During the last years at school, two arch enemies ( Craig and Vinny) with little to no musical talent, decided to form a band with the only musically talented person they knew (Anna). They dedicated every spare moment to practicing a massive repertoire of 5 songs to play in front of the school. Along with a couple of friends they managed it with reasonable success, and so Absolutely were born. 


With a taste for the stage Craig, Vinny, and Anna decided to take the band to the next level and spent every waking hour learning more songs, and actually how to play their instruments. Along the way they were lucky enough to meet a potentially awesome guitarist with possibly the worst fashion sense in the world……….ever.   Gary!


From this point the band matured and the passion for playing live grew and grew. After a few short term bass players they recruited what was to become a good friend and a great bass player, Rob Lloyd. They began playing locally at pubs and clubs and were soon supporting various chart bands at Cumbria’s biggest venues in association with CFM the local radio station. 


They also began playing further a field, with Frank Smithson working as their agent they became one of the top acts in the club scene in the North East. The band were now playing two or three gigs a weekend and soon established a polished performance on stage, and were building a special relationship between the band members.


Soon Rob got the calling from the big lights of the city and moved to London to further his musical career. The band were then lucky enough to meet their new Bass player Chris Newton who, once after finding the location of the gig, was to become another good friend and very accomplished bass player.


They bands popularity continued to grow, playing pubs, clubs, wedding, birthdays. As long as the band were gigging, they were happy. They had a good team behind them with Tim as sound engineer and Cully as the lighting engineer, their show was second to none.


When Chris decided he wanted to pursue a career as a teacher the band were left looking for yet another bass player, they soon found Ozzy who was to play for only a short time with the band, but provided plenty of entertainment ”dance yer b*****s” .


The next bass player to step in was easily found, already a close friend of the band, and a founder member of the super group ‘Emulsion’, Cully was soon playing as if he’d been there from the start. The only rule enforced was he was to go nowhere near a microphone.


The secret to the longevity of the band is that for over the last 16 years the five latest members have become like a family, experiencing many adventures, from diesel drinking mechanics, sharing changing rooms with strippers,to watching Keith Chegwin take a leak.


‘These are the times we’ll remember’