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The Formative Years

A glimpse of how Fruupp took form is chronicled below, courtesy of one of the original band members.
(Note: This is presented interchangably in first and third person for reasons of confidentiality.)

The band was actually formed in very early-1970...maybe even very late-1969.  In Maghera, we had always had a series of bands the most successful of which had been Blues By Five.  The Blues by Five line up: Terence "Superkey" McKee (Lead Guitar),  Vincent McCusker (Rhythm Guitar and Keyboards),  Ian "The Beast" Best (Bass), Miles "Tinhead" McKee (Drums), and Paddy Shaw (vocals).   The band, although we played the warm up for showbands, played blues and soul and was much more than a cover act.   We played with Cat Stevens and other well-known names and were in fact developing a large Northern Ireland following until we disbanded due to Superkey ("Super" for short) going off to study at the University.

At around that time, our Manager, Paul Charles, a convert from Country and Western music due to Vince's influence, moved to London to pursue what has now become a stellar career in the music business.  For a period of time there was inactivity in the band scene so I took off to hitch hike around Europe.  I had an interesting four months but was finally deported from Amsterdam.  When I got back to Maghera I found a new band was indeed forming.  The new band involved Vincent McCusker stepping up to lead guitar, The Beast continuing on bass, Marty "Capone"O'Connor manning the drums, and Tinhead moving to the mike as singer and manager.   Tinhead confessed he couldn't sing to save his soul but was assured that he should "give it a go".  It was at this time that the Beast, borrowing the name from an Eletraset, suggested the name FRUUPP, which stuck.

In the pre-England days, Fruupp was a major success in Irish terms being named best new Band of the Year in the Irish music Mag Thursday.  But all was not to remain rosy in the Fruupp garden.  Just when things we're looking great and we had been joined by ace guitarist Rob McCullough from Belfast, the Beast quit the band and Vincent got an offer from our old friend Paul Charles to go to London to join in a new band which was being formed under the management of Chas. Chandler. 

So Vince quit Fruupp and went off in search of fame and fortune.  The remaining souls were left with the name Fruupp but in reality with no band.  But hey!   There were lots of rich kids who thought it would be cool to have Fruupp at their parties so we didn't disappoint them.  We hired various musicians and went gigging.  The most permanent of those musicians was bassist Trevor Davis.  (Trevor now lives in Canada and heads up a Computer Software Company).   Tinhead became known as "Lord Fruupp" and the band (consisting mainly of Lord Fruupp, Trevor Davis) continued to enjoy a reasonable measure of success.

It was during this time I met Stephen Houston.  He was indeed a classically trained musician but had the heart of a "Rock and Roll" musician.  He desperately wanted to play in Fruupp and after I accidentally heard him play piano I opened the door for him to join the band.  We then hit a snag with Stephen's parents who went through the roof because their young son was going to join a rock band and throw away his classical training.  I was enlisted, by Steve, to go and talk to them and somehow secure their blessing and pacify their wrath.  Quite a mission and only partially successful.  But at least now the lad's course was set and that Fruupp fella was officially to blame as the corrupting influence on their wee son.

Meanwhile, things in London were not going as planned for Vince.  His band was not going to get off the ground.  It seems then that Paul Charles approached Vince or Vince approached Paul about Fruupp.  I'm not sure which. Vince then phoned his Belfast buddies asking them to put together a new band which would be managed by Paul Charles...and, in Vince's words, "Paul could make us big!" 

Steve Houston was on board.  At the time, Peter Farrelly was a lead guitarist in a pub band.  He had never played bass but was persuaded that the kind of music we were going to play called for bass leads (so to speak).  Another drummer was being considered, but when Marty Foye auditioned he got the job.  Miles "Tinhead" McKee was annointed lead singer and frontman.

Then Vincent came home.  We rehearsed wrote songs and the rest is history.   Our first gig was in England was in Manchester where we opened for Thin Lizzy.

Another early member who deserves mention was Ivan "Touche" Vallelly, our ever ready roadie.  In the early (Irish) days of Fruupp, he drove our faithful van "Star Trek" and as far as I remember came to London with us.   In the early days he was always regarded as one of the band.


                                                       

Stetson Kirby, after Blues by Five...Pre-Fruupp. Left to Right: Vince McCusker (lead Guitar), Ivan "Touche" Vallelly (Rhythm Guitar), Ian "The Beast" Best (Bass), Miles "Tinhead" McKee, and Marty O'Connor (Drums). Photo courtesy of Ian Best.