This is the story of one of Nottingham’s best loved bands.

Gaffa were formed in 1971 but with roots that can be traced back into the sixties. From the very beginning they wrote their own material, gigged and entertained through thick and thin, but never softened their straight ahead approach to down to earth rock. With short danceable songs and witty lyrics they preceded and matched punk with their street attitude.

Along with stable mates Plummet Airlines they provided a much needed release for the music fans of mid seventies Nottingham who wanted more than a covers band or the excess of the musical intelligencia. A fine example of that much maligned term ‘pub rock’, a Gaffa gig was one of a sweaty, beer fuelled night full of fun and frolics.

They released independent records, recorded for television and radio and were well received by the music press but never quite got the break that would have allowed them to prosper nationally. At the end of 1980 they called it a day and followed their own solo endeavours.

Gaffa have had an array of members led by Wayne Evans and Mick Barratt from the beginning and including John Maslen, Clive ‘Myph’ Smith, Brendan Kidulis, Kevin Unwin, Paul Cronk, John Herod and Richard Ronson. All the Gaffa family remained friends, often working together under other guises, and when they reformed in the twenty first century they hadn’t lost any of that fire that made them fan favourites. Time may have passed and many others have trod the same steps but it could be argued that Gaffa are the best representative of grass roots rock that Nottingham has ever produced.

On a personal level, I have fond memories of seeing Gaffa play during my teenage years at the Imperial on St James Street, on the bandstand at Victoria Embankment, the back room of the Town Arms and other venues now twisted into one hazy vision. Later in life I have got to know the lads, even working with Wayne Evans on musical projects, and no doubt I will be biased towards their place in the local music scene but I feel it is a warranted bias and like all good stories should provide a window into that most treasured of feelings, the zest for life.

The best known line up of Gaffa was from the last four years of the seventies with a four piece consisting of Wayne Evans: Bass & Vocals, Mick Barrett: Drums, John Maslen: Guitar and Clive ‘Myph’ Smith: Guitar but there were many earlier versions before this stable line up came together. Although all the members of the band had prior histories before joining the band, John Maslen going back to the late fifties, and all contributed to compositions within the band it was Wayne Evans who was the chief song writer and it is his meeting with Mick Barratt that was the birth of Gaffa in 1971 and it is with Wayne that our story starts.

Wayne Evans was born in 1953 on the Ainsley Estate, tucked in between Western Boulevard and the River Leen near Radford.

“I loved words and I used to write songs from a young age. I was only about six or seven and one of the first songs I ever wrote was inspired by Canning Circus. The mix of a circus and a pub“. “Elephants in the brandy, Monkeys in the shandy“. Starting at the Peveril Bilateral School, Robin’s Wood Road off Beechdale Road in 1964 a chance meeting with a fellow pupil on the first day set Wayne off on a trajectory that would dictate a large part of his life. Earlier in the summer Wayne had been on a trip to London with his dad. While there, Wayne’s dad bought him a shirt. It was a cool brown with gold mod shirt. Wayne wore it on his first day at school. It was close to the uniform colours so he was able to get away with it on that day. Wayne also had a “Steve Marriot” type haircut. Paul Summers known as Beano was also starting school that day and tapped Wayne on the shoulder and asked “Are you in a band?”. Wayne said no whereupon Beano said “Well you look like you should be”.

In 1967 the television programme “The Prisoner” starring Patrick McGoohan as No.6 was catching the eye of the sixties youth generation and mystifying the older generation in equal measures. Wayne showed which side he was on with a photo collage using a photobooth picture which was from a few years earlier and a piece of a cigarette packet. The psychedelic revolution was happening and “When the Beatles went weird I pricked up my ears“.

The day that Wayne met Paul “Beano” Summers at school started off his career in music and it wasn’t long before they put a group together. You can read about “The Tadpole Lane and District County Council Charity Band” who were active between 1965 and 1969 here.

1970

After the “Tadpoles” Wayne joined Nick Turners band “High Bread Mishap“ who were active from 1969 to 1970. Drummer Mick Barratt was in a group called “Hogweed” in 1970 and when they folded he joined an already disintegrating High Bread Mishap for the last few gigs.

1971

When High Bread Mishap came to an end Wayne and Mick decided to form their own group and this was the foundation of Gaffa. For a while they practiced with old friends and band mates. Mick O’Gorman from High Bread Mishap was one. Eventually Wayne recruited some of his old “Tadpole” band mates. By 1971 they were rehearsing and decided on the name “GAFFA” which means “The Boss”, a word used in work environments and any other role with a boss. The first line up was:

1st (71-72)
Wayne Evans: Bass Guitar
Mick Barrett: Drums
John Herod: Guitar
Richard Ronson: Guitar

John Herod and Richard Ronson had previously been in The Tadpoles with Wayne Evans.

Gaffa gigs/sessions/events – A rough guide

1972

Saturday 17th June – Free Rock Concert at the Bandstand, Trent Bridge. Gaffa with Barracuda and Phonograph.

The bandstand, built between 1899 and 1901 was a regular summer location for open air events and rock concerts would take place there throughout the seventies. Barracuda were from Mansfield and featured at various times Dave Eppel: Guitar, Steve Harris: Percussion, John Ponka: Sax and Flute, Adrian Armstrong: Guitars, Bruno Brunning: Keyboards and percussion, Terry Horbury: Bass guitar. Phonograph was a duo of Tim Disney and Dave Green playing country blues.

Sunday 17th June – at Moor Farm Inn, Off Coventry Lane, Bramcote.

Gaffa “A great New Group in the Moor Farm tradition on the Heavy and Pop scene”.
Opened in 1970, Moor Farm Inn, was formely the 200 year old farm house of Moor Farm. In the early seventies it had a range of groups and nights which would include the new heavy groups of the era like Judas Priest and broadcaster John Holmes would often DJ there. Folk nights and club bands all could find a spot in the busy establishment. Many local bands played there: Magic Ratt, Cisco, Dawn Trader, Limelight.

Saturday July 15th – Market Square – Gaffa

From the Evening Post “I Wonder if correspondent Auntie who recently wrote about trouble at pop festivals was in the Market Square last Saturday, and noted there was no trouble just feet tapping and applause from a large crowd at the performance by Gaffa, the local pop group?”

Sunday 30th July – at Moor Farm Inn Bramcote.

Nottingham’s premier Free House. Great beers, great food, great entertainment.
Gaffa “Andy Cap’s favourite heavy group”

September

As adverstised in the National Press owing to illness Roxy Music have had to cancel all their engagements for September-October therefore will be unable to appear at the Concert Hall, Broad Street, Tuesday September 26th. Fortunately BLACKFOOT SUE have offered to stand in so the concert with full supporting groups will go ahead as arranged. Tickets already purchased will be valid if so desired.

Tuesday 26th September

7.30 p.m. Concert Hall, Broad Street, Nottingham. Live in concert Blackfoot Sue (“Standing in the Road” – No. 4). Plus Barracuda and Gaffa. Compere Midlands No. 1 D.J Petal. Tickets 70p From Selecta-Disc and Rediffusion. 80p on night. Sale of Records in Foyer.

Wednesday 1st November

at Moor Farm Inn. Nottingham leading free house pub. Free: Gaffa, local heavy rock band. Great. Nottingham’s famous heavy rock band.

1973

Paul Cronk replaces Richard Ronson on guitar and the line up is now:

2nd (73-74)
Wayne Evans: Bass Guitar
Mick Barrett: Drums
John Herod: Guitar
Paul Cronk: Guitar

Paul Cronk had been a solo performer and also in Wyndfall with Quentin Hood and Jenny Atcliffe.

Thursday March 1st

at the Concorde, 8 Green Lane (Off Park Road), Ilkeston. Fully licensed freehouse restaurant till midnight. Group night, Dance or listen to Gaffa. Admission free to everyone. The next Friday 2nd (Admission 15p) and Saturday 3rd (Admission 20p) nights was headed by “Elixir”. The Sunday lunchtime exotic dancer was Josephine Sapphire and the evenings entertainment was provided by Butch and the Scorpions.

May Friday 25th

Gaffa support Fusion Orchestra at the Regency, Ilkeston. Friday rock scene 25th May. This week’s group: Fusion Orchestra plus Gaffa. Admission 60p, 7.30 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.

June Friday 1st

Gaffa support McGuinness Flint at the Regency, Ilkeston. Friday rock scene 1st June. This week’s group: McGuinness Flint plus Gaffa. Admission 60p, 7.30 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.

Probably 1973 or maybe 74 – Radio Nottingham Session – Wayne, Mick, Stan

1974

Jan 5th

Paul Carrick’s band “Ace” play at the Musters

Friend of the group, and future Gaffa guitarist John Maslen sits in with band – Wayne and Mick are in the audience.

Jan 11th – Gaffa + The Echoes at Highfields Com Cen, Leicester

February 1974

Gaffa play Pelham Street, Nottingham – Wayne, Mick, John Herod, Paul Cronk – picture in the Nottingham Evening Post.

May 1974

Long Eaton Rock Festival – Gaffa – Gryphon top of bill

Not very well organised the Long Eaton Rock Festival was poorly attended but Gaffa put on a strong performance and went down well.

June 1974

Nottingham Castle Rock compilation album released. Gaffa have one song on it called “Playing at Love”. Line up:

Wayne Evans: Bass Guitar
Mick Barrett: Drums
John Herod: Guitar
Paul Cronk: Guitar

AUGUST 1974

John Herod and Paul Cronk leave the band and Kevin Unwin (aka Stan Marshall) joins Gaffa on guitar. The three piece line up is:

3rd (1974)
Wayne Evans: Bass Guitar
Mick Barrett: Drums
Kev Unwin (aka Stan Marshall): Guitar

Aug – Windsor Free festival – Gaffa – 3 piece Wayne, Mick, Stan

This was the, now famous, Windsor free festival that was broken up by police.

September/October 1974

Gaffa recruited another guitarist, John Maslen, to make them a four piece. The new line up was:

Wayne Evans: Bass Guitar
Mick Barratt: Drums
Stan Marshall (Kevin Unwin): Guitar
John Maslen: Guitar

Gaffa support Cozy Powell’s Hammer at the Newark Palace.

Oct 29th – Gaffa at the Slipper

NOVEMBER 1974

November – Gaffa at Towns Arms

DECEMBER 1974

Dec – Gaffa at the Imperial

Dec – “Ace” play at the Union club by the Trent. Maybe John Maslen was at this gig too.

Dec – Gaffa – Town Arms – Boxing Night Spectacular – Special performance of “First Teenager on the moon”.

Probably 1974 but maybe 75 – Radio Nottingham Session – Wayne, Mick, Stan, John.

Tracks:
The Allotment
Hold Them Feet
Fat and Happy
The Potters Dream

1975

February 1975

March 1975

Gaffa and Glider – Concert for Bangladesh – Wayne, Mick, Stan, John – Some tracks: The Allotment, Chain of Thoughts, Too Much of Your Loving Touch.

Much much more coming later ……..