After a 45-Year Break – Four Rock Musicians Get Together For a Nostalgic Reunion

Published on: 27 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 1 Oct, 2024

TT Transmission as they were…

After more than four decades, David Reading catches up with news of the band he last interviewed in 1979.

Back in the distant past, when Blondie, Tubeway Army and the Boomtown Rats were riding high in the charts, there was another band named TT Transmission. You may not have heard of them, but they had a strong, dedicated following here in Surrey.

It was 45 years ago that they played their last gig, at the Marquee in London. Now they are getting back together for a nostalgic reunion at the West End Centre in Aldershot.

…and as they are now.

Although they now live in various locations across the country, the four musicians have been rehearsing online and in the studio to perfect their original set of self-penned tracks they last performed in 1979.

TT Transmission were influenced by bands such as Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Colosseum II and Gentle Giant, and back in the late ‘70s their style was labelled “fusion music” – a sort of combination of jazz and prog rock.

They played regularly at Guildford rock venues including Surrey University, Bunters club and the Star pub, and at Farnborough and Basingstoke colleges. They also performed at prestigious London venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and the Marquee.

As a youngish reporter working for the Aldershot News, I wrote about them on a number of occasions and at one point there was talk of interest from major record company RCA. But their manager told me at the time that the feedback he had received was that the market wasn’t right for their style of music.

Finally a decision was made to go their separate ways.  Apart from there being personal commitments, the four members were in a quandary about the genre of music they wanted to play.

Prog rock was being engulfed by the punk and new romantics movements. After the split, they went on to other musical projects, but the four members never lost touch and in 2022 a reunion was suggested. The West End Centre gig will be on Saturday 12th October.

Lead guitarist Mark Terry, who now lives near Lewes, Sussex, said: “It’s a real joy to be back playing together with old friends. Our forthcoming gig at the West End Centre is particularly special as three of us in the band were pupils there, when it was a primary school.”

The line-up of Mark Terry, Stuart Manson on keyboards, Paul Bennett on bass and Richard Houghton on drums will be playing their original set,

Cinque Ports Radio presenter Andy Miles, an old friend of the band, will also be appearing, playing a range of progressive and classic rock tunes.

Tickets for the gig can be obtained here: https://www.westendcentre.co.uk/event/tt-transmission

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