Eating Madeleine with Whyte August - Part 3

And now they really began to practice in earnest. Not solely for the music, for band practices had become a social event; not only were all the band members usually present, but Chris, as manager, and Angie as Dave's groupie, also tagged along, as well as other assorted friends.

Something must be said about the band's influences, for Chris once wrote a letter – to be posted various places in an attempt to secure gigs – that boasted of the band's disparate influences. And what disparate influences they were. While John was attempting to write lyrics like Pete Sinfield and Peter Hammill, Steve was influenced by Led Zeppelin, Yes and King Crimson, Dave by Jethro Tull and The Groundhogs, Martin by The Beatles, Genesis and Peter Paul and Mary, and Mary by various folkies and, increasingly, reggae.

Of course, most of these influences completely ruined the nascent Whyte August. Too many songs of Genesis, Yes and Jethro Tull were twelve minute epics that had non-traditional structures. Listening back to the old Whyte August tapes, what strikes me now is that few of these songs develop in the traditional sense. There are no bridges, middle-eights, or repeated choruses, apart from in The River and Dreams. This is, I believe, partly due to the band's influences. If the band had tried harder to emulate those bands among their favourites that wrote more traditionally organised songs – like Zeppelin or The Beatles – then perhaps WA's songs early songs would have more interest. What did interest me about these early songs, however, is that most had an interesting melody, and Mary had a very pure voice.

By late 1975, Martin had accepted his inevitable fate and become a bassist. Mary could now sing more powerfully. John, at last, had his flute. Dave had a "proper" Telecaster copy. And Steve's drum-kit was falling to pieces.

Despite increasing technical proficiency, WA's gigs were sporadic, and never major. They usually played at parties, or at the odd disco. Earlier gigs had been memorable for various reasons. WA playing as a duo, for example, after Martin had gallantly lent Dave his guitar when Dave broke two guitar strings and didn't have any more. Crazy feedback solos by Dave. Crazy drum solos by Steve, where he would refuse to play the drums for minutes and only play the rims, the cymbal stands, and other hardware. How very avant-garde!