Underhand Jones

Billy Fairbairn - vocals

Campbell Forbes - guitar, vocals, keyboards

Billy McLeish - bass

Eddie Walton Jnr - guitar

Stevie Irvine - drums

Stevie Doherty - Vocals

Brian Coyle - Guitar, vocals

Rodger Cameron - Bass

In 1976 not many bands where playing original songs in the pub circuit in Glasgow, this was partly due to the fact that to get a gig in places like ‘The Doune Castle’ you had to play covers. One of the bands who started to break that trend were ‘Underhand Jones’ six young guys in their late teens, early twenties. They played their first gig in The Charing Cross Hotel in 1977 incorporating five or six original songs into their set. Their entire performance would soon consist of original songs and they were one of the first local bands at that time to do so. The band quickly built up a good reputation in the Glasgow pub/rock scene playing venues such as The Amphora in Sauchiehall street were they played on Thursday nights also playing regularly in The Victorian Carriage in Greenock and Davy Jones Locker in Gourock. In May 1978 they performed at the Kelvingrove rock festival in front of the usual thousands of fans who turned up to see the west of Scotland’s finest young bands in action. This is were they caught the attention of Radio Clyde’s John MacCalman who took a lot of interest in the band. John helped with promotion, recording facilities and had good contacts in the business. The band released an E P single in 1978 under the independent label ‘Jammy Records’ featuring four songs, ‘Only Make Believe’, ‘It's Alright’ ‘Little Lady’ and ‘Music Maker’ all Forbes/Fairbairn compositions. There was a split in the band in 1979, out went Billy Fairbairn and Billy McLeish and in came Stevie Doherty on lead vocals, Roger Cameron on Bass and Brian Coyle on guitar, this change did not hinder Underhand Jones #2 at all because they played and sounded better than ever. In May 1979 they were picked to appear at the loch Lomond Rock Festival by the promoter John Caufield, he had approached Radio Clyde (who now hosted the Kelvingrove Festivals) looking for some of the best local bands to play In the Loch Lomond Festival which was to be held in Balloch country park, the show was to take place over two days and featured some of the best local bands along side other acts like ‘The Boomtown Rats, ‘The Buzzcocks’, ‘Fairport Convention’ and ‘The Average White Band’. Underhand Jones did get some interest from a few record and publishing companies most notably ‘Rondor Music’ in London but they brought out an LP called ‘Jammy But Nice’ in 1980 again under their own publishing company and record label ‘Jammy music publishers limited’ and ‘Jammy Records’. The album also featured ‘The Shops’ whose line up comprised two members of Underhand Jones – Forbes and Irvine – plus Billy McLeish and Billy Fairbairn. Underhand Jones split up in 1980. Cammy Forbes and Brian Coyle went on to form Glasgow band The Dolphins, Stevie Irvine became the drummer for LLoyd Cole and the Commotions, Eddy Walton joined up with Cammy Forbes again in the mid 80s with The David Forbes Band and Stevie Doherty fronted Glasgow bands Zero Zero and China White and still performs, writes and records to this day.