THE MAGNIFICENT SEVERN
The Trenchard Club, Compton Bassett. May, 1980.
STEVE LINES: Rhythm guitar/bass.
GLEN KITLEY: Vocals.
NIGEL EASTON: Lead guitar.
HUGH KIRKBRIDE: Bass.
JOHNNY (FENDER) WINCH: Rhythm guitar.
ROD GOODWAY: Vocals.
STEF HARDIE: Drums.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVERN were formed in April 1980 when bassist Hugh Kirkbride realised that John Winch, the Landlord of The Butcher’s Arms, not only had his own pub, but had a guitar as well. Kirkbride realised that if he formed a band which included Winch, then he’d not only have a rehearsal place, but also access to after hours drinking (these were the days when British pubs shut at 2.30).
He recruited guitarist and drinking buddy Nigel Easton and the two of them persuaded Rod Goodway to handle vocals. Kirkbride got in Stef Hardie on drums, with whom he’d played in numerous band, and everything was set.
But not quite.
Somehow, Steve Lines, with the aid of Nigel Easton, managed to inveigle his way into the band, along with Glen Kitley. Steve could at least play rudimentary guitar in a primitive punk style, but Glen . . . he was just in the band ‘cos he looked like Lemmy. Steve also changed the spelling of Seven to Severn in the band's name, just to annoy Kirkbride, who didn't know anything about it until he saw the poster.
The band did indeed rehearse in the Butcher’s Arms – in the back yard to be exact, where all involved drank copious pints of the gut rot rough cider (which was dirt cheap at 40p a pint.)
John Winch was named Johnny Fender Winch which was a valiant if unsuccessful attempt to try and give him a rock n roll edge and the band did their one and only gig, all dressed in red and black at Kirkbride's insistence, at the last night of the Trenchard Club, in Compton Bassett, just outside Calne.
Kirkbride also laid down the rule that Steve, due to his aforementioned guitar style, was only allowed to play on specific songs. Thus he sat out such delights as Stay, Apache, Travelling Light and Little Sister but got to play on Waiting For the Man, Police & Thieves, Route 66 and Walking the Dog.
Easton and Lines wrote the only original song the band performed. Titled New Trend. It was originally written by Easton, but Lines took hold of it and updated the lyrics, turning it into a parody of the other band that Kirkbride was in at the time The Second Coming. On this song, Kirkbride handed over the bass guitar to Steve.
The night was enjoyed by all, though Kirkbride did remonstrate with Glen Kitley for having the audacity to join in on a song and ‘have some fun’, because, as Kirkbride put it, this band ‘wasn’t about having fun’.
After the gig Kirkbride began to have aspirations to play regular club gigs with The Magnificent Severn as he realised this could be quite lucrative, but he needed to get rid of the anarchic elelement (Lines and Kitley). This he did by going to each band member in turn and telling them that the remaining members wanted the duo out. Consequently they were sacked.
The band struggled on as a 5 piece titled The Slaughterhouse Five for three more gigs, before Kirkbride accepted his ambitions weren’t to be realised.
There was an amusing footnote to this whole episode. Steve was at home early one evening, when there was a knock on the door, which opened. A hand was thrust through the door, holding a full bottle of Jack Daniels. This was followed by an arm and finally by Glen Kitley, attached to the arm (and bottle). He’d just been made redundant and had spent some of the redundancy money on the whiskey. An hour later the duo were on their way to the pub having consumed the whole bottle (except for a couple of shots which they were saving for Easton).
They eventually staggered into the Butcher’s Arms, completely pissed, with Kitley brandishing the bottle of Jack. Kirkbride, who was in the pub, immediately ran out of the door in terror and went home, because he thought the boys had come to beat him up. The duo, oblivious to this, found Easton, gave him his drink, and went to the bar.
