1.

In the Beginning…
It was the end of the warm summer of 1996…
Daniel Hall picks up the phone to call Andy Pitcher.
Things aren’t going too well with his band Kid Gloves and
Dan is fretting (no pun intended), about how best to quit the
ailing group and start over.
Dan on a roll…

Having first met Daniel at Coventry Uni, Andy was briefly

Andy’s a Union man
a member of KG, but left a year earlier for pretty much
the same reason Dan wants to ‘put it to bed’ now.
Anyway, they soon agree that something positive can be
salvaged from the situation and decide to form a brand-
new band.

The first jam in Dan’s Coventry kitchen goes well, resulting in the first acoustic
collaboration on Dan’s song Rollercoaster World and Andy’s Yesterday’s Song.
Impressed by the potential of this new outfit, KG’s former ‘manager’ Julian Phipps
agrees to handle the band. However, both Dan & Andy want this new project to go live
with a full electric and amplified sound as soon as possible. They can think of no-one
better they’d want pounding the drums than John Chivers, (another former KG
member). John says ‘YES’, now all they need is a name and some new kit

A meeting is called at Dan’s house to discuss

promoting the band, songwriting, buying kit and
devising a name. After much strangeness, the
name BAiT is chosen and the company decide to
form Fiddler Crab Music to act as its
Jules & John say management/publishing front. An agreement is
a big OKAY!
drawn up to allow the band to finance the
purchase of a PA and 8-track recording studio.

Now all they have to do is write a decent set of

original songs, arrange them for a 3-piece,
rehearse them somewhere, get bloody good, find
some gigs and play live… NO PROBLEMO (gulp!)

FCM major shareholders L-R: Rick Wakeman,

Harry Potter, Elvis Presley & Bernard Manning
2. Out to Lunch (and out of their minds!)

It is now early 1997 and things are moving fast. After blowing a few thousand quid at
Musical Exchanges, BAiT now own a PA and monitor set-up as well as a Tascam
cassette-based 8-track. John (the loony) agrees to store most of this bulky junk at his
new house, and Andy arranges for some ‘full kit’ rehearsals at a church-hall near both
Julian and himself in lovely Redditch.

The songwriting is going well, however it’s not all

plain sailing. It was agreed that the standard of this
new band must be excellent, which unfortunately
leads to near fisticuffs on a couple of occasions.
The boys struggle (almost in vain), against time, kit
and (to be fair) some pretty unrefined talent, to turn
All smiles, but sometimes a bit crabby
out a good first demo.

Outta Lunch, turns out to be a really good example of how BAiT must NOT sound.
Slowly though, after putting in the hours during the week (in Redditch) and at
weekends (in Coventry), the boys start to get better. The songs (always cool) go from
strength to strength, with The Big BAiT Songbook filling with over 20 tunes by the
spring. In March 1997, BAiT go live with their very first gig in at the Earlsdon Cottage,
Coventry. Their highly melodic material and trademark harmonies make a serious
impression, even if their sound is still a tad primitive… to say the least.

A second demo Rough Cuts (although still raw) is given a stonking review by the local
press and that summer sees BAiT kicking bottom at both the Coventry Flankstock
Festival and during an incredible debut performance at the Queens Head in Redditch.

Unfortunately, good gigs prove hard to come by,

and there is still an issue with dodgy home
recording. Mixing down onto cassette tape is just
not cutting it. What BAiT needs is a cracking
demo to shove before someone who can really
make stuff happen and propel things ahead…
Rollercoaster World goes LIVE to the
world…. okay, Redditch
3. Propellers, Trevors & Covers

Harnessing the emerging power of all things digital

(something that will stand the band in good stead for
the future), BAiT invests in a Minidisc recorder and sets to
work recording a host of new material. Julian organises a
photo shoot at the Coventry Airport Museum, and the
badly spelled Propelorhead demo is cleared for take-off.

Chillin on Douglas Bader’s Sofa Jolly japes on the apron Dogfight at the desk
Pleased with the recording quality, if not some of the musicianship, the demo finds its
way into the hands of Trevor T (former Musical Youth session man, DJ and studio
‘impresario’ in sunny Redditch). Trevor agrees to ‘take-on’ BAiT and promises quality
studio-time and cheap rehearsal/storage facilities IF the guys put together a set of
cover-versions and join his magical mystery TVRT road show. After much soul-
searching they agree, and a rigorous rehearsal schedule kicks off.

By early 98 the BAiT original set numbers nearly 30

In the TVRT ’free’ rehearsal room
SONGS! And in a few months of hard slog the boys
have a competent covers set in place. The opportunity
for regular FULL-KIT rehearsals soon polishes their
performance skills as well. However, Trevor’s initial
gigs consist of a regular Birmingham hotel slot, some
inappropriate ‘special’ nights at Chinese restaurants,
parochial pubs and the odd (very odd) store opening.

Nevertheless, by mid 1998 the band is now a semi-pro,

self-financing, better ‘gelling’ unit. However, when the
promised studio time does finally materialises, it
becomes clear that some people should stick to what
they do best, and Trevor, although a great DJ, was no
record producer in any way shape or form.
Opening Crazy Georges, Leicester
4. Entertainment Direct (NICE work if you can turn it down!)
After a disastrous attempt to record a 4th Demo ‘Let it Go’ at TVRT Studios, BAiT do
just that - backing away from Trev to follow Julian’s latest plan to get the band exposed
to the Working Men’s and Social Club circuit. Entertainment Direct is set-up, primarily
as BAiT’s booking agent, with Julian’s mate Ian Nash manning the phones. Relatively
big bucks for all involved (with the Lion’s share going to the manager though!), but a
punishing series of sometimes mind-numbing gigs at venues all over the Midlands
awaits the still naïve threesome. In the middle of all this, they got an offer to play down
in Nice (Southern France). On this trip they would experience all the highs and lows,
this bizarre business had to offer.

The tour did 3 things: it showed

BAiT the reality of life on the road,
gave them a real insight into their
strengths and weaknesses, and
proved that despite all, they really
could perform and wow a crowd –
even if half-dead with fatigue. Back
in the UK more and more clubs are
fighting to book the band and by
mid 1999, BAiT had performed
over a 100 gigs at 60 venues. They
had transferred their new 16-track
digital machine (and bass-player)
to Silke Studios, Coventry and
started work on their debut album,
recalling ‘better’ days when all
music was original, and gigs were
as rare as rocking-horse poo!

A sound-proof room at the home of a great band

friend Silke Rausch, gives the boys the opportunity
to perfect their song writing and mould their sound,
in-between banging-out Beatles covers to generally
pissed and/or family audiences at weekends. But
to be fair, they also made some good mates too.

BAiT finally do it their way at Silke’s

5. Busses, Better Gigs & Contracts? Not in My Back Yard!

BAiT buy a bus in late 1999, and this somehow inspires a futher photo shoot for their
debut album entitled, Not in My Back Yard – maybe having a dig at the sparseness of
good gigs in the band’s adopted city, but who knows - weirdo’s! Now a ‘seasoned’ and
well-gigged unit, the new Millennium opens up venues in central Birmingham and even
London for BAiT, who eagerly take up the challenge of long-distance gigging.

Three BAiTers on the Bus with their proud new NIMBY

In the summer, N.I.M.B.Y is given an excellent review by the national Guitarist

Magazine and a song seven featured on their CD. FCM gets itself a London agent
(Adil Bhatta) and the whole show looks like taking off for REAL this time.

BAiT LIVE at O’Neils – Arcadian Birmingham Adil and BAiT’s minder/road-manager Ian

THE ONLY SNAG? Well, with the boys gigging hard while still desperately trying to
write that hit song, finalise their sound, engineer and produce their own material, work
on their image, develop promotional material… (phew!), they find little time to actively
follow-up and exploit NIMBY’s success. Virgin Records actually contact Dan, who
dutifully passes the enquiry on to the manager, who unfortunately drops the ball. By
now Julian is finding the job of managing such a dynamic, multi-talented band, too
much. Further difficulties with ‘unstable’ Entertainment Direct personal, leads him to
offer his resignation. The band accepts and waves goodbye to someone who’d been
there from the beginning. The ‘kebab party’ is over, now the REAL WORK must begin.
 6. BAiTBaND Promotions: the Axeman Cometh, London Calls and
Coventry Comes Alive with an Engine and a CLUNK..

In search of a bigger sound, BAiT decides to recruit a fourth member, Dave Perry. An
old Coventry boy, Dave has been playing all over the world with various bands until a
bout of homesickness set in. First rehearsals are not easy, as the boys found it hard to
adjust to Dave’s full Marshall sound. Eventually it starts working, and so do BAiT,
fulfilling their London engagements as well as developing untapped local venues by
forming BAiTBaND Promotions. Now even the local press starts to get interested.

Knob fiddling at a tense first four-piece full-kit rehearsal BAiT get it together in style under the London lights

BAiT channel some of their earnings into a better PA set-up, while John experiments
with bleach and a cool lightweight electronic ‘flats’ kit. Andy unveils his expensive Ricky
4001 (bass-clunkmeister), to his somewhat surprised band mates (see below)

Although still playing some covers

the band begin to knock-em for six
in their home city. Delivering a tight
set to growing audiences, they are
regular favourites at their ‘spiritual
home’ The Beer Engine. While Dan’s
new ‘front man’ persona, leaves
axeman Dave to tackle all guitars
(except in pic below – @ Beer Engine 2000)
7. WELCOME BEN & JEFFREY, now Shut-up & Take a Seat!

Dave leads BAiT down the long & winding road to a much better sound, but regrettably
they are reluctant to follow him all the way to a professional cover-band career. The
boys part with their first new member, on good terms, and recruit a young Ben
Campbell, well known in the city for his producing talents at The Depot Studios.

Bye bye Dave… and bring on BEN

Ben does it LIVE BAiT soundcheck, kit line-up

The bus is sold and John gets his driveway back, only to have his garage taken up by a
new trailer. By the beginning of 2001, the boys feel it’s time to begin work on a new
album. They are still gigging very hard, especially now they’ve teamed up with agent
Jeff Powells, who turns out to be a truly reliable guy (a pleasant change) and splendid
supporter of the band, securing some nice little earners. The second album, Shut-up &
Take a Seat, takes shape at both Silke Studios and The Depot. BAiT gets a new
minder/roadie in the shape of Peter Hunt. There’s even a LIVE ALBUM recorded at the
Massey Club. In addition to the website (which John kicked-off back in 97), BAiT now
offer on-line album purchasing, streaming-radio, merchandising… where will it end?
8. Chris Johnson… guitarist for all seasons & Goodbye Daniel!

Well it nearly did END! Ben decides to go get himself a music degree late in 2001 and
another amicable parting leads to one of BAiT’s greatest finds the following year. Chris
Johnson, former front man/guitarist and songwriter with the Cherry Stones, hears the
call at the very end of the S.U.A.T.A.S sessions. He joins just in time to put some
remarkable finishing touches to the album’s better songs and BAiT have finally found
the guitarist it deserves. BAiT sell all its first batch of CDs and things are looking great.

THEN after some serious gigging,

comes the biggest bombshell. In
late 2002, after 5 years hard-slog,
Daniel Hall announces he is
quitting BAiT to pursue solo writing
projects. With three amicable
partings in as many years now,
BAiT has to make up its mind
whether or not to call it a day or
carry on regardless…

New Year’s Eve, 2002 sees Dan’s last gig with the band he co-founded in 1996.
Happily it also heralds the launch of a brand new three-piece line-up with Chris (lead
vox, guitars), Andy (lead vocals, bass) and John (backing vocals, drums).

BAiT jump straight into preparing

five new songs for a 3rd Album.
Determined that this album, unlike
the last, WILL be gigged LIVE in all
its glory, the boys begin to work
with a level of professionalism
never before seen in the band.
Things are going brilliantly in 2003,
Dan takes the Shirt of Destiny out for a final spin
but given the need for a
contemporary sound maybe it’s
finally time for a keyboard player?

END of PART ONE …

Three who became four are now three once more…
But what’s in store?
There’s a great deal more to this story, but until someone can be arsed to finish it, the
following excellent piece of work (by John) will have to suffice, cheers:

www.baitband.com – www.myspace/godivaride