Nottingham based pop group. Early to Mid 70’s

Line up:
Norman Wright of Codnor
John Manning of Langley Mill
John Carlin of Eastwood
Steve Carlisle of Beeston: Percussion

Manager / Promotions / Club owner: John Rider

The idea of Spasm had been formed at the end of the sixties when school friends John, Steve, John and Norman left with ambition to play in a pop group. They supported bands like Showaddy-waddy and The Rubettes and had a residency in Tiffany’s, Sheffield for two years. In Feb 1975 they changed their name to Maxim and were signed to Ocean records with a view to releasing a single called “Hold On Tight”. They were also booked to tour with Chuck Berry. John Holmes was their manager. Not the Radio Nottingham broadcaster but a Londoner who changed his name to John Rider to avoid confusion. John Rider had started playing as a disc jockey in the late sixties and became manager of Intercon, Victoria Centre in 1971. He also ran clubs in Portugal and Corfu. At the end of 1974 he became head of promotions at the Mervyn Conn Organisation in London.