SAL SCRAGG - VOCALS

Bristol born and bred Sal has played piano and clarinet from age 13.  She played clarinet in a military band during her time in the WRAF.  After a long break from music Sal returned to it during her 30's and began singing and song writing mainly for and in a contemporary church setting and for some large conferences.  She also directed an amateur musical and wrote some of the songs and scenes for it.  

Sal was nicknamed 'The Vampire' during many years drawing blood from usually very grateful patients when she worked as part of a district nursing team and then for the University's Student Health Service.  She moved to Wells in 2011, has three grown up children and is married to Tony (bassist in the band).

Singing is her great joy, but she also enjoys making and decorating wedding cakes and sewing and has made many wedding/bridesmaid dresses.

IAN ACKERY - TRUMPET & FLUGELHORN

Ian was born a long time ago in Bristol and lived there most of his life before moving to the wilds of Somerset over 10 years ago. He’s still trying to find the portal back to Bristol. During his long and varied career he has played with many many bands in the South West (some of which could actually play their instruments) and toured Europe with jazz/soul groups in his 20’s but can’t remember much about it. As Ian is a trumpet player he loves to bore you to tears talking about equipment and other trumpet players technique. For example, he describes his trumpet as the 'very loud high thing' and his flugelhorn as 'soft as fluffy clouds thing'. When not doing the above his favourite hobbies include bad Northern Soul dancing (on the ceiling), long dog walks (because dogs keep running away!) and dreadful canoeing with his wife and 2 sons.

PAUL RAINEY - TENOR SAXOPHONE

Paul started out playing the clarinet as a ‘means of avoiding class’ but soon developed a true and enduring passion for music. Transitioning over to the Alto sax (because it looked much cooler than the clarinet) he played with various youth and university bands including: the Swansea University swing band ‘Sync or Swing’ and the Southampton University Wind Band. During his time in Swansea, he founded the popular and successful funk band ‘Tattoo Groove’, winning the university ‘Battle of the Bands’ in 1996 and played alongside major UK and international bands ‘back in the day’ including: ‘The Lightening Seeds’ and ‘The Polyphonic Spree’, amongst others. Over the years, Paul has continued to enjoy playing jazz, blues & funk forming the Kent-based 5-piece Blue Note band ‘Mister Magic’ gigging around the South East and a regular playing at Kent’s 144 jazz club. Following a 6 year adventure living in Montreux, Switzerland he is now back in the UK living in beautiful Somerset and now plays Tenor sax with the ‘Shepton Mallet Big Band’ and of course The New Midrod Ends.

CHRIS JENNINGS - KEYBOARD

Gigging since 1965, Chris's first paid gig earnt him £2.50.  He played with the “Krestas”at Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare in June 1965 as the support band to Cliff Bennet & The Rebel  Rousers.  He then went on to be in various house bands there until 1967.  Chris joined the Midrod Ends in January 1967, playing gigs all over the south of England, and went on to turn “pro” in December 1969 with their first gig at The “Revolution Club” off Berkley Square in London.  After the band split in 1970 following a tour of Spain, Chris went on to play in local bands (including “The Chris Jennings Sound”) until 1981.  In 1992 he joined “The Travelling Raspberries” function band in Bury St Edmunds and played with them until 2001.  Midrod Ends reunited in 2009 with much of the original line up for a one off show on our home turf Glastonbury Town Hall.  As with all bands, personnel departed and new people came in, but he has seemed to hang on in there for some reason; the “last man standing”.

PETE WILLIAMS - LEAD GUITAR

Pete started learning the guitar at the age of 7, initially learning classical before moving onto electric guitar.  During his school years he went on to complete a GCSE in music and took part in a few group and band performances.  He continued to play during his travels around Australia and whilst studying at Cardiff University, picking up new songs and styles on the way.  After moving back home to Wookey, Somerset, Pete took part in a local talent show playing the guitar over a backing track of AC/DC's 'Back in Black'.  It was from this performance he was asked to join The New Midrod Ends.

TONY SCRAGG - BASS GUITAR

Originally from the Potteries, Tony started playing bass in the school rock band.  Bass was thrust upon him as the current bass player with the band wanted to play drums, so his Columbus Telecaster bass copy was duly purchased and his father sorted out an old valve PA amp and speaker (which had been lurking unused for 20 years at his radio and TV shop).  It weighed a ton but sounded quite good!  Although that band was short lived he learned his craft with other rock, folk and folk rock bands in the area before moving to Bristol University.  Following his studies for an Electronics Engineering degree, Tony remained in the Bristol area before moving to Wells.  Around this time he was encouraged to start playing jazz by a good jazz guitarist work friend and colleague, a passion which remains to this day.  This also started an ongoing quest to get an upright bass sound from an electric bass!  He has played in various jazz and blues bands and pit bands for shows and pantomimes in local theatres and started depping for the Midrod Ends on bass a few years ago.  He even booked the band to play at his wedding before becoming the full time bass player.  He is also currently the bass player for the New Veroneka and Shepton Mallet Big Bands and the Roger Bond Jazz Quartet.