The DEFT JERKS

BIOGRAPHY:

The Deft Jerks were formed in 1977 by ex-Much Hoole members Zander Caven (guitar) & Andrew McKean (bass), along with Stuart Cuthill (vocals, ex-Enemies Of The White House) & Richard Davidson (drums, under the name Renal Dropsey). This line-up played a moving gig on the back of a lorry at an "Anti-Nazi League" march in Edinburgh, which culminated in Craigmillar Park. After building up a following as one of the premier (and only) new wave bands locally, they replaced Cavan with new guitarist Dougie Aitken at the end of 1978. In late 1979 Davidson was replaced by the unlikely named George Square on drums, who was actually called George Falconer, whilst Aitken was replaced by Jerry McGinley. By the end of the year MacKean had left to form The Neon Barbs, and was replaced by Harry Motto on bass. The band threatened to move to London, fed up with the local scene in 1980, but split instead. Falconer (who had also played with The Freeze & Thrush) later turned up in The Rocks. A short lived reformation took place in 1983, with Cuthill and Motto (who had meanwhile played in Ninja) being joined by Roy Jack (violin), Derek Lenatham (guitar, ex-Thrush), Brendan Scanian & Billy Taylor. Charlie Hay (guitar) was also a member at some point, and later turned up in Acoustic Soup.