monochrome set

Pre-History-1978

Primordial soup: Andy Warren and Bid went to school together, Lester Square and Adam Ant both attended Hornsey School of Art. The latter two formed a band called "The B-Sides", which Andy joined sometime in 1976. Bid also joined a couple of months later, and Adam left shortly after. Lester, Andy and Bid occasionally continued to write and rehearse together (it was around this time that some of the songs later to be used by The Monochrome Set were written, e.g., Goodbye Joe, He's Frank, Puerto-Rican Fence Climber, Lester Leaps In), until Adam formed The Ants with Lester and Andy. Whilst Andy continued on with Adam to record the first Ants album, Lester left The Ants in 1977, to form, firstly The Zarbies & The Ectomorphs with Bid and Jeremy Harrington, and then The Monochrome Set with Bid (Jeremy joined later).
To quote the Asahi Evening News, 1993: "When B-Sides singer Adam Ant quit the band for an ill-fated solo career, The Monochrome Set was born."

		Lester, John, Charlie, Bid
Early 1978:	Bid (guitar, vocals) Lester Square (guitar) Charlie Harper (bass, vocals) John Haney (drums) [ex-The Art Attacks]

An early demo was recorded with Charlie, but there is no recollection as to whether he played any gigs.

Mid 1978:	Bid (guitar, vocals) Lester Square (guitar) Simon Croft (bass, vocals) John Haney (drums)

A demo was recorded with Simon in summer '78, which was released in late 1979 as the single, "He's Frank (Slight Return)".

Late 1978:	Bid (guitar, vocals) Lester Square (guitar) Jeremy Harrington (bass, vocals) [ex- Gloria Mundi & Mean Streets] John Haney (drums)