In March of 1975 Tony suffered an unimaginable horror when he discovered the body of his girlfriend, playboy bunny Eve Stratford, in the Leytonstone flat shared by the band. While this didn’t have any direct effect on the dissolving of the band, it was effectively the writing on the wall. Tony answered an ad in Melody Maker for an English singer in a Dutch band. The contact was somebody Tony knew from a Vineyard tour of Holland, so he was offered the job with no audition. By June 1975 Tony had joined The Knack and was living in Holland. The Knack would release 3 singles, including one of the first Dutch disco singles. He left the band in 1978 and never gigged again. While he received offers he’d become bored of the business and wanted a fresh start. He set up a leather shop and with his partner recorded some backing tracks for animations in the 80s, but has remained out of the music business. He later worked as a prison warder for many years and is now retired. He still resides in Holland.
After leaving The Onyx Alan returned to his roots playing with local band Ginhouse, alongside good friend Dick Gin. Throughout the 70s he would return to working with Guy Fletcher, recording two glam rock singles as Brother Susan. The pair also hooked up together in the band Rogue, who would record three albums for CBS and achieved some considerable success in Europe. Alan was also involved in setting up Cornwall’s hugely successful Sawmills Recording studio, where he became an in demand session musician performing on records such as Clifford T Ward, Splinter, and Leo Sayer amongst many others. He would tour the world as part of Leo Sayers’ backing band. In the 80s he wrote both “Rock & Roll Mercenaries” for Meatloaf and “Some Kinda Love” for Rick Astley. In the 90s & 00s he would continue to perform as a session musician as well as gigging and recording as The Mechanics. Alan passed away in 2006 after a battle with cancer. He was a huge part of the music scene in Cornwall and one of the great unsung musicians, never fully receiving the recognition he deserved. Many of those who worked with him rated him as one of the most musically talented people they knew. He was also ‘one of the good guys’ and you will never hear a bad word said against him. He was also very modest about his talent. Each year his wife and son put on ‘Alstock’, in Bodmin, which gathers together friends and fans.
After the demise of Vineyard Dick and Bernie continued to gig, working the Irish country scene in London. Dick would later perform with Sam Apple Pie before joining Joe Brown’s band. He then went on to join Shakin’ Stevens were he played on 22 hit singles and 16 hit albums. He has performed throughout the world, including a Royal Command Performance at Wembley backing Cliff Richard. Dick stopped touring professional in 1992 and took up managing a department in a perfume factory, but still gigs occasionally with local bands.
After his departure from Vineyard Roger was involved in a variety of musical projects, including backing a touring Flirtations. He would also play in a German 3-piece, The Star Gang, who previously had Herman Rarebell on the drum stool. Towards the end of the 70s he was involved with Polecat, who cut an LP for DJM. Roger brought old band mates Bernie and Steve in on the band, but had left by the time of the release of the LP, although he did contribute some songs and vocals. After working as a marketing manager for the DJM label he started up in the video shops business before setting up an Indian Restaurant and Taxi Cab business on the Mile End Road, London. He still continues to play in local bands.
Steve kept up the paid gigging work, which included backing up the Flirtations along with Bernie. As well as working on the Polecat project, Steve performed in France with the Spamm Band alongside future Status Quo basis John Edwards. In 1976 he gave up performing professionally and returned to Cornwall. He later set up a duo his native Cornwall. Now semi-retired he flits between Cornwall and the sunny inclines of Tenerife.
Herman ‘Ze German’ Rarebell, would go on to have a hugely successful career as the drummer for The Scorpions.
Andy Wood, one time roadie for the band, left the Rock & Roll lifestyle for a very successful career in the Metropolitan Police, from where he has recently retired.
After many years in the business, being involved with some of the UK’s finest psychedelic pop bands Bernie operates a business as a driving instructor, and still plays regularly in local bands.
Missing in action – please contact me if you know the whereabouts of:
Chris Cotterell - Last seen several years ago in St Day, Cornwall, apparently having found religion.
Ernie Scott – Fan club president with an address in the 60s of the Britannia Hotel, Truro.
Carl Bircher – Taper of Onyx Set and Rick & The Hayseeds, may have moved to Somerset. |
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