Atombuzz

A HISTORY OF THE HISTORY OF EX MEMBERS OF THE BUZZ
 

During the life of ATOMBUZZ certain members came and went, some came and went more often than others but they came and went none the less. This page is dedicated to their memory and the reasons they are no longer with the band (or in some cases on this planet).The stories may have become slightly exaggerated over time, and blurred with alcohol, but those of you who know them will know the truth.! 

Stez was a long time friend of Natt, school chum and co founder of ATOMBUZZ along with Fat Jon. The band was originally called PURPLE WORM and then MERLYN with the addition of Matt on rhythm guitar, but he’s another story.

Stez and Natt used to hang out after school and listen to Ozzy and Sabbath and Slayer and Metallica together and plan (Atombuzz’s) world domination. There had infact been one guitarist before stez but he’s not worth a mention.! Stez practiced guitar every day and could play fast and precise to emulate Randy Rhodes and Kirk hammett. But it was very clear from early on to Natt that they were destined to move in different musical circles, as Stez didn’t share Natt’s love of obscure and avant-garde music. Stez’s constant fret board noodling was a bone of contention amongst the fledgling buzz as he would often write solos that lasted longer than a middle 8 and the band had to accommodate a middle 16 in some cases.!

In 1994 Stez and Natt auditioned Steve to replace Fat Jon and the audition song was N.I.B by Black Sabbath (picked by Natt hoping he’d fail!) but he played it note perfect (still another point of contention) and shortly after Alex a friend of Steve was added to the line up. As the new line up began to bond it was becoming rapidly more clear that Stez’s style was less than fitting for the raw garage punk rock beginning to emerge and that relations between Natt and Stez were becoming difficult. Often members of the band would put a pillow infront of Stez’s Marshall 4x10 to shut him up between songs, as he would solo forever. The buzz boys even took fag breaks while he widdled. To lay rumour to rest Philthy Phil advised Stez to leave the band, Natt caught wind of what was going on and on the night Stez met with Natt to tell him he was leaving Natt got in there first and simultaneously fired him.

Natt came up with the band name not Stez.

 SPLEEN:

In November 1993 the vocal duties were supplied by SPLEEN, a great bloke but who rarely sang and sat on an exercise bike most of the time before soon leaving for a job in Reading leaving the band vocal free for a while.

 FAT JON: 

In 1993 FAT JON played bass for the boys and although a school friend of NATT and STEZ he left (thrown out), The reasons for his dismissal are sketchy.

JON rejoined ATOMBUZZ in 1995 when STEVE left to pursue other musical avenues with PICASSO TRIGGER (PISSY FIGURE). JONS reinstatement lasted as long as Picasso Trigger and he was thrown out again as STEVE rejoined. JON Never played with the boys again.

Jons bike - oh dear!!!

SAD NEIL: 

Neils Tent During Reading -

1994 saw SAD NEIL take over vocal duties, although thought of as a generally all round good bloke, it turned out bad for the boys and it was found that he was actually full of bullshit. His vocal style was one which none of the boys had ever encountered before, it consisted of not actually singing at all and saying “I know the words, I’ll sing them on the night.”  His dismissal had been plotted by the others a while back on a camping trip (their cowardice is legendary, they rarely confront the members they want out and plot elaborate ways of getting rid), on this trip they pissed on his tent, set fire to the inner lining then pinched the waterproofing and took it to the Reading Festival where NEIL along with the other members and a lot of friends from the band went to most years. This is where the fun started, Whilst drunk all the boys started to really rip the piss out of NEIL, his fondness for tripping was well known, He instantly noticed his tent sheet but he was told its was SCOTTS brothers tent sheet  (SCOTT doesn’t have a brother) He wouldn’t have it so on the Friday whilst he was tripping and they were drunk they all huddled in Alex’s tent and at the tops of their voices; NATT, STEVE, ALEX, STEZ and SCOTT (a roadie who also got the sack) all shouted NEIL YOURE CRAP AND YOUR OUT OF THE BAND!!! They then set about building the biggest bonfire in Reading history about two foot from NEIL’S tent, needless to say he wasn't best pleased but best of all, wasn't in ATOMBUZZ anymore.

A classic moment in Atombuzz history.

Neils Tent After Reading -

DEBBIE:  

Back in 1994, when STEZ left, the band were down to a three piece, howeverALEX couldn’t play lead very well (still cant) and at the time some of their work required lead guitar so the search went out for a lead player. Enter DEBBIE; yes that’s right a girl. Know locally for here guitar work, they thought she would be the ideal accompaniment to their style, however this was not the case. DEBBIE’S guitar work didn't fit in with the BUZZ and they soon needed her out.

A gig had been lined up Battle of The Bands 1995 and they didn't want here in the band for that. Yet again too afraid to just tell someone that they were "no longer required", they instead tell her the band is splitting up. They do this in their local watering hole THE TOWNS PRIDE during one of their BUDWEISER AND SCAMPI FRIES evenings. Less than five minutes after splitting up they reform without DEBBIE.

They then go to play the battle of the bands as a three piece, and their very first gig.

Debbie -

JONNY NUTTER: 
 

For the battle of the bands gig, the boys did have another member, not a guitarist or singer, but a dancer, JONNY NUTTER. His dancing at that gig inspired many other people to get off their arses and dance, nearly winning the heat for them he Officially joined the band after the gig. Although he never danced for them again he is fondly remembered in BUZZ circles as he was institutionalised soon after (probably due to a meths and gin cocktail he drank at a party of Steve’s once).

 PHILTHY PHIL:

Philthy -

Before IAN joined the BUZZ, the boys did try out one other singer FILTHY PHIL. A work colleague of NATT and drinking buddy of all, His style was perfect for the lads and although was older than them was almost up for it, but he didn’t want to sing live he would only rehearse. He could do tricks with pint glasses and tricks with nails but they don’t belong on these pages. The boys had found their singer, but he wouldn’t sing - fucking great!

NICK SEDLMAYR:

NICK SEDLMAYR joined in 1997 after the first real BUZZ split, his contributions on bass added weight to the songs BLACK LUNG and THAT’S JUST HOW IT GOES. He played a few gigs with the boys, BOTB 97 and a show in the middle of Midhurst forest for a load of bikers they knew, NATT also joining them for the show.

NICK left soon after to start MOLASSESS who supported ATOMBUZZ at their reunion show that Christmas. NICK rejoined when ATOMBUZZ officially got back together in 2000 and although this was short lived (he had to start university in Birmingham) his leaving spurred STEVE into rejoining. Great?!

CHRIS FOGGO:
 

CHRIS FOGGO joined the same time as NICK S, but only lasted three months. Because of his style, ALEX and IAN wrote new material as well as concentrating on just learning a set for the 1997 BOTB. 

Chris was drafted in from ALEX’S side project CONFUSION (CHRIS' own band), he played the one gig (BOTB 97) didn’t want to play in the woods and was duly despatched.

He now lives in Belgium.

STUNTMAN MATT

Have we missed anyone? Well, yes actually. Our one time manager STUNTMAN MATT, Sorted gigs (1) sorted photo shoots (1) did sod all and still got the free beer. He joined the crew in 96 after the FYG EP and helped us during the factory gig with our lighting rig and effects. Although his time with the buzz was short (we split up) he is fondly remembered as the manager that never managed.

STEVE

NAME:  STEVE  (AKA-brucie, captain dribbly, bananaman, jimmy, big chinned bass player…The list is endless!!!!)

PLAYS: Five meaty strings and shouts a lot 
 HEIGHT: 6 footish
AGE:   230
FAV COLOUR:  Black 
**FACT**  He’s got a large chin and loves taking the piss  (mainly out of the other members of the buzz)
FAV BANDS:, Green Day, Offspring, Sisters of Mercy, Therapy, Rage Against the Machine, Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Sum 41, Bad Religion, Nirvana, Pantera, Soil, L7, Sabbath, Alice in Chains, Killing Joke, Doors, White Zombie, Ozzy, Radiohead, Depeche Mode,  Smashing Pumpkins, and Flat Eric.
**FACT** If you had all the beer consumed by all the Atombuzz members and ex members in their lives you would be able to fill the grand canyon or keep Niagara Falls flowing for a whole day........ or the amount of Beer consumed by Stez -you could fill a Thimble
FAV FILMS: Lost Boys, Big Lebowski, Matrix, Lord of The Rings trilogy, Donnie Darko, School of Rock!!, The Crow. Beaches!!!! (hahahahahaha) 
 FAV ATOMBUZZ SONG:  Madame Gourmet
*FACT** Steve and Natt once over-tuned someone’s mini-van after a couple of beers at their local (they ran away giggling like schoolgirls)
STEVE SAYS: I started playing bass because I thought it would be easy, it was but then I found out guitar was even easier so started playing  that too. I was originally influenced by the simple basslines by  Craig Adams (Sisters of mercy). Then I studied Jazz Bass at Chichester College of performing arts for a year and improved slightly and started incorporating  a heavy Jazz style bass sound over the Buzzes furious raw sound, it worked…Sometimes…. so we stuck with the general sound and dressed up in stupid outfits to distract peoples attention
**FACT** Steve and Natt once played a joke on Alex (ok more than once but this is one of those times). -Middle of winter, during a drinking  session at Natt’s House –Alex was supposed to be meeting his then girlfriend Kirsty (Bimbi) outside Flappers nightclub in town at 11 O’clock.  From about 8 onwards everytime Alex went for a piss Steve and Natt wound the clock in Natt’s’ room forward by 15min. This continued for an hour or so, then the pranksters told Alex it was 11 O’clock and he was gonna be in deep shit with Kirsty!! After a quick glance at the clock and the comment ‘shit I didn’t think it was that late!!!’ Alex ran the mile and a half to Flappers dressed in a flimsy jacket (it was below freezing). After around and hour and a half of waiting outside Kirsty finally appeared to meet a frozen Alex at 11 O’clock. He still hasn’t got us back; maybe that’s why Natt opted out of a Stag do before he got married? Nothing bad happened at Alex’s’ Stag do though did it……………………
ABOUT THE OTHERS: Known em 4 ages
Verdict-  

Good bunch of blokes  (but they’ve put on a few pounds recently). 
 

STEVE ON NATT:  I first met young Nathan after answering an ad for an audition for a Bass player in a metal band in 1994, He and Stez were obviously both Ginger and the singer 'Spleen' was very good at sitting on the exercise bike in the room but never seemed to want to sing.
Anyway despite these drawbacks both Natt and Stez seemed around my sort of level and music tastes so I joined my first ever 'gigging' band.  
We always had slightly conflicting music views, but hey, you like wot you like- but if you don’t like it then 'Atombuzz it' was always our motto in the early days as it is today.
Many years of friendship and punk/metal ensued, both of us being regular drinkers at the Towns Pride, The Broadwater, Flappers, The Crow bar and The Factory. 
We've had our fallouts, but at the end of the day he's a top bloke and real mates are real mates. If people never argued about shit (music) the world would be a very boring place!

Verdict- 
 

One of the highest earning Gingers in England, Lookin forward 2 many more gigs wiv this man.

(even though he's a Drummer)  

STEVE ON STEVE: I think he plays guitar-yee haa
Verdict-
Never heard of 'im

STEVE ON IAN: I knew Ian before anyone else in the Buzz, infact I knew his brother first coz he was mates wiv a girl called Sally McCormick I used to know. 
Me and Ian used to have competitions at 'The Factory' to see who could stay on the dance floor (alive) until the end of songs like 'Rage against the machine -Killing in the Name' and other slowdance favorites.  
I didn’t know his name until his mate Daymo was going out with a bird me mate Woody was mates wiv. But ever since we've bin good mates, and his mum, 'Mrs. Morgan' is the best mum in the world (she deserves a mention)- Ever, Cooking breakfast for the entire band after monster drinking sessions with no indiscrepancies in the quality of food despite the quantities consumed by the then impoverished Buzz boys (especially Alex).
He was never thought of as a potential singer, but when I was told I should either play bass or sing and we'd sacked all the other fuckers like Neil. Mrs. Morgan mentioned that Ian had 'The voice of an Angel'  (as you can tell!!!!!!) After that we signed the ex Choirboy as the new front man and the rest is history  

Verdict  

Top bloke-Shame about the beak!   
 

STEVE ON NICK: I knew Nick from Jbs as the Retro boy with the poodle perm, I think. He was always drinking vodka and orange and looking more retro than a Raleigh Chopper special edition with big flares and 'Glam' shirt frills. I was in Some Weird Sin at the time but the band was on the verge of collapse due to Stezzes Bird trying to rule the show when she didn't have a fuckin clue what was going on (spinal tap).
Anyway The Sin Split and The buzz were getting back together with Nick as the bassist.
I offered to jump in on Rhythm Guitar and Bass swapsies for a giggle and Nick and I were swapping instruments every 2 or three songs for the first bit.  
If you are a singer you will know that guitar is much easier to play when singing (backin) and I gradually moved over to guitar permanantly. I know I’ve only played two gigs on guitar wiv the buzz (Ye Ha!) but Nick is a top bass player (although his hair is wider than the Amazon).

Verdict- 
 

Top bloke - More pedals than the Tour de France  
 

STEVE ON ALEX: He was always referred to as the 'Scary looking big bloke' by all that knew him in late 1993 (I think). 
 

I asked his sister (Melanie- Ian’s' now wife) if he may be interested in joining a band as a rhythm guitarist as Stez's widdlin needed some sort of calming within the noise of a real guitarist and he did it. 
After being banned from some rehearsal sites-like Wick town hall (for kicking footballs at the lights -accidentally of course! and writing on the playschool colours teaching boards- With stuff like PINK-Floyd, BLACK-Sabbath, GREEN- Day, Deep- PURPLE, BLUE- Oyster cult, WHITE- Zombie etc). -We are hard bastards you know-don’t mess! 
Never really thought of as a technical guitarist his punk melodies formed a large part of the buzzes furious sound, wots wrong with four or five chords? 
.....Anyway, Alex, in my reckoning is probably the longest serving member of the gigging buzz, and respect to the man who  never quit -like Me and Natt, and stuck with the band through thick and thin, he kept the band alive and we wouldn’t be here without you, you Spammy fucker.

Verdict-  

Top bloke- Pity he's a spammy fuckwit  

In 1998 + 1999 Steve and Stez had some success with James (Christopher Manly) Bird (vocals)and Brian Poole(keyboards) in Steve’s ‘Gap Year ‘(or two) from ATOMBUZZ in Steves new band ‘SOME WEIRD SIN’. Playing Pseudo serious Goth rock, trying to emulate Steves’ Goth Heroes from the ‘Sisters of Mercy’ ,’Type O Negative’and ‘The Mission’ plus a few of their own tracks that probably would have done really well in the ‘80s. They played in London and were as tight as arseholes. Shame they were pretty outdated really or the buzz would be famous once again without even trying!

 NAME:  Nick   AKA (retro boy, fairycakes!!!)

PLAYS: 4 strings and 4 fuzz pedals

HEIGHT: no!

AGE:  225

FAV COLOUR: purple  

FAV BANDS:  Sabbath, Bowie, Neil young, smashing pumpkins
The doors, sleater Kinney, New York dolls, miles Davies,
Dave Brubec, qotsa, velvet underground, Fiona apple and a lot lot lot more!!  

FAV FILMS: dirty Harry, anything by Hitchcock, Woodstock

NICKS OTHER BANDS:

THE NEON CONNECTION

LYING SEASONS

FAV ATOMBUZZ SONG: lancin Chix 
 

NICK SAYS:  I started playing guitar when I was 14 so I could be like slash and Joe Perry (oh dear!!), when I left school I went to chi-college for 3 years studying music,
While I was there I found out its very hard to break bass string's So to save money I started playing bass and for ever more I have Played bass in various bands in Worthing. I also play in a band called "Lying Seasons" and I record my own stuff under the name "the neon connection". 

ABOUT THE OTHERS:

Nick on Alex: 

I didn’t really know Alex before I joined Atombuzz, I probably met him down the pub a couple of times but my memory is a bit hazy (cider!).
Alex is definitely the rock of Atombuzz, always sending stuff off and doing all the non-playing stuff that u have to do with bands.

His dirty punk guitar sound is the sound of Atombuzz and always cuts through my fuzzbass-mess!!

Top bloke and guitar god!

 Nick on Natt:  

Natt’s the reason I joined Atombuzz; in late 1999 I moved to Worthing and met Nat in the pub (as my other half knew him) - after a few pints he convinced me to join the Buzz (I blame the cider again!).

The original founder member of the band and the driving force, he may have given the leadership baton to Alex but behind the kit he drives the band along.

He’s a good friend and puts up with my loud bass! ……….ROCK’N’ROLL……..

 Nick on Steve:  

I also met Steve when I first moved to Worthing. We used to get pissed in JB’s and talk about bass guitars. When I first joined the band he kindly taught me all the bass lines (not easy as we have totally different bass styles). We all take the piss about his guitar sound every practice, but really it makes the band sound massive…….cool bloke!

Nick on Ian: 
 

I didn’t know Ian at all before I joined the band - but was soon getting pissed with him down the pub with the rest of the buzz-crew. He’s a top punk-rock vocalist who gets better all the time (must be all shouting at kids or something!). He always keeps the band laughing on and off stage. Watch out for his classic rolling around on stage!!

Nick on Nick:

 I love being in Atombuzz, it ROCKS!!I haven’t done much writing for them but always have my say on arranging new material.

Atombuzz have confirmed that their Bass Player of seven years, Nick, has left the band.

The parting of ways was amicable and this was the first time in Atombuzz history that this was the case. Usually Atombuzz shout down the phone, split and reform without members and other cowardly things, But we felt that Nicks contribution and friendship to Atombuzz over this part of their history was so great that we had to do things properly this time.
Nick's sound will be forever immortalised on the DOA album. The new songs that we have written since then have benefitted from his input too.

We would like to thank Nick for his contributions to the band in his seven years with us and We all wish him well in his continuing ventures - Lying Seasons and The Neon Connection.

Cheers dude.