About the Band

In 1957 Richard Hannington and Andy Wilkin attended the same school, for those happy two weeks each was blissfully unaware of the other’s existence. Eleven years later they were attempting to form a band, thankfully it never performed, never had a name and has softened into fond memory. Later these two joined the folk revival of the early seventies and played in clubs around Reading. There followed a long period of nesting and breeding until the old fogeys emerged blinking in the autumn sunlight wondering if it wasn’t their turn for a bit of fun. They returned to festivals and began to play in the evenings recalling old songs, learning new ones. Other blinking, old fogeys, attracted by the noise, soon joined in and they found themselves playing local charity ‘bashes’ and street parties. They were the Village (Hall) People.

Next Richard and Andy, now sometimes known as Beggars Belief, discovered pub sessions; evenings where musicians turn up and play for fun. It was here that they first met Keith Holloway, wrestling with something that looked like a set of chest expanders mixed with a beer crate. Happily, when prised away from his squeezebox he proved a dextrous and inventive bass player keen to play a blues or two.

Blues was an obvious favourite from the start but a bigger sound was sought. Fishing on the internet for harmonica players, Richard landed the youthful and enthusiastic Neil Warren, a player with medals to prove it and who is serious enough to bring a note book to rehearsals.

The fellowship is complete and well versed in filling a pub with joyful Friday night noises.

Roles

• Richard Hannington: guitars, vocals
• Andy Wilkin: vocals, congas, bongos & other percussion
• Neil Warren: harmonicas & occassional guitar
• Keith Holloway: bass & backing vocals