Thanks so much to Martyn Cooper for this interview! I wrote about the Reading band Henry Does a Runner not too long ago. I was lucky that a week or so ago Martyn got in touch, shared with me the 4 songs of their one and only demo, and I knew I had to do an interview with him and find out more details about his band. So here it is, and I hope you enjoy it. Time to discover this great long lost 80s band!
++ Hi Martyn! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you still involved with music?
Yes – still playing
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen to at home while growing up?
My mum and dads vinyl collection was very varied – lots of rock’n’roll and country as well as ‘pop’- I was into Bolan and Slade – definitely preferred the grungier rockier tunes to ballads then punk turned up 🙂 and I was hooked.
Started on bass in school band but soon became front man and vocalist and started learning guitar. Self taught which possibly explains limitations.
++ Had you been in other bands before the Henry Does a Runner? If so, how did all of these bands sound? Are there any recordings?
The school band was ‘Dan Druff and The Lotions’ and thankfully no recordings exist. A punk/pop mix
After them I formed The Escapists who had a reasonable following in the Reading area – space Rock – mostly covers [Iggy Pop, B52s, Utopia,. Here&Now, Ramones, Sex Pistols] – real eclectic mix. Still in touch with most of them [Tom Hall, tony Man, Graham Coombe] – some bootleg recording were around but I don’t have copies. One from a gig in a barn near Huntercoombe Young Offender unit and one from ‘Doris’s Party’ – a free festival in Reading which had a great line up including Here&Now, Ozric Tentacles amongst others.
++ What about the other members?
Henry Does A Runner line up was
Brian Glister [drums]
Johnny [Bass] replaced when he left by David White
Jim Holmes [Lead guitar]
Martyn Cooper [Rhythm guitar and vocals]
Songwriting was Brian and Jim
++ Where were you from originally?
The band definitely identified as a Reading band although Brian was out in Maidenhead
++ How was Reading at the time of Henry Does a Runner? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
There were some great venues and bands around. As a ‘pop’ band we tended to get a few support gigs to touring ‘up and coming’ groups which meant we played some of the better/larger venues but sadly to very few people. We played the Rock Garden in London apparantly twice but I only remember once 🙂
Best band in Reading at that time was ‘JOJO Namoza
++ How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
The guys advertised for a singer/frontman – I turned up and was too gorgeous and talented to turn down …. …. and I had my own PA system
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
We rehearsed weekly in a warehouse behind the old Gillette building on the Basingstoke Road. Brian Jim would turn up with a new song and we’d work it out together but they came fairly well formed
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
I think Brian had been dining out and some posh blokes [Hooray Henrys] ran off from their table without paying [did a runner] – when talking to people the name was often shortened to ‘The Henrys’
++ Who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
Everyone says ‘Lloyd Cole’ but I think there is a lot of The Smiths in the mix – catchy guitar riffs and poignant clever lyrics.
++ I’ve started asking this lately, as bands played with other bands that remain obscure to most people. Were there any great bands that you played with, that didn’t get the attention they deserved, with that you would recommend checking out?
My memory is hazy. I’ll say again that JOJO NAMOZA were brilliant.
++ So you shared with me four songs that were part of a demo tape. Care telling me about this particular demo tape? Was it your first that you put together? Was it sold or was it just for promo purposes? What was the name of it?
It was put together for promo purposes but I think we sold a few. The ‘Knit me a clanger’ sessions. Recorded at a studio along the Oxford Road – a four track EP Â which I think only was on cassette tape. ‘Gone but not Missed’, ‘Royston Way’, ‘Frozen Frame’ and ‘Before your Eyes’
++ The last song on the tape was “Before Your Eyes” and it had a promo video. Tell me, how come you put together a promo video of a song that didn’t get the chance to be released properly? Where was it recorded?
Memory once again fails me …
++ Your second song is “Royston Way”. I was wondering where Royston Way is? I see there’s one in Slough, is it that one? And why is it important to you?
Brian lived over that way and he’d know what it was all about – I was the noisy monkey at the front singing his words but I think it was part of the route to his girlfriends.
++ Were there more demo tapes by the band? If so, can we do a demography?
This was all we recorded in the studio but there is somewhere a recording of us performing a set at The Rock Garden in London
++ How come there were no proper releases by the band? Was there any interest from any labels?
We tried to get interest  but got nowhere
++ What about self-releasing? Did you consider this option?
Nope
++ Did you appear on any compilations?
Nope
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “Before Your Eyes”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
Brian best to answer
++ If you were to choose your favorite Henry Does a Runner song, which one would that be and why?
Frozen Frame – rockier number with, as the old folk say, a bit of bollocks!
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
Seemed to gig a lot ….
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
I remember for a gig at The Rock Garden I literally ran into the venue having just got into London from Heathrow having been in Spain running the bulls in Pamplona. I just remember it being a good gig possibly because I hadn’t had time to get anxious about it beforehand.
++ And were there any bad ones?
Brian and I ‘exchanged words and wrestled’ a bit at a gig in Gun Street in Reading – I’d pissed him off and … well … stuff …
++ When and why did Henry Does a Runner stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
Because we’d worked so hard and were getting no interest from record companies it sadly just disintegrated. A shame as the songwriting of Brian and Jim was incredibly good
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Dunno
++ Has there been any Henry Does a Runner reunions?
Not yet but I’m in touch with Jim, Jonny and Dave via social media. Lost touch with Brian sadly.
++ Was there any interest from radio? TV?
Not enough
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
We got some local press attention but not a lot.
++ What about from fanzines?
Not to my knowledge
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
Back then I played rugby – now playing music continues to be my major ‘hobby’
++ Never been to Reading, so tell me a bit about your town. If I was to visit, what would you suggest me to do, what are the sights one shouldn’t miss, the food I should try and the drinks one should drink?!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
One Response to “:: Henry Does a Runner”
Here’s a link to Henry does a Runner playing live at The Rock Garden circa 1985
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeDYXFq-YRrECko4uWEuVA8oG18AtvyOx