SAM SPOONS

Drums, percussion, spoons, fiddle and loud singer.

Sam toured for several years with the infamous Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band; you will hear him mentioned on their hilarious Intro and Outro. A founder member of The Whoopee Band, when the band split in 1983 he was an instigator in forming Bill Posters Will Be Band along with other Whoopee members Jim, Biff and Evil. He is a talented graphic artist and graduate of the Royal College of Art and retired full time lecturer at Chelsea College of Art. The Bonzo Dogs have recently re-formed for short concert tours of the UK and recording new tunes.

BIFF HARRISON

Musical saw, Strohviol, banjo, accordion, piano and occasional dancer.

Biff introduces you to the ensemble and announces the numbers. An Oxford graduate, Biff has pursued a career in education – so pay attention there will be a test! Semi-retired he has now turned seriously to the stage. A member of The Virtual Theatre Company, he played the lead in Lionel Bart’s 'Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be', Ben Elton’s 'Gasping' and more recently 'The Fall of The House of Usher'. An appearance in panto as one of the Ugly Sisters was outstanding for his ability to traverse the stage in 6in high heels. Biff was an original member of The Whoopee Band. 

JIM 'GOLDEN BOOTS' CHAMBERS

Alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, ocarina and brave singer.

Jim is blessed with a lovely singing voice which has charmed audiences of Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, Bill Posters Will Be Band and many other bands alike. After acquiring a Science degree at Sheffield University, Jim became a staff member at The Natural History Museum, where he was curator of strange fish. Now retired, he is known to still keep poisonous toads in the bath – you would be well advised not to bathe with this fellow whether he is singing or not.

JOHN GIEVES-WATSON

Very large banjo, tap dancer, unusual effects and strange voice.

Known as 'EVIL' for reasons which rapidly become obvious, this character can be hissed and booed at frequent intervals throughout the performance. Trained as a graphic artist at Huddersfield and the Royal College of Art, it was at the latter college that he was invited in 1959 to join The Temperance Seven and recorded with them on their Top Ten hits Your Driving Me Crazy and Pasadena. In 1969 he joined The Whoopee Band leaving in the late 70’s to concentrate on his graphic design business which specialises in Corporate Identities for Funeral Directors. He was persuaded in 1983 to just help to start up Bill Posters – he has been trying to leave ever since.

MEGS ETHERINGTON

Cornet, teapot, ballroom dancer, bad magician and ventriloquist

Megs, a lecturer in computer graphics at Guildford College, is our most recent recruit. He joined a mere 12 years ago as band Padre and spiritual advisor – we were having difficulties finding the bar. Previously with Harry Strutters and The Rio Grande Hot Tango Orchestra his great musical hero is the legendary Bix Beiderbecke. Megs has recently acquired a Conn cornet, as played by Bix, and if you have a couple of hours to spare, he will be delighted to explain its sophisticated tuning system.

PETER SHADE

Pianoforte, accordion and brass things.

Formerly also with Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, he has the reputation of being the fastest xylophone in the West. Peter is a prolific writer of witty ditties and is the composer of that flab-fighting exercise number – Aquarobics. He has written and performed music for many films including the animated cartoons of Dick Williams. Peter recently toured India with an ethnic music group; he is also learning Chinese and will shortly take up his position as our music ambassador for Outer Mongolia.