Demolition In Progress.....The End?
THIS ARTICLE IS FROM THE DAILY TODGE 6TH DECEMBER 1986
I'm speaking to you today with a lump in my throat, because it finally looks imminent that the band that looked most likely the topple the established big names like "WHAM" "SPANDAU BALLET" "DURAN DURAN" & "THE ST WINIFRED'S SCHOOL CHOIR" could actually be going to topple themselves!
DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS or D.I.P as they are know to their loyal fanbase in Yana House, first exploded onto the scene in 1984. Their stance was basically "If it moves, spit on it!" They were classic victims of having nothing to do, so they went for it and missed it by just a tad!
Formed out of the ashes of "THE NIGHTCLUBBERS" & "PUBLIC ZONE", D.I.P went onto play live no less than never! In the wide and varied audience of 9 people who came to see them in the space of the 3 wonderful years they played together, I don't think any of them can truthfully say that they didn't feel a buzz from these 4 young punks! (Mainly because they were so loud everyone left with nosebleeds!
D.I.P officially started causing musical chaos on the 14th May 1984. The first line up of DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS was:- THE MAN IN BLACK:- Voice, NOBBY HENDRIX:- Guitar, WOLFY WARPLOY:- Bass & WARREN PEACE:- Drums. The first line up didn't last for too long and THE MAN IN BLACK left shortly after. D.I.P were now a threesome and looking good. Their songlist at this time numbered around 17 tracks. A month passed with D.I.P practicing devoutly, making their music heard over much of Felling.
Then in June 1984, a new singer emerged in the form of SAVAGE. Several practices followed but the core members realized that SAVAGE wasn't gonna cut it! and BOY! did he like his Clan Dew!!!!! So Savage left the band soon after. Meanwhile the D.I.P songlist was gradually growing and the summer of '84 saw the lads write their almost classic anthems:- "THE MICROWAVE SONG", "DOWN IN MALONEY" & "DO IT YOURSELF". Not only were these 3 lads ready to take on the world but they were ready to make a quip or two along the way!
It was a bright and sunny summer that year, designer D.I.P T-shirts (Designed exclusively by WOLFY) became all the fashion! Unfortunately this amazing fashion statement didn't last too long as they all were washed out in the wash!!!! Then along came THE FOX he was a new singer drafted in by WOLFY, D.I.P were now a foursome again for the third time. This was defiantly the height of the fourpeice version of DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS, they had to start again musically but from a band's point of view they were inseparable and drank together, worked together & wrote together. This made 1984 a very memorable year and no one could foresee that by the end of 1984 D.I.P would be a distant memory!!!!
What had happened!!! Nobby was fired! Wolfy & The Fox had went back to The Fox's previous band "TELECOM" & Warren had quit the whole scene altogether!!! What was the reason for this tragic turnaround? Sources close to the band say that the band weren't practicing anymore and just living the high life. Their artistic talents were straying and exploring new avenues, also all four members were starting out on their working lives and basically they had lost that killer instinct they had shown for the first half of 1984. As with most of the D.I.P story there was a strange twist just before the new year:- a new band was talked about! The line up was:- THE FOX:- Voice, NOBBY HENDRIX:- Guitar, WOLFY:- Bass & JACKY LATION:- Drums. Warren was asked to join to play keyboards but declined on account of the fact he couldn't play them! This band never practiced or recorded.
1985 started and this year saw the start of the four separate members of D.I.P working together at the Spanish City Whitley Bay. Although D.I.P was no more and a distant memory the band was recalled and reminisced about often in the lads local pub "THE BERKLEY TAVERN". 1985 was a very quiet year for the 4 ex-members musically. It was a great summer and most of the evenings were spent in the BERKLEY quaffing pints and larking on. The band were still together for all of 1985 albeit not musically. The hot summer passed and the Autumn set in, strangely enough thoughts started to turn towards DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS! What had actually happened to the band and why the spilt and failure to resume any kind of music making? and lo it was decreed that D.I.P :- the masters of merriment should give it one last shot and see what emerged!
WOLFY made the necessary appointment at DESERT SOUNDS (who were ecstatic to hear that their favorite band were back together). The first practice date was set for D.I.P to return after a lengthy 13 month layoff. Dateline:- 7th November 1985. It was agreed that for the first practice just the 3 musicians would practice to combat the ring rust. The practice was a good one and showed the lads still had it in them after the time apart. Also the whole band was writing songs again and the song tally numbered around 25. The scene was now set for THE FOX to return on Vocals. A week later on 14th November 1985 D.I.P were again a foursome playing well together and enjoying themselves again. But as with most of the unforeseeable D.I.P story, 2 weeks later after the practice on 28th November 1985 , THE FOX announced he was leaving DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS. This was to be THE FOX's swansong with D.I.P, the other members were gutted but vowed then that the days of D.I.P foursome's were no more and Knobby & Wolfy would take over Vocal duties, thus eliminating the search for a Vocalist! So with 3 more practices in December, 1985 drew to a close. Just around the corner was 1986......D.I.P's most profitable year to date!
The first pracitce at Desert Sounds in 1986 was on the 9th January. As practices went this was a very poor one, but it didn't the band any. They were constantly writing songs and the song tally was now up to roughly 35. It was also in January that the 10th incarnation of D.I.P got it's first audience in the shape of WOLFY'S sister & her mate. They were dumbfounded to say the least and left avid fans of......2 songs!! February 1986 was a good month for the band. The song tally was ever increasing and THE FOX attended the practice of 6th February (although just as a spectator). He liked what he saw and nearly re-entered the band as a Keyboard/Vocalist. March was also a time of hard practicing and dedication to honing the songs to perfection. D.I.P were visibly improving and moral was higher than ever. April saw 3 practices as work came in the way of the 20th April practice. At the 17th April practice the band had another visitor in the shape of SILVIA (who worked in the Coffee Shop at The Spanish City) She immediately wanted to be D.I.P's first ever groupie was her application was delined as she was only 14!!! The song Tally was on the up and was around 45 songs at this point, not bad when you take into consideration that they only had around 20 when they returned in late 1985.
Then came May 1986, only 1 practice this month! Band insiders say that D.I.P had slipped from their no nonsense approach they had used for the past 5 months. Dateline:- 18th June 1986, the groups first practice in 6 weeks. The practice didn't go well and moral was low. At this point the band were working long hours at The Spanish City, so work kept them away from the practice rooms. Things once again were looking bad for D.I.P. The songs were still being written but unfortunately not practiced. July saw 2 practices and a spectator in the shape of Warren's decidedly odd sort of girlfriend thing. After the practice on July 17th, saw a break in playing together till September 3rd. This was an unhealthy gap of 7 long weeks! The practice of September 3rd was to be the last one of all!!
So have D.I.P faded into obscurity? and are now nothing more than an enigma? Let look at the facts:- DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS haven't actually said they are hanging up the equipment for good but sources say that a split look imminent! So with the song tally reaching 80 or so songs do we bid adieu to the "DIRTY DIPSTICKS"? What of the members:- KNOBBY HENDRIX now works for the Department of Transport, WOLFY WARPLOY has defiantly joined another band, but said he would see D.I.P out for a while yet & WARREN PEACE has changed jobs also but says he's still willing to stick it out! It could go either way but it looks like D.I.P will not be around for too much longer!! They have promised to do some "farewell" practices in the foreseeable future. There has been some speculation of a band featuring KNOBBY HENDRIX & JACKY LATION. Also WOLFY & WARREN got together briefly in July 1986 to record as THE WAY.
It remains to say that DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS will be sorely missed by the crowds of 9 people who saw them and by the teens that have heard their peculiar brand of anarchic punk seep through the town of Felling and beyond!
DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS :- THE END......?
UPDATE :- 4TH JULY 2007.
At the time this article was published in THE DAILY TODGE, times were indeed looking grim for DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS. They looked to all observers that the curtain has indeed closed on them forever. But the story didn't quite end there........
On the 20th December 1986, the sounds of distortion and mayhem were again heard in the halls of Desert Sounds. KNOBBY, WOLFY & WARREN, did indeed reunite for a final time. The practice went well and was recorded. No new songs were practiced but a few old classics were dusted off and given the D.I.P treatment. The band enjoyed this practice maybe the most of all their times at Felling and were sure they would be back again in 1987! Sadly this was not to be the case. Knobby moved down to London shortly after and WOLFY & WARREN joined the Heavy Metal outfit ORCUS soon after. The band finally announced they had split on 14th May 1987, 3 years to the day of them forming.
So there ends our story..........not so fast pilgrim, for the D.I.P saga was far from over! Stay tuned for what happened next...........COMING SOON.