HH and TWA 1982 - 1988.
Core Line up:

Howard Hughes Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Chris Pye Guitar, Guitar Synth
Roberto Soave Bass
Steve Turner Lead Guitar 

Drums:
Jim Russell (SayWestern, Girl in the Golden West, Montana, Percussion   
                     on West of the Pecos)
Neil Coleman (Paleface)
Lenny Sach (Live)
Paul Moon (Live)

Guitar:
Ray McVeigh - SayWestern



Thanks to Chas De Whalley, Martin Hopewell, Jane Nesbit, Steve Lindsay at Intersong/Warner Chappell, Laura (sound), Keith Nelson (management), Edward at Abstract Records, Paul Tipping and Ross Fitzsimons (management), Mark Fenwick, Alec Byrne at EG and John, our fan, for un-tiring support.

Howard Hughes and The Western Approaches - West of Everything

Wonderful (El Camino): Whatever fell in front of me. A domestic train ride.

Des Warren: Imprisoned for organising strikes on unsafe building sites. 
                      Please support the campaign to have the verdicts set aside. 
                      http://www.shrewsburypicketscampaign.org.uk/

Postmodernism Man: I manipulate my guitar.

Wonderful (California): Imaginary west coast snapshot stereotyping LA 
                                       soothsaying. 

Picture Perfect: I played the piano in the front room with the curtains open.

Wonderful (Emerson): For the late John McGeogh who showed me
                                      the guitar part for 'The Light Pours Out Of Me' when    
                                      we invited him to play it on the Peter Murphy
                                      album 'Should The World Fail To Fall Apart'.
                                      The opening quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson's  
                                      essay 'History' and yes, the hammond solo is a  
                                      homage to Keith Emerson and The Nice. 


Idiots: One morning one take. Streatham Ice Rink I thought...

A Summer Sky: Number 1 of 4 pieces for the late Nicole Michel (nee Bodet)





54
Thanks to:
Mike Wade: Tenor sax and talking
Annie Freud: Talking 
Ollie: Talking
Unknown couple at London Fields station: Talking
Barbara Marsh: All singing apart from mine, vocal melodies and lyrics 'A Car at Lights (Sunset)', talking, being. 
Buy her book: 'To the Boneyard'. Published by Eyewear
Photo: David Keen 
Written Produced Directed: Steve Betts
For my dad; Ron Betts 1922 - 2012

Wonderful (El Camino)

Des Warren

Postmodernism Man

Wonderful (California)

Pictureperfect

Hi lovely followers, this is the first single from my/our new band The Franklyns. Album coming soon. Please click the links to watch the video & follow, subscribe and share. Thanx, Steve x

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBOtfjHzTcs  

https://thefranklyns.bandcamp.com/releases.  www.thefranklyns.com

The Franklyns - Queen Of England

Here you go lovely Soundcloud followers, the first track from 
The Franklyns new album Eternity Pool. 
(...with exclusive Soundcloud photo no less!)
Available to buy as gatefold CD and download here: https://thefranklyns.bandcamp.com/album/eternity-pool
and downloadable/streamable from all the usual suspects.
Steve x

Eternity Pool

The Franklyns - Harness

Chris Pye: Bass melody Guitar, Guitar, BVs
Roberto Soave: Bass
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar, BVs
Howard Hughes: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Jim Russell Percussion

Produced by TWA
Mixed by Gerry Kitchingham
Released on Abstract Records


West of the Pecos

Chris Pye Guitar Synthesiser
Roberto Soave Bass
Steve Turner Lead Guitar
Howard Hughes Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard, Programming

Produced by TWA
Released on Abstract Records


The Westerner

Chris Pye: Guitar Synthesiser, BVs, Wild Baby
Roberto Soave: Bass, BVs
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar, BVs
Howard Hughes Vocals, Keyboards, Programming and Samples

Produced and mixed by Barry Andrews
Released on Abstract Records


Buffalo Bill (Part One) Mad Dog Mix

Chris Pye: Bass melody Guitar, Guitar, BVs
Roberto Soave: Bass
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar, BVs
Howard Hughes: Vocals, Keyboards, Programming
Jim Russell: Percussion

Produced by TWA
Mixed by Gerry Kitchingham
Released on Abstract Records and Polydor Benelux



West of the Pecos (Tom Mix)

Chris Pye: Guitar Synthesiser
Roberto Soave: Bass
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar
Howard Hughes Vocals, Keyboards, Programming

Produced by Chris Pye
Mixed by John Fryer
Released on Abstract Records


Council Houses (on the edge of town)

Chris Pye: Guitar Synthesiser
Roberto Soave: Bass
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar
Howard Hughes Vocals, Keyboards, Programming

Produced and mixed by Chris Pye


Home Help

Chris Pye: Guitar Synthesiser, Guitars
Roberto Soave: Bass
Howard Hughes Vocals, Keyboards

Produced and mixed by Chris Pye


Flat

Chris Pye: Guitar Synthesiser
Roberto Soave: Bass
Steve Turner: Lead Guitar 
Howard Hughes Vocals
Neil Coleman Programmed Drums


San Francisco (Here I Come)

HH and TWA 1982 - 1988.
Core Line up:

Howard Hughes Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Chris Pye Guitar, Guitar Synth
Roberto Soave Bass
Steve Turner Lead Guitar 

Drums:
Neil Coleman
Paul Moon (Live)
Jim Russell (Studio)
Lenny Sach (Live)

Keyboards (live):
Helen Turner
Paul Statham

Guitar:
Ray McVeigh (SayWestern)

See individual tracks for credits.

Thanks to Chas De Whalley, Martin Hopewell, Jane Nesbit, Steve Lindsay at Intersong/Warner Chappell, Laura (sound), Keith Nelson (management), Edward at Abstract Records, Paul Tipping and Ross Fitzsimons (management), Mark Fenwick, Alec Byrne at EG and John-our fan- for 
un-tiring support.

BigBadgeOn

HH and TWA 1982 - 1988.
Core Line up:

Howard Hughes Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Chris Pye Guitar, Guitar Synth
Roberto Soave Bass
Steve Turner Lead Guitar 

Drums:
Neil Coleman
Paul Moon (Live)
Jim Russell (Studio)
Lenny Sach (Live)

Keyboards (live):
Helen Turner
Paul Statham

Guitar:
Ray McVeigh

See individual tracks for credits.

Thanks to Chas De Whalley, Martin Hopewell, Jane Nesbit, Steve Lindsay at Intersong/Warner Chappell, Laura (sound), Keith Nelson (management), Edward at Abstract Records, Paul Tipping and Ross Fitzsimons (management), Mark Fenwick, Alec Byrne at EG and John-our fan- for 
un-tiring support. 






Texas

A Girl in the Golden West

Montana

Plains

Ideal World. The projected second album. 
(Photo by Adrian Boot)


Walking On The Water

Big Gun Speak

Alamo Sexy

Bend of the River

Directors cut of single released on EG in 1988.

Ray McVeigh      Guitar
Roberto Soave    Bass
Jim Russell         Drums
Howard Hughes  Vocals, piano, guitar 

Patrick Gundry-White French horn
Chris Gower  Trombone
Ann Morfee, Matthias Witt, Rebecca Jackson   Violins
Bridget Carey  Viola  
Gary Masters   Programming

Engineered by Gerry Kitchingham
Written, Produced and Directed by Howard Hughes


SayWestern

Source: http://www.criterion.com/films/27620-kiss-me-deadly

Lyrics:

Spillane
Something’s in the road 
Someone’s running in the road 
in my headlights

Someone running wild
Someone crying like a child
Say it’s alright

Suddenly a car
Pulls across me much too far
And I’m out....

Sapped I’m waking sleeping
Lying face down feel the shaking
And the screams

She looks back 
Talks hard
Too long 
Too loud

He wouldn’t stop
He couldn’t stop
Until she gives out loud

Push your way inside 
There was something there to hide
Like an old man’s notebook

Something unexplained
Something getting in the way
Like a small time street crook

No more empty room
No more Nicko va va voom
No more old way death ray

Something in your eyes
Something...you’re so civilised
I can’t tell what you say

(Remember me)

She looks back (as above)

Carver on the street
She on the run
She pulled a gun and she said

Kiss me
Kiss me
Kiss me Mike
Kiss me

She was rolling on the street 
She on the run
She pulled a gun and she said

Give it to me 
Gimme gimme 
Gimme

I WANT HALF

Everybody love romancer
Lover make the greatest dancer

What’s in the box?
Whatsit. Great Whatsit
What’s in the box?

Meet me on the beach 
I‘ll be there somewhere you can reach
In the firelight

There’s danger in the ring
It’s unexploded in the wings 
And your friend was too bright

Suddenly it’s late
It’s getting too late to explain
And the clouds are storming

Meet me in the sea
We should be safe or maybe free
From the Soberin(g) scorching

RMASMHKMD 
(Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer Kiss Me Deadly)

Cheap words with no sense
And no rhyme. 
Who knows?
Me.

Spillane.

Spillane

Metaphysic

Hirohito

Osterreich

Rain

Expertise

Ballroom Debut

Hirohito (B side version)

Car at Lights (Sunset)

Complacent

I Sun Myself

I wake up Sunday

I Walk Past The House

It's a Major City

Part Way Cool

Receptive

https://www.youtube.com/@thefranklyns https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556681353253

DESIGN IS NOT A MATTER OF OPINION.
 
The music presented here spans a forty year period and is best accessed via the 'playlists' and 'Albums' options on this page.

This is the SoundCloud page for Steve Betts. 
Music from Vachement Bath, Howard Hughes and the Western Approaches, L. Howard Hughes and The Books.
All tracks written/composed by Steve Betts. 
Video footage of performances with The Franklyns, The Western Approaches, The Associates, Eurythmics and Pete Murphy on the Youtube channel playlist.

All tracks downloadable for free on request.

In 1978 I formed a band called The Books and signed to Logo/RCA records and Virgin Music. 
The band recorded singles and an album, Expertise, all produced by Colin Thurston, and toured the UK supporting The Skids.

In 1982 I adopted the name L. Howard Hughes 
and began working with Billy Mackenzie and The Associates touring the UK, Europe and USA and recording the single 'Breakfast' and the album 'Perhaps'.
Around the same time I met Peter Murphy, from the band Bauhaus, who was beginning a solo career and worked with him co-writing and producing his first solo album, 'Should the World Fail to Fall Apart.'

In 1984 I formed another band, Howard Hughes and the Western Approaches and released singles on Abstract/Polydor and EG records. 

Throughout the 80s and 90s I worked with various artists touring and recording in Europe, the States and Japan as a session player, arranger, producer as well as writing, performing and releasing my own music.

In 2006 I formed a band called Vachement Bath and we played shows in London. I have also contributed to the 60x60 project as well as creating an online catalogue of work.  I led the BA(Hons)Music Performance and Production Programme at the University Of East London from 2014 to 2021 after which I co-formed my current band, The Franklyns. I live and write in the countryside.

Steve Betts

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks