Portsmouth Music Scene


The Portsmouth Music Scene

The Fence


The Fence: Peter Daynes drums, Nigel Hullet vocals, Steve McGrath bass, Nick Haines guitar


fence lyric

a Fence lyric sheet

THE FENCE
Southsea based ensemble. Nick Haines was a founder member of The Fence formed in 1977, one of four bands on original Portsmouth punk scene. Members were: Nigel Hullet (vocals) Steve McGrath (bass), Pete Daynes (drums) and Nick Haines (guitar). Pete Daynes the drummer could most definitely play. Soft furnishing salesman by day and Keith Moon by night. When guitarist, bass and vocals are playing through Woolworth's amplification rated at approximately 15 watts, it can be disconcerting when the drummer is so loud the rehearsal building begins to crumble.
The band featured ex hippy on vocals, Nigel Hullet, with a taste for kipper ties, sleeveless sweaters and major man crush on the Stranglers’ JJ Burnel, Steve McGrath on bass, and Nick Haines on guitar. The band started out with Nigel and Nick Haines, playing along to Velvet Underground, Mott and Neil Young records and making up our own rudimentary songs. Steve and Pete joined as a result of a poster blitz in Southsea seeking 'punk musicians' and after a few practices they played our first gig at the Portsea Rotary Club in 1978 supporting Public Heirs. Eight gigs later, final appearance was in late '78 at same venue, and with perfect symmetry, Public Heirs had the indignity of supporting the Fence.
If the Daubers were the Pistols of the Pompey scene, the Fence were perhaps Wire?
The Fence provided a counterpoint to the Daubers' abrasiveness. This was summed up in a poster created for a Daubers/Fence gig that featured an angelic cherub vomiting over the Daubers' name with the catch line; “Punks vs the Nice Boys' (Nigel nicked the name Nice Boys for a band he formed later on.) They also posed as a disco act to fool the bouncers in Neros into allowing them to play at the Fresher's Ball bash, anarchy in action or a bit sad?.
They only played a handful or so gigs and established a small following. Perhaps the pinnacle of there fame was reached when the band's name was seen written in felt tip on a school kid's satchel. As they became more proficient they were also becoming more predictable and boring. The songs were getting better, poppier... and blander by the week. It was time to pull the plug, this upset Peter and Steve terribly but it had to happen. No recordings for public consumption, but a good cassette was made featuring the band 'live in rehearsal' but this has now disappeared. No photos available either sadly. The band had some professional quality pics taken by a student at Portsmouth Poly. Sadly, the photographer disappeared, along with his photos. If Nick Pike reads this and still has anything from this shoot, please get in touch.

"As we became more proficient we were also becoming more predictable and boring. The songs were getting better, poppier... and blander by the week. It was time to pull the plug, I know this upset Peter and Steve terribly but it had to happen. Regrets, I have a few but I could see where the band was headed and I didn't want to go there." Nick Haines

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