The Ten Million Quentins - The Golden Mermaid (Video). 1986.

Ten Million Quentins was a band I was a member of in Brighton, for about a year, around 1985-1986. We were the archetypal C86 band before the archetype existed. Not because we were necessarily clever or ahead of the game, more that there were people around us who were. Mainly Josh Dean and Dennis Wheatley. Josh, Dennis, myself and The Paul Griffin Show had a great time during the autumn of 1985 putting on bands on Tuesday nights at The Royal Escape Club on Brighton seafront, under the name of The Big Twang.

The first night saw the then newly-formed That Petrol Emotion play, supported by The Wolfhounds and Whirl. Later gigs in the (roughly) twelve-week turnaround included Primal Scream with The Wedding Present, Microdisney, a Pink Records night starring The June Brides, which also saw the return of The Wolfhounds with McCarthy in tow, Del Amitri and a famous Christmas double bill of The Shop Assistants and The Pastels. And always cropping up on the bottom of the bill were The Ten Million Quentins. The house band of The Big Twang. The baby band of The Big Twang were 14 Iced Bears, formed when a happy clique called The Dancing Boys went off, practiced briefly and emerged as a fully-formed twelve-week turnaround bouncing baby band.

I've posted this for reasons of serendipity, synchronicity and beautiful coincidence. Bored in work I decided to have a quick search for "Big Twang" and "June Brides". Just to see what might come up. What I found was a blog with a picture of myself 'on stage' at The Big Twang Mystery Tour. Twenty five years ago today. To the very day.

Veronica (Bat) Quentin, Janet Quentin, Me. December 15th 1985.

I've posted the video to YouTube before, but it seemed appropriate to liberate it again today for the Silver Jubilee of The Big Twang Mystery Tour. Thanks to Fruitier Than Thou Blog. Here's his review of the day: http://fruitierthanthou.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-mystery-twang-with-clive-pig.html I hope he doesn't mind me lifting the picture. The picture of me with hair.

Next up, Hacienda DJ Graeme Park with a dyed blonde Human League comb-over and a matelot's jacket. Viva the 1980s.