This wee combo made its first live appearance on the roof top at Ingmire Hall early in 2003. It was originally conceived as Joe Notway And The Wee Band, allegedly by Andy Scull an Ali McLean. These notable personages were too busy doing things with or to each other to actually join the band themselves, so the original Line Up comprised Ali, Ed, Guy, Nigel (Todhunter), Richard (Woodbridge), and Shaggy. Nigel and Richard (who is happy to be mentioned on a threatened CD, being an almost bigger show-off than Piggy) left the band, and were replaced by 'Wild Boar' (a.k.a. Piggy), and Patsy, thus completing the metamorphosis into the Wee-eBand, with a hyphen, as in We-Evil (Clever, huh?), as we almost saw them.

The Wee-eBand intends to release a CD soon - but don’t hold your breath.

The Drake Music Project

As rehearsals were well under way, The Wee-eBand decided it would be a good idea to turn their musical ineptitude to some advantage. They decided that it would be appropriate for excess proceeds from sales of the CD to go to the Drake Music Project. From hip hop to classical, jazz to rock and roll, the Drake Music Project is a registered national charity that is committed to providing the opportunity, through technology, for disabled people to explore, compose and perform their own music. Jools Holland is a patron.

My Space

The Wee-eBand now has its own pages on MySpace, here.

THE Wee-eBand, in their own words

Big Ot Ed - Vocals

Ed began his professional singing career in St. Judes church choir in North London. The going rate then was 2/6d per wedding. Since then, his voice broke, and as far as is discernible, he has made no attempt to get it repaired. Like Patsy, his last attempt at recording was made in 2002 at Abbey Road Studios, although a bootleg video of his cover of 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' backed by John Otway's big band, recorded in Sedbergh, did see some minor circulation.

He also gained some theatrical experience in those early years, once being admirably cast as The Mad Hatter. But the truth was that he especially hated always being picked to be in 'the play'. The worst one was Sleeping Beauty when he had to KISS A GIRL! And they made him really do it! Ugh! Looking back, he says: "I probably should have jumped at the chance. Who knows? And where is she now?" Apparently, Friends Reunited and Google haven't been any help either.

Patsy - Additional vocals & additional percussion

Patsy, a.k.a. Delilah, is a failed punk vocalist from the late 70's, and since then has only emerged to play Ingmire Hall in Cumbria and singing on a Top 10 hit in 2002! In her 'unreal' life and work she is an Art Librarian specialising in fine/decorative art, fashion and architecture".

Alison - Percussion

Ali started drumming 10 years ago at Stage 2000 in Dundee, but had an 8 year break until being press-ganged into Otway's tribute band in 2003. The highlight of her career was playing with Adam Batterbee's kit on the rooftop of Ingmire Hall.

Shaggy - Guitar & hyperbole

Simon tries very hard to fit in the time required by the band between his sessions as a full time racing driver and test pilot, lecturer in advanced astronomy and the intricacies of space flight, writing his hugely successful series of books under his well known pseudonyms and advising his clients and friends from Hollywood and the British, American and Canadian music worlds on how to style themselves. He also tries very hard not to exaggerate so much.

The E-Guy - Bass

Started playing guitar back in school in erk-hum. Playing in several no hope of even getting a gig bands until he hit upon the idea of playing with his father - a ragtime/trad-jazz pianist of some renown. This did not work well either so Guy retired to becoming a bedroom guitarist. He moved to Swindon not long after and fell in love got married had the kid and rarely if ever picked up a guitar until they found a baby sitter and he started taking his wife out and went to see local bands. He started to get gripped with the need to play all over again and bought a new guitar and amp only to be asked if he would play bass in a new band being formed by a new best mate of his. Anyway after about 7-8 years of playing in ‘successful in his own lunch-time’ local pub bands, including supporting Otway in Southampton, he was given his chance of a big break - the John Otway Tribute act. Fame beckons at long last, he hopes.

Wild Boar - Guitat & wigs

Piggy's musical life started with Punk Art act 'Alternative Posing', passed through 'The Blood Junkies', Sperm Bank Experience' and ended up with 'Genital Sparrow' and Country Glam Rockers 'The Cowpokers'. His motto was 'Get the name right - bugger the music'.

Piggy was also an author and management consultant, using guitars to 'purge business management demons. He has since left the band.

Piggy has since left the band.

M.T. Skull - Guitar & crossbones

Piggy’s replacement, Andy Scull acquired his first guitar on 29th April 1970, and by May 1st had achieved a standard of musicianship that he has never bettered. His credentials as a performer of Otway songs dates back to 1980, when a 12 string acoustic version of "Cheryl's going home" went down like a fart in a space suit in front of a hundred traditional folk music fans; an experience which he now nonchalantly recalls as "Just part of paying my dues". He bottled out of appearing in the original wee-eBand line-up but, having seen the rapturous audience reaction to the band's Ingmire rooftop debut, swiftly and shamelessly decided that he would like a piece of the action. Although an exponent of many different styles of music in his time, these days Andy lives by the credo: "If it's easy enough for Otway, it's easy enough for me!"

 

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