The Struts formed in 2005, although they didn’t manage to
find the kind of singer they were looking for until 2006 when Jimmy “twinkle” Price answered an often repeated add in the
music weeklies for “a great singer with real star quality”. Jimmy, at
the time believe it or not, was looking for work as a cabaret singer!...the
express reason he’d come to London. He mistook the bands ad as a “show
band” looking for such a singer. He’d recently done a not very successful
stint in Las Vegas; 4 gigs in a bar with an in-house band whose regular
singer was ill. However, with this experience under his belt and a new
found confidence, he came to London to try his luck. After many fruitless
auditions Jimmy realised “the Struts” really did have something and
wisely took up their offer of joining the band in their quest for rock
glory.... as lead singer.
Jimmy's audition, by the way, for you rock trivia fans out there,
took place in the front room of Arthur’s and Dave’s mum’s Peckham semi;
the boys still lived at home then...I suppose they still do really!.
Before his Las Vegas debut Jimmy had sung at a few parties,weddings,
and barmitzvahs in his home town of Minneapolis but surely non of this
could really prepare him to front a rock band formed by the Strut brothers;
two of Peckham’s most infamous local pub rock stars! Jimmy was (in his
own words) to prove all the doubters wrong!
The notorious Strut brothers like most London based rockers had been
in several local loser bands. They strutted their stuff mainly around
the Peckham, New Cross, Deptford, and Lewisham areas; with the occasional
glamorous gig up town. More often than not their old school mate Barry
Fishbone was given the task of providing the bottom end...on bass guitar..and
he happened to be playing with the Strut brothers that fateful night
when “THE STRUTS”name came into being. After another profoundly unsatisfying,
unpaid, gig in some smelly, sweaty, dive masquerading as a venue and
with some ridiculously named band, Fishbone cursed the Strut brothers
for dragging him along “you’re a couple of F—king…” but instead of using
the“c”word he said STRUTS....Arthur and Dave “van” looked at each other
and an instantaneously thought the same thought.....They had the name
they had been looking for!....it had been staring straight into their
eyes all their lives! THE STRUTS we’re formed and this time they were
going to do things their own way.
An old mate of Fishbone’s who lived in Shepherds Bush, was contacted...a
lead guitarist who could get in most bands, called, and for some reason
always known as “the Corner”. At first “the Corner” wasn’t keen but
he said he’d help out till they found someone permanent (he knew the
band liked the odd spliff!).....But the more they all played together
...the more they all dug it....even “the Corner”; although never officially
“in”...he just never seemed to leave, and to everyone's surprised turned
up to most rehearsals. He seemed to respect Arthur's position of “no
compromise”. A year later they found Price.....As Arthur often says
now it wasn't until they were called THE STRUTS that things seemed to
go their way. Once Jimmy was in I ( I’m actually cousin of the Strut
brothers) was asked to manage them; they didn’t want (in Dave's words)
“the usual music business manager wanker rip-off artist“. Since then
it’s been nothing but work, but oh, how satisfying!..the gigs are storming
the band are rocking and at last the album, (recorded in Spain; where
else...!) is done.
Enjoy....
Steve Flotsum (Management)
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