Biography
Nick Fawcett (guitar/vocals) and Chris Poustie (Piano/vocals) first made each others acquaintances as 11 year-old classmates at Abbey Gate College, Cheshire, in 1983. The boys formed an immediate friendship bound by a common love of rock'n'roll and desire to form a band. By 1986 the boys had recorded their co-penned anthem "We Rock'n'Roll" and Fawcett/Poustie the band was born.
Between 1989-1990 the boys amassed a collection of recordings that would later surface on their debut album, but were first captured on the limited edition Live in Northwich recording of April 1990. The band's debut studio album, Nancy's Tea Party, released in the summer of 1991, boasted an amazing 16-songs and immediately took the music world by storm.
Twelve months later the band released its second album The Magic Bowler Hat Ride in 1992 and followed it up with the brilliant Feed The Monkey album in 1993, inspired by a band vacation on the island of Boracay.
1994 was a golden year for the band which saw them release an unbelievable three studio albums in just over seven months - The Oath of Two Bally Rotters, Captain Parrot and The Mayfair Calypso Club were all classics, loaded with songs that still grace the band's repertoire today, such as Fawcett's ingenious epic If I Was a Poet.
In December 1994 Poustie emigrated to Thailand and the future of F/P was thrown into serious doubt, but the band triumphantly returned in July 1996 with the simultaneous release of two studio albums, FRAMED I and II, which saw a massive upgrade in the band's sound and a growing maturity in the material.
It was another three years before the band recorded again, albeit in separate studios, piecing 1999's Lessons In Samuvian Dance Technique together from somewhat rushed recording sessions in both Thailand and England. A slightly inconsistent album was the result, although with all-time classics such as Venetian Rendezvous, Superdude and You're Welcome To It, the album still saw the band growing and refining their song-writing technique.
In August 1999 Nick and Chris recruited the services of Lawton Green (bass) and Robert 'Bunny' Lawrence (drums), to form the band Chinchok. Chinchok released an EP of four songs previously recorded by Fawcett/Poustie to much critical acclaim. A film documenting the making of the Superdude EP was also released on video.
2000 saw Fawcett/Poustie back in the recording studio together at Fawcett's Sleepy Hollow, where they recorded the powerful Here on Business album which was a return to form and boasted a new hard-rocking funk sound on the excellent title track, and ended with the classic ballad Everything Turns Out Right In The End. Significantly Richard “Harvey” Flood, a long-time school friend from Abbey Gate, made his debut guest appearance on the album, playing sax and contributing vocals, to the song Syncopated Man (The Richie Flood Story).
It was another three-year hiatus before the band came back strongly in 2003 with the blistering This Is It – the band’s finest album to-date at that point, boasting eleven superb songs including the heavy funk classic Love Bullet, the groovtastic anthem This is It and Fawcett's amazing 20-minute epic Afterglow. “Harv” Flood guested on sax again - appearing on three songs.
Early 2004 saw the release of an incredible 8-CD box-set of previously unreleased material including outtakes, live recordings, demos and rarities, called "We Rock'n'Roll: Uncut Diamonds, Rubies & Rocks".
The band’s 12th studio album, Heading For The Bright Lights, was released in August 2004 and again found the band at the top of their game featuring classics such as Down To Harlem, Another Morning on Another Day, Whatever Happened To K? and Mexican Hat. Harv Flood, once again played on three songs on the album and was officially announced as a full band member of Fawcett/Poustie.
2005 saw the band take a vacation to the beaches of Thailand before returning to The Coach House to record the first 2 songs for their next studio album. FP made a triumphant return to the studio in July 2006 and on September 4th released the crowning glory of their career so far, Republic of Love, a 10-song masterpiece of commercial rock, primed with energy, infectious grooves and plenty of raucous rock'n'roll !!
In early 2007 messers Fawcett, Poustie and Flood again took a band vacation to their favourite islands of Koh Samet and Koh Chang, and have since been working sporadically in preparation for their next album.
In an October 2007 press release that stunned the music world, it was announced that Fawcett/Poustie had disbanded, only to reform again as Bally Rotters ! A spokesman for the group released the following statement from the band:
“They have been trying to come up with a way of bringing Harv Flood into the band name for a couple of years now. They toyed with the idea of “Fawcett/Poustie and Friend” or simply “Fawcett/Poustie/Flood”, but were not overly happy with either. The recent launch of the band’s official online merchandise emporium “The Bally Rotter Shop”, was the deciding factor, as Nick and Chris were faced with the reality of the huge marketing potential of the “Bally Rotter” brand. They are now delighted to have a proper band name in “Bally Rotters”, and with it a brand imagery that is both iconic as well as immediately associated with their legacy.”
The music world now awaits the expected 2008 debut from Bally Rotters.
Click Here - For the complete story of Fawcett/Poustie from 1983-1996 !)