The Drop Downs
The Drop Downs
The Drop Downs formed in 2016 when old school friends Bill Randall and David Clark were reunited when they met by chance in Aylesbury town. The two had not seen each other for around twenty years but they both still shared the same passion for music. The pair met up and recorded some original songs at Bills home studio, some of which were released on social media and music platforms and received some positive feedback. It was this that motivated the two to search for other musicians to join them so they could showcase the songs and perform at local venues.
It was a slow start recruiting other musicians but eventually they found a suitable guitarist, keen to get out gigging it was decided that multi talented musician Bill would sit on drums during live performances and a backing track of the bass pre recorded by Bill would also be used accompanied by a guitarist and David on vocals. It was at a gig with this line up where they first met musician James (Jim) Buckland, who saw them perform and was really keen on the sound of the original songs. It wasn’t long after this that Jim joined the band as drummer and Bill moved onto bass guitar.
More songs were written and rehearsed and eventually it was time to get back out gigging and after playing a few small local venues COVID hit and lockdowns were introduced, making it impossible to meet up and rehearse. It was during lockdown that the original guitarist left the band, so Bill moved to rhythm guitar and they bought back the bass backing tracks whilst they searchrd for a bass guitarist.
They discovered Rob Thomas on a social media page where he had posted that he was a bass guitarist and looking for a band to join. David responded to Rob and within a week, Rob had joined the The Drop Downs.
With the new line up and more rehearsal time the songs were starting to sound more full and how they had imagined them to sound and the band was getting tighter.
During a discussion one evening after a rehearsal they decided that a lead guitarist was needed to add some additional flavour to the mix. Rob mentioned that he might know someone but they were a lot younger than the rest of them, they didn’t care about age it was more about how they could play.
Alex Oldknow who was 18 at the time of being introduced to the band, played along with them during a rehearsal and he instinctively knew the tone the band were after and what and when was needed to be played.
With the line up now complete, The Drop Downs were born.
Eagerly waiting for the hospitality sector to open up again following restrictions, the band started to book in with venues and playing outdoor gigs.
The Drop Downs have performed at the following venues: The Phoenix High Wycombe, The Rockwood Aylesbury, The Harrow Aylesbury, The Fiddler’s Elbow London, Wycombe Arts Centre High Wycombe, The Weathercock Woburn Sands, The Swan Whitchurch, The Horn St Albans and The Petri Dish Aylesbury where The Drop Downs also host a monthly Open Mic night.
They are a Buckinghamshire based original Indie Rock band with an albums worth of original material. Their preference is to perform their own songs however they do have a portfolio of covers that they throw into the set as a crowd pleaser.
The Drop Downs fuse heartfelt lyrics with surging guitars and tight rhythms, creating an urgent indie rock stage performance. The songs hit hard in a sound that is at once dark yet deliciously uplifting.
David Clark – Singer
Bill Randall – Rhythm guitar
Robert Thomas – Bass guitar
Alex Oldknow – Lead guitar
Jim Bucks – Drums
