A little bit of history:

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Join Alley's present line up; Ben Gillson (guitar, vocals), Steve Hewitt (bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Regan Wood (drums, vocals) have developed a sound that is 'very' original. Their sound is a mixture of pop lyrics, over solid guitar rythms, incoporating complex bass lines and drum patterns. So how did the boys develop this very indivdual style? Well.....

Ben and Steve went to primary school together, but their musical connection did not develop until they hit high school. The story goes, "One day when Ben was walking across the basketball courts he was singing Nirvana's, 'In Bloom' (if you know Ben, you will realise that singing unnessecarily is one of his most annoying traits!!! :-) Steven heard the tone death groan of Ben and thought, "hhmmmm, he likes Nirvana, cool!" (Steve was a huge fan of Nirvana at the time...but then again, everyone was!!!) Ben who had just started to play guitar that year, was desperate to start a band. He started a band with friends Lachlan Neal and Mark Drezga, they were called 'Anemia' (Named after a blood disorder, someone close to Ben suffered from). The band were ok...but seemed to continually be 'over-shadowed' by the other year 7 band, 'Derision'. This bands line up was Steve Hewitt, Regan Wood, Ashley Spurrell and Joel Chatielier. Slowly a strong friendship built up between the two bands, and Steven started to take a lot of interest in 'Anemia'. He was offered to join and soon Steve was in two bands at once!!! (He's always been keen to ROCK!!!) The two bands continued into year eight, but after winning 'Parkwood High School's' Battle of the bands, Ben interest in 'Anemia' started to flag. He left soon after, but continued to write music and play guitar. 'Derision' continued strong, while the members of 'Anemia' slowly stopped playing as a group, but kept up their interest in music in various side projects. By year 10 both of the bands had finished, leaving a void that Ben and Steven (among others) felt.

Steve and Ben started playing together, about once every two weeks in Steve's house. Still heavily influenced by Nirvana, one song the boys wrote, was named "Captain America" after a T-Shirt, Kurt Cobain was wearing in one of Steve's many posters, of the group. The boys still referred to themselves as 'Anemia' but ideas for new names were being thrown around constantly. Ben one day suggested the name 'Join Alley', both thought the name was good, but as with most things, "easily forgotten, if you don't write it down". So the name change did not go ahead, and the two stuck with 'Anemia'. Soon after, Steve moved house and the partnership slowly diminished, (partly due to the fact, of the new geographical dispurtion between the two). The boys continued to talk music when ever they were together, and both claimed that they had 'new' riffs, that "had to be heard, to be believed!" The two did not play at each others houses anymore, but regular jamming sessions were frequently set up at school. They often played out doors and did not hesitate to let other people in the school yard listen. Ben and Steve's musical bonds continued through year eleven, but after about term two, the two slowly stopped playing together...again!!! Then during (probably) the third term hoildays, Ben rang Steve and said, "Hey, come on, we have to get together...start a band!!!" Steve agreed that the time was right! So one Saturday Steve came around to Ben's. This was to become the first day of 'Join Alley'.

Ben played numerous ideas for riffs he had, including 'Drive me home' and 'Today's World'. Ben had played 'Today's World' at a school performance a few months earlier with a fellow class mate (Lauren Crowe). Steve had loved the song, when he heard it and was keen to work on it! Steve also took a liking to Ben's riff of 'Drive me home', and soon the pair 'clicked' again and the song was finished! Ben and Steve continued to develop and write new songs and now the search for a drummer was on! Many were suggested, but the style of music was not quite what Ben and Steven thought any drummer at the school would really be into... Ben and Steve continued to develop more songs and soon had such songs as 'Anyone can find love' and the riffs for songs such as 'Take me back to that time again' and the intro. to 'Soon After'. The pair were 'on fire' and good qaulity songs, seemed to just fall from their guitars!!! But still the elusive search for a drummer who would suit 'their' style continued.

The pair were invited to a party at their friends Jason's house one night, at which Ben became pissed as a fart! Ben was telling everyone about how good 'his and Steve's' little band was, and the response from two of the party goers was overwhelming! Regan Wood and Ben McGregor were keen to join, and a drunk Ben told them both to do so immediately. Ben recorded the songs him and Steve and recently written, over the following weekend and a tape was given to Regan on the Monday! Regan said he "loved the music", and he was quickly snapped up as the full time drummer, of the then; still named 'Anemia'. Ben McGregor did not really fit the band as well as Regan did, and he was asked to leave, (But a close friendship continued!). After their first performance the name issue arose again and Steven remembered suddenly 'Join Alley' (the name Ben had suggested the previous year). Steve ran upto Ben after shcool and said excitedly, "remember this", as he rolled back his sleeve, he revealed the words JOIN ALLEY, written on the back of his hand. Ben was excited as he immediately remembered the name and so 'Join Alley' was formed!!!

Since this formation the band have written many new songs and now have a large enough set list to play gigs. So yeah...that is the whole history of the formation of Join Alley. But what next for this band!? Well, that is something taht we will all have to watch...but with beginnings this good...one can only expect the band to rise, and grow and become one of the greatest rock bands to ever hit the scene! :-D Well hopefully...