The Beer Pigs

Do you remember the 1980s? Were you alive in the 1980s? This band started kicking their first heels into music from around 1985/1986. Playing in a band with Steve Maynard and Andrew Turner, the band were rehearsing and performing in church halls and scout huts with songs like Desert Moon and Babe; with Julie Landells on the vocals and a nod towards classic american rock. This early version of band fizzled out of existence and Dave joined a band with Bernard O’Hagan and Stephen ‘Kirky’ Kirk  (who owned a Korg MS20 synth with his ICI apprenticeship wages). Ian was learning guitar and always asking Mike on the school bus “Has your Dave started that band yet?” Mike and Ian both joined the band too and a gig at The Albert in Middlesbrough was one of the first nerve wracking ventures for the band. The gigs were few but memorable and we learned from each other. We remember playing in The St Andrews Hall to a bemused youth club audience and performed songs by a legendary Middlesbrough...

On 14th March 1987 the main nucleus of the band as we know today, performed their very first gig in the upstairs function room at The Normanby Hotel. Along with members Ste Maynard and the late great Darren O'Brien, the band played a gig as a charity fundraiser for St. Peter's Scout Group after being booked for the event by Mick Callaghan. Here the band began to dream of what was possible. World domination and amazing music. Thirty years later we are still awaiting the moment. However, on 22nd April 2017, a big announcement will be made to an exciting new development in the complex history of the band. More will be discussed in future blog entries from that point. In the meantime, here are some rare pictures from that gig almost 30 years ago.