The real deal or a Sham 69?

QUESTION

I have seen two versions of the punk band Sham 69. Which other bands have split into two or more competing factions? Sham 69 were formed in hersham, Surrey, in 1976. Key members during its most successful era (1977-79) were the riotous frontman Jimmy Pursey, lead guitarist Dave Parsons (who replaced original member Neil harris), bass player Dave Tregunna and drummers mark Cain and Ricky Goldstein.

The band had five top-20 singles in the Seventies: hersham Boys, If The Kids are United, angels With Dirty Faces, hurry Up harry and Questions and answers.

Unfortunately, their rowdy performances attracted members of the far-Right to their gigs. Despite Pursey speaking out against this, the association stuck and the band split in 1979.

In 1987, Pursey and Parsons reassembled Sham 69, but it was not until 2006 that they had another top-ten hit with the football song hurry Up England — The People’s anthem.

In 2007, Pursey was sacked and replaced as lead vocalist by Tim V. Pursey rejoined in 2011 and a disgruntled Tim V continued in a separate Sham 69, which included original member Neil harris.

Today, the Pursey- Parsons band performs under the title Sham 69 (original 1977 line-up) and the other version is called Sham 69 (Tim V).

Jim Vickers, Margate, Kent. PRoG rock legends Yes have split into two competing factions.

one is known as Yes Featuring Jon anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman; and the other just goes under the name Yes, and includes Steve howe, alan White and Geoff Downes.

Both bands are celebrating Yes’s 50th anniversary this year, though the second band does not feature any of the original members.

Singer Jon anderson is the only member of the original band still involved. Bassist Chris Squire died in 2015, guitarist Peter Banks died in 2013 and keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Bill Bruford seem to have no interest in being involved.

There was a Union album and both Original line-up: With Sham 69 singer Jimmy Pursey smoking a cigarette versions toured together in 1991. Unfortunately, they now can’t bury their differences and tour together to celebrate the anniversary. Personally, I prefer the Jon anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman version.

Dave Chapman, Redhill, Surrey. ThE glam rock band The Sweet, famous for its number one hit Block Buster!, split from lead singer Brian Connolly in February 1979 in acrimonious circumstances.

The other three members — guitarist andy Scott, bass player Steve Priest and drummer mick Tucker — continued as a three-piece suite (pardon the pun) until 1981, when they decided to call it a day.

In 1984, Brian Connolly reformed a new band as The Sweet, and shortly afterwards andy Scott did the same.

Legal proceedings ensued and eventually both parties agreed on andy Scott’s Sweet and B.C. Sweet, or The New Sweet. This made it clearer for fans to decide which band to see.

B.C. Sweet ended with Connolly’s death on February 9, 1997, at the age of 51.

andy Scott’s Sweet, which recreate the sound and atmosphere of a Sweet concert, still perform to massive crowds.

Just when andy thought he had it to himself, in 2008 Steve Priest, the original bass player, decided to tour with, you guessed it, Steve Priest’s Sweet.

having listened and watched both perform, I found Steve’s to be the better of the two.

Though the bands have a non-verbal agreement that andy tours Europe and Steve tours North america, they do not see eye-to-eye and have not spoken for many years, so a chance to see the two perform together once more is unlikely. Sadly mick Tucker, a true gentleman, died on Valentine’s Day in 2002 at the age of just 54. Gary Litchfield, Portsmouth.

QUESTION

When was loo paper invented? WHILE there is evidence that the Chinese royal family used some form of toilet paper in the 14th century, american Joseph C. Gayetty created the first commercially packaged, factory-made version in 1857.

his loose sheets of paper were called The Therapeutic Paper. They were impregnated with aloe, watermarked ‘J. C. Gayetty’ and marketed as ‘the greatest necessity of the age!’

The Scott Paper Company of Philadelphia became the first successful mass manufacturer of loo paper and, in 1890, the first to sell it in rolls.

Alun Cowan, Wrexham. IN THIS country, the earliest mention of loo paper can be found in the records of the British Perforated Paper Towel Co.

Incorporated in 1883 with premises in Banner Street, Cowper Street and Whitecross Street in East London, it moved to the atlas Works in Berkshire Road, hackney Wick, London, in 1908.

The manufacture of loo rolls was advertised in 1914, though it may have started earlier. The firm was certainly selling loo paper in the 1880s, but in sheets rather than rolls.

The atlas Works, built in 1865, was a foundation stone of the British Dyestuffs Industry, and was occupied until 1904 by the firm of Brooke, Simpson and Spiller.

Industry pioneers including Edward Nicholson and Raphael meldoza were among the chemists and scientists who worked there. It’s been claimed the dye magenta was first made there.

Keith Turton, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leics.

QUESTION

Why is KFC known as PFK in Quebec? FURThER to the earlier answer, Staples has used the name ‘Bureau en Gros’ since 1991 to acknowledge the fact it does business in a French province.

The same goes for PFK, which has been used for decades.

It’s called cultural respect, or business sense. It is perhaps difficult to grasp for anglophones, but the world speaks many different languages. Pierre-Andre Normandin,

Montreal, Canada.

IS THERE a question to which you have always wanted to know the answer? Or do you know the answer to a question raised here? Send your questions and answers to: Charles Legge, Answers To Correspondents, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT; fax them to 01952 780111 or email them to charles.legge@dailymail.co.uk. A selection will be published but we are not able to enter into individual correspondence.