Bob Chudley

Robert Chudley Ancient Songwriter. No fixed abode. Was in Ardvarks, Kraal, Louise, Badger. 

Writer of some songs for Fuschia
 

Bob Chudley Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist, cackhanded Keyboard Player and useless Flute Player.  

Founder Member of Surrey's Schoolboy beat group based in Redhill 1963. Started writing songs then. One song "Last Night" made it onto an Aardvarks Demo.  

After the Aardvarks split. Bob and Nigel Smith (Aardvarks Bass player) went on to form Kraal with Roy on Drums and Lead GuiraristTony Durant. Predominantly a covers band Kraal also included in their act some of Bob's songs ie: We can Make a Start, The Wrong idea about Love and The Weaver.Tony intoduced a new Drummer, Chris Cutler and the band's name briefly changed to Pavlovs Dogs before deciding to drop the covers and play original Music under the new name "Louise". 1966 saw Bob furiously writing new material and the Band's base moved from the basement of 76 Earlsbrook Rd, Redhill to Sutton, Surrey.  

Bob's songs "The Weaver",Night Flight to Nowhere", "Covergirl Queen", "Summer Sadness", "Toymakers Shop", "Perfect River", "That Dreams Can be", "Aquadome", "It's Begun", "Look at the Sun", "Rainbow in the Sky", "The Girl Inside", "Black Cat", "Another Nail", "It Doesn't Matter at all" and Pink Champagne" formed the basis of the "Louise gigs along with Tony Durant's "Rue Morgue". 

By 1969 the Band had a good local following and made a Demo of Bob's "Look at the Sun" and "Toymakers Shop". Unfortunately the Demo was not taken up at the time but is available now on compilation CD and Vinyl Album "Look at the Sun" (TSSCD and 005 TSLP005) via Top Sounds Records Ltd. Louise after losing Bass player Nigel were soon to split as Tony moved to Exeter University.  

Bob joined with Bass PlayerVocalist and songwriter Bob Berry to form Mobius. The two Bob's started writing and practising in earnest and Mobius eventually played a few gigs with Chris Cutler on Drums but difficulties of distance (one Bob in Reigate the other in Ealing) soon saw the demise of Mobius.  

Bob's songs at that time included "Rain in the Forest", "The Griffin", "The Thief of Melody", "Understanding Cheryl", "Below Bedlam", "Lavender Walk" etc. The other half of the playlist were Bob Berry compostions and were exceptionall for that time. Great Voice, great Bass and great songs.  

After Mobius Bob attempted to form a band with Mick Hooper on Lead Guitar and eventually a very good bass player (whose name I forget(apologies)) 

A demo of four of Bob's songs was made and we were all greatful for Chris Cutler helping out his old friend and sitting in on drums. The song were "Dance in the Sun", "The Old Steam Train", Heavy Dreamer" and "Factory Girl". No takers again and the band fizzled out.  

In the meantime Tony Durant had formed a band called "Fuchsia" and released an Album including on it my song "Me and my Kite" and a half of "Another Nail".  

Not long after Tony helped Bob to record a demo of his songs "Mary used to Play the Piano", Absent Friends" and "The Empire".  

Years later the first two of these were included on Tony's Album "Mahogony and other Gems".  

Bob was now settling into Family Life but joined a local Covers Band "BADGER" from West Sussex to earn enough money for a new Guitar.  

Soon becoming restless Bob sound proofed his Garage and after earning enough "music money" to buy a Teac 4-Track recorded and album of new songs plus  

A re-working of "Heavy Dreamer". Completed in 1979 Bob's first son Josh was now 12 months and his Fisher Price activity centre provides extra percussion on the track "Chicago Parody". Years of great Family Life ensued and with two more sons bob occasionally found the time to write more music and now is trawling through old books and tapes to salvage and make available the songs he has written that he holds most dearly.