Robert Courtney, One Million Fuzztone guitars founder member, composer, guitarist and singer was born in the UK, surviving an early childhood in Jamaica and Guernsey, and Art School.
Early influences “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie Small, “Bachelor Boy” by Cliff Richard and “Telstar” by The Tornados.
Despite an early love of pop music, a non-musician who preferred the sounds and feel of Formula One and Formula 5000 cars (as a very young spectator) until he heard “Silver Machine” by Hawkwind, followed by seeing them live at The New Theatre, Oxford.
Given the chance to combine and replicate these two experiences at a friend’s house with a Zenta Telecaster “copy”, a Wem Copycat, Coloursound Fuzzbox, Selmer T&B Amp and Homemade 4×12 cab (Orange Vinyl covering), the artist heard on these pages was (re)born.
First recorded Music in 1976 at Trent School Of Art Using a multi-tracked (1/4″ 4-track) Classical Guitar, played using own systems based notation through an H&H Echo Unit at various speeds, an organ at the local Cathedral again played with systems notation and field based recordings of journeys, water and electronic household objects.
History of One Million Fuzztone Guitars:
Robert Courtney's first live performance was with the Group “Cycle Annie” at Trent Polytechnic in 1977.
Second live performance with the Group “The Post Impressionists” at The Boat Club, Nottingham, in 1978, featuring Harry Stephenson of Stiff Records Plummett Airlines on bass.
Third live performance with the Group “Skin Patrol” at The Sandpiper Club, Nottingham in 1978.
Skin Patrol went through many line-up and stylistic changes before becoming “One Million Fuzztone Guitars”, after a brief rehearsal period known as “The Graveyard”.
One Million Fuzztone Guitars released two singles “Heaven b/w Annuese” and “Men’s Hearts b/w Creepy Crawl” and an LP “(Roman, I Have Some Bad News For You) 26″ on the Manchester based “Monsters In Orbit” label, before disbanding.
Robert Courtney recorded two One Million Fuzztone Guitars LP's during five sepatate sessions (later released as “Everything’s Happening” on Slot Records in 1988 under his own name) shortly before moving to London and recording the also unreleased "Blue Baby", “Guitars, Girls and God” and "New York" LPs.
Robert Courtney then went on to record some long improvised One Million Fuzztone Guitars live sessions with Guitarist Phil Bourne, (formerly of sister Manchester band “The Colours Out Of Time”) entitled “Sister Rave”, shortly before forming the Group “Doll” as guitarist and composer.
Doll’s demise after one year was followed up by the long time rehearsing, but short lived (one gig in Oxford) Group, “Liberty Cushion”, a band fronted by Martin Spear (ex lead vocalist with Oxford based MadamAdam), that played obscure cover versions with Robert Courtney on Rickenbacker Bass Guitar put through a separate H&H PA System and a Marshall Guitar Stack, (described by the venue promoter as “either the best or the worst bass playing I’ve ever heard, it is difficult to decide which”).
Robert Courtney has now reformed One Million Fuzztone Guitars after recording tracks for the "God of A Small Planet" and "Automatic Kaos Foundation" LP's
In more detail:
CYCLE ANNIE
Formed in late 1976 as a punk outfit. Did no more than 4 gigs. Personnel sometimes included Harry Stephenson of Plummet Airlines on bass.
Robert Courtney — Guitar.
Richard Elgood — Vocals.
Kent Hewitt — Bass.
Phil Denton — Drums.
Kent Hewitt was later to form the bands “Kent & the Home Counties” & ”Rubbish”.
SKIN PATROL # 1
Formed on Friday 13th January 1978. Specialised in Stooges and Velvet Underground cover versions, and psychedelic punk jams based on lyrics by Rick Elgood and riffs by Robert Williamson (Courtney). No definite drummer was used though usually it was Bob Fawcett of Nottingham based “Some Chicken”.
“Some Chicken” wrote the great song “Number 7″.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass.
Richard Elgood — Vocals.
Andrew Turnbull — Lead Guitar.
Leon — Drums.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) came from the “House of Wax”. Formed in 1974 — split 1976, the “House of Wax” was a heavy rock outfit based in Crewe which also featured future Fuzztone Dave Robbins. (See below).
SKIN PATROL # 2
September 1978 — July 1979. Progressed to self-penned set of “Death Rock” numbers, including “Rock Section” (November 1978, after a series of séances with Jim Morrison), which became a stage favourite, although the group itself was extremely unpopular.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals / Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass / Guitar.
Richard Elgood — Drums.
Oliver Hoon — Guitar / Bass.
Oliver Hoon came from the Derby based “Pre-De” and later formed “Beatsville / Capersville” with Richard Elgood.
SKIN PATROL # 3.
May — September 1980. Reformed group follows Williamson’s excursion into the world of Avant-garde jazz in Nottingham and Hoon & Crewe’s return from the North, disillusioned with the “Manchester Sound”. Resultant bizarre funk group gathers large following with audiences spilling out onto the stairs of venues, coupled with interest from those involved in “Noise Abatement”. Group splits due to musical differences.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass.
Oliver Hoon — Guitar (Leaving to “Anti Pasti”).
Steve Harvey — Drums (Leaving to “Medium Medium”).
GRAVEYARD.
Pre – One Million Fuzztone Guitars. Recorded one demo in a cellar. Songs included: “I Meet The Night Alone”, “Passionate Love”, “I Kneel Beside Your Graveside”, “Heaven”, “Annuese”, “Rock Section” and the classic “Blue Baby”, all later firm stage favourites of One Million Fuzztone Guitars.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals / Stylophone.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass / Stylophone.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 1.
Originally a duo, the Fuzztones formed in August 1981 with Beausoleil joining in early 1982 to augment the Stylophone / Drum Machine based group. Released the single “Heaven” in January 1982 to a mixed reaction from press and public. Gigs during 1982 usually frantic, involving plenty of clothes, fighting, smoke bombs etc.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar & Stylophone.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Chris Beausoleil (Barnes) — Stylophone & Casio.
NB: Beausoleil joined the Fuzztones after seeing a very early gig in the summer of 1981 and being very impressed with their Velvet Underground Medley.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 2.
Group finally reaches breaking point with their already very limited sound. Recruit Andrew Shread as drummer in July 1982. Record second single “Men’s Hearts” in October 1982. Produced by Dave Robbins of the “Colours Out of Time”, Robbins joins the group in January 1983.
Rob Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Chris Beausoleil (Barnes) — 60′s Italian Organ.
Andrew Shread — Drums.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 3
The surviving core trio record the LP “26″
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Art Deakin’ (Taxi Driver) – Drums
THE KINKY MACHINE
The OMFTG trio perform one gigs worth of 60's cover versions, at The Garage, Nottingham as “The Kinky Machine”.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Lead Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Drums
Dave Robbins — Bass & Vocals.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 4.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Steve Harvey – Drums (due to Steve Harvey’s commitments to Medium Medium the Drum slot can vary)
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 5.
“Everything’s Happening” LP
Robert Courtney – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drum Machine Programming, Piano.
John E Moon — Drum Machine Programming, Bass, Keyboards.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 6.
(The COURTNEY BOURNE Experience)
Robert Courtney – Guitar, Drum Machine, Keyboards.
Phil Bourne — Guitar, Keyboards.
DOLL
Robert Courtney – Guitar, (Guitar, Bass, Drum Machine, Keyboards on demo recordings)
PH — Vocals
SM — Drums
KL — Bass
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 7.
Robert Courtney – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums & Drum Machine Programming, Piano, Keyboards, Viola.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 8.
Robert Courtney — Guitar (Bass & Drum Machine Programming)
David Courtney — Guitar
LIBERTY CUSHION
Robert Courtney — Bass
David Courtney — Guitar
Martin Spear — Vocals
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 9.
The "God of a Small Planet" and "Automatic Kaos Foundation" LP's.
Robert Courtney — Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums & Drum Machine Programming, Piano, Keyboards, Viola.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 10.
Robert Courtney — Vocals, Guitar.
Dr Snake - Guitar.
Keith Gotheridge - Drums
Recorded live (desk mix) at the Ajanta Cinema, Derby, in 1980, this legendary gig captures this period of Skin Patrol at their best. On the bill with Anti-Pasti, the audience didn’t quite get what they were expecting, hit with a potent mix of funk, punk, and agitpop via Captain Beefheart, The Doors and The Pop Group. The select few of the audience who knew what they were in for loved it. The majority waiting for identikit punk loathed it; they hated us in silence (mostly), and we hated them. The perfect gig at that time.
Inspired by working on Paris Fashion Shows and the book ‘The Beautiful Fall’ about the
rivalries and excess that left Rock and Roll standing, this truly genius remix by Ghost Flu Studios finally got the 46 tracks of the original to hang together and turn into the rock classic it was always threatening to be. “The first Roxy Music album meets Bowies Heroes, and then Steve Jones walks into the studio for the chorus; you certainly know how to create a stunning dynamic”.
“Wow, the end product is very professional! It’s become quite an amazing track. Very surprising!” AQ
“I’m a huge Nine Inch Nails fan, and I think I can hear their influence in this track with the electronic style drums/drum patterns blended with rock/metal guitar flavours. Very, very cool.” LK
“Love the pool of influences, man, especially the first Roxy Music album. Remake/Remodel is absolutely genius, and I’m a huge fan of all things Brian Eno”. LK
Our first gig at the legendary punk club The Sandpiper, Nottingham, on Friday 13th, 1978. Sonically reflecting my roots in a Stooges and Velvet Underground covers band (unfortunately unrecorded but led to Andrew Dickinson wanting to join on bass) with the addition of guitarist Andrew Turnbull, a Dire Straits aficionado who lived above me.
A swap of musical influences birthed a transformation. I handed him the New York Dolls ‘first album and said, “Play like this.” And play he did. His strings wail like Johnny Thunders at his finest, and you can feel the electricity.
Lyrics and vocals from the soon-to-be-famous Rick Elgood, who would later make his mark in filmmaking. You might know him from “One Love” (2003) and “Dancehall Queen” (1997). A creative force, he’d later form a video company with Don Letts of Big Audio Dynamite.
Only one rehearsal in the Art Student living room of original bassist Kent Hewitt. Drummer Leon left immediately before the next gig on the 16th and was never seen again, to be replaced by Bob Fawcett of Some Chicken, who just happened to be in the audience. Unpolished, unapologetic.
It’s not the media’s fairy tale; it’s the truth of 1978 Live. The wildness, the imperfections, what it was really like at the time.
“It’s a Soul Life” embodies the desire to revisit the purity of our inception, Skin Patrol emerged from a love of nihilistic minimalism of The Stooges and The Velvet Underground, One Million Fuzztone Guitars from the confrontational drum-machine beats of early Suicide and Throbbing Gristle, and the DIY synth-world of SoftCell. The song was captured in one unrehearsed seamless live take and later polished with a touch of finesse for the official release, although it remained remarkably powerful right from the raw essence of the original composition featuring the SR18 Drum Machine and Stylophone. The song’s message centres around returning to fundamentals and embracing positivity amidst the chaos of the present times, representing a back-to-basics approach in its message. We love basic!
5EXYA55USA, by One Million Fuzztone Guitars and Skin Patrol. Inspired by a news story a few years back, some of the young and rich in a country in the Middle East had found that if they translated their number plates into English (allowed), they came up with outrageous slogans. Since removed, it may have been a prank, but the song was born by then and not about to go away as it resonated with our humorous sensibilities. The title of this song is one such: forget sad vanity personalised number plates; this is an uptempo, Euro-Disco, Italo-House inspired, synth-drenched, fuzzed-up, indie disco revolution!
Get ready to rock out to the video for “Standing On A Planet (With You)” by One Million Fuzztone Guitars, Skin Patrol, and Robert Courtney! The single cover artwork sets the stage with a twist. Picture this: a bear found abandoned by the side of the road near a local waste site, just like in the beloved movie Toy Story. But this bear’s destiny took a different turn as this cool dude becomes an icon on the mean streets of New York City.
The song itself is a beacon of hope, forged on a weathered GDR acoustic guitar salvaged from the shores of Lake Coniston. It just leapt off the fretboard and into the World.
“This track boasts a groovy interplay of guitars and serves as a high-octane anthem for sunny days. Absolutely brilliant!”
“The catchiness of this song is off the charts! The guitar sound is pure dynamite. It’s like The Only Ones colliding head-on with Lou Reed on Bridlesmith Gate. Love it!”
“That instrumental section hits you with a raw and potent sound, bursting with untapped potential. It’s time to explore that style further with an off-beat ballad that defies all conventions!”
Prepare to be blown away as we venture into the world of “Standing On A Planet (With You)”, an unruly spirit that will ignite your senses. Crank up the volume, hit that play button, and let the music take control!
Drawing influence from artists like Bob Dylan, One Million Fuzztone Guitars sought to capture the simplicity and accessibility of “International Witchcraft,” allowing anyone to play and connect with the song. Outside the realm of music, One Million Fuzztone Guitars finds inspiration in their Shamanic teachers, Tarot masters, spiritual guides, and courageous leaders who stand against oppression. “International Witchcraft” was inspired by real-life events, including the Witches of Boston and the global binding spell of 2017.
The imagery created for the video is inspired by the tumultuous economic period following the Great War when German municipalities were compelled to issue their own currency, known as “Notgeld,” a term derived from the German words for “necessity money.” These vibrant banknotes were printed and circulated as a response to the challenging financial conditions of the time.
Welcome to our YouTube channel! Today, we’re thrilled to present the music video for ‘I Wanna Punk Rock (With You)’ by One Million Fuzztone Guitars/Skin Patrol. This song takes inspiration from the legendary Step Forward Records 7″ box set titled ‘I Wanna Punk Rock,’ “which really cemented ‘Punk Rock’ as a verb in my mind, and I just had to roll with it” (thanks, Robert Courtney!).
In this track, One Million Fuzztone Guitars & Skin Patrol pay homage to Lou Reed’s ‘Banging On My Drum’ by embracing its inspired minimalism. To bring the spirit of punk rock to life, the single cover and the accompanying video feature an exclusive selection of photographs taken during the iconic Nottingham Punk Festival of 1977. These images captured by Robert Courtney of Skin Patrol and Bryn Jones are true gems, offering a glimpse into those seminal moments. You won’t find these photographs anywhere else but here, making them an invaluable source for reliving the essence of that time.
So, sit back, crank up the volume, and dive into the world of ‘I Wanna Punk Rock (With You)’! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more exciting punk rock content. Let’s keep the punk spirit alive!
We always loved Lou Reed’s ‘Banging On My Drum’ and this is my homage to such inspired minimalism. A Step Forward box set a few years back established ‘Punk Rock’ in my mind as a verb, so I ran with it.
lyrics
I Wanna Punk Rock with you, Baby I Wanna Punk Rock with you, Baby I Wanna Punk Rock with you, maybe I Wanna Punk Rock with you,
I said yeah, yeah, yeah Do it like you want to do I said yeah, yeah, yeah I’ll do it like you want me to
One Million Fuzztone Guitars / Skin Patrol 