(When you get to the destination follow the 'Buy Plainsongs' links)

MySpace sites now exist where you can hear the music of Chemical Alice, Osiris and MAMWF.

In The Beginning...

Most of what follows was kick started by my first visit to the Stonehenge free festival in June 1980. Unlike the massive gatherings of 1983 and 1984 this was a smaller much more communual affair deriving much of it's energy and identity from groups such as the Tibetan Ukranian Mountain Troupe and the Tepee people. One particular night's entertainment remains fresh and powerful in my memory, an all night session in the Tibetan's wonderful blue and white striped marquee featuring such bands as Thandoy and the You band (rather Gong like as you would expect). As a result of that experience much of the music that followed attempted in some way to re-create the spacey, free-flowing and yes, psychedelic jams first heard at Stonehenge. In fact to this day among close friends who understand such mysteries, certain music will evoke the cry, 'sounds like a tent at Stonehenge music'!

It should be stated at this point that this was not truly the beginning of my musical ambitions, nor was I a stranger to unusual music having been introduced to the Grateful Dead, Terry Riley, Soft Machine etc by a neighbouring, genial if somewhat barmy hippy known to one and all as 'far out Phil'. Also having seen Steve Hillage in Hyde Park in 1976 I had followed the whole Daevid Allen, Gong, Here & Now crowd during the intervening four years. However it all fell into place at Stonehenge and henceforth this was what I wanted to do, make 'in a tent music' even in pubs.

Chemical Alice

As previously mentioned, following my visits to Stonehenge and a number of other festivals during the summer of 1980 I was keen to join or form a new band to play ‘in a tent music’ or a least something similar. Help was on hand in the form of Malcolm Gray a friend for several years with whom I had attended what seemed like several hundred Hawkwind gigs the length and breadth south east England during the late 70’s. Malcolm arranged a meeting between myself, Jack Grigor, Phil Stubbs and Mark Kelly at the ‘Essex Yeoman’ public house Upminster, in er, Essex. The meeting was a success, it seemed we all shared a liking for Hawkwind, Gong, Here and Now, Pink Floyd etc, and although it was to become apparent later that Mark was far more into progressive rock (primarily Yes and Genesis) than I was at the time we all seemed well suited. For a couple of rehearsals Malcolm joined in making vacuum cleaner noises on my Korg MS10 synth (Jonathan Fishman eat your heart out) but he soon became tired of the band and quietly departed. To be honest it all turned out to be much more structured than he or I had planned. The band pressed on writing very early numbers such as Eredgloom and Autumn and learning along the way ‘Echoes’ by Pink Floyd and ‘Master of the Universe’ by of course Hawkwind (that one took all of three minutes).

Line-Up 1 September 1980 Malcolm Gray synthesiser Jack Grigor bass Mark Kelly keyboards, vocals Phil Stubbs drums David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Picture right David Weston 1981
	Line-Up 2 October 1980 Jack Grigor bass Mark Kelly keyboards, vocals Tim Kelly (no relation) lead vocals Phil Stubbs drums David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Please note that contrary to the article in the May 2001 edition of Mojo Mark was never a drummer. Picture left Mark Kelly 1981
Line-Up 3 May 1981 Andy Grant lead vocals Jack Grigor bass Mark Kelly keyboards, vocals Phil Stubbs drums David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Picture right Jack Grigor 1981
	Line-Up 4 July 1981 - recorded 'Curiouser & Curiouser' 12" EP Richard Crighton drums Andy Grant lead vocals Jack Grigor bass Mark Kelly keyboards, vocals - to Marillion David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Picture left Andy Grant 1981
Curiouser & Curiouser 12" record EP recorded by Chemical Alice (David Weston - guitar, Mark Kelly - keyboards, Jack Grigor - bass, Richard Crighton - drums, Andy Grant - vocals) at Spaceward Studios, Cambridge in 1981. In 2002 Jack Grigor discovered several boxes of brand new records in his loft / attic when he was clearing out prior to moving to USA. These are the original 1981 pressings, mint condition and unplayed. Thanks to the wonders of modern internet technology we are pleased to offer these for sale and shipment worldwide  to credit card customers. A must for Marillion fans. Follow the link to the right to purchase.	According to the May 2001 edition of Mojo this is now worth �75 which is a bit of a blow as I have been giving the things away for years! Read the first review after 19 years at Progressive World (When you get to the destination follow the 'Buy Plainsongs' links)
Line-Up 5 Jan 1982 - band splits May 1982 - end of part 1 Richard Crighton drums - to Tamarisk Andy Grant lead vocals - to Tamarisk Jack Grigor bass Steve Leigh keyboards, vocals - to Tamarisk then Landmarq via Quasar David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Picture right Phil Stubbs 1981

Interlude Summer 1982

Jack and I jam at Stonehenge with others, also try something with keyboard player from 'Tangent' who had often supported us.

I play gigs at Stonehenge, Kids Fair and East Bergholt Fair with synthesiser player Pete Farley, an arrangement that was not to be repeated until 1992 as 'Inner Space'. Very much in the Steve Hillage/Tim Blake mode.

Subsequently Jack and I jam with Richard Crighton and decide to start again without Andy and Steve(sorry chaps).

Alice (note change of name) Line-Up 6 October 1982 - recorded 'The Rising Light' tape EP Richard Crighton drums - to Tamarisk again Jack Grigor bass Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals David Weston guitar, synthesiser, vocals Makita lead vocals - for one, possibly two gigs in early 1983. Picture left Richard Crighton 1981

Line-Up 7 March 1983

For one gig following Richard C's departure another drummer, Pete ? (or perhaps it was John?) from regular support 'Wild Dogs' stepped in.

Jack, Richard and I jam at dawn at Stonehenge minus John.whose job dictated that he attend the Chelsea flower show!

John Fardell drums Jack Grigor bass Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals David Weston guitar, vocals Line-Up 8 Late Summer 1983 Simon Mochet drums - one gig in December 1983 Jack Grigor bass Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals David Weston guitar, vocals Picture right Ron Bennett & Richard Sanderson 1983

Line-Up 9 January 1984 - recorded Rising Light and Festival Song demos

Ron Bennett drums
Jack Grigor bass
Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals
David Weston guitar, vocals

Line-Up 10 Spring 1984 Finally get to play Stonehenge with a drummer! Interlude - Seredipity - For one night at Stonehenge prior to Jack's arrival the rest of the band jam with bass player Russ ? as 'Serendipity' in the Tibetan's tent. Ron Bennett drums Jack Grigor bass Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals David Weston guitar, vocals Belinda James lead vocals

Line-Up 11 Autumn 1984 Ron Bennett drums Jack Grigor bass Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals Alan Sawyer lead vocals David Weston guitar, vocals Back row L to R - Alan Sawyer, Ron Bennett, Jack Grigor Front L to R - Richard Sanderson, David Weston

Line-Up 12 Winter 1984/85 - last gig January 85, The Square, Harlow

For the penultimate gig at The Ruskin, East Ham (shudder) we are joined by Richard's pal Phil Goodwin on percussion.

Ron Bennett drums
Jack Grigor bass - to ‘Touchstone’ and later ‘Tea For The Wicked’
Richard Sanderson keyboards, vocals - to ‘Dean Dwyer’ (on bass!)
David Weston guitar, vocals

A grand total of 12 line-ups in 4 years, 4 months! Hectic but jolly good fun. Sincere apologies to anybody who got hurt along the way (we, or maybe I seemed to sack a lot of people) and mucho thanks to all those who helped, including (in approximate order of appearance):

Various members of Chemical Alice are still to be found recording and playing live, as of 2002...

David Weston and Ron Bennett are currently Urban Spacemen after having played together in Slartibartfast, Osiris, MAMWF, and Box of Rain (visit the 'Long Strange Trip' page for more details) . Jack Grigor rejoined David and Ron for the 2002 reunion gig and has now emigrated to the USA. Mark Kelly plays keyboards in Marillion and Steve Leigh did something similar in Landmarq for a long time.

Copyright Bathtub of Adventures 1999