Random Gender
Encyclopedia
Random Gender were a Wiltshire Progressive Garage band founded in 1982 by twin brothers Jon and Simon Cousins
; who later went on to be prominent members of Wiltshire folk rockers Ophiuchus
and Liverpool's indie rock group The Onset
respectively. Although Random Gender remained unsigned to any major record label they attracted a great deal of attention "thanks to their musical skill and professionalism in advertising", leading to write-ups in the national music press.
Random Gender was formed in June 1982 when Chippenham based punk rock group The So! announced that they had changed their name. The So! was formed in September 1978 by three 13 year old school friends from Wiltshire’s Grittleton House School
; twin brothers Jon and Simon Cousins
on guitar and bass respectively and Andrew Hawker on expletives and vocals. In 1980, they were joined by drummer Dave Clifford, later to replace Mark Ollard as drummer for Red Jasper. The So! drew their inspiration from Punk bands such as the Skids
, Sex Pistols
and the Stranglers
. Their set included punked up versions of Rock n Roll standards such as "Get Back
", "Rock Around The Clock
" and the Stone’s "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
", however, from the beginning the Cousins brothers were writing their own material. Nevertheless, very few actual gigs were played and even fewer recordings remain, but a recording of The So! performing "Rock Around The Clock
" was placed on MySpace in 2009.
The summer of 1981 saw the departure of Andrew Hawker and David Clifford when band members left school and went their separate ways. In October 1981, whilst at sixth form in Chippenham
’s Sheldon and Hardenhuish Schools the Cousins brothers teamed up with Mark Dunn on keyboards/drums and Richard Pearson on guitar/drums. The group practiced in the cellar of Mark’s parents house on Chippenham’s London Road, developing an underground garage sound from self penned tunes and covers of T-Rex, David Bowie
and Lou Reed
.
Myke Vince joined the band in the Spring of 1982 and in June the local press carried the story that the band had changed its name. The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald ran with ‘So... it’s Random Gender.’ In the article Jon Cousins explains “the new name was Myke’s idea and the rest of us think it suits our image better.” The name actually came from the Ultravox
song "My Sex", composed by John Foxx
.
However, not all the band were happy with the new name and the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald of July 29, 1982 reported that “The bands line up is now Mike Vince (drums), Richard Pearson (guitar), Simon Cousins (bass and vocals) and Jon Cousins (rhythm guitar and vocals).” The article reported on the “Gig in the Barn at Sevington Farm”, July 10, 1982 where an audience of 150 people saw Random Gender perform their first show at the north Wiltshire
home of the Cousins brothers’ Mother and Step Father, Judith and Roger Pope.
With the departure of Mark Dunn, Random Gender moved their base to Sevington Farm, where they adapted an outhouse into their practice room. Shortly after the move to Sevington Farm that Random Gender recorded The Blue Set demo at The Practice Room. This tape included their signature tune, the haunting "My Death" written by Jon Cousins about the events in Poland
in 1981/2 when the government introduced martial law in an attempt to crush the Solidarity movement. At this time the Cousins brothers also began working with local Chippenham songwriter Eddie Deedigan in the Triangle project.
During October 1982, Richard Pearson left Random Gender and on November 4, 1982 the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported that “guitarist Eddie Deedigan has replaced Richard Pearson.” Eddie Deedigan introduced a folk influence to the band’s music, which was an influence that grew in prominence in the Cousins brothers song writing and became the main genre of Random Gender’s successors, Ophiuchus
.
In spring on 1983, Random Gender recruited keyboard player Mark Nochols. The band played their second “Gig in the Barn at Sevington Farm” on April 30, 1983. It is believed the audience exceeded 400, with special busses being laid on from nearby towns of Chippenham and Calne for the night. The show was a massive success, establishing Random Gender as a band, but also marked the departure of both Mark Nichols and Eddie Deedigan from the line up. Eddie Deedigan would later go on to form the band Circus with Tom Aitkenhead and Damon Albarn
of Blur
.
Earlier that Spring, the Cousins brothers had starred in a sixth form production of Tom Stoppard
’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Sheldon School. Other members of the cast included Gender guitarist Eddie Deedigan and keyboard player Richard Hughes, who was recruited that summer to replace Mark Nichols.
In the summer of 1983, Myke Vince’s father John Vince, a lecturer at Corsham
Art College in Wiltshire, began to act as Random Gender's manager. John Vince encouraged the band to develop as artists, producing their own posters, arranging photo shoots, engaging with the media and expanding their musical expression. In an interview for Wiltshire Gazette and Herald in 1985 he explained his passion for the band: “They have a depth to their music that a lot of young bands lack” adding that “Their music is well thought out, tight and professional."
In October 1983, Random Gender were in the studio for the first time recording their second demo The Foxhole Sessions. This session as the name implies, was recorded at the Foxhole Studio in Wick between 8 p.m. and midnight on October 13. The Demo had four of the bands original numbers, including a new version of "My Death", now with keyboard arrangement by Richard Hughes, and the track Stage, written after the experience of their acting debut.
On January 25, 1984 Random Gender played on the bill at Richard Branson
’s Goldiggers Club in Chippenham
. They proved so popular that they were given a gig in their own right in April. The Goldiggers gig was reported in The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald which interviewed Jon, Myke and Richard. Jon stated, “It’s the first time a local band has played at the club in their own right and not as a support act for someone else.”
In June, the band were recording for the second time, this time in Frank Aust's studio in Bath, where they cut two track;"Night and Day / The Journey", which were released as a demo single. At the same time the band were playing regular gigs in Bristol and Bath and had become a six piece as was reported in the Chippenham News on July 27, 1984. “The line-up now includes Jane Hicks (dance, vocals and percussion) and it has been joined at some recent gigs by Pat D’Arcy (Saxophone).” Jane Hick was the Drama Teacher at Sheldon School in Chippenham and had been the director of the production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead the year before. She had approached the band to ask them if she could join on a temporary basis in order to get an equity card. Pat D’Arcy had been travelling from Stafford
at the weekends to play sax with the band since meeting them in the Spring, whilst working in Wiltshire.
The band’s gig at Bath’s St. James Wine Vaults on July 20, 1984 was a critical success attracting a number of reporters from different publications. Simon Kinnersley, of the Bath and West Evening Chronicle, wrote “The most arresting feature of their music is the inclusion of a sax, which not only beefs up their sound, but seems to pump the whole thing along and make them much more distinctive and varied”, Dave Massey of Sounds added that “there was a hint of the Beatles circa ’66 and, more odd, something of Roxy ’72-‘74 .” and Mark Ashton of Venue Magazine summed up Random Gender as “well worth watching, fizzy, flippant and sunny side up.”
A week later the band were back in the studio working on "The Man with the Face", which was recorded on July 26, 1984 in Yate, Avon. This is the only Random Gender recording to feature Jane Hick who performed backing vocals. At this time Jon Cousins also began to work on a solo project inspired by the Celtic mythology of the Welsh Nation, "The Mabinogion: The Mabinogi of Math 'Ab Mathonwy and the Sons of Don" . The ten songs of the Mabinogion were recorded at Robert Craven
’s studio in Bath during July and August 1984. Jon enlisted the help of his girlfriend Rachel Bowen on recorder, Jane Hicks’ husband Andy on flute and his brother Simon on various instruments. Three of the songs – The Sin, The Death of Pryderi, and The Punishment, featured a full Random Gender line up of Jon Cousins, Simon Cousins, Myke Vince and Richard Hughes.
In the August of 1984 Jane Hicks qualified for her Equity card and left the band, leaving the five members of its final line up: Jon Cousins, guitar and vocals; Simon Cousins, bass and vocals; Myke Vince on drums and vocals; Richard Hughes, keyboards and vocals; and Pat D’Arcy on saxophone and vocals.
Random Gender became a firm favourite at Bristol’s The Thekla, which was run by Ki Longfellow
and her husband Vivian Stanshall
, who is best known as the singer with the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Among Random Gender’s regular audience members at The Thekla was the actor David Rappaport
, who would take great delight in introducing them onto stage.
December 31, 1984 saw Pat D’Arcy and Simon Cousins travelling to Stafford to play at a New Year’s Eve bash with Pat’s friend Pete Haycock
from the Climax Blues Band
. Earlier that month, December 12, 1984, Random Gender played their first gig at the Granary Club
in Bristol, supporting The Harpoons and Automatic Dlamini. The latter featured an unknown PJ Harvey
as their lead singer. Random Gender returned to the Granary as the headline act on April 18, 1985.
On the 14th March, 1985 the band played their first gig at Peewee Hunt’s Real Ale Bar in Trowbridge
. Sue Hampton of the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald attended the show and reported that the band “won over the audience with their light refreshing style of music.” The band were asked to return for another gig in May 1985, with Peewee’s becoming one of the band’s regular gigs throughout the rest of their career. April 15, 1985 saw Random Gender’s first appearance at another prestigious venue, Moles Night Club in Bath. This gig was reviewed by Mark Ashton of the Venue Magazine who called them “an oddball mix of present, past, taste, trend, fad and fun."
Random Gender worked hard throughout the summer with Simon Kinnersly of Bath and West Evening Chronicle commenting that "They’ve been seen in almost every venue in the area, gradually consolidating their reputation and improving their style and sound. So much that they’re one of the best bands around." During this time the band also made their final appearance at Chippenham’s Goldiggers on August 27, 1985 "playing at the mini Live Aid show" Concert for Ethiopia. At the concert they were reunited with Eddie Deedigan who was compere for the nine hour special. Also on the bill were Bobby McVay, Loose Ends and Princess. The event raised £5,000 for the appeal.
In the late summer of 1985 the Random Gender returned to Robert Craven
’s Studio in Bath to record their third version of "My Death", this time with the saxophone of Pat D’Arcy, who had made the move from Stafford to Wiltshire and consolidated his place in the group. Also joining the band at this time was Liverpool’s electronics wizard, Glen Wardle who became their regular Sound Engineer.
Random Gender appeared in the final of the Wiltshire Music for Today competition at Salisbury
Arts Centre on September 15, 1985. Their appearance at the event was covered by the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald and the Chippenham Times and News. The Gazette and Herald recorded that the competition “winners were the Calling from Swindon
, Random Gender came second.” Both papers ran a story that the band had been offered a trip to Europe as a consequence of their Live Aid appearance at Goldiggers. The Gazette and Herald with the headline, "German tour offered band on the upbeat.” The Times and News stating that “The band were spotted by an agent who offered them a tour of Germany next month.” Whether this was a clever piece of marketing or a real story seems unclear, however, the tour of Germany never materialised, instead they played a short tour of Staffordshire later that month.
Random Gender’s first and only airplay came by virtue of their appearance at Swindon’s Live Aid fun day on September 21, 1985. They were playing in the background as the roving reporter on GWR Radio made occasional contact with the DJ on the Saturday afternoon broadcast. The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported that Random Gender “played for free” and “that £300 was raised from the event.”
In the autumn of 1985, Random Gender returned to Rob Craven’s studio in Bath to record what turned out to be their last session. They produced one track, "Chain to Break", with a view to making their first single. In an interview with Five Minutes Magazine the band discussed their plans to secure sponsorship and their concerns to keep artistic control. Jon Cousins expressed the bands position “To get any further, we can only do that if we’ve got some sort of backing. We need somebody who is going to sponsor us but who doesn’t want to change us.” Random Gender found a financial backer in Wiltshire businessman John Senior Stern who agreed to put up the finances for a single. The group began negotiations with Pete Haycock
who agreed to be their producer on the project. They provided him with tapes of all of their songs and Pete Haycock chose In Search Of The East and My Death as the two songs for the single.
In the spring of 1986, Random Gender teamed up with photographer Martin Tom Sawyer to do a photo shoot for the single cover at Sevington Farm. A draft cover was developed, but the band broke up before there was a chance for the single to be produced.
A new band, Ophiuchus
rose out of the ashes of Random Gender, and it was this band that went on to record their first single Serpent and the Bearded King with Pete Haycock
as producer. The original line up of Ophiuchus
included the Cousins Brothers and Pat D’Arcy. But this was short lived with Simon Cousins leaving to join Mike Badger
who formed The Onset
in December 1986. In addition to Jon Cousins and Pat D’Arcy, ex-Gender members Myke Vince and Glen Wardle both played with Ophiuchus
and appear on the “Serpent” single, which was released in 1987.
Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of Liverpool indie country rock band The Onset and folk rockers Ophiuchus. He studied music at the Liverpool Music College and has a degree in philosophy from Liverpool University...
; who later went on to be prominent members of Wiltshire folk rockers Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
and Liverpool's indie rock group The Onset
The Onset
The Onset were formed in 1987 by Mike Badger after he left his former band The La's. Mike teamed up with local Liverpool legend Danny Dean on guitar, Hamish Cameron on Piano and Colin Becket on Drums. The first demo "Let's Go Home" can be found on the 2006 compilation CD, Lo Fi Electric...
respectively. Although Random Gender remained unsigned to any major record label they attracted a great deal of attention "thanks to their musical skill and professionalism in advertising", leading to write-ups in the national music press.
"Music and humour have caused some unhappy marriages, Jilted John, the Barron Knights, and most recently Billy Connolly. Music without humour can be equally short lived and unbearable. A mixture of the two comes as naturally to Random Gender as does their capacity to fuse the 80’s beat consciousness with the more laid back aspects of the Velvet Underground era"— Mark Ashton (Venue Magazine).
Random Gender was formed in June 1982 when Chippenham based punk rock group The So! announced that they had changed their name. The So! was formed in September 1978 by three 13 year old school friends from Wiltshire’s Grittleton House School
Grittleton House School
Grittleton House School is a small, family-run independent school and children's daycare provider situated in the village of Grittleton near Chippenham in Wiltshire. The school is co-educational with around 300 pupils and toddlers aged 2-16....
; twin brothers Jon and Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins
Simon Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of Liverpool indie country rock band The Onset and folk rockers Ophiuchus. He studied music at the Liverpool Music College and has a degree in philosophy from Liverpool University...
on guitar and bass respectively and Andrew Hawker on expletives and vocals. In 1980, they were joined by drummer Dave Clifford, later to replace Mark Ollard as drummer for Red Jasper. The So! drew their inspiration from Punk bands such as the Skids
The Skids
Skids were an art-punk/punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart Adamson , William Simpson , Thomas Kellichan and Richard Jobson...
, Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
and the Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
. Their set included punked up versions of Rock n Roll standards such as "Get Back
Get Back
"Get Back" is a song by The Beatles, composed by Paul McCartney and frequently attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The song was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969, and credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston." A different mix of the song later became the closing track of Let It Be ,...
", "Rock Around The Clock
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...
" and the Stone’s "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
" Satisfaction" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. Richards's throwaway three-note guitar riff — intended to be replaced by horns — opens and drives the song...
", however, from the beginning the Cousins brothers were writing their own material. Nevertheless, very few actual gigs were played and even fewer recordings remain, but a recording of The So! performing "Rock Around The Clock
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...
" was placed on MySpace in 2009.
The summer of 1981 saw the departure of Andrew Hawker and David Clifford when band members left school and went their separate ways. In October 1981, whilst at sixth form in Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
’s Sheldon and Hardenhuish Schools the Cousins brothers teamed up with Mark Dunn on keyboards/drums and Richard Pearson on guitar/drums. The group practiced in the cellar of Mark’s parents house on Chippenham’s London Road, developing an underground garage sound from self penned tunes and covers of T-Rex, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
.
Myke Vince joined the band in the Spring of 1982 and in June the local press carried the story that the band had changed its name. The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald ran with ‘So... it’s Random Gender.’ In the article Jon Cousins explains “the new name was Myke’s idea and the rest of us think it suits our image better.” The name actually came from the Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
song "My Sex", composed by John Foxx
John Foxx
John Foxx is an English singer, artist, photographer and teacher. He was the original lead singer of the band Ultravox before being replaced by Midge Ure, when he left to embark on a solo career in 1979...
.
However, not all the band were happy with the new name and the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald of July 29, 1982 reported that “The bands line up is now Mike Vince (drums), Richard Pearson (guitar), Simon Cousins (bass and vocals) and Jon Cousins (rhythm guitar and vocals).” The article reported on the “Gig in the Barn at Sevington Farm”, July 10, 1982 where an audience of 150 people saw Random Gender perform their first show at the north Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
home of the Cousins brothers’ Mother and Step Father, Judith and Roger Pope.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1981/2 when the government introduced martial law in an attempt to crush the Solidarity movement. At this time the Cousins brothers also began working with local Chippenham songwriter Eddie Deedigan in the Triangle project.
During October 1982, Richard Pearson left Random Gender and on November 4, 1982 the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported that “guitarist Eddie Deedigan has replaced Richard Pearson.” Eddie Deedigan introduced a folk influence to the band’s music, which was an influence that grew in prominence in the Cousins brothers song writing and became the main genre of Random Gender’s successors, Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
.
In spring on 1983, Random Gender recruited keyboard player Mark Nochols. The band played their second “Gig in the Barn at Sevington Farm” on April 30, 1983. It is believed the audience exceeded 400, with special busses being laid on from nearby towns of Chippenham and Calne for the night. The show was a massive success, establishing Random Gender as a band, but also marked the departure of both Mark Nichols and Eddie Deedigan from the line up. Eddie Deedigan would later go on to form the band Circus with Tom Aitkenhead and Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
.
Earlier that Spring, the Cousins brothers had starred in a sixth form production of Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Sheldon School. Other members of the cast included Gender guitarist Eddie Deedigan and keyboard player Richard Hughes, who was recruited that summer to replace Mark Nichols.
In the summer of 1983, Myke Vince’s father John Vince, a lecturer at Corsham
Corsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
Art College in Wiltshire, began to act as Random Gender's manager. John Vince encouraged the band to develop as artists, producing their own posters, arranging photo shoots, engaging with the media and expanding their musical expression. In an interview for Wiltshire Gazette and Herald in 1985 he explained his passion for the band: “They have a depth to their music that a lot of young bands lack” adding that “Their music is well thought out, tight and professional."
In October 1983, Random Gender were in the studio for the first time recording their second demo The Foxhole Sessions. This session as the name implies, was recorded at the Foxhole Studio in Wick between 8 p.m. and midnight on October 13. The Demo had four of the bands original numbers, including a new version of "My Death", now with keyboard arrangement by Richard Hughes, and the track Stage, written after the experience of their acting debut.
On January 25, 1984 Random Gender played on the bill at Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
’s Goldiggers Club in Chippenham
Chippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
. They proved so popular that they were given a gig in their own right in April. The Goldiggers gig was reported in The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald which interviewed Jon, Myke and Richard. Jon stated, “It’s the first time a local band has played at the club in their own right and not as a support act for someone else.”
In June, the band were recording for the second time, this time in Frank Aust's studio in Bath, where they cut two track;"Night and Day / The Journey", which were released as a demo single. At the same time the band were playing regular gigs in Bristol and Bath and had become a six piece as was reported in the Chippenham News on July 27, 1984. “The line-up now includes Jane Hicks (dance, vocals and percussion) and it has been joined at some recent gigs by Pat D’Arcy (Saxophone).” Jane Hick was the Drama Teacher at Sheldon School in Chippenham and had been the director of the production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead the year before. She had approached the band to ask them if she could join on a temporary basis in order to get an equity card. Pat D’Arcy had been travelling from Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
at the weekends to play sax with the band since meeting them in the Spring, whilst working in Wiltshire.
The band’s gig at Bath’s St. James Wine Vaults on July 20, 1984 was a critical success attracting a number of reporters from different publications. Simon Kinnersley, of the Bath and West Evening Chronicle, wrote “The most arresting feature of their music is the inclusion of a sax, which not only beefs up their sound, but seems to pump the whole thing along and make them much more distinctive and varied”, Dave Massey of Sounds added that “there was a hint of the Beatles circa ’66 and, more odd, something of Roxy ’72-‘74 .” and Mark Ashton of Venue Magazine summed up Random Gender as “well worth watching, fizzy, flippant and sunny side up.”
A week later the band were back in the studio working on "The Man with the Face", which was recorded on July 26, 1984 in Yate, Avon. This is the only Random Gender recording to feature Jane Hick who performed backing vocals. At this time Jon Cousins also began to work on a solo project inspired by the Celtic mythology of the Welsh Nation, "The Mabinogion: The Mabinogi of Math 'Ab Mathonwy and the Sons of Don" . The ten songs of the Mabinogion were recorded at Robert Craven
Robert Craven
Robert Craven is an English author of business books and a popular keynote speaker. His area of focus is entrepreneurship and business growth.-Career:...
’s studio in Bath during July and August 1984. Jon enlisted the help of his girlfriend Rachel Bowen on recorder, Jane Hicks’ husband Andy on flute and his brother Simon on various instruments. Three of the songs – The Sin, The Death of Pryderi, and The Punishment, featured a full Random Gender line up of Jon Cousins, Simon Cousins, Myke Vince and Richard Hughes.
In the August of 1984 Jane Hicks qualified for her Equity card and left the band, leaving the five members of its final line up: Jon Cousins, guitar and vocals; Simon Cousins, bass and vocals; Myke Vince on drums and vocals; Richard Hughes, keyboards and vocals; and Pat D’Arcy on saxophone and vocals.
Random Gender became a firm favourite at Bristol’s The Thekla, which was run by Ki Longfellow
Ki Longfellow
Ki Longfellow is an American novelist, playwright, theatrical producer, theater director and entrepreneur. In Britain, as the widow of Vivian Stanshall, she is well known as the guardian of his artistic heritage, but elsewhere she is best known for her own work, especially the novel The Secret...
and her husband Vivian Stanshall
Vivian Stanshall
Vivian Stanshall was an English singer-songwriter, painter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his surreal exploration of the British upper classes in Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, and for narrating Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.-The great...
, who is best known as the singer with the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Among Random Gender’s regular audience members at The Thekla was the actor David Rappaport
David Rappaport
David Stephen Rappaport was an English actor, probably one of the best known dwarf actors in television and film...
, who would take great delight in introducing them onto stage.
December 31, 1984 saw Pat D’Arcy and Simon Cousins travelling to Stafford to play at a New Year’s Eve bash with Pat’s friend Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock is a guitarist and composer who started his career as lead guitarist and vocalist with the Climax Chicago Blues Band. Born at 63 Tixall Road, Stafford, Staffordshire....
from the Climax Blues Band
Climax Blues Band
Climax Blues Band was formed in Stafford, England in 1968. The original members were guitarists Peter Haycock and Derek Holt; keyboardist Arthur Wood; bassist Richard Jones; drummer George Newsome; and vocalist and harmonica player, Colin Cooper.In 1970, the group shortened its name to the Climax...
. Earlier that month, December 12, 1984, Random Gender played their first gig at the Granary Club
Granary, Bristol
The Granary is on Welsh Back, Bristol, England.It was built in 1869 by Archibald Ponton and William Venn Gough with red Cattybrook brick with black and white brick and limestone dressings as a granary but has been used as offices. It is probably the best preserved example of the Bristol Byzantine...
in Bristol, supporting The Harpoons and Automatic Dlamini. The latter featured an unknown PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
as their lead singer. Random Gender returned to the Granary as the headline act on April 18, 1985.
On the 14th March, 1985 the band played their first gig at Peewee Hunt’s Real Ale Bar in Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
. Sue Hampton of the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald attended the show and reported that the band “won over the audience with their light refreshing style of music.” The band were asked to return for another gig in May 1985, with Peewee’s becoming one of the band’s regular gigs throughout the rest of their career. April 15, 1985 saw Random Gender’s first appearance at another prestigious venue, Moles Night Club in Bath. This gig was reviewed by Mark Ashton of the Venue Magazine who called them “an oddball mix of present, past, taste, trend, fad and fun."
Random Gender worked hard throughout the summer with Simon Kinnersly of Bath and West Evening Chronicle commenting that "They’ve been seen in almost every venue in the area, gradually consolidating their reputation and improving their style and sound. So much that they’re one of the best bands around." During this time the band also made their final appearance at Chippenham’s Goldiggers on August 27, 1985 "playing at the mini Live Aid show" Concert for Ethiopia. At the concert they were reunited with Eddie Deedigan who was compere for the nine hour special. Also on the bill were Bobby McVay, Loose Ends and Princess. The event raised £5,000 for the appeal.
Robert Craven
Robert Craven is an English author of business books and a popular keynote speaker. His area of focus is entrepreneurship and business growth.-Career:...
’s Studio in Bath to record their third version of "My Death", this time with the saxophone of Pat D’Arcy, who had made the move from Stafford to Wiltshire and consolidated his place in the group. Also joining the band at this time was Liverpool’s electronics wizard, Glen Wardle who became their regular Sound Engineer.
Random Gender appeared in the final of the Wiltshire Music for Today competition at Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
Arts Centre on September 15, 1985. Their appearance at the event was covered by the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald and the Chippenham Times and News. The Gazette and Herald recorded that the competition “winners were the Calling from Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, Random Gender came second.” Both papers ran a story that the band had been offered a trip to Europe as a consequence of their Live Aid appearance at Goldiggers. The Gazette and Herald with the headline, "German tour offered band on the upbeat.” The Times and News stating that “The band were spotted by an agent who offered them a tour of Germany next month.” Whether this was a clever piece of marketing or a real story seems unclear, however, the tour of Germany never materialised, instead they played a short tour of Staffordshire later that month.
Random Gender’s first and only airplay came by virtue of their appearance at Swindon’s Live Aid fun day on September 21, 1985. They were playing in the background as the roving reporter on GWR Radio made occasional contact with the DJ on the Saturday afternoon broadcast. The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported that Random Gender “played for free” and “that £300 was raised from the event.”
In the autumn of 1985, Random Gender returned to Rob Craven’s studio in Bath to record what turned out to be their last session. They produced one track, "Chain to Break", with a view to making their first single. In an interview with Five Minutes Magazine the band discussed their plans to secure sponsorship and their concerns to keep artistic control. Jon Cousins expressed the bands position “To get any further, we can only do that if we’ve got some sort of backing. We need somebody who is going to sponsor us but who doesn’t want to change us.” Random Gender found a financial backer in Wiltshire businessman John Senior Stern who agreed to put up the finances for a single. The group began negotiations with Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock is a guitarist and composer who started his career as lead guitarist and vocalist with the Climax Chicago Blues Band. Born at 63 Tixall Road, Stafford, Staffordshire....
who agreed to be their producer on the project. They provided him with tapes of all of their songs and Pete Haycock chose In Search Of The East and My Death as the two songs for the single.
In the spring of 1986, Random Gender teamed up with photographer Martin Tom Sawyer to do a photo shoot for the single cover at Sevington Farm. A draft cover was developed, but the band broke up before there was a chance for the single to be produced.
A new band, Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
rose out of the ashes of Random Gender, and it was this band that went on to record their first single Serpent and the Bearded King with Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock
Pete Haycock is a guitarist and composer who started his career as lead guitarist and vocalist with the Climax Chicago Blues Band. Born at 63 Tixall Road, Stafford, Staffordshire....
as producer. The original line up of Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
included the Cousins Brothers and Pat D’Arcy. But this was short lived with Simon Cousins leaving to join Mike Badger
Mike Badger
Michael Clifford "Mike" Badger is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, artist and sculptor from Liverpool, England. He was co-founder of The La's and went on to form alternative country/roots rockabilly band The Onset in 1988 and The Kachinas in 1996...
who formed The Onset
The Onset
The Onset were formed in 1987 by Mike Badger after he left his former band The La's. Mike teamed up with local Liverpool legend Danny Dean on guitar, Hamish Cameron on Piano and Colin Becket on Drums. The first demo "Let's Go Home" can be found on the 2006 compilation CD, Lo Fi Electric...
in December 1986. In addition to Jon Cousins and Pat D’Arcy, ex-Gender members Myke Vince and Glen Wardle both played with Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus (band)
Ophiuchus are a folk/roots rock group from Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England, formed in 1986 by twin brothers - guitarist Jon and bassist Simon Cousins, with saxophonist Pat D'Arcy and photographer, graphic designer Martin Tom Sawyer....
and appear on the “Serpent” single, which was released in 1987.
Discography
- The Foxhole Sessions Demo EP (1983)
- Night and Day / The Journey Demo Single (1984)
- The Man with the Face Demo Single (1984)
- The Mabinogion Demo Album (1984)
- My Death Demo Single (1985)
- Chain to Break Demo Single (1985)