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Who were they?
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History

Salt Solution were a Christian rock band based around Woking in surrey during the 80's and 90's. Their particular brand of "no prisoners taken" gospel music was inflicted on audiences all over the country, at venues ranging from front room parties to the Brixton Academy.

Gig list

Anecdotes - mainly self indulgent

The beginning

A gig to remember... The original Mervyn Sprocket and the Crankshaft Assembly gig was a one night wonder. Martin made his entry though the audience on Motorcycle, and sang 'Torn leather tearaway' before dismounting. The next concert was the first with the Crankshaft Assembly proper with founder members Martin, Rob and Simon. Again in St. Johns but this time in the Church itself. No reverence on this occasion: We were pelted with kneelers that demolished the drum kit and bent the cheap symbols - Yes!

Gig list

The last few gigs are missing as records were not kept. Any help with details gratefully received. Audience number only are indicative. Were you at one of these gigs ? drop us an email on webmaster@bcc-info.org.uk

No. Date Venue/Event Audience Notes
1 30/01/1982 St.John's Woking Music Festival 40 Martin Gibbs on Drums
2 25/04/1982 St.John's Woking, Graham Simms Mission 30  
3 28/05/1982 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 40  
4 06/06/1982 Church of the Good Shepherd Clan 40  
5 30/06/1982 Woking College 40 The one we never did
6 15/10/1982 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 30  
7 25/02/1983 Millmead Baptist Church Guildford 75  
8 13/03/1983 Church of the Good Shepherd Clan 100  
9 16/03/1983 Guildford County College of Technology 100  
10 17/04/1983 Woodenbridge Pub Guildford, Support B.S.P. 50  
11 22/05/1983 Woodenbridge Pub Guildford, Support B.S.P. 50  
12 24/06/1983 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 52  
13 25/08/1983 Christchurch Hall Woking, Blood & Fire 75  
14 10/09/1983 Holy Trinity Knaphill Bar-B-Q 50  
15 27/09/1983 Bognor Regis Butlins Salvation Army 300  
16 21/10/1983 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 37  
17 22/01/1984 St.John's Woking, 6.30 Service 150  
18 17/02/1984 Salvation Army Hall Woking, Blood & Fire 100  
19 02/03/1984 Westborough United Reformed Church 35  
20 09/03/1984 Guildford Royal Grammar School 400  
21 27/03/1984 Guildford County College of Technology 100  
22 08/06/1984 Westborough United Reformed Church 70  
23 10/06/1984 Royal Public House Guildford 25  
24 23/06/1984 St.John's Woking, Centenary Festival on Lye 100  
25 26/08/1984 Greenbelt Fringe Stage II 800  
26 24/09/1984 Bognor Regis Butlins Salvation Army 300  
27 11/01/1985 Emmanuel Chapel Woking 40 Andy's first gig
28 18/01/1985 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 80  
29 24/01/1985 Woking College 100  
30 22/03/1985 Virginia Water Youth Club 50  
31 22/03/1985 Virginia Water Youth Club 40  
32 26/05/1985 Brookwood Church, God in Action 100  
33 28/06/1985 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 70  
34 19/08/1985 Westborough United Reformed Church 50  
35 26/08/1985 Greenbelt Fringe Stage I 500  
36 12/10/1985 Emmanuel Church Surbiton, Mission 150  
37 18/10/1985 Emmanuel Chapel Woking 50  
38 06/12/1985 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 60  
39 13/12/1985 Westborough United Reformed Church 5  
40 20/12/1985 Richard Barnes 21st Party 50  
41 18/01/1986 St.John's Woking, In aid of Goldsworth 100  
42 04/03/1986 Lion Brewery Ash 30  
43 08/03/1986 Farnham Crusaders 100  
44 22/03/1986 Brookwood St.Saviors 60  
45 16/04/1986 Lion Brewery Ash 40  
46 19/04/1986 Aylesbury 50  
47 26/04/1986 Chipenham 40  
48 10/05/1986 St.John's Woking, Medieval Banquet 50  
49 17/05/1986 Millmead Baptist Church Guildford 250 Soap Box
50 28/06/1986 Coign Woking Gospel Concert 200  
51 05/07/1986 Petersfield Youth Club 75  
52 21/08/1986 Greenbelt Fringe Stage 75  
53 15/09/1986 Kapel 75  
54 09/10/1986 Charing Cross Hospital C.U. 60 ACE PA
55 17/10/1986 St.Peters Church Bellfields Guildford 50  
56 29/10/1986 Capstans Wine Bar 60  
57 15/11/1986 St.Saviors Guildford Poland Charity Gig 165  
58 22/11/1986 Aylesbury 50  
59 21/01/1987 Lord Conniers P.H. Conisbrough 50  
60 22/01/1987 Highcliff School Conisbrough 1st yrs 200  
61 22/01/1987 Highcliff School Conisbrough 3rd yrs 200  
62 23/01/1987 Mexborough High School 1,2,3rd yrs 500  
63 23/01/1987 The Place youth Club Conisbrough 50  
64 24/01/1987 Conisbrough Church Hall 200  
65 27/02/1987 New Malden 200 ACE PA
66 17/03/1987 St.John's Woking, Pathfinders 75  
67 21/03/1987 St.John's Woking, Romans & Christians Banquet 75  
68 06/05/1987 Capstans Wine Bar 50  
69 09/05/1987 The Barn Wimborne 150  
70 16/05/1987 Tempo 87 M.A.Y.C. Brixton Academy AM 1500  
71 16/05/1987 Tempo 87 M.A.Y.C. Brixton Academy PM 2000  
72 06/06/1987 Winslow 100  
73 20/06/1987 Winston Churchill School Fete 100  
74 04/07/1987 Petersfield Youth Club 50  
75 08/10/1987 Woking Youth Club 50 Breakthrough Mission
76 15/10/1987 Chobham Youth Club 50 Breakthrough Mission
77 20/10/1987 Knaphill Youth Club 50 Breakthrough Mission
78 21/10/1987 Horsell Secondary School Assembly 5th yrs 250 Breakthrough Mission
79 21/10/1987 Horsell Secondary School Assembly 4th yrs 100 Breakthrough Mission
80 21/10/1987 Brooklands Technical College 200 Breakthrough Mission
81 22/10/1987 Winston Churchill School Assembly 700 Breakthrough Mission
82 22/10/1987 Winston Churchill School Concert 700 Breakthrough Mission
83 22/10/1987 Woking College 75 Breakthrough Mission
84 23/10/1987 Bishop David Brown School Break Time 300 Breakthrough Mission
85 23/10/1987 Bishop David Brown School Assembly 5th yrs 400 Breakthrough Mission
86 23/10/1987 St.John's Woking 600 Breakthrough Mission
87 30/10/1987 Cricketers P.H. Woking 30  
88 07/11/1987 Conisbrough Church Hall 100  
89 21/11/1987 Aylesbury 150  
90 04/12/1987 St.John's Woking, Keyhole club 500  
91 16/01/1988 The Barn Wimborne 100  
92 23/01/1988 The Old School Odiham 100  
93 13/02/1988 Adlestone Baptist Church 150  
94 27/02/1988 Chippenham Power House 60  
95 19/05/1988 Gibraltar Barracks Camberley 50  
96 21/05/1988 Luton Stopsley Road Baptist Church 100  
97 10/09/1988 The Barn Wimborne 100  
98 14/10/1988 Luton Technical College C.U. 200  
99 20/11/1988 Knaphill Catholic Church 50 Found Pete (Sax)
100 21/01/1989 Oxshot Cobham Christian Fellowship 200  
101 28/01/1989 Weybridge Youth Centre 50  
102 08/07/1989 Isle of White Coasters Coffee Bar 15  
103 02/08/1989 Oxford 100  
104 18/11/1989 The Barn Wimborne 75  
105 09/12/1989 Oxford 100  
106 16/12/1989 West Byfleet R.C. Youth Club 50  
107 23/03/1990 Worpleston Methodist Church 40  
108 11/05/1990 Highcliff School Conisbrough 3rd yrs 200  
109 11/05/1990 Highcliff School Conisbrough 5th yrs 200  
110 12/05/1990 Conisbrough Church Hall 150  
111 25/05/1990 MENCAP Woking 75  
112 07/07/1990 The Barn Wimborne 75  
113 14/07/1990 Isle of White Bar-B-Q 150  
114 15/07/1990 Camphill Prison 75  
115 14/09/1990 Winton Elim Pentecostal Church Bournemouth 50  
116 02/10/1990 Wimbledon College 100  
117 13/11/1990 FAB Guildford Youth Centre 50  
118 11/01/1991 Winton Elim Pentecostal Church Bournemouth 50  
119 20/04/1991 The Barn Wimborne 75  
120 22/04/1991 Bognor Butlins Elim Pentecostal 500  
121 20/02/1992 Scratchers (Three Lions P.H.) Godalming 50  
122 21/03/1992 St. Johns Art's Weekend 50 Nigel Goodwin
123 11/04/1992 Conisborough Alpha Rooms 50  
124 07/05/1992 White Hart P.H. Frimley 30  
125 23/05/1992 The Barn Wimborne 40  
126 20/06/1992 St. Johns Fete 50  
127 10/07/1992 Q.E.1 School Wimborne 250  
128 10/07/1992 Kingston Festival Wimborne 900  
129 18/07/1992 Wandsworth Fair London City Mission 100  
130 27/08/1992 Cranleigh Youth Centre 50  
131 18/12/1992 Walthanstow Christmas Celebration 25  
132 17/04/1993 The Barn Wimborne 75  
133 07/05/1993 White Hart P.H. Frimley 50  
134 15/05/1993 London City Mission 100  
135 22/05/1993 Haitch's Wine Bar 75  
136 11/07/1993 Cross Rhythms Oakhampton 100  
137 16/07/1993 Knaphill Catholic Church 50 Tony Milner's Ordination
138 04/09/1993 Wiltshire Mission - Outdoors 100  
139 04/09/1993 Wiltshire Mission - In the Pub 30  
140 31/10/1993 Luton - Gordon Kegg 70  
141 11/11/1993 Blackpool -Boys School Afternoon Gig 250  
142 11/11/1993 Blackpool -Evening Gig Collegit School 50 Support by North Star
143 12/11/1993 Blackpool -Assembly 200  
144 12/11/1993 Blackpool -Girls School 300  
145 13/11/1993 Blackpool - Church Hall 150 Support by North Star
146 04/12/1993 London City Mission 40  
147 17/12/1993 St.John's Woking 50  
148 05/01/1994 The Barn Wimborne 5  
149 25/03/1994 White Hart P.H. Frimley 30  
150 18/04/1994 Mission 94 - Winston Churchill Secondary School 500  
151 18/04/1994 Mission 94 - Woking College 30  
152 18/04/1994 Mission 94 - Woking College 25  
153 19/04/1994 Abbeylands 5th Yr School Assembly 200 The school from Hell !
154 19/04/1994 Bishop david Brown School Assembly 500 Very nice school
155 20/04/1994 School Assembly ? - sports hall 500  
156 20/04/1994 St. Pauls' Church 100  
157 23/04/1994 Staines Baptist Church 50  
158 01/10/1994 Reading - Hospitality in Practice - Outdoors 100 Richard Milner on bass
159 14/07/1995 Worthing - Catholic School 40  
160 12/08/2000 St.John's Woking 220 Andy & Claire's Wedding
161   14/07/2001 Holiday Inn 150 Jon & Julia's wedding

Anecdotes - mainly self indulgent

The pub concert in Conisborough (Yorkshire) Start of the concert - a big rumbling build up and - power failure, leaving only the drums clattering on alone. The guy packing up his disco, which was on first, pulls the wrong plug out. "Sorry lads".

The big one. Brixton Academy in London. A matinee audience of 1500. One of the organisers has the idea that we have the curtain down for the start. The band will kick off with a rumble start to "The Blood". The massive backlighting gantry will rise at the same time as the curtain to dramatic effect. At the same time a rolling wave of dry ice will be released from behind the curtain revealing the shadowy figures of Salt Solution. Rock and Roll! The reality: The band start rumbling, and the curtain jams. The band rumbles on, and on, the dry ice dissipates . Eventually the curtain goes up 4 feet and the band rush out, (deserting the drummer) in case it drops again. The Martin plucks his microphone from it's stand, and it falls apart. He quickly reassembles it. It falls apart again. Rock gods? - not this time. Audience in the spotlight

The guy in Wimbourne who rose to a karaoke challenge of singing "should I stay or should I go" with the Salties

The Conisborough boy who sang a totally spontaneous "My generation" with the Salties, in his school assembly

The countless musicians from the audience who 'swapped' places with the band members so that the Salties could regularly go dancing in the Audience.

The selection of hecklers who had to endure the "Podium of humiliation" while the band played on Hardware Memories

Simons 'Wardrobe' Bass Cab.

Martin's 'home made' Mike stand, effect box, and filing cabinet cowbell.

Andy's dirty washing that he kept in his bass drum

Much later after the arrival of Andy and then Pete, there was the Prison gig on the Isle of Wight, in a prison chapel, packed full, locked in with the blacks on the left and the whites on the right.

The Mencap concert when everyone was on their feet and dancing literally from the first note. Never before or since. No inhibitions there.

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