Tim Ashton.net * My Bands

An unfeasibly large amount of my life has revolved around playing bass guitar with bands in bars and clubs since I was 16 years old. Mostly loud and frankly obnoxious. God only knows how many bands I've played with but here are a few of my faves. Click on the links for music and slideshows. (The files take a couple of minutes to download and the slideshows have soundtracks so make sure your PC speakers are muted if you're at work...) There are more on my You Tube page.

I ran Dr. Funkinstein in Fukuoka from 2001 to 2006. Yep, it was my baby (Funkinstein's baby ?) Not that I ever intended it to be that way. I kind of wrote all the songs by default and then when we couldn't persuade any vocalists to join I err... ended up doing that by default too, despite having a voice like a dying pig. Mind you, I learnt an awful lot from doing all that. I now have a lot of respect for all bandleaders and frontmen (the good ones anyway) as I now know just how hard it really is. Respect the leader ! He's the one working a lot harder than you to make it all happen. You have no idea how important that is until you've tried to be a bandleader yourself. ANYway, Dr. Funkinstein is basically what happens when yours truly creates a band and writes songs. Enjoy ! (Evil cackle...)

Members (at various times) : Hiro Shimada (gtr), Clay Babb (gtr), Taketoshi Aoki (drums), Junji Haseba (drums) Mikio Yamabe (drums).

Pub rock ahoy ! Dave formed this rock 'n' roll covers band out of his love for British pub rock and the Wilko Johnson era Dr. Feelgood. He's very good at playing just like Wilko too. We were given loads of gigs (and beer, Tequila....) by our great friend Mr. Jamie Grant, who used to run The Voodoo Lounge club in downtown Fukuoka, where we played hard, drank hard and partied hard with many good friends (you know who you are and thanks again for so many good times !) Sadly, all good things come to and end and out of necessity, Dave moved to Tokyo in 2006. Oki Kazuya (mad drummer) and I still bum up to Tokyo from time to time to reunite with Dave and wreak havoc on the live bar scene. Long may it continue !

So, it was 2006 and with Dr. Funkinstein out of commision and Dave Taylor living in Tokyo, what was I to do ? Fortunately, there's no shortage of bands around Fukuoka and plenty in need of a bass-player. Happily, I get called quite a lot to play and sometimes get to do gigs on my 'want to do' list like the odd festival, e.g. Sunset Live in Fukuoka with JahJah in 2008. That year I also got to play in Pusan, South Korea, with a band I help out called Ingenn. Some of the other bands involve... err... putting on make-up. Well, have a look at the slide show and you'll see what I mean....

With bands like Galahad around you can absolutely rest assured that prog will never die. And quite right too. I can very proudly say I played on their first full-length album "Nothing Is Written" way back in 1990, which has been released independently in various territories and on the major label Pony Canyon in Japan. We had one particularly good year or so when we got to play in France and all round the UK, were on national BBC Radio 1 on Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show (remember that one ?!) as winners of their national battle of the bands competition, supported Magnum when they came to Bournemouth and were in Kerrang! magazine. Galahad are still going strong with gigs in the USA, Europe and notably Poland where they filmed a live DVD a couple of years ago. Pretty damn remarkable if you ask me. Click here or on the logo above for their official site.

1985 - 1986 : Alpha Flight (my first ever gigging band !) I'm sure I have an old demo tape in my loft somehwere. Andy King, whose band it was, later went on to write a song that became a No. 1 hit across Europe. I can't remember who recorded it or the title but it must have been pretty good.

1987-1989 : The Rolling Drunks (pub rock, tours of UK and Germany). Also played occasionally with the famous Thrash in Bournemouth and the urban legend that was Mr. Nuggin. On half a pint of lager.

1989-1992 : Galahad (UK progressive Rock, tours of UK and France, local and BBC national radio sessions. Released 1st album "Nothing Is Written" internationally.

March 1992 : Moved to Fukuoka, Japan.

1992-1993 : Cathouse (hard rock, who later became....)

1993-1995 : Doghouse ! (More hard rock but funky when I was having my way.)

1995-1998 : Moved back to UK to study Master of Arts degree. Played at The Rolling Drunks and Galahad's 10th Anniversary gigs. Also, Wig Wam Glam (70's UK glam rock).

Sept. 1998 : Moved back to Fukuoka, Japan.

1998-1999 : Reformed Doghouse.

1999-2001 : Channel 80 (yet more hard rock), Geiluvski (rock covers) and Oya Fuko Sabbath (Black Sabbath covers) along with other local Fukuoka stuff.

2001-2006 : Formed Dr. Funkinstein. Also joined Dave Taylor and Lights Out and helped out bassist-less friends' bands such as CreatureofsequentialdigitalnoizZ , Sleepy Sheepdog, The Routes + side project Red Hot Nori Hen (funk-rock Hendrix covers !)

2006 - Present : Helping out more bassist-less bands in Fukuoka, inc. JahJah and Ingenn.

An unfeasibly large amount of my life has revolved around playing bass guitar with bands in bars and clubs since I was 16 years old. Mostly loud and frankly obnoxious. God only knows how many bands I've played with but here are a few of my faves. Click on the links for music and slideshows. (The files take a couple of minutes to download and the slideshows have soundtracks so make sure your PC speakers are muted if you're at work...) There are more on my You Tube page.

1. Dutch Wife 2. SexViolenceTVFastFood 3. Keep Talking 4. Life Is Good	1. Drink Beer ! 2. Whipped 3. Stinky Pussy 4. Peace Off 5. Ana San Kyoudai
I ran Dr. Funkinstein in Fukuoka from 2001 to 2006. Yep, it was my baby (Funkinstein's baby ?) Not that I ever intended it to be that way. I kind of wrote all the songs by default and then when we couldn't persuade any vocalists to join I err... ended up doing that by default too, despite having a voice like a dying pig. Mind you, I learnt an awful lot from doing all that. I now have a lot of respect for all bandleaders and frontmen (the good ones anyway) as I now know just how hard it really is. Respect the leader ! He's the one working a lot harder than you to make it all happen. You have no idea how important that is until you've tried to be a bandleader yourself. ANYway, Dr. Funkinstein is basically what happens when yours truly creates a band and writes songs. Enjoy ! (Evil cackle...) Members (at various times) : Hiro Shimada (gtr), Clay Babb (gtr), Taketoshi Aoki (drums), Junji Haseba (drums) Mikio Yamabe (drums).

Pub rock ahoy ! Dave formed this rock 'n' roll covers band out of his love for British pub rock and the Wilko Johnson era Dr. Feelgood. He's very good at playing just like Wilko too. We were given loads of gigs (and beer, Tequila....) by our great friend Mr. Jamie Grant, who used to run The Voodoo Lounge club in downtown Fukuoka, where we played hard, drank hard and partied hard with many good friends (you know who you are and thanks again for so many good times !) Sadly, all good things come to and end and out of necessity, Dave moved to Tokyo in 2006. Oki Kazuya (mad drummer) and I still bum up to Tokyo from time to time to reunite with Dave and wreak havoc on the live bar scene. Long may it continue !

So, it was 2006 and with Dr. Funkinstein out of commision and Dave Taylor living in Tokyo, what was I to do ? Fortunately, there's no shortage of bands around Fukuoka and plenty in need of a bass-player. Happily, I get called quite a lot to play and sometimes get to do gigs on my 'want to do' list like the odd festival, e.g. Sunset Live in Fukuoka with JahJah in 2008. That year I also got to play in Pusan, South Korea, with a band I help out called Ingenn. Some of the other bands involve... err... putting on make-up. Well, have a look at the slide show and you'll see what I mean....

With bands like Galahad around you can absolutely rest assured that prog will never die. And quite right too. I can very proudly say I played on their first full-length album "Nothing Is Written" way back in 1990, which has been released independently in various territories and on the major label Pony Canyon in Japan. We had one particularly good year or so when we got to play in France and all round the UK, were on national BBC Radio 1 on Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show (remember that one ?!) as winners of their national battle of the bands competition, supported Magnum when they came to Bournemouth and were in Kerrang! magazine. Galahad are still going strong with gigs in the USA, Europe and notably Poland where they filmed a live DVD a couple of years ago. Pretty damn remarkable if you ask me. Click here or on the logo above for their official site.

1985 - 1986 : Alpha Flight (my first ever gigging band !) I'm sure I have an old demo tape in my loft somehwere. Andy King, whose band it was, later went on to write a song that became a No. 1 hit across Europe. I can't remember who recorded it or the title but it must have been pretty good. 1987-1989 : The Rolling Drunks (pub rock, tours of UK and Germany). Also played occasionally with the famous Thrash in Bournemouth and the urban legend that was Mr. Nuggin. On half a pint of lager. 1989-1992 : Galahad (UK progressive Rock, tours of UK and France, local and BBC national radio sessions. Released 1st album "Nothing Is Written" internationally. March 1992 : Moved to Fukuoka, Japan. 1992-1993 : Cathouse (hard rock, who later became....) 1993-1995 : Doghouse ! (More hard rock but funky when I was having my way.) 1995-1998 : Moved back to UK to study Master of Arts degree. Played at The Rolling Drunks and Galahad's 10th Anniversary gigs. Also, Wig Wam Glam (70's UK glam rock). Sept. 1998 : Moved back to Fukuoka, Japan. 1998-1999 : Reformed Doghouse. 1999-2001 : Channel 80 (yet more hard rock), Geiluvski (rock covers) and Oya Fuko Sabbath (Black Sabbath covers) along with other local Fukuoka stuff. 2001-2006 : Formed Dr. Funkinstein. Also joined Dave Taylor and Lights Out and helped out bassist-less friends' bands such as CreatureofsequentialdigitalnoizZ , Sleepy Sheepdog, The Routes + side project Red Hot Nori Hen (funk-rock Hendrix covers !) 2006 - Present : Helping out more bassist-less bands in Fukuoka, inc. JahJah and Ingenn.