Leeway

Leeway
Past members
Colin Lee (lead guitar), Carl Thornton (vocals), Chris Davies (drums), Andrew Faulkner (bass guitar), Mick Lynch (rhythm guitar)

Leeway was a rock band, active in the early 1980s, named for its lead guitarist, Colin Lee.

The "Leeway" Freiston de Villagefort Hall Gig

(Article from the 1984 issue of the Bostonian magazine)

"What do you want? Silver Machine? Sorry, the band refuse to play that one!" barked Carl Thornton as the new teenage intellectual demi-gods of heavy metal returned to end an ear-throbbing, head-banging, sizzling set with two gratuitous encores.

In a one-night stand that comprised the whole of their "Alive in Winter" British tour, Leeway consolidated their position as top BGS band by showing professionalism and stage presence that far surpassed their previous two public performances. Although they took time to settle down and played two more 'Quo' numbers than is wise, they did justice to the hour of well-known covers that they played. These varied from the all-out noise of "Motorhead" to the comparative culture of "Hey Joe"; their versions of "Necromancer", Johnny Be Good" and "Working Man" in particular were excellent.

The set-up, though very cramped, was adequate, the lighting and artwork stimulated the imagination, and the smoke-bombs (with one accidental exception) were well-timed. Carl Thornton, perhaps with alcoholically-reduced inhibitions, introduced the songs well, though this was somewhat marred by his vocabulary, which was earthy to say the least. His vocals, however, were erratic and liable to be off-key at times, notably during "Roll Over Lay Down", and only those in "Motorhead" sounded like the original.

Colin Lee, although having problems with his instrument, was excellent on lead guitar; however, he lacked the others' stage presence and only came over as a real entertainer during one solo played behind his head. Chris Davies displayed once more his sheer brilliance on drums, and they were backed up most competently by the bespectacled, white-clad, Andrew Faulkner on bass and Mick Lynch on rhythm, who showed his talent in two solos.

"Arthur Shrimpton", the song revering Boston Grammar School staff resurrected from the BGS Follies all those years ago, waas the only number that conjured mass audience participation, but this was hardly surprising, for the spectators consisted largely of those who had come for the subsidiary disco (ingrates!) plus the bouncing mass of half-drunk head-bangers (including Chris Stimson) at the front. The ten or fifteen of us who were listening, however, are now looking forward to the 1st anniversary concert at the NEC in the presence of Prince William.

Spike FA "The Fizz" Wideflares, your "Splash Hits" reporter Footnote by C Stimson - "Cobblers"