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Ron began playing guitar in his teens (when you could learn to play in a day - the Bert Weedon way!!) and in the early 60's formed 'The Trojans' with some school friends. A covers band playing Beatles, Stones, Searchers numbers etc they became very popular in South London playing local pubs, clubs and weddings. Their main claim to fame was 'auditioning at ITV studios but not quite making the finals to appear live on "Ready, Steady, Go". When the band finally disbanded around 1964, Ron was happy simply strumming his old Burns guitar and fiddling around on a battered Vox Continental organ at home. Eventually persuaded by Ray and some other squash mates to join them for an informal get together just for fun (some ?? years later!!) the music bug struck once again - Rewind was born and Ron became a founder member. It was hard work picking up the threads after such a long layoff, with musical tastes and techniques having changed so considerably since the old days, but getting back into the groove was great fun and is still proving a tremendously enjoyable experience - the rest as they say is history.
Ron Simmons - Keyboards & Guitar
Life had begun simply when the prepubescent Ray found satisfaction plucking the discordant strings of a broken acoustic guitar, soon discovering that certain notes when played together equalled pleasure. Then at sixteen years old and after playing folk guitar for some years Ray entered the world of groups with silly names doing his apprenticeship with ‘Two Tone Yellow Popcorn’, ‘Amalgamated Blues Eruption’, ‘Kaleidoscopic Tears’ and ‘Creation Itself’. Becoming more serious, Ray formed ‘Sanzark’, a progressive rock band with self penned epics about Vikings and the creation of the world eventually earning slots supporting several ‘named’ bands. Later, a contact made during a recording session lead to ‘Rack & Ruin’ followed closely by ‘Wyeband’, ‘Chalet’ and ‘TV Diners’ all linked to the Canterbury scene and playing original material on the London pub and club circuit. While recovering from London, Ray was approached to join the fun punk shock group ‘Ted Turd & The Toolsheds’ later known as ‘The Toolsheds’ making several mini tours of Holland and establishing a cult following playing covers with an act based on shock ‘Derek and Clive’/’Monty Python’ humour. Following 10 years without a string being plucked in public Ray realised that severe gig withdrawal syndrome had set in. In late 2004 while discussing the matter with friends with a similar affliction the cure was found in REWIND.
Ray Tomsett - Guitar & Vocals
Matt learnt to play the guitar at age 10 (some say he has progressed little since then) with the help of ‘The complete Beatle’s Guitar Book’. Matt has performed in a vast array of bands with many musical styles – including a 12 piece soul band, playing bass guitar in a heavy rock band and singing with the ‘Medway Brass Band’. He joined Rewind almost two years ago after a period of ‘rest and rehabilitation’ from the music scene… being enticed back into action by the dulcet tones of Ron’s (his next door neighbour) drumming wafting gently through the walls of his suburban semi. Matt cites his greatest musical achievement as ‘learning near on 30 songs in just under two months prior to my first gig with Rewind’. His lowest point? – ‘forgetting to re-tune the ‘E’ string after Brick in the Wall….. and not realising until two songs later!!!! - The rest of the band suspect he's never managed to re-tune it but don't have the heart to tell him
Matt Perkins - Bass Guitar & Vocals
Ron has been playing drums since the sixties. His first experience was with a couple of Oxo tins (the big red ones) and some brushes. Mainly self taught (and it shows) he has played many different styles and music genres. As a sixteen year old his drumming got him into prison. Many have said that his drumming is criminal, but it was not what may think. His band were supporting the then famous Alf Garnet in Maidstone prison. Luckily they let him out. For many years he ran and played with the popular function band Spiral at many of the top venues across the South East. After a few years in drumming retirement, he joined Rewind in 2006 and has enjoyed playing with them ever since. By the way, how do know it’s a drummer at the door - the knock speeds up !!
Ron Arber - Drums & Vocals
Neil Ranson - Vocals
