Nottingham band mid 1974-1977ish

Mart Skinner – Organ, synthesizer and Harmony vocals
Barry Foster – Guitar , Lead vocals
Graham Evans – Bass
Paul Richards – Drums, Percussion

Barry Foster and Paul Richards had both previously been in “Down to Earth” who had featured on the “Nottingham Castle Rock” album, released in June 1974. They met Graham Evans who had been in “Hippo“. Malcolm Pepper of Zacariah tells the Hippo story:

When I left school at 15 in 1971 I started as an apprentice electrician and at college I met some guys from Radcliffe on Trent and started going to see bands with them at Trent Poly, Nott’m Uni and the Boat Club. One of the guys was Graham Evans and also a guy from East Bridgford Simon Lester. Me, Graham and Simon formed “Hippo” with a singer by the name of Matt Whitworth.

Hippo line up:
Graham Evans – Bass (later formed Wheels)
Simon Lester – Drums (later joined Matarka)
Malcolm Pepper – Guitar (later formed Zacariah)
Matt Whitworth – Vocals

We played covers like, Roxy Music Virginia Plain, David Bowie Starman, Stones Jumpin Jack Flash, Cream Sunshine of Your Love etc. We played local parties, village halls, Scout Halls etc When Hippo split up I formed Zac, Simon joined Matarka and Graham formed Wheels with Martin Skinner a great Hammond player (sadly Martin is no longer with us, I’m still in touch with Graham.

So the three bands tended to follow each other round we all got on well sharing gear and time together especially Zac and Wheels..

Pete Zabulis was a friend of Barry Foster:

I probably first met Barry when I was about 8 – we both went to the same Primary School plus his mum owned the local toy shop (Mavis Toys) in Sherwood – his Dad was a well regarded Jazz musician. Down To Earth used to rehearse in an upstairs room in their shop and we used to crash out there when we had nothing to do, it probably annoyed the neighbours quite a bit. I also went to the same school as Simon Gibson who was also in Down To Earth, I sort of knew the drummer, Paul Richards, but not very well, haven’t seen him for years – I think his parents owned a hardware shop on Hucknall Road (also Sherwood), the basement became the rehearsal space for Wheels. As for the other members of Wheels, I didn’t really know them. I’ve just remembered that Barry also played with The Chimneys who, I think, had links to Some Chicken; I think he also worked as a session man from time to time.

Rock band Wheels hit the boards in December of 1974 playing at the Imperial on St James Street.

1975

The following review from the “Nottingham Voice No.21” is by Dave Brett who would later be involved in the Nottingham based magazine “Way Ahead“.

As I reported last month, Nottingham band Wheels are appearing at the Boat Club once a month. I watched their performance at the beginning of August. The band comprises Mart Skinner – Organ, synthesizer and Harmony vocals, Barry Foster – Guitar , Lead vocals, Graham Evans – Bass, Paul Richards – Drums, Percussion.
The band opened their set with a new number which quickly developed from a gentle, melodic sound into a gusty rock number with some interesting use of synthesizer. The vocals seemed to be a little on the weak side, and after reaching a climax with a good lead break from Barry, the number just diminished into a melange of sound with no one seeming quite sure what they should be playing. All was made clear at the end of the number, however, when Mart informed the audience that it was the first time they’d played the number. For a first attempt it certainly wasn’t bad. The second number “An Age” was infinitely better. Opening with a riff on synthesizer and quickly copied on lead, the number developed into a tight yet fluid piece with excellent vocals from Barry, whose voice has a tonal quality which can only be described as unique: he seems to bend his voice and then abruptly stop, which makes very interesting listening. As the evening progressed, however, the vocals became more strained and Mart’s harmony vocals were simply not harmonic. I found it hard to decide whether Barry was off-key or Mart or both, but where the vocals let the band down the music made up for it tenfold.

Almost every Wheels number has a basic very catchy riff which is explored and developed to the full by each musician. A classic example of this was their final number, which is without a doubt the band’s piece de resistance but which I’m afraid I don’t know the title of. A theme is developed on synthesizer and gradually each musician adds to the theme and then works away from it and then back to it through a series of very subtle changes. Working the numbers in this way gives not only lead and keyboards a chance to show their proficiency but also bass and drums, since each instrument tends to dominate a section of each number. One problem which the band do seem to encounter is in linking sections of each number, especially when there is a dramatic change in tempo. There are several changes in timing in each number, and whereas each individual section is tight and precise, timing changes tend to be a bit sloppy.

The encore began as a version of the music to “Exodus” and developed into one of the band’s own numbers which quite honestly would be worthy of Yes or Man or Camel – which is my way of saying that this band is brilliant. You can see them perform for barely the price of a pint of lager.
By the way, the band are looking for a lead vocalist, so if there’s anyone out there who fancies him/herself as vocalist with a band which is going places, then here’s your chance.

DAVE BRETT

1976

When they came to an end Graham, Paul & Martin joined Martin West in a group called The Noize Boyz