The Outcast Band

The Outcast Band

The Outcast Band is a group from the United Kingdom that forms in 1991 and remains active through 1996 in its original period. John Forrester is listed among the members.

History

The band comes together after friends who have already played together in rock, punk and blues groups reconnect. Paul switches from drums to fiddle, while Tex, also known as Damien, moves away from blues and begins listening to roots-oriented artists such as The Waterboys and Steve Earle. A long jam session between the two leads to the formation of a new band, with other musicians quickly joining the core line-up. A drummer, Mike Agate, responds to local adverts, and Miffy and Janet later join a session and stay with the group.

The Outcast Band begins by busking in Guildford and Farnborough and soon records a demo within the first few months. The demo includes The Letters That You Wrote Me and Country Girl. The band’s first live show takes place at the Bird in Hand pub in Bagshot, Surrey, on 9 November 1991, where the venue is filled beyond capacity and the audience response is strong. The group continues for five years and later says it plays more than 500 shows.

Live work and activity

The band performs in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Belgium and Germany. Notable appearances include gigs at The Cube in Camberley, regular shows at the Farnham Maltings, a performance to 10,000 people at the Portsmouth Heineken Festival, and a 55-date university tour of the United Kingdom sponsored by Murphy’s Irish Stout. It also tours East Germany for two weeks and plays regular Christmas Eve and New Year gigs at venues including The Fighting Cocks in Bagshot and the Hand and Spear in Weybridge.

Other regular venues include the Old Trout in Windsor, the Astoria in London and the New Cross Venue. The last show of this period takes place at the Farnham Festival on 21 April 1996.