During the late 70's while still at Liverpool University studying chemistry I joined the Liverpool theater-rock group called Deaf School ( so named because we used to rehearse in a school for the deaf ). I played saxophone. Having successfully obtained my chemistry degree, I embarked on what I thought was going to be a temporary musical career with the group. Over the course of the three years we were together, the band recorded three albums and toured extensively in the UK, Europe and the USA. Members of the group include Clive Langer; producer of Madness and co-writer of the wonderful Robert Wyatt song 'Shipbuilding', Steve Allen, singer in Ian Broudie's Original Mirrors then later head of A&R at WEA, Bette Bright aka Anne Martin now married to Madness vocalist and TV personality Suggs, Steve Lindsey who went onto to pop stardom with his group The Planets. Producers of the groups albums included Muff Winwood ( Sparks, Dire Straits ) and 'Mutt' Langer ( no relation to Clive ) ( Def Leppard, Shania Twain ). The group was extremely popular in the 70's College circuit but never adequately managed to capture their theatrical and charismatic live performances on record. The onset of punk in the late 70's profoundly affected the group who tried to adapt their sound to the 'next big thing'. In doing so they ( in my opinion ) lost much of the charm and quirkiness that had brought them popularity in the first place. By 1978 the group felt itself to be over and we went our separate ways at the end of that year. The earliest photos I have are from Christmas 1974 where Deaf School spent a week at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. These photos are courtesy of Monty Rakusen and feature pre Warner Brothers members including Hazel Bartram, Connie Stevens, Roy and Sandra. Other photos include a few shots from our 1977 tour of the USA, Pics from the Dutch TV show Top Pop and some pics of our Magnet gig in Liverpool, 12th March 2005.
All three Deaf School albums are now available on Sanctuary Records as an anthology with extensive biographical info about the band, all the Warner Brothers albums and BBC john Peel sessions contained on 2 CD's. There are plans afoot for more reunion gigs later this year ( 2007 ).
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