BAND HISTORY   

Formed in late 1993 when Mally Shaughnessy (lead vocals/guitar), Bob Beeson (drums/backing vocals) and Alan Stephenson (bass/backing vocals) were looking for a lead guitarist to complete the line-up of their covers band after the guitarist had left because he was too nervous to do live gigs.  They advertised in a local paper, and a couple of guys applied - one of which was Kenny Nicholson (ex-Black Rose/Holland/Hammer/Fast Kutz).  Kenny got the job because according to the rest of the band he was the only one who looked like a real "Rock Star!"  The band were quite happy to do an odd gig now and again on the local pub circuit.  So in 1994 the band started doing some gigs playing blues/rock material just for a night out and a bit of fun to entertain people.  An attitude that they still keep to this day!

After a few gigs things were sounding better than expected - (well at least the band thought so!)  Suddenly, everyone in the band wanted to do more gigs.  Things started to take off although the band only played in Cleveland and the surrounding area due to work commitments.  i.e.:  too tired to get up the morning after a gig!  After a few months the band realized they needed a front man/singer and began the long process of looking for somebody suitable.  (It's amazing how many people think they can sing - yet can't even talk in tune!)  After auditioning too many awful singers they finally came across a guy called Terry Brown.  Terry had never been in a band before but had won a few karaoke competitions - and all his mates said he should join a band, so Terry thought "Why not?"  It was obvious he was by far the best singer they'd heard - so he got the job straight away.  This was to complete the line-up for the next six years, and was as follows:-

Terry Brown - Lead Vocals

Kenny Nicholson - Lead Guitar

Mally Shaughnessy - Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals

Alan Stephenson - Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals

Bob Beeson - Drums/Backing Vocals

With this line-up the band build up a strong following around the Cleveland area gigging regularly.  The band dropped the blues material from the set in 1995 as audiences were getting sick of blues bands (too many bad ones!)  The band concentrated on the rock/pop covers, as this seemed to be what the audiences preferred.  In 1999 the band decided to branch out and gig all over the North East and in doing so doubled the amount of gigs they played and extending their reputation as one of the best covers bands in the North East pub circuit.  At the end of 1999 Kenny told the band he was leaving - expecting them to replace him - but the band decided instead to split up.  Kenny wanted to start a new band so he asked Bob to join on drums (too good a drummer to let go!) and when he found out Mally was buying a keyboard he asked him to join too.  At a local charity gig a chance meeting with old Holland/Hammer singer Doggy (one of the North East's best rock singers!), led to Doggy joining the band.  To complete the line-up top local bass player Paul Simpson (ex-Headzup) was offered the job, and he jumped in headfirst.  (Ouch!!)  The  line-up was as follows:-

Marty Wilkinson (Doggy) - Lead Vocals    

Kenny Nicholson - Lead Guitar    

Paul Simpson - Bass Guitar   

Mally Shaughnessy - Keyboards/Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals  

Bob Beeson - Drums/Backing Vocals    

For three years the band played locally ( and not so locally!! ) building an ever increasing fan base and going from strength to strength. The show was honed perfection with a big emphasis on entertainment and audience participation with girlies up on stage singing and dancing and the band spending more time in the audience than on the stage!!! The approach got more professional with the start of this web site, the selling of band t-shirts and culminating in the band going into the studio to record a 16 track album called " Flock 'n' Roll " snippets of which can be heard on the ALBUM page.

Thing were going great for the band but time passes and priorities change and Doggy bought himself a shiny new motorbike ( a 900 Hornet in case anyone is interested ) and a shiny new Yamaha digital home studio and so in October of 2002 he devastated the rest of the band by handing in his notice!!!

Not being ones to hold a grudge the rest of the band made him stay until the end of the year!! And so the hunt was on for a replacement. Several auditions, some difficult decisions and a false start later and the latest member of the band was found in the form of Tony Peacock.

Tony had played around the area for years in band such as Mony Mony and Face to Face and is an old mate of Mals and fits in very well with the image and feel of the band.

Well a couple of years went by with this line up until one day expanding work commitments got the better of Paul and he called it a day with OW. Paul had been with the band for a good few years and was an integral part of the OW sound so he wasn't going to be easy to replace and so another round of auditions was undertaken. The response was encouraging and a good few talented players turned up but in the end the roll went to local lad Damian Tuffin.

Like Tony, Damian had played on the local scene for a good few years playing with the likes of Under The Influence and Into The Light and fitted in straight away both with the music and, more importantly some would say, with the rest of the band and so the machine that is OW continued on it's way.

Another year flashed buy, new venues were played, new fans were made and all was rosy in the OW camp but looming on the horizon was band news that would have slayed a lesser band. Original founder member and lead guitarist extraordinaire Kenny decided to hang up his OW T-shier for the last time to allow him to concentrate on one of his other bands The Bryan Adams Experience. Now the loss of a member so crucial to the sound of a band (not to mention that he also booked all the gigs!!) could be the end of some bands, but not us! Yet another round of auditions and our latest member was recruited. Jon Elliott is a cracking guitarist all the more impressive considering that he's only 19 years old, has only been playing for three years and he's a lefty playing right handed! Trust me, when you hear this guy play you won't believe it.

And so flushed with the new found vigor the young blood brings OW venture into a new chapter of the long running saga............

The line up is now as follows:

Tony Peacock - Lead Vocals    

Jon Elliott - Lead Guitar    

Damian Tuffin - Bass Guitar   

Mally Shaughnessy - Keyboards/Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals  

Bob Beeson - Drums/Backing Vocals