COAST – Saxon Deep DISCOGRAPHY

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is afbeelding-166.png — Biff Byford – Bass and Vocals, Paul Quinn – Guitar, Alan Dodd – Drums (Dec 1974)

Line-up

November 1973 – December 1973

Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass)

Chris Morris (Guitar),

Alan Dodd (Drums),

unknown other band member

December 1973 – July 1974

Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass)

Chris Morris (Guitar)

Paul Quinn (Guitar)

Alan Dodd (Drums)

July 1974 – June 1975 (it became a 3 piece band)

Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass)

Paul Quinn (Guitar)

Alan Dodd (Drums)

(June 75 – November 75

Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass)

Paul Quinn (Guitar)

Peter Billingsley (Drums)

There was even temporary a keyboard player in COAST, named Joe

Historical facts

Source: Broadcast Barnsley (Credit John Cruse with kind permission)

Around October 1973, Biff left the Wikinson Band and started COAST late 1973, and they probably played their first concert at November 22 (1973) at the Changes in Barnsley. COAST started as a 4 piece band (late 73 – July 74): Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass), Chris Morris (Guitar), Alan Dodd (Drums), and an unknown other band member.

Biff spotted ‘Pagan Chorus’ on the bill at Barnsley’s Club Baba– possibly in December 1973 when they appeared twice at the venue. Baba was the prime venue in the town- and very stylish too: it allowed girls in for free, advertising then for men who “wanted to look at the biggest and best choice of birds in Barnsley. Every week we have approximately 200 by 9pm.” The right choice for the local lads was clear- arrive early to avoid the risk of picking up a “blurred bird” probably inebriated by one of their many spirits promotions.

Here Byford had met guitarist Paul Quinn after the latter’s band, Pagan Chorus, had played Club Baba in Barnsley in December 73 (the town’s premier night spot). Chorus billed themselves as ‘cabaret style pop’ (whatever that genre entailed) and having heard them Byford suggested to Quinn that they could both do better. He joined COAST. Coast then was Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass), Chris Morris (Guitar), Paul Quinn (Guitar), and Alan Dodd (Drums). They had a later version with different drummer plus keyboards (Paul: but forgot who they were)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is afbeelding-126.png — **BaBa club Barnsley**

Coast were ambitious and they had a keen eye for self-publicity. On January 30th 1974 the pub venue Changes in Barnsley announced the “return of the sensational Coast.” The band appeared again “by popular demand” within a week and played there eight times during that year. They also found slots supporting Cockney Rebel and Be Bop Deluxe at the town’s Civic Hall in June, at an outdoor festival in Sheffield’s Parson’s Cross Park and supporting Be Bop Deluxe again at the Civic in December. Coast played several solo gigs around the town as well. Their live appearances always got good reviews. For example at the Cockney Rebel gig the band were complimented on their vocals- “unusually high quality, smooth and refined, not gritty and tinny.” They made a “triumphant return” in front of a “jubilant crowd” at the Barnsley’s Centenary Rooms in September, assailing the audience with “a mind blowing barrage of light and sound.” (NB The support at this gig was from Trace, whose rhythm guitarist was Tony Whitaker. His younger brother was to play guitar in Nightmare and Trace’s first gig at Broadway School’s main hall is recalled in my novel Freak or smoothy?

The future looked promising for Coast during 1974. They won the semi-final of the Tetley brewery Sound of the North contest in March and proceeded to the final hopeful of the prize of £600 of equipment and the chance of a recording contract. As it turned out, they came fourth at the final, although Morris won £50 in recognition of his guitar skills. The competition had been good publicity, though, and another feature appeared in the local paper in which the band announced that they were seeking a manager to handle their bookings. They were touring colleges and universities nationally, as well as their ‘resident band’ status at Changes, and they had a tour of Holland lined up; they needed someone to handle all the admin work. Despite this plea for help, it’s obvious that someone in Coast had very good contacts with a local journalist and knew what could make an interesting story which would get coverage.

However, there was a set back. Guitarist Morris and Alan Dodd left the band in July 74 and a replacement had to be recruited. Later (July 74 – Nov 75), it became a 3 piece band: Biff Byford (Vocals, Bass), Paul Quinn (Guitar), Peter Billingsley (Drums). There was even temporary a keyboard player in COAST.

In February 1975 the Barnsley Chronicle reported that Coast had been recording a new cassette of songs at Holy Ground studio in Wakefield (this was owned by Bill Nelson [it is actually owned by Mike Levon and Dave Wood] of Be Bop Deluxe and the band had plainly built upon the friendship forged when they had supported them in Barnsley). To promote this they were issuing badges, t-shirts and posters bearing the logo ‘Bap shoo ap’, the title of one of their most popular songs. Things did not work out as hoped, however. By April the newspaper was announcing that a new band called Blenheim had been formed, featuring a former Coast member and three ex-members of Trace. The result was that Biff and Paul had to spend the next few months auditioning new members. However by early August they announced the new line up and its first gig at the Victoria Hotel, Cudworth (a former Coast venue). They promised new songs and revamped oldies. A further gig at the Centenary Rooms took place on October 3rd.

Source Peter Billingsley (drummer):

I joined along with the keyboard player Joe can’t remember his surname! This was mid1975 we played the Black Swan pub maybe around June or July and a couple more ! I think at the time John Verity ex Argent was coming to see us rehearse as he was looking to take a support band to America but it didn’t happen while I was there.

I played with Coast round about 1975 Biff was on bass as well as lead vocals at that time we also had a guy called Joe on keyboards ! We were sort of into prog rock at that time , one of my best memories is when we played the Black Swan in Sheffield which was an amazing prestigious venue to play! Joe cocker played there often even when he had made it big also many other big names so it took some persuading to get us on , I managed to get us on a Sunday the best night of the week! Terry steeples the main guy there said it was a gamble but we smashed it we were brilliant! I was with Coast for about 5 months but had to give up for a time as due personaI circumstances! Obviously sort of regret that as we know what happened later! Really glad they made it big!

We first were rehearsing in a pub in Rotherham ‘Pokey little room’! And we then rehearsed in a hall in Barnsley somewhere near worsborough Sunday afternoons. These were the times we couldn’t afford fuel OR rehearsing (Paul Quinn reacted)

Known Coast songs

One stoned gig (a comedy song with the other drummer singing)

Alone as ever

His Majesty’s Pleasure

We Are Glad You’re Here

Lift up your eyes

There exists a live recording: the Victoria Hotel bootleg and a demo cassette. In February 1975 the Barnsley Chronicle reported that Coast had been recording a new cassette of songs at Holy Ground studio in Wakefield (this was owned by Bill Nelson [it is actually owned by Mike Levon and Dave Wood]

One of the songs I remember we did was called ‘Holy grail’. It was a really good number I recall with lots of difficulty time changes. It started with gong’s that we recorded and Childers voices in the middle (Source Pete Billingsley). It was a song from the early COAST era (source Paul Quinn).

Lady was a simple 3 chord ballad by Coast, (A,G & D major) (Souce Paul Quinn)

KNOWN AND VERIFIED CONCERTS COAST

Acknowledgement: John Kruse (Barnsley Broadcast) verified these Coast dates with an extensive research based on copies of original newspapers in the British Library

Coast 1973, November 22: Changes, Barnsley, England UK

Venue