General info

It all really started to come together on the evening of Tuesday 12th April 1988. Rik (the original bass player) and I were watching the legendary Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention playing live at the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin. We didn't know it at the time but our friend Tosh Doll, who played sax for us throughout the mid-nineties, was also there. But we hadn't met Tosh by then. Anyway...after the gig we caught the U-Bahn home and maybe it was the buzz of just seeing a genius do his thing in front of you or even just the rhythm of the train (Cross the Tracks)...I don't know why, but something made me say it.

"We could do that!".

Dave.

Personnel

Drums: Mikey Bo
Bass: Dave Baxter
Guitar: Ashley Davies
Keys: Thuy Mallalieu
Alto sax: Scott Devlin
Tenor sax: Graham Snell
2nd Tenor/Baritone sax: Ben Tompsett
Trumpet: Stuart Beck
Vocals: Cliff Kast
Vocals: Josephine Hope

Occasional Players

Keys: Joules Chown
Drums: Tony Holmes (original band member)
Guitar: Mike Ross
Sax: Sandie Tompsett

Engineer: Rob Flinn
Engineer/DJ: Mike Pailthorpe
Manager: Dave Baxter
Road Manager: Simon Casson

Timeline (click the on the highlighted text for images)

October 2008 - Introducing Cliff Kast and Josephine Hope. Two excellent vocal talents who take the new BBs to new Funky heights!!

April 2008 - To be Frank! (or how Frank Zappa changed my life!)

My life changed direction, seemingly irreversibly, on the evening of Tuesday 12th April 1988. I had been living in Berlin with a friend (Rik Rixon) since February of that year and we were having a great time of it! Even though the wall was still there, the Berliners from the West side had more 'freedom' than the Brits back home. For example, they were considered sensible enough to decide for themselves when to stop drinking and go home to bed. Of course, Rik and I were taking full advantage. Having become 'regulars' at a number of our local drinking houses, we couldn't get over the fact that the bar staff would fill your glass (usually with Tequila) on the house at least 3 or 4 times a night. They appeared to genuinely appreciate your patronage and did everything to make the Auslanders (us) feel welcome. Admittedly, we would have been there all night, spending Deutschemarks as if there were no tomorrow and it would be 2 or 3.am before we made our 'sensible decision' to hit the sack. Sometimes, the morning after, I remember really wishing there had been no tomorrow!

Anyway, that particular evening we decided to go to a venue called the Deutschlandhalle (built in 1935 in anticipation of the Olympic Games). It was an impressive building that could hold 10,000 spectators (these days, I hear it's an Ice Rink!). We went to see the legendary Frank Zappa and his last ever touring band. During the first US leg of the tour (Feb '88) a rather joyful Frank Zappa had had this to say about his new band.

"You know it's the best band in the world".

By June, due to financial constraints and animosities and tension between band members, Zappa had decided to 'call it a day'. He then talked about

"The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life".

Fortunately, we DID get to hear it and the legend is true! This really was the best band you could ever wish to see. The concert that night had a profound effect on me that literally changed everything that's happened since.

By the Middle of September our work had finished, and I'd run out of money. It was time to return to England. By the end of October, I had phoned every player I knew, and some 'old mates' who had never picked up an instrument or sung a note in their whole lives and we had formed a 13 piece FUNK band. The Blunter Brothers was born. After six months of solid rehearsal, we played our first gig on 5th May 1989 at the Surrey Hills Hotel for our friend Steve Shorter's leaving party. He was off to a new life in Australia. It's now April 2008 and I've been playing Bass guitar and managing this band for 20 years. Frank's band only lasted 5 months!!

August 2007 Introducing ....the future of Funk.

July 2007 The Summer of Love band...The Brothers Blunt completed the Summer of Love tour 2007. Many people confuse the Summer of Love with a movement that happened in San Francisco during the summer of 1967...but I can tell you that they got it wrong. The REAL Summer of Love took place July 2007. I'd like to thank MIKE PAILTHORPE, MIKEY BO, JOULES CHOWN, ASHLEY DAVIES, BEN TOMPSETT, SANDIE TOMPSETT, STUART BECK, STEPHANIE YEBOAH and ROB FLINN for their positivity and 'beautiful people ness'. They put the FUN back into FUNk.....

April 2007 The Blunter Brothers showband!

March 2007 Mark Keen retires from the band....It's time for Papa's brand new bag...

September 2006 Ashdown Recording Company
Thanks go out to Mike Ross for inviting the Blunter Brothers to a recording session. Click here to see some pictures and hear the recordings.

July 2006 Amy gets married.
The band has a great day at Amy Tompsett's wedding.

June 2006 Turkey
The band is invited to play at the Izmir International Music Festival.

December 2005 BBC
The band is invited to return to the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year after show party.

2005: The Blunter Brothers.

December 2004 BBC
The band becomes the first ever to be invited to play at the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year Awards after show party.

December 2003 Blenheim Palace
Possibly the premiere function venue in the country.

December 2003 Jim Davidson
The band is booked along side Jim Davidson as the entertainment for a large corporate event. Filled the dance floor.

June 2002 Komedia
Brighton’s hippest venue at the time.

May 2001 Yorkshire
Played a function in far off Yorkshire that we got through word of mouth alone.

May 2000 Eleven years in the business
Played together well over one thousand times by now.

November 1999 Mezzo’s and Hurlingham club
Invited to play at both of these top market venues.

March 1998 Porthcawl Mid Glamorgan
True high society wedding in the most beautiful country residence.

July 1997 Hogg Robinson
Our 1st week long conference. Played every night. A good time had by all.

August 1995 Richard Branson’s house party
Another nice gig. 20,000 people over 2 weekends.

August 1994 Hackney empire
Invited to play at the Hackney Empire. Feels like a step in the right direction.

July 1993 Hawth theatre main auditorium
Still doing it. Managed to fill it again.

November 1992 Cordell
Collaborated in the studio with Cordell ‘boogie’ Mosson. An original member of
The George Clinton outfit Funkadelic.

July 1991 Zap club
Invited to play Brighton’s hippest club at the time.

September 1990 Hawth theatre main auditorium
Our local theatre. Filled the 800 capacity.

June 1989 Event ‘89
Our 2nd gig. Played in front of 2000 people.
Supporting 80’s band China Crisis and song writer Andy Fairweather Lowe

Date of first Gig: May 5th 1989
Venue: Surrey Hills hotel...it was just the ticket!

Formed the band: September/October 1988
Rehearsed for six months.