The Bandits

Liverpudlian blues band. The band's first appeared on the Honey Records' 2001 "Beatin Planks"compilation album, which featured early versions of two songs: "Take It An Run" and "Free Me Rain". The line up at the time consisted of John, Gary, Scott and Tony, with Neil Crosbie on drums. Scott Dulson and Tony Dunne had previously been in Tramp Attack with future Zutons frontman Dave McCabe. The band then brought in Swee on drums, and throughout 2002 auditioned for a lead guitarist and recruited Ritchie, who lived in Wallasey at the time. The Bandits signed a record deal with Warners and released a succession of singles throughout 2002 and 2003, before releasing their only album 'And They Walked Away'. They toured with The Zutons and then as UK support to Oasis in 2003/4. The Bandits also ran their own club night in Liverpool, The Bandwagon, which became relatively popular and helped launched the careers of The Coral, The Zutons, The Hokum Clones, The Stands, Tramp Attack and the band themselves. The club night was known for its wild west style posters and stickers, designed by Scott. Bandwagon nights, usually held at The Zanzibar Club on Seel Street often sold out, and featured some of the days' most prominent bands, including The Libertines and others. Following months of rumours, the band's split was confirmed in July 2004, with rhythm guitarist Gary stating "I really do believe that we'll record something again in the future. We're all just doing different things at the moment". Since splitting John Robinson, Gary Murphy and Scott Dulson played a handful of gigs, doing reggae covers as The Bum Notes with Nick Miniski (ex-The La's, later of Free Peace) on drums. Robinson, Dulson and Miniski then went on to form The Pedantics with Stu Gimblett (also later of Free Peace with Edgar Jones and Miniski) John Robinson co-wrote and played on the song "I Am the Rain" from Pete Doherty's solo album Grace/Wastelands (2008) and Robinson and Murphy joined Doherty on stage during his solo tour in 2008-9. Gary Murphy went on to work at Starwood Management (home to The Kooks and The Ordinary Boys and run by former Mansun and Cast manager Rob Swerdlow), and was involved in the early career of Candie Payne. In 2011 Gary Murphy played a series of acoustic shows with Lee Mavers of The La's.