The News of the Victory
Barn dance and ceilidh band
Electric ceilidh for the mind and body

Our other keyboard players

keyboards

George Crawley - We found George playing keyboards on Mark's third solo cd. Norfolk based and living within spitting distance of Mark and Brian. George is currently working with Mark forming an acoustic band for the hard of hearing and enjoying a change from rhythm and blues. Previous form is dominated by a 25 year stretch with 'The Boogaloos', who are still wheeled out occasionally to disturb the tranquility of North Norfolk. His debut with The NotV was at a wedding reception when we had more rain than we had seen for months. There was a puddle outside the venue that no-one dared test for depth, except Brian, and he's a good swimmer. We were all worried until George showed up at another gig.
Carol Hunter - Pianist, composer and music therapist ... in case we need emergency treatment. Carol's impressive debut with the NotV was in a barn performance for a 21st birthday party. After coping with the shock of the audience's post-adolescent exhuberance, the dust in the barn and being thrown in at the deep end it's a wonder she ever wanted to come back, but we're pleased to have welcomed Carol on to the dep's chair a few times now. She is a fine pianist whose playing lends another quality to the sound of the band.
Carol Clayton - Introduced to the band by Henry, Carol plays regularly with Moderato meaning that she was probably unused to playing as quietly as we made her do, but she was very polite about it and played a sparkling first ceilidh with The NotV in Mutford Village Hall on 28th June 2008. Carol is also the missing link between Annie Lennox and Steve Bingham ... how many degrees of separation is that?. She was actually starting life as a student at the Royal Academy as Ms Lennox was leaving and left as Steve was starting. We'd be delighted to be able to work with her again at some future time.
Matthew Gunn - accomplished multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, orchestral conductor and administrative powerhouse. Matt has also depped on drums for The NotV. He tends to try and keep away from too much gigging, but often ends up playing anyway. Matt established the Stormdrummers and plays with Malecon, Hoofbeat, File Under Funk and conducts the Fenland Youth Orchestra and an international youth orchestra with players coming from Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Peter Wills - a long time work colleague (when Derek was last properly employed), Peter is another fine pianist, but was rather taken aback to be asked to play keyboards for The NotV. Although he had never played in a "rock band" before, he rose admirably to the occasion to stand in for Ivan. Now he just has to deal with some unfair ribbing from his son, who is probably just jealous that his dad has had more gigs! OUCH!!
Neil Mindham* - was a regular member of The News of the Victory for two years until 1995, when he left to concentrate on other musical projects. Subsequently he trained to be a teacher and is currently doing a fine job in one of Norfolk's more interesting schools. Musically, these days he is more usually found in residency at a nightclub near or far away as one half of the duo, Freeway. We recently persuaded him to come back and play with us for a wedding reception in a marquee when there were howling gales and intermittent electricity. That gig was also memorable for the venue owners padlocking the guests in, the band out and taking off with the key. Some people take such extreme precautions!

Previous keys players have included Nick Carpenter* (melodeon), Sam Ashby