Portsmouth Music Scene


The Portsmouth Music Scene

Eyes


From the Portsmouth NEWS August 2018
Do you know the members of 1970s Portsmouth punk band Eyes? The cover of Eyes' record I Like It, released through Raw Records. Picture: Lee Wood The cover of Eyes' record I Like It, released through Raw Records.
A RECORD boss has launched an appeal to track down five city rockers who enjoyed a taste of fame 40 years ago. Lee Wood is on a mission to find members of the Portsmouth-based punk band Eyes, four decades after he recruited them to his Cambridge-based label Raw Records. The outfit – which featured musicians Doug Kane, Nick Porter, Reg Marshall, Steve Simmons and John Stuart Mills – went on to release two singles which both sold more than 6,000 copies each. While Lee and the band parted ways after the tracks, he said the split was ‘amicable' – and wants to include them in a book he is writing about the label following its winding down.
The 40-year-old said: ‘Eyes were a good band – they performed well live and recorded well too. Maximum £3 selling fees until Monday with eBay* *Per item, offer available until 06.08. Private sellers only. Item must sell within 1st listing period. See T&Cs. Sponsored by eBay [Opt out of Adyoulike ad targeting] ‘They weren’t quite what you would call a punk band in the sense of the Sex Pistols because they were more rock oriented. The front cover of Eyes' record I Like It, released through Raw Records.
Eyes' record I Like It, released through Raw Records. Picture: Lee Wood ‘But I have fond memories of working with them as it was clear they knew exactly what they were doing. ‘They had quite a flamboyant manager too, called Jake Anthony, and he often made the effort to come and see me.’ The tracks Eyes released via Raw Records, I Like It and Once in a Lifetime, were recorded at a studio on the estate of Wembley Arena, in London. If they are tracked down, it is hoped the band’s members can share their side of the story as musicians who worked on the Raw label. According to Mr Wood, they were in good company too – with former Raw talents The Killjoys going on to become Dexys Midnight Runners, and one member of Lockjaw later joining The Cure. With Mr Wood’s book set to be published next year, anyone who knows the members of Eyes is welcome to contact him. He is also searching for city talent Nettie Waling, who was allegedly close to signing Raw Records. Anyone with information should email lee@soundpublishing.co.uk


eyes1

The cover of Eyes' record Once in a Lifetime,
released through Raw Records. Eyes' record Once in a Lifetime, released through Raw Records.

eyes2

Lee Wood Signing over the dotted line in 1978

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Doug Jane, Mick Porter, Steve Simmons, Finn Panton and Reg Marshall, and called Gangolph. Circa 1978


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