How they found a bass player is best described by the bass player himself. Alan Mair has been quoted as saying that on a visit to the rehearsal studios one afternoon he spied a very attractive, leggy brunette in a mini skirt. She disappeared into one of the rooms from where the sound of loud music could be heard. As he put his head round the door he saw the trio in full flow. As he watched he remembers recognising Kellie as the drummer from Spooky Tooth and wondering what he was doing playing with these guys?….
MK again. “.. my recollection is of this guy putting his head round the door briefly then disappearing. What has always amazed me is the fact that at the end of that song, whatever it was, something led me to find Manno and ask him the identity of the stranger and did he play bass?… Manno only knew that his name was Alan Mair and he had a boot stall in Kensington Market. He thought he played guitar too. That evening Alan Mair got a call. …. “Yes I play bass but I’m concentrating on guitar at the moment. Don’t wanna play bass anymore…”
Kellie remembers the response well…’I was initially devastated, he seemed adamant that bass was not for him anymore but I did persuade him to visit the house in Blackheath and as soon as he heard Peter’s demos he was hooked. He started rehearsing with us, on bass, very soon afterwards. It was the most natural thing in the world. The titanium rhythm section was formed and the quartet complete. As the long hot summer continued the band grew strong.
Now they needed a name. Perrett woke up after a dream one night wrote something down on a piece of paper and went back to sleep. The words on that paper read The Only Ones and that was to be the name of the band. Kellie ..”.I remember thinking that it was a bit of an arrogant name but Peter was sure and we all gradually got used to it…. The fact was they are The Only Ones who could make that sound !….. The whole story is well documented in Nina Antonia’s book ‘The One & Only Peter Perrett- Homme Fatale The decadent times of The Only Ones.(S.A.F.publishing Ltd 1996). It packs a punch but nevertheless is an accurate account of the band’s formation & subsequent career until their breakup in 1981.
