This is a true cautionary tale: how a combination of industry pressure, bad timing, bad luck and bad decisions can negate almost 10 years of musical innovation, progress and sheer hard work.
Play On is the official Twelfth Night biography, written and published with the full co-operation of the band.
Author Andrew Wild has spent over eighteen months and carried out 60 interviews in order to complete the book.
"I followed Twelfth Night back in the 1980s," says Wild, "and saw them a few times in concert when I was a student. The band played some reunion gigs in 2007 and 2008 and these triggered the idea to look at the band's story and why they didn't 'make it'. The music industry was a very different beast back in the mid-1980s. The key strategy of the major record companies back then seemed to be to sign lots of acts in the hope that one or two would see short-term success. Twelfth Night were caught up in that and, along with some crucially bad decisions by their management company and by the band themselves, this was a key reason why the band missed the boat."
Play On is being published with the full support of the band and the Mann family. Founder members Andy Revell and Brian Devoil have written a foreword and afterword for the book. Andrew Wild has conducted over 60 interviews for the book including: every member of the band; their road crew; contemporaries such as Nick Barrett and Clive Nolan of Pendragon and Peter Nicholls of IQ; journalists Malcolm Dome, Mick Wall and Derek Oliver; producers Greg Walsh, Richard James Burgess, John Walters and Mark Chamberlain; Radio 2's managing editor Antony Bellekom; record company executive Martin Hooker and George Kwiatkiewicz; plus many more.
"Andy has produced a wonderfully readable book that all of our fans will enjoy," comments Brian Devoil.
The book is over 300 pages in length, with a full-colour cover and 16 pages of rare and unseen colour pictures. There are also dozens of black and white pictures throughout the book.
But the book is only half of the story. Each copy will also be shipped with The Play On Archive, a data DVD containing hundreds of items from the band's archives: unreleased audio tracks and video clips, press cuttings, reviews, photographs, downloads, a family tree, newsletters, and much more.
Play On DVD: audio content
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Fur Helene (February 1978) the complete debut performance PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Scales / Depressing Chords (November 1978) PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Three Dancers (September 1979) first recordings with Geoff Mann PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- After Office Hours (June 1980)
- Afghan Red (November 1980) PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Keep The Aspidistra Flying (March 1981)
- Sequences (Spring 1981) Geoff's audition tape PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- After The Eclipse (August 1981) opening number from Reading Festival PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Makes No Sense (December 1981)
- Art and Illusion (July 1983)
- The Collector (Summer 1983) complete home demo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Love Song (March 1984) live at the Marquee with Andy Sears
- CRAB (October 1984) live in Liverpool
- Counterpoint (October 1984) live in Liverpool PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Instrumental Medley (January 1985) from rehearsal tapes PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Last Song (January 1985) fab demo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- White Glass (May 1985) live in Bristol
- Rev's Demo (1985) home demo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Sequencer #1 (1985) home demo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Rick's Idea 1 (1985) home demo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Blondon Fair (June 1986) 7" edit. only previously available on vinyl
- Zootime (October 1987) with Martyn Watson PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- The Ceiling Speaks (November 2007) live in Deptford PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Kings and Queens (2007) Mark Spencer solo PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- First New Day (May 2008) live in Rotherham PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
- Creepshow (May 2008) live in Rotherham PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
Play On DVD: video content
- Abacus (Reading, 1980)
- Blues Mellotron (Reading, 1980)
- East to West (Reading, 1981)
- East of Eden (David Essex' Showcase, 1982)
- Fact and Fiction (Reading, 1983)
- The Collector [excerpt] (London, 1983)
- The Ceiling Speaks (London, 1983)
- Human Being (London, 1984)
- Jacobs Sessions
- Blue Powder Monkey (Whistle Test, 1986)
- Love Song (Geoff Mann solo, 1991)
- This City (Andy Sears solo, 2004)
- Love Song (Andy Sears solo, 2007)
- Blondon Fair (Rotherham, 2008)
- We Are Sane (Kingston, 2008)
Reviews
VERY, very impressive
- David Robinson
My nose has yet to be removed from between its covers! Andrew Wild has done a fantastic job of chronicling the history of the band and its obvious to see the amount of care and attention that has gone into its preparation and execution. Its been said before but I have to agree that, as you read through the pages, you cant help but feel the tangible goodwill and affection from everyone who came into contact with Twelfth Night during their all too brief history. The DVD is a triumph, The Ceiling Speaks from Geoffs last Marquee dates almost simultaneously brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.
- Richard Harris
Play On is an excellent read, and full of acute insights about the whole prog scene of the eighties.
- Mike Liassides
The DVD of archive material is quite breath-taking and the audio and video content is superb. I thought Mark Spencer's contemporary re-working of Kings and Queens wass quite brilliant (great vocal too Mark!). On hearing that and Andy's new arrangement of First New Day I'm already imagining what a new TN album could sound like.
- Harry Kraft
Play On is excellent. Well done on a great job.
- Jane Mann
Many many thanks for all the very hard work you have put into all of this. It veritably is the proverbial 'Labour of Love'!
- Rick Battersby
I just couldn't put it down! I really enjoyed it, a fascinating read. It does make you want to go back and listen to stuff you may not have listened to for a while and have a new appreciation of it.
- Steve Blease
It looks great. I really can't wait to get stuck in...
- Paul Tippett
Play On is extraordinary. What an amazing piece of work! You have managed to do what no one has ever achieved before, simply doing justice to this great collection of individuals' work.
- Stuart Calder
You really have done an amazing job.
- Andy Revell
Got it. Devoured it. Loved it.
- James Lord
A wonderful gift to the band. Delicately researched, honestly reasoned, beautifully presented. Words fail.
- Andy Sears
Loving the book but I wanted to put in a word about the accompanying DVD ... what an absolute masterpiece! I'm gobsmacked at the quality of this
piece of software, not to mention the breadth and depth of the material it contains.
I started looking at it last night and about 3 hours later I saw the time
and decided I must get to bed. It's going to take a long time to do the contents justice. I really am
looking forward to it.
- Andy Peake
Play On is your story. Complete, sometimes sad. True. Details, photographes, memories: all is beautiful.
- Davide Arreco
Happily enjoying a TN Christmas - read the book,watching & listening to the DVD & ordered my Progeny ticket today!! Thanks to Andy Wild,the band & everyone involved with the book & DVD - what
a fantastic & unique achievement.
- Simon Fryer
Here's a festive thanks to everyone involved in the book and DVD production, both are superb. Congratulations everybody!
- David Hirst
A fine piece of work and a brilliant insight into how it works if you are 'nearly making it' in the music biz.
- David Gomm
Just Finished Play on yesterday - fantastic read, thanks to all concerned.
for producing this!
- Mike Durie
A wonderful piece of work.
- Kev Rowland
A very interesting book and an AMAZING DVD ... lots of gems.
- Stefan Wroblewski
A big, big compliment for the DVD and the book! The book is really professional. Great work!!!
- Ulf Wagner
Big congratulations to Andrew and everyone else involved for all the hours of work that have obviously gone into it; a real labour of love!
- Sam Smyth
Looking for the ultimate Twelfth Night archive? [Play On is a] fascinating insight into a time when it seemed that the world was the proverbial oyster for a range of unique, challenging and entertaining bands, as well as the various pitfalls and pratfalls that could betide and waylay any group. All in all, more than a worthy read.
- Jerry Ewing in Classic Rock Presents Prog,
March 2010
The book/DVD package is £18 plus postage and is available to order now.
P & P charges: UK £2.00, Europe £4.00, Rest of the World £7.00 (The package weighs 600g).
The easiest way to pay is using Paypal. To make a payment please send it to Brian's e-mail address: briandevoil@tiscali.co.uk or, alternatively, send a cheque made payable to Brian Devoil to "The Brambles", 1c Doggetts Farm Road, Higher Denham, Bucks. UB9 5EH. UK.
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