Tony Busson
Bass guitar
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Since the break-up of the 'group', I have continued to play both bass and acoustic guitar, starting from 1970, when I also started to have lessons on double bass from Phil Bates, a London-based pro-bass player and teacher. This was the first time that I had needed to learn to read any sort of music, being a self- taught musician and like so many group players in the '60s, tended to play by ear! For around two years I played the double bass in a Country and Western group based in the Kingston area, and during this time, through playing in pubs and clubs, met up with other musicians and back on bass guitar helped form the pop band 'Atlantic Gap' in 1972. Though very popular with audiences this band dissolved around 1974, largely due to the lead singer emigrating to Australia in much the same way that Robin moved on to South Africa, bringing an end to The Presidents. Following that I played with various pop and country groups, two names recalled being 'Nito's People' and 'Mirage', whilst also taking lessons brushing-up reading music for the bass guitar. Sometime after this saw the start of a five year span as semi-pro, backing the late Colin Hindmarsh, an Australian piano-player/pub entertainer on the London pub circuit, at least three nights a week. Needless to say, this did not require any reading ability, but those studies were to bear fruit several years later. I had re-married in 1975, and two years after the birth of our second child my wife Jeanne and I moved to Bognor Regis to escape the traffic and 'rat race' of the London suburbs. Working full-time in the commercial lighting industry left little time for music and it was not until some twelve years later, after the birth of a third child, that an opportunity presented itself for me to play the bass guitar, and later the acoustic guitar, with a local Church music group. With key players of all ages, from this group of musicians I went on to form a small local instrumental group which initially was known as' Octave Up', and which was the forerunner of the current 'Bognor Regis Concert Band' which became established in 1996/97. This forty-piece concert band includes my daughter, who plays flute and alto-saxophone, and up to two years ago my son, a very proficient drummer and trombonist. I still own a vintage 'P' bass, circa 1966, although not the actual bass I played with The Presidents. Today I use an 'active' Musicman 'Stingray' 5 string bass for concert band playing as it enables me to play both parts written for string bass and/or the tuba. Currently I’m still playing in Bognor Regis Concert Band, and whilst playing a gig at ‘Arundel Festival Fringe’ in August 2007, I was approached by ex–professional drummer Roy Clark, who was looking for a bass guitar player to join a local ‘Shadows’ tribute Band. After one audition in September 2007, I was offered and accepted the vacant position. I was due to retire from full-time work in mid-October and so was able to commit maximum time to rehearsing over the next two months. ‘Simply Shadows’ played their first gig in late November, with others soon to follow. Returning to playing instrumental hits of the 60s and 70s has been ‘spooky’ but something I have enjoyed immensely and which I believe is keeping me young at heart. Catch up with Tony at: www.simplyshadows.co.uk Visit the Bognor
Regis Concert Band web site.
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