Motiffe by WoodyGSD

Mick Avery - piano
Quentin Bryar - saxophone
John Grimaldi - guitar
<a href="http://www.spongeuk.co.uk/">Mark Pasterfield</a> - drums, percussion
Ian Wilson - vocals, flute
<a href="http://impangele.net/">Dave Shackley</a> - Bass

From Dave Shackley:
Motiffe was formed by school students at St Albans School some time in 1970, instigated by John Grimaldi & Mark Pasterfield who had acquired bits of a drum kit. I (David Shackley) joined on bass (mainly because I was the only candidate who had an albeit crap bass.)
We quickly acquired Quentin Bryer on sax, Ian Wilson on flute & Steve Bellingham on keys, replaced in 71 by Mike Avery we rehearsed in the egg box covered cellar at the sub-deanery in Sumpter Yard (Mark’s dad was sub dean). We had other assorted temporary members.
John wrote the themes & songs & we got a lot better together. In early 1972 we were recorded live & about 100 copies were made by Deroy.

Soon after in 72 there was a difference within the band as to what & how much we should play & John on guitar & myself on bass started Flux aiming to go pro.

From Quentin Bryar:

I left St Albans in the autumn of 1972 to go to college, although I do remember going back to do one more gig with Motiffe at the Civic Hall (now the Arena) in about November of that year. We did a few at the Civic Hall as support act -- I have vague memories of the Edgar Broughton Band and early ELO being another, though these may be false memories. Definitely remember supporting Renaissance at a different venue -- sticks in my mind because they brought their own acoustic piano and tuned it before the gig, which was impressive.
At school, one highlight I remember is when Motiffe joined forces with the big band we'd started at one of the jazz concerts we put on when I was in the sixth form. This seemed very cutting-edge at the time.
I lost touch with John and the others when I moved from St Albans, although I remember visiting Mark Pasterfield in hospital when he had his thrombosis.
A drummer I play with these days, Terry Vincent, lives in St Albans and knew John and the older Rod Argent crowd too. He was an organiser in the Musicians Union and I believe he was helping John get appropriate housing when he was ill, just before he died.