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The SPYDA Story – as misrembered by Bob Braidwood

There were three Goulden brothers from Newcastle, Brian the singer, Colin the drummer/backing vocals and elder brother Alan, sound engineer & roadie (a Key man!). Their earlier bands were Bert’s Apple Crumble, The Facts O’ Life, and West Side Story. Around 1969, whilst rehearsing to get the band back on the road, they were introduced to the first YES album. It was a perfect match and the band soon had four or five tracks under their belt. The audience response to the YES version of Every Little Thing, (actually a Beatles song), was, to the band members, unprecedented.

But prior to that, when it seemed that those numbers weren’t coming together, our roadie and long-term buddy, Dougie Tate, turned up at a rehearsal. He got straight into it, big time. He was excited; we got excited! That’s all that was missing: confidence and belief. The die was cast! Well done, Dougie!

SPYDA mark one: was Brian and Colin, plus Bob Braidwood on keyboards, Nick McGuckin on guitar and John Bunford on bass. There was briefly a second singer in Rob Turner, formerly of The Elcort (look out for their recording of Tammy/ Searchin’).

SPYDA became part of Joe Robertson’s stable of groups with Lindisfarne (then still unknowns) and The Junco Partners. They secured a fortnight residency at The Top Ten club, Hamburg, paired with Stonewall from South Shields who included Vic Malcolm, later of Geordie and Paul Thompson. later of Roxy Music.

During that fortnight in Germany, it quickly apparent that progression to the next level, would take more than covers of other bands numbers. Copying was out, creativity was in – a very different mindset. Then John Bunford left (and apparently ended up roadying for Eric Clapton!).

SPYDA mark two: George Otigbah on bass/vocals, Micky Bennison, guitarist (briefly, he later joined Geordie) Micky Balls also on guitar, joining Brian, Colin and Bob. He and George had previously played together with Sneeze.  One or two of the better SPYDA home grown songs survived but George brought with him a mix of freshness, experience and some splendid songs – give One On The Way a listen. Imagine what you could do with that with greater resources.

SPYDA were offered the chance to record at Windrose Studios, Hamburg, and they ‘rattled off’ nine songs in a few days. The recordings were funded by a Newcastle entrepreneur, Micky Mead and Herbert Hildebrand (Manager of The Rattles). The tapes found their way back to the UK to be hawked around the business, but that major recording contract did not materialise.

Says Bob ‘Everyone’s favourite gig in the North East was Redcar Jazz Club.” Only a select few from Newcastle played there. It was a Sunday night concert, not a dance, supporting bands such as Matthews Southern Comfort, Manfred Manns’ Earth Band, The Sweet (early version) and Terry Reid.

On their return from Germany on 29th May SPYDA opened the Hart Rock ’71 Music Festival at the Hartlepool football ground, an unusual experience, playing outdoors with a Carlsbro 2000 watt P.A. system. They had to leave straight after their performance to play Ashington Cellar Club that evening.

SPYDA went on to be signed by renowned Producer Shel Talmy and Hugh Murphy (of Baker Street fame), but by 1972 other responsibilities were looming and that was that.

Since then the SPYDA recordings have remained undiscovered – until now.