THE VISITORS
When the Spanners re-formed in
order to tour Czechoslovakia in 
1992 only half
the band went. Mac, Smedley
& Bartlett were joined by Gary ‘mad as a mad twat’ di Campo (drums), Wildman
Napthine (guitar) and Jo Cox (flute)-re-naming themselves the SkaCats (a Czech word for
bouncy).
Upon
return the band and incumbent musicians pottered around for several years
staging a series of ‘theme shows’ for visiting Czech guests based on cover songs
from specific years-38/58/68/78 and forming ad hoc bands to entertain the troops.
In 96
bassist and blossoming songwriter Bartlett decided he was fronting a band and had written
enough original songs to do so. By 1998 they were up and gigging as THE VISITORS.
Bartlett
on vocals and acoustic guitar, Brian Smedley on six string bass and Kevin Freeman on drums
were later supplemented by Alexia Vernon in backing vocals.
The
Visitors who toured the Czech Republic and Slovakia in
April 1999-(but with Andy Paton on
drums) brought out a CD full of Bartlett songs ‘Flying to the Ocean Floor’
(Midnight Mango label).
In 2000
the Visitors again toured Czech Republic but this time with Emma Whitley replacing Alexia
on vocals and Nick Tuckwell (Bikeshed bassist) on drums.
In June
2000 the Visitors brought out their second CD ‘MOVING DARKLY’-(Midnight
mango) again full of Bartlett songs but also featuring overdubs on acoustic guitar,
harmonica, accordion and keyboard by bassist Smedley plus an exciting rworking of the
Barty classic ‘Air from the Lung’ by ace photography chick , cover artist and
junior Bartlett Ellie
In April 2002
the Visitors 3rd CD 'Post Industrial Daft' came out.
If you
want any of these CDs you can buy them from us for £8
The
Visitors have a spate of web sites and places you can download their music from the net
from www.peoplesound.com/artists/visitors
for instance.
Recently
the Visitors supported Joe Strummer on one of his last ever
gigs on Bridgwater (below) at the Palace Theatre (Nov 17
2002)
For more information about the band
plus their gigs and copious tones of Bartlett poetry try www.midnightmango.co.uk
.
