Busted Fender Blues Band

TODAY

Tim Dunn : After his split with Fender, Tim had a brief stint with the Desperate Bicycles . After 6 months with them he left to join Pete Turner’s Step On The Gas. At the same time worked with Chris Fleming (ex-Caricature) in Silicon Strings. Step On The Gas folded in 2001 and Tim went on to form This Way Up with Les Ayling and Colin Hovie and is still gigging regularly with this very highly reccomended band.   Occasionally Tim plays with Andy Mills and Kevin Brazier again in the reformed Caricature . Other activities include corporate gigs with a US based band at various stateside locations.

Mick Arloe : After leaving Fender, Mick did nothing musical for a year, then formed Big Easy in 1998 with Barry Morgan (an old friend and Bass player), Kevin Brazier and Rich Yanke (Below The Belt). Tim Nowell replaced Barry soon after and Colin Jones (guitarist with Then again) was recruited later. Big Easy split around 2002 and Mick went on to do some solo work.

Andy Mills : Andy went on to form The Jameson Set; a jazz trio featuring Kevin Brazier on the piano. He was, during Fender days, part of the acoustic blues trio Mills and Boon with Tim Dunn. Pete Turner and Mick Arloe both had stints with this ensemble as a kind of acoustic spin-off of Fender. Andy also played with Andy Broads’s Rhythm Kings with Andy Broad and Tim Nowell. During this time he would periodically dep. for most of ex-Fender’s various bands including Big Easy, when they played a session at the Isle of Wight Festival. He recently formed his own blues band in Exeter called The Reds, in which he plays drums, harmonica and is the main vocalist. A man of many talents. Andy now also Joins the reformed Caricature with Tim Dunn for annual reunion gigs.

Andy Broad : Andy continued his involvement with Burnt Ice throughout his time with Fender. They are still performing today. He also continues to play with The Continentals (formally The Rhythm Kings)  with Tim Nowell. He would often be seen busking in the city centre; just like the bluesmen of old. He was the real thing when it came to blues. He helps run the Barking Spider blues promotion company, responsible for promoting blues acts and other musicians in Portsmouth bringing in acts from throughout the UK, and he set up the Barking Spider website. Andy also plays solo gigs throughout the south and is definitely a performer worth leaving the comfort of your home to go and see live.

Kevin Brazier : As mentioned previously, Kevin played in The Jameson Set, with Andy Mills and joined Silicon Strings with Tim Dunn and Chris Fleming (Caricature). He played Fender’s farewell gig at the Contented Pig where some of the ladies in the audience threw their underwear at him and he is seen in the photo gallery with several items of lingerie strewn over his piano. Tom Jones, eat your heart out!  He helped to form Big Easy with Mick Arloe, Barry Morgan, Rich Janke and Tim

 

 

Big Easy with Mick Arloe, Barry Morgan, Rich Janke and Tim Nowell and was an integral part of the line-up. Kevin is in temporary retirement at the moment looking after his two young children. No doubt, he’ll be back.

Tim Nowell : Tim Moved on to the Rhythm Kings, Big Easy, Continentals...  . He’s still performing with The Continentals (formally The Rhythm Kings) with Andy Broad  at the moment, though recently left a band called The Big Time Rollers whose line-up included Colin Jones (Big Easy). The Original Continentals, which Tim formed first after Fender, included in their line-up the late, great Dave Saunders (a good long-time friend of Mick Arloe’s) and Mash; ex guitarist with The Red Hot Pokers who deputised for Andy Broad during one of  Fender’s gigs . Tim is busy doing some jazz sessions at the moment. You can’t miss him - he’s the big guy with a double bass, and he’s bound to be in a band performing near you.

Gordon Robinson : After leaving Fender in 1990 Gordon did little musical until 1993 when he joined up with Buster Wingham in a band called The Flatliners. The line-up he was part of lasted about a year and it was another five years before an opportunity arose for him  to manage a teenage band from Gosport called Nandaa. This was one of Gordon’s favourite times in the Portsmouth music scene. Under Gordon’s management the band enjoyed a modicum of success on the local music circuit. Gordon made a one track appearance playing bass on a Bonemachine project called The Myth Of The Elite Brigade. We await anxiously for his next project.