The Foundation Collection(1964 -2007)

This initial set of recordings, which spans a forty-three year period, maps out the musical journey of Toots Earl and six of his friends, who through their shared love of music and performance have regularly collaborated to express their talents. There have been many more local musicians who have followed a similar path, and it is hoped that this collection will serve as a foundation to which others can be added, until Plymouth has a definitive musical archive of bands both past and present.

The individuals featured here with the bands they have regularly formed over four decades are probably not unique, as every large city could probably identify similar musicians who have achieved local longevity without becoming national icons. Nevertheless, the achievements celebrated here are peculiar to Plymouth, and as such have become part of it's musical heritage. Not all of the bands that were formed made recordings, and even some of those that did have lost them over the years, and sadly there is no audio record of the sound they made.

Much of the music showcased here is original, and many of these songs became firm favourites with fans, who sang along at the local gigs. This sustained output of material from such a small group of individuals has been remarkable, with many more titles still as yet unrecorded.

Two of the bands featured in this foundation collection were recognised by the music industry, and enjoyed limited success with the recording contracts awarded to them. For a short period they lived the rock n' roll lifestyle, rubbing shoulders with, and supporting, major artists of the day. Other bands that were formed achieved local recognition, and built up a dedicated fan base that appreciated the music they made and loyally followed them around the music venues, both in and outside the city.

In today's musical climate, where "popstars" and their muzak are manufactured overnight, the question posed is, are musicians such as the ones in this collection a dying breed, or will their legacy be discovered by a new breed of Plymouth musician at some point in the future, once more to be driven by the knowledge that music is it's own reward?

Mike Oxlong M.N.E. 2007 (Music News and Echo)

Conception, correlation and design - L. Perryman
Archive research - Mike Oxlong M.N.E. (Musical News & Echo)
Produced by Dumb Yank Productions