Slaves of Janet

Ken Lailey | Slaves of Janet | December 2008
Hi Phil...Congrats on your site.This period in music mid to late 70's early 80's was certainly a unique time. We were inspired like so many others in Brighton to have a go at being in a band. Here's a brief history of the Slaves. Simon Blitz (Goddard) and myself had been in Jonnie and the Lubes. When that split I'd been hanging out with Roger Davenport brilliant bass player with the Executives. The SOJ name came from the title of an old paperback about Bondage courtesy of friend Paul Potts.

Slaves V1, Ken Lailey Vox/guitar, Roger Davenport  /Bass, Simon Goddard /Lead guitar, John Spot/Drums
Slaves V2, Simon leaves, Bob Brown(Bedford) replaces him on guitar.
Slaves V3, Simon returns on Keys/guitar
Slaves V4, John Spot leaves, Tin Tin (Liverpool)replaces him on drums
Slaves V5, Roger leaves and I play bass.

We played in Brighton and London (101 Club, Greyhound) and recorded in Seaford, Swindon and at Suchart's Wilbury Grove Studio in Brighton Suchart was ex/guitarist with Joe Cool & the Killers. I later recorded with him as EurasionTea (early drum machine and midi tinkering) The Slaves were sometimes joined by M Visu, a Jazz dancing duet (Lesley Anne Hughes and Janet Lailey (ex Lubes saxist). They appear on the Slaves video 'Problem Child'. When confronted with this liason we did the only safe thing. We built a cage on set where they could gyrate body parts without taking somebody's eye out. They were of course lovely and still are.

I still make music with Simon (Goddard) who coincidentally does live in Cape Town S.A. The photos of a sound check by Mr.Cheesybits (thank you Sir) are of us (V4 I think) but I don't remember the gig. The 'other' Slaves of Janet (photos, personnel and write-up) are a mystery to me. Thanks again for PunkBrighton. Ken Lailey