The Red in Sophie Loren - a band I was in London from 2003 to 2004.
This is one of my favorite tracks from our first Untitled demo, I was the drummer and sang backing vocals. Don't ask me why we weren't called The Red in Sophia Loren, the band had already chosen it by the time i joined. It is worth noting that the three tracks from the Untitled demo were written fully by the band in rehearsal rooms within 3 weeks of being a full unit, and quickly recorded soon afterwards.



No.1 - Operation break spirit the kickstart testimony take the heart and run - The Red in Sophie Loren

The Red in Sophie Loren - a band I was in London from 2003 to 2004. 
I was the drummer and sang backing vocals. Don't ask me why we weren't called The Red in Sophia Loren, the band had already chosen it by the time i joined. 

From an Untitled demo. This was always more of a stab at the pop hardcore scene developing at the time than a serious song for me. It was always great fun to play.

It is worth noting that the three tracks from the Untitled demo were written fully by the band in rehearsal rooms within 3 weeks of being a full unit, and quickly recorded soon afterwards.

No.2 - Hips like X (gun vs. knife) - The Red in Sophie Loren

The Hunt for the Sea Monster was written by all three of the band members over a series of rehearsals. It was recorded by Ben Phillips (then of band The Guilliaume Seam) at his home studio in Margate in 2001.
I miss this band, it was my fullest hope and biggest frustration at the same time when i was younger. We were good, but too young to know how to play the game properly when you came from a small town. Basically, there was no internet for bands, for shows we made flyers and handed them out for a few weeks, and sent actual cds to people via post in the hope they'd listen to us. By the time the band had got to this point musically, we'd changed our name (from Fidgit) and some of us (including me) were pushing the limits of partying far too hard. Written and recorded between 2000 and 2001, this track, along with The Long Return, recorded at the same time, revealed a potential we would never accomplish as a group. As a live band we were angry, intense, emotional and hella heavy.
In The Armillary Sphere I wrote a lot of the material, played drums and did the majority of lead clean vocals. Gaz Hardy concentrated more on the guitar work, wrote some killer riffs and sang/screamed accordingly. Nick Martin played bass and did oceanic screams at all the right moments.


The Hunt For The Sea Monster - The Armillary Sphere

By the band Fidgit, from the 2000 record 'Ammunition'.
Written mainly by Gaz Hardy with vague involvement from myself. I was the drummer and did backing vocals to Gaz for this song.

We recorded the drums for Ammunition at 284 studios in Brighton, doing all other instruments and vocals on Gaz's Roland 1680. It has to be said, at the age of 19 with no real training other than pouring over Sound-on-Sound magazine, Gaz did a masterful job of recording and mixing the whole record with the limited resources at his disposal.

Brief band history:
Everyone has the band they started out in. I started singing because of this one. Fidgit began, in fact, when i was 14. I answered an ad in a local paper placed by Tom Argent, he was 13. We played covers, then lost contact for a couple of years. At age 16 Gaz Hardy (guitar) was working in the local advert paper shop, in walked Tom, he said he wanted to place an ad for a band and Gaz suggested they start one together, the myth goes 'then they both said they knew a drummer'. I was called. Continuing under the name Fidgit, (named after me not being able to sit still for more than a few seconds by my mother when i was a child) we cut a few demos, home recorded by Gaz, and gigged as many places as we could locally for a couple of years while completing college. One day I MAY upload some of them. Maybe. At 18 Tom left the band for uni. Gaz and I carried on writing material and auditioning singers. After about 5 unsuccessful auditions we realised we'd been singing to the try outs to teach them the songs, while playing. So we decided to head down this route. It went well. We recruited a few temporary bassists and gigged for a while, then we found Sam Woodhouse for second guitar and he suggested Nick Martin on bass. We set about to record as a new band. Ammunition was the result.


Various Haircare Products - Fidgit

By the band Fidgit, from the 2000 record 'Ammunition'.
Written by myself, this song was pretty much the first time i'd embarked on writing all the instruments for a band to play, and was the first song by the band that I completely lead sang in.
We recorded the drums for Ammunition at 284 studios in Brighton, doing all other instruments and vocals on Gaz's Roland 1680. It has to be said, at the age of 19 with no real training other than pouring over Sound-on-Sound magazine, Gaz did a masterful job of recording and mixing the whole record with the limited resources at his disposal.
Brief band history:
Everyone has the band they started out in. I started singing because of this one. Fidgit began, in fact, when i was 14. I answered an ad in a local paper placed by Tom Argent, he was 13. We played covers, then lost contact for a couple of years. At age 16 Gaz Hardy (guitar) was working in the local advert paper shop, in walked Tom, he said he wanted to place an ad for a band and Gaz suggested they start one together, the myth goes 'then they both said they knew a drummer'. I was called. Continuing under the name Fidgit, (named after me not being able to sit still for more than a few seconds by my mother when i was a child) we cut a few demos, home recorded by Gaz, and gigged as many places as we could locally for a couple of years while completing college. One day I MAY upload some of them. Maybe. At 18 Tom left the band for uni. Gaz and I carried on writing material and auditioning singers. After about 5 unsuccessful auditions we realised we'd been singing to the try outs to teach them the songs, while playing. So we decided to head down this route. It went well. We recruited a few temporary bassists and gigged for a while, then we found Sam Woodhouse for second guitar and he suggested Nick Martin on bass. We set about to record as a new band. Ammunition was the result.


See The Fast Slope - Fidgit

By the band Fidgit, from the 2000 record of the same name.
Written fully by the band as a whole, this era was a new form of explorative writing for us, non of our material was in the classic song shape and we loved it. I played drums and sang.
At this point in the life of the band Sam Woodhouse had left for uni and we went ahead as a 3 piece, recording at the local music college I attended, again on Gaz's Roland 1680.

For some reason the only copy i have of this track goes wrong at the end. Once i've found a correct copy i shall re-upload!



Leaving The Safe House - Fidgit

By the band Fidgit, from the 2000 record 'Leaving the Safe House'.
Written fully by the band as a whole, this era was a new form of explorative writing for us, non of our material was in the classic song shape and we loved it. I played drums and sang.



At this point in the life of the band Sam Woodhouse had left for uni and we went ahead as a 3 piece, recording at the local music college I attended, again on Gaz's Roland 1680.


A Pattern We Must Follow - Fidgit

Badgers Are English Bears

Written and played by myself for my brief yet incendairy band The Turner Prize. Recorded by Nick Kinnish at Serafina Studios, Eastbourne.

The Turner Prize - Who am i to the owner of the sky?

My brief yet incendiary band, The Turner Prize. I wrote and sang in this band. On this recording Maud E. Licious, now of The James Cleaver Qunitet, plays guitars and bass, the wonderful Zoe Konez, of the solo act Zoe Konez, also plays guitars and I play drums. Recorded by Nick Kinnish at Serafina Studios, Eastbourne.

The Turner Prize - Tell My Associates I'm Dead

My brief yet incendiary band, The Turner Prize. I wrote and sang. On the recordings Maud E. Licious, now of The James Cleaver Qunitet, plays guitars and bass, the wonderful Zoe Konez, of the solo act Zoe Konez, plays guitars and I play drums. Recorded by Nick Kinnish at Serafina Studios, Eastbourne. This was the first ever recording to be done at Serafina.

The Turner Prize - Faces People Pull When You Throw Knives At Them

Music written for The Turner Prize by Josh Lucas, lyrics and vocals by myself. Demo'd at Josh's place. This was one of the last full pieces written for the purpose of The Turner Prize.

The Turner Prize - Pick me up from your ocean floor and teach me how to swim

Digging out things from my old 4 track tapes, circa 1999 to 2007

Music Machine Meander Me Away

Pulling demos from my old 4 track tapes. I distinctly remember deciding to write a quick 'Christian ROCK' song, and this came out. 2004, I think.

Trial Life Run

I'm currently using Soundcloud as a place to log past recordings and demos from old bands and projects, there are many more to come. I've given brief descriptions and histories of each band and the recording processes.
I play drums, guitar, bass and sing. I am a composer and songwriter from classical music to pop songs to all out hardcore, mathcore and progressive metal. I also teach drums. If you would like to get in touch regarding any of the above or my past music, you can contact me here: <a href="mailto:jonfidgit@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jonfidgit@gmail.com</a>
Thanks.



Jon Hammond

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