The Androids by Billy McIlwaine
04/04/2011
The original Androids, (Me, Steve Rainey, Andrew [Aza] Middleton and Joe
Moody [aka Joe Zero]) got together in Sept 1977 and rehearsed for a
while in the old ARE, upstairs at the corner of Lombard Street and
Rosemary Street. First gig was indeed at the Arts Council gallery and
I'll guess that Feb 78 was about the date. We played a few other gigs
at the Harp and the Glenmachan (supporting Rudi) and I recall doing a
Rock Against Racism gig somewhere around the Ormeau Rd as well. We
recorded 4 songs at Downtown before splitting up after an open air gig
in Bangor sometime during late summer '78. The guy who mixed the
session was Stephen (Rastus) Nelson who was tragically murdered by
Loyalists many years later. "Lipstick Heroes" (lyrics by Alwyn Greer)
was our best song and I would kill for a copy of that tape now. I lost my only copy of our first demo after I brought it in to Homebase
in N'Abbey where I worked about 25 years ago to let a mate hear it. I
left it there overnight and the place got set on fire by an incendiary! We
touted the tape around London without success that summer and played a
gig in Uxbridge as well. From memory, I think we split because Aza and
Joe wanted Steve out as he was showing some "rock tendencies" and we had
a vote on it after which I decided to stick with Steve and the other
guys left. For what it's worth, I think Joe was the most talented
songwriter in the band and we should have stayed together - could have
done good things.
The second Androids were formed the day after the originals split with Robin Holmes on bass, me on drums and Steve on guitar. Although Robin was quite a good singer we recruited Bowie nut Jim Megarry (vocals) and Jeremy Nicholl (guitar - definitely not keyboards!) and played some sort of comeback gig at the Harp in late '78. The only other date I can recall was 2nd February 1979, the day Sid died. We were on stage in the Harp that night and had a minute's silence for Sid. The big house in Dunmurry Lane (Forest Park) was owned by SHAC (Student Housing) and Robin and Kerry were like unofficial caretakers. It developed into an Androids commune for a while and I think we all lived there at one point. Great rehearsal space and some excellent parties! We took all the gear outside one Sunday and played for an hour in the grounds to a mixture of punks from the Harp and curious local kids. We had to stop when the cops came up from Woodbourne station to see what the noise was. Recorded two songs at Wizard studios for Terri, but they were never released (although "Bondage" surfaced on the Good Vibrations compilation) and we split again in Summer '79. After which I briefly earned loads slumming it with the "Fresh Boogie Band" on the covers band circuit. Steve got into a little local difficulty and moved to England, I think Jeremy and Robin got jobs and Jim and Mo got married. We (Robin, Jim and me) kind of reformed in 1980 as Urban Bitch, playing new wavey stuff with Kerry Holmes (now Mrs Billy McIlwaine) on synth and a guy called Brian (can't recall his surname) on guitar. It was never the same again though and we fragmented over the next year or so, calling it a day in summer 1980. Me and Jim Megarry were briefly a John Foxx/OMD/Human League type synth duo called the Business in 1982 - played a couple of gigs including one supporting Ruefrex in Portrush. That's about all I can remember, which is pretty good considering the amount of alcohol I was consuming at the time! Me - I still play occasionally with a few mates, mainly covers and classic stuff. Lost touch with Steve but recently found him on the net, working for BT in the far east. Haven't seen Joe or Aza for years and lost touch with Jeremy and Jim as well, although bumped into Jim a few years back in a shopping centre. Robin OD'd in the early eighties (he always said he would!) and that's about it.
The second Androids were formed the day after the originals split with Robin Holmes on bass, me on drums and Steve on guitar. Although Robin was quite a good singer we recruited Bowie nut Jim Megarry (vocals) and Jeremy Nicholl (guitar - definitely not keyboards!) and played some sort of comeback gig at the Harp in late '78. The only other date I can recall was 2nd February 1979, the day Sid died. We were on stage in the Harp that night and had a minute's silence for Sid. The big house in Dunmurry Lane (Forest Park) was owned by SHAC (Student Housing) and Robin and Kerry were like unofficial caretakers. It developed into an Androids commune for a while and I think we all lived there at one point. Great rehearsal space and some excellent parties! We took all the gear outside one Sunday and played for an hour in the grounds to a mixture of punks from the Harp and curious local kids. We had to stop when the cops came up from Woodbourne station to see what the noise was. Recorded two songs at Wizard studios for Terri, but they were never released (although "Bondage" surfaced on the Good Vibrations compilation) and we split again in Summer '79. After which I briefly earned loads slumming it with the "Fresh Boogie Band" on the covers band circuit. Steve got into a little local difficulty and moved to England, I think Jeremy and Robin got jobs and Jim and Mo got married. We (Robin, Jim and me) kind of reformed in 1980 as Urban Bitch, playing new wavey stuff with Kerry Holmes (now Mrs Billy McIlwaine) on synth and a guy called Brian (can't recall his surname) on guitar. It was never the same again though and we fragmented over the next year or so, calling it a day in summer 1980. Me and Jim Megarry were briefly a John Foxx/OMD/Human League type synth duo called the Business in 1982 - played a couple of gigs including one supporting Ruefrex in Portrush. That's about all I can remember, which is pretty good considering the amount of alcohol I was consuming at the time! Me - I still play occasionally with a few mates, mainly covers and classic stuff. Lost touch with Steve but recently found him on the net, working for BT in the far east. Haven't seen Joe or Aza for years and lost touch with Jeremy and Jim as well, although bumped into Jim a few years back in a shopping centre. Robin OD'd in the early eighties (he always said he would!) and that's about it.