cliches that marred rock-classical hybrid music like Deep Purple (an amazing rock band)etc. None of us were formally trained musicians although Paul had a good knowledge of classical music such as J.S.Bach & Vivaldi which is reflected in what we wrote.We formed in Reading in 1973(appx)where we were at University there,and won a band competition as Glyder(judged by Paul Jones of Manfred Mann-no less) Thus encouraged & with an ever changinf line-up including Mutley(Steve Lusted) mentioned on this site we finally de-camped to squat in Maida Vale London @ 21 Formosa St.sometime in 1974/5. I,m not sure of the dates exactly as no one was keeping a record.During this period Mutley left the band to emigrate to Australia,& Bob Cross became the main second guitarist.After auditioning many drummers to replace him, Dave Ball,also from Reading(he was in a band there called Gambler) completed the line up.We wrote the bulk of the AFT album during this period although many ideas were translated into the arrangement that we had created in Reading(Castle St. in the attic)! We wrote by improvising either guitar or bass sequences & then formalising the impro's into concrete arrangements.We were initially signed to a guy called Richard Bliss from Marblehead Massachusets USA, who introduced us to the Grossman brothers Neal & Loyd(of through the keyhole fame)& a real pair of creeps-but they did get us the contract with Charisma. Sadly they got their incompetent mits on the recording & production of the album(recorded in a week @ Ridge Farm studios on Maison Rouge mobile rec.unit) We were all extremely unhappy with the finished mix & recording which didnt capture the band at all-AFT were an amazing live band as any who heard us will testify.Here lay the reasons for the bands demise. Apart from personal issues which I dont want to mention here,Charisma did not want to re-record the album:there were hostile elements to the band inside Charisma notably an exec called Gail Coulson.THey wanted us to get a vocalist etc etc & were not prepared to financially support the band during this period: nor were our so-called managers the Grossman brothers who had done quite nicely thank you out of managerial advances from Charisma.Will return here shortly

As far as gear was concerned,I started with a Gibson (ebo?) short scale bass, the SG shape which was OK but didnt intone v. well cuz of the short scale.When I moved to London I had an original black 'n white Rick 4001 with "rick-o-sound" I swopped this for a custom ricky made by Rob Michael who was @ the London College of Furniture & musical instrument design.This was a fantastic bass,unfortunately stolen some time in 1977/8. I fully utilised the split output design but instead of a stereo lead output had two seperate sockets for each P/Up as the stereo leads were always malfuntioning.The bass or neck p/up drove a 200 watt Marshall valve amp with 18" Horn reflex cab which was a brutal low end sound.The treble or bridge P/up drove a 50watt Sound City valve amp through a tiny cab with a 10" speaker sitting on top of the Marshall. I only put sound effects thru' the smaller treble amp to get seperation: eg phaser,tremolo,distortion etc.This set up gives a massive sound although in later years I dispensed with any effects, with AFT effects were essential to give a big and varied sound. Bobbo played a Gibson SG stdrd and Paul an SG special which he'd modified with cut-outs to resemble a bat shape.When we got our recording deal they both bought John Birch gtrs but we had endless problems recording with these because of their thin sound. You cant beat Gibsons,Strats or Tele's for great gtr sounds.Later I obtained an Orange 200 watt Amp & spkr as the Marshall was a tad muddy. Paul was the violinist and he also used a home-made Lesley revolving spkr set featured on the album.Both Bobbo and Paul were the first to use STRAMP gtr synths in the world & these added greatly to our live sound when they didnt go wrong.
As far as other recordings go the only stuff out there is a John Peel Session recorded on the 21st OCT 1976 and broadcast on the 8th Nov 1976. I have tried to locate this recording but the BBC sound archive while being extremely helpful think it may have been erased. So if any one out there has a recording of this session (Titles Racehorses & Great Panj Wheel part2) We'd love to here from you. All other material has been lost. TO BE CONTINUED!!!!

After AFT acrimoniously folded (Paul & I have only just been in touch after nearly 30 years)Paul did quite a lot of session work-he played on an album by Philip Goodhand-Tait also ruined by the Grossman brothers( every thing they touched turned to sh*te!)just B4 AFT got their deal.What happened to Paul after that I dont know I'm afraid. I started working with a pseudo-punk band called the Monotones,who were quite good
but I went to Greece to get away from the London Music scene. On return I was asked to play bass for Mother Gong on the Fairy Tales album ( a track called Rats featured a part written for AFT-Paul had a great Gtr part for this. I do receive a small credit for this and the live version recorded at Glastonbury in 1979. I've not heard this but you access it on You Tube I think. From here I went to S.Wales & played in the original version of Nik Turner's (Hawkwind) Inner City Unit.On moving back to N.Devon Bobbo Cross came down to live in (first Chivenor)and the Barnstaple.We did play together briefly but by this time his drinking etc with Jo, his girl friend,was starting to get out of control. Bobbo was a great character & he had these stock phrases when he was a bit over; "It wasnt me it was last night" or "Good consternoon afterble". Tragically I didnt have any idea Bobbo had died until Mutley rang mr from Australia last year(2010)I gave up playing (but not writing at this point & moved to Penzance in Cornwall,I'd met my future wife in N.Devon & I lived with her whilst working on deep sea fishing boats. After marriage we ran Restaurants Bars Clubs etc etc. In 1987 we hired a Blues Brothers cover band at the Yacht club in Burnham-on Crouch that I ran with my wife, which featured one David Ball the old AFT drummer. After moving to Devon in 1988 I started playing again & produced an album of song called "Ectoplasm" featuring David Daw on drums & vocals & Paul Mumford a Dartington College of Arts. This album of songs was sent to Gary Katz, Steely Dan's producer. A chap called Julian Marshall ( Julian had a hit with "Dancing in the City" by The Marshall Hain Band-lovely guy & superb musician) had reccommended my tape to Gary Katz. David Daw ,the vocalist/drummer really made these songs-but he was a bit mentally unstable to say the least. I think you can access David on my space-he's the Guy with a cowboy hat & T-shirt.
Gary Katz offered us a dealbut again all wenr tits-up. My usual experience of the Music Biz.I have completed three other CD's of material-mostly songs but some instrumentals-& may release these on the internet once I work out how to bloody well do it. Paul & I are trying to get Virgin release the 24 track recordings to us so that we can re-mix the album. I see you can buy "Automatic Fine Tuning" on the internet-Pity we cant get any ryalties for this but hey C'est La Vie.
If you think of anything else to ask please do so. I wouldnt mind knowing what Paul got up to either-&/or Dave Ball. Trev Darks

If anyone on Progarchives has any AFT newspaper cuttings, video's (in my dreams!), live tapes, posters or ANY AFT memorabilia for sale, or would be kind enough to let me copy I would really appreciate it. Any material will be passed on. Thanks!

I used to tape John Peel's shows in the 70s and still have a recording of AFT's "'Racehorses".  Happy to let you have the MP3 if you're interested. 

Please check your PM's Top Cat

Snow Dog wrote: I need to check out this band, sounds interesting. And what a great thread!

Here you go other tracks are on my faves as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/clarkpegasus4001#p/f/7/X11dagduA0A


Edited by clarkpegasus4001 - May 06 2011 at 08:47

Edited by clarkpegasus4001 - December 29 2011 at 09:58