CREDO
CREDO consists of Tim Birrell (guitar), Mark Colton (vocals),
Martin Meads (drums, percussion), Jim Murdoch (Bass & Vocals)
and Mike Varty (Keyboards, Violin & Vocals). Their story offers
one of the most compelling tales of triumph over adversity you
are likely to come across in rock music.
The first album, Field Of Vision, was recorded and released in
1994 on the Cyclops label and featured a number of song
orientated compositions that rapidly brought the band to the
attention of the British Prog Rock scene.
With a background of listening to the first wave of classic
British Prog Rock bands it was little wonder that the band’s
sound was likened to the major players in the British Neo Prog
Movement of the 80’s, who themselves drew from the same
influences. The album was critically well received and sold in
sizeable quantities, many high profile shows followed.
Mike Varty (Janison Edge/Landmarq/Shadowland/Mick Pointer’s
Script Band) joined in 1996 and work started on the follow up to
Field Of Vision.
To many it seemed that as quickly as they had appeared on the
scene they again disappeared as the most horrendous run of bad
luck and illness dogged the band. The causes, effects and
outcome have been well documented and space here limits further
detail!
However all through the dark years the core of Tim, Jim, Mark
and Mike remained committed to the cause, sure that they had a
great album in the making. Martin Meads joined in 99 and slowly
and surely the album started to take shape, with initial
recording taking place at Thin Ice Studio’s with Karl Groom
(Threshold) at the helm. Recording continued through till 2005,
at Gargoyle Studios, as ill health continued to plague Mark.
By March 2005 the album, now known as RHETORIC, was completed
and a deal was struck with F2 Music for its release, and so it
was, 11 years to the day after the first album, RHETORIC finally
hit the streets.
The band were unsure of how the album and their unashamed Neo
Prog sound would be received after such a long time, the
excellent production and art work complimented the high quality
of song writing and the album and the response was astounding,
more copies were sold in eleven weeks than FoV had achieved in
11 years and the album continues to sell consistently as more
and more people discover the band referred to in one review as
“Progressive Rocks best kept secret” and “The best band you have
never heard of…”. Released at the same time as the last
Pendragon and Pallas albums the unprecedented run of “album of
the month” and five star reviews etc astounded everybody.
Prestigious appearances at Summers End and a first headline at
The CRS followed and around 25 shows were performed on the
RHETORIC tour and Mark, Tim and Mike all appeared in the Classic
Rock Society Poll top ten’s last year with the band featured in
6th place for gig of the year.
RoSFEST promises to be a major highlight in the continued
development of the band and the release of the new album,
tentatively called “Best Kept Secret…” is scheduled to coincide
with the show.
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DISCOGRAPHY : :
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Field Of Vision
1994
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Rhetoric
2005 |
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