The Band
In 2002, the band recorded a CD of some of the songs from the shows we played.
The CD - 'Born to Hang Glide', was hard work, but we decided to stick with it, and began to work up a set for gigging, starting with some parties and fundraisers.
We started as a 5 piece band, became a 6 piece, and settled as a 4 piece. A second CD 'Kick out your Gremlins', followed in 2004.
We began to play gigs in pubs and clubs from West Sussex to Dorset. A 3rd CD "Albert Road" in 2007, and a 4th in 2011 'Hold Back the Night'. We've also made three DVDs from gigs.O.K now Paul?
We hope it will be fun, fun, fun 'til our daddy takes the T-bird away.
BAND MEMBER PROFILES
HELEN HARLOW- KEYBOARD
Helen has been playing the piano and flute for over 25 years and passed her Grade 8 in both instruments several years ago. She also enjoys playing the clarinet, and guitar.
Helen has been playing keyboard with the band since Spring 2000.
Helen has a degree in music and education, and has been a Primary school teacher since 2001. She currently teaches Junior School children, and runs the choir and guitar group.
Helen's interests include line dancing and singing in the church choir. She has a cat and a range of cold water fish.
She really enjoys playing and singing, especially the' Status Quo medley', 'In the Midnight Hour' and 'Brown-eyed Handsome Man'.
PAUL ELLIS - BASS GUITAR
Hello - I'm Paul, the bass-player. I've been playing in bands for more years than I care to remember. I still play in a country band called 'Kansas Kountry', as well as in 'Isthison'. Names from the dim and distant past are 'Egypt', 'Harvest', 'Nightshade', 'Virgin Circle' and 'The Rack' a heady, (or chesty?) bunch of characters !
I suppose the weight of years rests as heavily on my shoulders as my Fender Precision, but the rest of Isthison have been warned not to call me grandad, on pain of having their instruments detuned on the spot.
The best part of playing tunes from the 50s, 60s and 70s is knowing how well the music has stood the test of time.
TERRY BURBRIDGE - GUITAR
Once upon a time a young lad, aged 16, was given a guitar in exchange for decorating a room. It had no strings and no machine heads, but was perfect for air guitar.
Years of buying bits, struggling with tutor books and being shouted at by parents later, the chord of D was mastered and the world was my oyster; well limpet anyway.
Watching Leo Kottke play 12-string was a huge motivation, so was the tasteful work of George Harrison, the manic riffs of Mick Green and Wilko Johnson, the ultra cool lines of David Gilmour plus the wizardry of Django Reinhardt, Albert Lee, Lindsey Buckingham and Brian May.
After years of practise, I can't play like any of them, but that D-chord still sounds good.
KAREN CHARMAN - DRUMS
I've been playing drums with IsThisOn since 2002 - my one and only band as I'd just learnt to play when I joined!
I'm now on my third acoustic drum kit, a smaller Pearl Masters with a shortened kick drum in Copper Sparkle (dreamy) and I play on a Roland TD-11 electronic at home to keep in with the neighbours.
I love a wide range of music from all the decades and have a very healthy and intimate relationship with my Spotify account.
When I'm not in music mode, I can be found building my biceps in the gym or watching some theatre. I also combine part time work in marketing with student life as I'm training to be a counsellor.
