Makaton Chat were the band that John was in for the longest time, spanning six years from 1980 to 1986. Despite this, the band failed to build a fan base, and were the subject of indifference from both local music fans and the national music press.
Despite this, the two main members of the band, John Hodgson and Anthony Lindo, had a belief in the music that sustained them through numerous difficult times and fallow periods.
The seeds of Makaton Chat were sown when John decided to leave Basczax on Saturday, August 16th, 1980.
John met up with fellow Basczax members Alan "Sav" Savage and Geoff Fogarty outside his workplace, HMV Stockton, to inform him that they, along with bassist Mick Todd, had decided to sack drummer Alan Cornforth.
They asked his opinion, but as they were in the majority, John said that his opinion really didn't count for much. They told John they had already sounded out Dave Palfreeman, drummer with Deja Vu, to replace Alan.
They told John that they were going to Alan's that night to tell him of their decision. John went home and waited for a phone call from Alan. Sure enough, at 6.30 Alan called. He seemed quite calm, which puzzled John. He told Alan what Sav and Geoff had decided, but refused to believe John, so he spoke to Mick Todd, who in the meantime had changed his mind, and wanted Alan to stay.
This left Sav and Geoff in a weakened position. Particularly Geoff, as he didn't contribute a great deal to the song writing within the band. In reality Sav held the key, as he wrote 90% of the songs.
In the end Mick decided to stay with Basczax, and John, showing loyalty to Alan, decided to leave.
Alan and John had, of course, been through a lot together, having been in Adamanta Chubb in 1975, and also in Blitzkrieg Bop from 1977 to 1979, not to mention the 18 months in Basczax.
John and Alan were not allowed any time to feel sorry for themselves. The next night Deja Vu had a gig at The Empire in Middlesbrough, with Dave Barbarian as support. As Dave Palfreeman had vacated the drum stool to join Basczax, Deja Vu were desperate for a replacement, and Alan stepped in at the last minute.
This was just about possible as Alan and John regularly attended Deja Vu gigs and knew the music pretty well. Because playing on drums don't require the learning of any chords, its probably the only instrument that one can step in at the last minute succesfully.
So the line-up of Deja Vu was now: Anthony Lindo - vocals/keyboards, Graham Lipthorpe - guitar, Martyn Alderdice - bass, Alan Cornforth - drums.
John accompanied Alan to the gig, and the pre-gig gossip was all about the Basczax break-up, and even at this early stage, tentative feelers were being put out as to some kind of integration of Deja Vu and the ex-members of Basczax.
The gig went well, and Alan did a decent job, considering there was little or no rehearsal. Anth announced to a curious crowd that Dave had left and joined Basczax, and that Alan had left Basczax and joined them.
The following day, Monday, August 18th, John officially joined Deja Vu after he and Alan went round Anth's flat to listen to the tape from the previous night. Although Graham and Marty were not present, Anth assured them that they approved of the new situation. It was also decided that there would be a change of name for the band.
Nine days later, on Wednesday, August 27th, the band rehearsed (without Marty) and decided on a name. A long list of potential names was drawn up, and one of Anth's suggestions, Makaton Chat, became the name of choice. Anth at the time worked with deaf youngsters with learning difficulties, and Makaton is a sign language widely used by deaf people.
John was still involving himself in the local music scene on numerous levels, and to this end he attended a meeting at Radio Tees on the 28th August to discuss the possibility of a show that featured local music. Radio Tees were represented by DJ's Brian Anderson and Paul Flush, together with Dave Cousins, formerly the main song-writer with folk/rock band The Strawbs, who was head of the station.
It was decided that John would sit in on the playlist meeting, and also produce a pilot script with the view to hosting a local music segment on air.
Dave Thomas, an old friend of John's, informed him that Basczax had not replaced him, and Geoff was filling in on keyboards. Apparently the door was still open for John to return, if he so desired.
On Sunday, August 31st the full line-up of Makaton Chat convened at Anth's flat for another rehearsal. Amongst the songs attempted was a new instrumental entitled "Makaton Chat". For the most part they ran through old Deja Vu songs, giving them new arrangements.
On Monday, September 1st the band went to see a gig at the Club Fiesta featuring The Young Ones, Fair Warning and One Night Stand, but the real reason they went was to meet up with local photographer Mick Hall for a photo session in and around the club. The idea was to get posters printed bearing a photograph and the new band moniker.
No gigs were yet forthcoming, and the band held two more practises at Anth's flat on Wednesday and Thursday, September 10th and 11th, 1980. The band were beginning to come up with new material, and several backing tracks were recorded for a song called "Media On Edge".
The neighbours were beginning to tire of the noise that they made, but despite their complaints the band rehearsed again on Wednesday, 17th September, again working on "Media On Edge".
On Friday, 19th September Sav went to see John, to ask him if he wanted to rejoin Basczax. Apparently Geoff had tried his hand at keyboards, and they had also auditioned without much success. John was flattered but felt that not only had he set his heart on starting afresh, he also didn't fully trust Sav and Geoff. He felt that he may once again pledge alliegance to Basczax only to be ousted at a later date.
Dimmer Blackwell, despite leaving Blitzkrieg Bop in 1977, still stayed friends with John, and they had collaborated on numerous projects in the meantime. Dimmer once again came to the rescue by allowing Makaton Chat to rehearse at The Barn in Norton, where Adamanta Chubb had started way back in 1974. They held two rehearsals there, on Sunday, 21st September and again the following Tuesday, and they needed all the practise they could get as they had secured their first ever gig, at the Club Fiesta in Norton.
The gig was on Wednesday, 24th September, and was promoted as a "local band night". Here is John's diary entry for that day:
September 24th 1980 (Wednesday)
Makaton Chat/Commercial Acrobats/Fair Warning/Dave Barbarian - Club Fiesta
Was really nervous for this one. The van broke down and we had to use Dimmers van. Didn't get a soundcheck. The club opened at eight, a ridiculous time. Dave went on first and he was a bit too clever for the majority of the audience (who were elderly couples!)
Fair Warning were good, but the brass section was out of key. We got a great reception and we went down great. I enjoyed myself. Didn't want to do "Hygiene" (Problems) for an encore, but never mind. Was a bit of hassle afterwards about lifts etc. and Dee was getting on everyones nerves.
The Commerical Acrobats weren't as good as Monday and it didn't help that most of the audience went home soon after they came on. I felt sorry for Dimmer. "The People Game" was excellent. The Sines pulled out.
Even at this early stage, there was tension building in the band, with Graham Lipthorpe seemingly resentful of the changes within the band, particularly musically. Suddenly there were two keyboard players (Anth and John) and the new music that was being written seemed a million miles from Deja Vu songs such as "Hygiene Problems" which, to John and Alan at least, appeared not to fit in with the new image of the band.
The band wandered around Oxbridge Cemetery on Sunday, September 28th for another photo shoot with Mick Hall.
They had a swift return to The Fiesta with another gig on Monday, 29th September, this time supported by Border. Here is John's diary entry for that day:
September 29th 1980 (Monday)
Had a bit of hassle with Border. They had set up before us and were a bit reluctant to move. Anyway, it was all sorted out. Wasn't as nervous this time. The soundcheck was good, played well and went down well. The sound was good, but Anth wasn't so sure. The instrumental went down well. Graham thought that maybe we should have played "Wandering Star"!
I would leave the band immediately if they did that. I have to look for a place to practise to get some new songs off.
Basczax may be playing the Rock Garden on Thursday night, apparently they have guest list tickets for the Gary Numan gig tonight.
The musical differences were still a problem. Deja Vu often played "Wandering Star" as a "joke" encore, and John in particular wanted Makaton Chat to be taken more seriously. He had tasted a little success with both Blitzkrieg Bop and Basczax, and felt that Makaton Chat may be his last chance to make a living out of music, which was his dream.
The practices at Dimmer's farm had been short lived, with Dimmer's dad objecting to the noise.
to be continued>>
Watch a video of "Victims Of Your Heart" by Makaton Chat performed at The Dovecot Arts Centre in 1986:
Here is "Federal State Chance" from the same concert:
And here is "Haze" from the same gig:
And two more, "The Boy And The Four" and "Radio Indifference":
Celluloid images make me scream
The bastard son of the Hollywood dream
Leading ladies are taking their pills
All night parties in Beverly Hills
What are you waiting for
The stage is set for you
The stage is set for you
The stage is set
Frame by frame
Name by name
The credits roll on forever
Dame by dame
Gun In A Room (Hodgson)
It took twenty-two years
To pull a flower from the rubble
It took twenty-two years
To locate the trouble
But they're still here
And we're still there
And there's no prospect
And people don't care
But there's a gun in a room
And a man on the floor
It took twenty-two years
To get the message from heaven
It took twenty-two years
Until sixty seven
But they're not aware
And we stand and stare
And there's no interest
And people don't share
But there's a gun in a room
And a man on the floor
A building with a gun inside
An empty room
A suicide
King Bitch (For The Zoo Boys)
Is your conscience clear today
Did you really want me to stay
You'll sing "Death" till you're blue in the face
Don't you try
To make amends
It's too late
You're alone with your bad dreams
Just an advert for your means
Playing to no one in an empty room
Don't you try
To make amends
It's too late
The Zoo Boys are back in their cage
Silent demands suppresing rage
No escape for the Zoo ideal
A middle eight without any feel
The end of an era or so I thought
The last battle had been fought
It's your loss you little creep
Don't try
To make amends
It's too late
Radio Indifference (Hodgson)
The sound travels as the crow flies
The birds cannot sit on the wire
The rush of fire ignores its words
It cannot hear for fear of silence
The sound of the freedom bell
Is trapped beneath a sea of lies
The cracked and dirty voice of liberty
Is finally broken
The fat cats do the can-can
The have-nots do the cannot
The ship of hope elopes to an island
The bald eagle glides in the distance
The maundy girl is hair-brained
The lying maiden is locked in her tower
The speakers blare out
The riots flare up
The rich go to heaven
And the truth goes to hell
