Opium were formed years ago by Ian, Danny, Addo & Billy. They asked Claire and Barry to join, played their first gig on 6th August 1994 at Big Bird's wedding. They were pretty crap. After 55 gigs, Danny left 'cos his wife wanted him to. Craig replaced him, which was a step in the right direction but the songs were still crap. Christ, they did "Sweets For My Sweet" for f**k's sake. They played around the club circuit and went down reasonably well but were still poor.
One day, they were offered the residency at Westerhope Comrades - a club long past it's sell-by date. They started there on 18th November 1995 after being on the road for 15 months and doing 87 gigs. There was a huge falling out over this. Ian threw his dummy out of the pram and left, taking Addo & Billy with him to form Addiction. They were replaced by Andy, Tony and Kevin. They started doing decent songs, rehearsed a bit and started to sound good. Craig almost left at one point ( reported here ) They stayed at the Comrades for two and a half years but got sacked when the club couldn't afford them any more.
Craig quit to become a rock star with another band. He failed. Kevin quit because he was too old. Way too old. Graeme, the lights man, became the drummer and they went out on the road as a five piece and were quite good by now.
Things went along quite well for a while and then Andy quit because he'd found a girlfriend with some Jack Russell's. Craig re-joined and they are still going.
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The Honest Al Band, The Business, The Treatment, Flash, Worldwide, Prime Time, The Power, Time Flies, Big Brother, Deek The Juice, The Great Glam Mothers. Names that will fill the hearts of many a strong man with fear and loathing and a good deal of hilarity. Opium sprang from all of these, and more, so I'll try and make this as clear as possible.
In the beginning there was The Honest Al Band which featured Alan Davies, Nigel Seed, Gary Moran, Andy Brown and Barry Wharton. Mick Percy was the sound man for a while. Alan Davies emmigrated to Canada, Nigel Seed went back to being a dentist, Gary Moran got sacked 'cos he wouldn't play on New Year's Eve, Andy Brown left 'cos he'd had enough. At the same time The Treatment were changing their name to Flash in order to get more work. They consisted of Tony Watson, Kevin Cooper, David Nicholson, Colin Pickering and John Flanagan.
When Flash split up, they formed two new bands - Worldwide with Tony Watson, Kevin Cooper, Barry Wharton, Tony Murray and Chris Gooch and Prime Time with David Nicholson, Colin Pickering, John Flanagan, Colin Scott and Brian Rush.
Worldwide went through a few line-up changes. Chris Gooch left 'cos he'd had enough and was replaced by Brian Hall. Brian Hall left to join The Cast which also featured Dave Bunker, Chad, Jim and a drummer who I can't remember. Brian Hall was replaced by Arthur Ram for a few gigs and then by Mick Percy. Tony Murray retired and was replaced by Neil Waldron.
During this time Prime Time evolved into The Power which featured David Nicholson, Colin Pickering, John Flanagan, Stu McDade, Claire Halliday and Eric.
Mick Percy left Worldwide to join The Badd Lads and John Flanagan and Claire Halliday came from The Power to form Time Flies with Tony Watson, Kevin Cooper, Barry Wharton and Neil Waldron. David Nicholson and Colin Pickering joined forces with Hylton Heslop, Doctor Bob and Neil Wilkinson to form Big Brother.
Time Flies continued through various line-up changes. John Flanagan left to form Deek The Juice with Pete Carr, Johnna, Frankie and Colin Scott. He was replaced by Andy Brown. Neil Waldron was sacked and was replaced by Tony Murray coming out of retirement. Kevin Cooper retired and was replaced by Lewis Craven. Barry Wharton and Claire Halliday retired and were replaced by Adam and Sue.
During this time Kevin Cooper came out of retirement joined Jackson which also featured Neil Waldron, but then retired again and then came out of retirement again and joined Fatal Attraction and then retired again. Deek The Juice replaced Colin Scott and Frankie with Stu McDade and Craig Barnes.
Opium were formed when Ian Thompson, Danny Holmes, Addo Koranteng and Billy Miller asked Barry Wharton and Claire Halliday to join them. Danny Holmes left and was replaced by Craig Thirlwell.
In the mean time, Time Flies had replaced Sue and Adam with Julie Pogliano and a machine and Lewis Craven retired to be replaced by the drummer who's name I don't know. John Flanagan left Deek The Juice to join Colin Barber's Mad House and then Alexander's Palace along with Craig Barnes and the Deek's keyboard player. Deek The Juice got Kevin Scott and a new keyboard player to replace them.
When Ian Thompson, Addo Koranteng and Billy Miller left Opium to form Addicted, Andy Brown and Tony Murray left Time Flies to join and Kevin Cooper came out of retirement again. Time Flies then recruited Brian Hall and Jim. Brian Hall subsequently left to join Six Of The Best, was replaced by Chris Gooch who then left along with Julie Pogliano and were replaced with Mick Percy and Holly from Fatal Attraction. Mick Percy left to form The Great Glam Mothers along with Lewis Craven.
Kevin Cooper retired again and then came out of retirement again to replace Lewis Craven in The Great Glam Mothers. Craig Thirlwell left Opium but then re-joined when Andy Brown retired.
Is that clear enough ?