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Terris

From NME cover stars to residents of the where-are-they-now file, Terris are today mostly remembered as indie underachievers who couldn't live up to the hype.

Before the start of the millennium, the Newport band were known only to a small group of local fans. But that all changed after being tipped for superstardom by a salivating music press.

Touted by the NME in January 2000 as "the first new stars of 2000," their story began a couple of years previously in the council estates of Newport and the surrounding former mining towns.

Guitarist Alun Bound, drummer Owen Matthews and keyboard player Neil Dugmore were desperately searching for a lead singer after an unsuccessful string of vocalists had left. They placed an ad in a Newport record shop which was answered by the then unemployed Gavin Goodwin.

The road to music paper front covers wasn't without incident or drama - the band nearly lost all their equipment after an arsonist set fire to their rehearsal studios. But salvation came in the form of former 60ft Doll Richard Parfitt, who was blown away by Terris after seeing them live at Le Pub in Newport.

Parfitt immediately offered to be their manager, and persuaded Rough Trade bigwig Geoff Travis to come and see the band rehearse. Geoff signed them on the spot.

Despite not playing many gigs in South Wales, the band's reputation ensured their first limited edition EP Time Is Now flew off the shelves in the region.

Gavin set out the band's intentions in a typically hubristic interview with Select: "Our ambition is to make great music. If someone leaves our gig with more than what they came in with, that's success. If it gives people life, if it comforts them, that's success."

Terris' first single proper, Cannibal Kids, was released in April 2000. However, they failed to capitalise on the early interest, and the band's only album, Learning To Let Go, limped out in March 2001 on the Blanco Y Negro label. The band split up not long afterwards.

Comments

Craig Kelly, Aylesbury
Lyrics like you wouldn't believe and tunes to match. Gavin is a legend and one album is not enough.

Dave, Crawley, Sussex
I followed 'em around like a demented goon for a couple of tours - fabulous band. Lost October, the version off The Time Is Now EP, truly spits fire and is still regularlyblasted from my tannoys. I believed at the time they were destined for superstardom, but how wrong I was. Great times.

Ian Thomas
So exactly where are they now? Fabricated Lunacy is amazing... and to think Coldplay opened up for Terris.

Jerry, Cwmcarn, Wales
Learning To Let Go was a good debut and the band promised much. Maybe they overstated the scope of their ambition, coming across like tossers in interviews but that's what it is to be young. I wish they'd had the chance to develop and mature.

Bibby, Birmingham
Truly a great band and sweet people as well. I've no idea how many times I saw them all over the country and they were always brilliant. Learning To Let Go is such a good record, I'm sure if more people heard it now they'd love it just as much as I did back then.

Tom Nash, Brighton
Absolutely brillint band - MASSIVELY regret not seeing them live. I always kept telling myself next tour, thinking they'd be around for ages. Anyone got any live videos or clips they'd care to share? Best band of the 21st century without a doubt. In my opinion Learning To Let Go fell down because of 1) the timing of the release, all the press coverage had died down and 2) production is too clean and didn't suit the songs (I feel).

Charlie
WHERE are you lads now? I saw Terris at Leeds fest aeons ago and was blown away by them.

Chris, Sunderland
I saw Terris play with Coldplay in Newcastle. Terris rocked, Coldplay sucked. Everytime I listen to 'Learning To Let Go' I think of what could have been. They really were a special band. Crying shame.

amy darwen
terris were an amazing band with so much promise and potential...shame :o(

Keith Bowers, Stoke on Trent
I only saw Terris once, but I shall always remember it as one of the best gigs I have ever witnessed, and Gavin Goodwin one of the best frontmen. "Learning To Let Go" is still an album I go back to and is totally under-rated. It's nothing short of a tragedy that they never had the success that they most certainly deserved.

Will, Harrow
Fantastic group. In an era that where Travis, Starsailor and the Stereophonics were all huge it shouldn't count against Terris that they didn't find success. I've never seen a live act with so much conviction, lyrics with so near poetry and music so passionate. It's why they attracted such a hard core support and their music has stood the test of time. P.S Lee, Manchester they joint headlined that Coldplay tour taking the topspot almost everynight after the first couple to stop the blowing Martin et al of stage.

Adam, Formerly of Cardiff and Swansea
I saw them on stage at Reading festival when their keyboard stopped working after a few songs and they split shortly after which was arse cos they were ace.

Lee, Manchester
I saw them in Nottingham and Northampton when they were supporting Coldplay in tiny venues. They were awesome and they're still in my itunes now. The bill should have been the other way round - which would have saved us from tea-total vegan rock in the shape of Chris Martin & Co.

Paul Baird, Dartford, Kent
absolutely one of the best rock bands i've ever heard. if my house was on fire and i could only rescue one album, it'd be learning to let go, without a doubt. terris were worth the hype and then some...

Pete Harris, Hay on Wye
It's not funny Tony. When a band's mission is to make as bold a statement as this one both live and on record, totally blow everyone out of the water and then just quit then I'd say, "Job's a good un !!!".

Tony Less , Usk
Ha ha ha!

Personnel

  • Gavin Goodwin: vocals
  • Alun Bound: guitar
  • Neil Dugmore: keyboards
  • Owen Matthews: drums

Key works

  • Cannibal Kids (single: April 2000)
  • Learning To Let Go (album: March 2001)

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