The history of Fawcett / Poustie the partnership, as opposed to the band, dates as far back as 1983 when first they met as eleven year-old first year students at Abbey Gate College secondary school.

Abbey Gate is an attractive independent day school situated in Saighton Grange an old English manor house, tower and gardens set in the heart of rural Cheshire just a few miles from the boys’ hometown of Chester.

They first became acquainted after Nick, against Chris’ expressed wishes, was initiated into Mr. Poustie’s gang of buddies. Luckily for Nick, Chris’ chums were more sporting than he and liked what they saw in young Nicholas.

It didn’t take long however for the two to hit it off. In addition to their shared interest in the female population of Abbey Gate (the principal interest of their gang) they also shared a common love of rock and roll music.

By early 1984 the common link was established. Both Fawcett and Poustie were proud owners of KISS’s 1983 release “Lick It Up”. Soon they had a keen common interest that didn’t involve leading young girls down to the majestic gardens Abbey Gate proudly boasted. By the time Nick agreed to purchase several of Chris’ rare 7” KISS singles at a bargain price, the two’s friendship was carved in stone.

Funnily enough in the event the agreement was never completed as Nick defaulted on a technicality i.e. he didn’t cough-up the dough owing to the fact that his mother, Monica, wouldn’t lend him the readies. She did however make up for this by inviting the entrepreneurial Poustie to stay at the Fawcett homestead for a weekend.

Like most classic schoolboy relationships, Fawcett / Poustie’s was made up of a good deal of cheery bonding with a healthy dose of rock’n’roll rivalry added and apt to spill over on occasion. The more memorable of these occasions include a fierce bidding session at an auction of old KISS memorabilia adjudicated by a blighter named Mostyn “house” in Mr. Birch’s French room. Also, a notorious moment in F/P history happened in the Abbey Gate canteen where a flare up in front of dining ladies led to Chris socking Nick in the face. But these were isolated incidents. Theirs was always a sound and enthusiastic friendship.

It is around the period of ’84 to ’85 that the concept of Fawcett / Poustie (or alternatively Poustie / Fawcett) probably first materialised. At this time the boys often stayed over at each others houses at weekends and on school holidays staying up all night discussing their mutual desires of becoming rock stars. Definitely by 1986 the idea of them eventually becoming a world famous band was keenly discussed and fantasised.

At this time both Chris and Nick shared a keen interest in drumming; Chris played in the school jazz band (The Saighton Syncopaters - alongside veteran sax-man Richie Flood) and Nick too was interested in taking it up. In time however Nick turned his attentions to the guitar, a far more suitable and appropriate instrument for a charismatic front man and rock vocalist.

Once again however Nick’s mother played an important hand in the band’s fate when, much to Nick’s dismay, she presented him on his birthday not with a Sun Burst Les Paul but a minuscule and tacky Casio keyboard. To Nick, the budding drummer-turned-guitarist this effeminate ‘80s keyboard wasn’t worth a DEUCE!

It proved however to be the start of great things. But not immediately.

In 1986 fate dealt a cruel blow to best pals F and P. Nick’s mother, now newly married, moved away from Chester bringing with her Master Fawcett. This could have proved a catastrophic development for even the keenest of schoolboy relationships but not so for Chris and Nick. By this time they shared an ever closening destiny. Their rock and roll future would hold them together during the difficult times.

And not long had master Fawcett upped and gone when Chris’ parents too decided Chester was no longer the place for master Poustie. They were heading off to live in Bangkok, Thailand leaving Chris to slug it out in boarding school in North Wales.

Times were hard for the growing lads whose destiny was seemingly being pushed around by interfering parental figures.

The boy’s dreams grew ever closer at this low ebb and the two were planning to run away together to New York, maybe to rent a loft Simmons-and-Stanley-style and hit the rock’n’roll big time. There seemed no other alternative. Chris didn’t immediately take to the confines of boarding school and Nick was still adjusting to a new home and schoolmates.

And it was probably around this time when, dreaming of New York and their glorious years ahead that the Casio was dragged out and dusted off in order for Fawcett / Poustie to record their first ever song, “We rock’n’roll”. Their aspirations were evident as Chris tapped away at the tiny keyboard and Nick strummed a single string on an acoustic guitar and sang together “I am the one on the keyboards, I am the one on guitar, we are really awful, but we’re gonna be stars”. It was their simple statement, belief and anthem prophesising things to come.

And from that point forth they were a band with a mission. Although they were in separate schools in separate towns, that song held them together as a symbol of their partnership in rock and their commitment to the future. It was a testament to their past present and future, their loves beliefs and dreams. It was simple. They had their dream and a motto that exemplified it “All you Need is a Dream”.