Nottingham group 1980 – 1984 also known as The Innocent

Nigel Revill helped with some of the bands history.

Formed in 1980 the first line up was

Line up *1 1980
Mike Gregory – guitar & vocals
Nigel (Frank) Franklin – drums & vocals
Adrian (Ado) Juffs – synths & keyboards & vocals
Mik Walker – bass & vocals

Nigel Franklin had been in The Hormones, a Nottingham punk/new wave band. Mik Walker left Innocent and eventually joined Chants and was replaced by Nigel Revill.

Line up *2 1981
Mike Gregory – fretless bass & vocals
Nigel (Frank) Franklin – drums & vocals
Adrian (Ado) Juffs – synths & keyboards & vocals
Nigel Revill – guitar & vocals

Like many, Nigel Revill had broad childhood music influences.
“The Stones, John Lennon, Led Zep, Bowie, T Rex, Steve Hillage, Japan , The Clash, Beatles”. After Mick Walker left Innocent around 1980/1981 I joined the band. I knew Mike and Adrian from school and we’d played together before in our teens in a band”. That band was called EarthMover. Just young kids learning to play instruments together. We were probably about 15/16 years old playing to family and friends. No real gigs”.

“We (Innocent) made the single in 1982 at Spaceward studio near Cambridge with a planned release in June but had to re-record the drums and remix the tracks which pushed the release back to October 1982. I honestly can’t remember why we chose Spaceward studio. I knew that Gary Numan had recorded his first Tubeway Army album there which was more guitar driven then and which I really liked so I was happy with the decision to record there. It was a group decision to go there but I can’t remember the reasoning”. 

“We played all over Notts, Derby, Leicestershire, Yorkshire and beyond. We did a small tour of the East and South Coast in 1983. I remember local groups like No Tears, Kankeropera (not sure of the spelling), B Movie, Fatal Charm, None so Blind, Howdy Boys, Gaffa. I’m sure there were more. We also had a PA hire business and had a large number of well known bands/artistes book our services in the Notts, Derby, Leicestershire area. People like Tom Robinson, John Cooper Clarke, Jah Wobble, The Higsons and many more local Nottingham bands. We did a lot of work in Notts Uni as a band and for PA hire”.

They released one single in 1982.
On My Own Again / Obscure Overture
Despatch Records, Patch 0003/S
Co-produced by Innocent & Pete Walters at Sin City studios

Two records by The Howdy Boys and Pinski Zoo were also released on Despatch records.