line ups


Billy Fairbairn - Vocals
Stevie Doherty - Vocals #2
Campbell Forbes - Guitar, Vocals, keyboards
Brian Coyle -  Guitar, vocals #2
Eddie Walton Jnr - Guitar
Rodger Cameron - Bass #2
Billy McLeish - Bass
Stevie Irvine - Drums

In 1976 not many bands where playing Original songs in the pub circuit in Glasgow, this was partly due to the fact that to get a gig in places like “The Doune Castle” you had to do covers….One of the bands who started to break that trend were "Underhand Jones”. Six young guys in their late teens early twenties they played their first gig in “The Charing Cross hotel” in 1977 incorporating five or six of their own songs into their set eventually they went on to have a full set with original songs. and were one of the first bands at that time to do so. They quickly built up a good reputation in the Glasgow pub/rock scene packing them in, in places like “The Amphora” in Sauchiehall street where they played on Thursday nights also playing regularly in “The Victorian Carriage” in Greenock and “Davy Jones Locker” in Gourock. In May 1978 they played at the Kelvingrove rock festival in front of the usual thousands of fans that turned up to see the west of Scotland’s finest young bands in action, this is were they caught the attention of Radio Clyde’s John McCalman who took a lot of interest in the band helping with promotion, recording facilities and had good contacts in the business.


There was a split in the band in 1979, out went Billy Fairbairn and Billy McLeish and in came Stevie Doherty on lead vocals, Roger Cameron on Bass and Brian Coyle on guitar, this change did not hinder UHJ #2 at all because they played and sounded better than ever and in May 1979 they were picked to appear at the loch lomond rock festival by the promoter John Caufield, he had approached Radio Clyde (who hosted the Kelvingrove concerts) looking for some of the best local bands to play In the festival which was to be held in Balloch country park, the show was to take place over two days and featured some of the best local bands along side other acts like “The Boomtown Rats” and “The Buzzcocks”.

The band did get some interest from a few record and publishing companies most notably “Rondor Music” in London but they brought out an L.P. called “Jammy But Nice” in 1980 under their own publishing company and record label “Jammy music publishers limited” and “Jammy Records”.

Loch Lomond Rock Festival 1979

<BGSOUND SRC="_RefFiles/Everyones girl mp3.mp3" loop=1>
"Everyones Girl"

1- ONLY MAKE BELIEVE (C. Forbes / B. Fairbairn)
2- ITS ALRIGHT (C. Forbes / B. Fairbairn) //
3- LITTLE LADY (C. Forbes / B. Fairbairn)
4- MUSIC MAKER (C. Forbes / B. Fairbairn)
07/78- Jammy Rec. JRUJ-1 no ps - 7”
Note: plays at 33rpm; most copies have stickered
amendments to this effect.
***
A six-piece Glasgow-based combo formed in
1977 by Billy Fairbairn (v), Campbell Forbes
(gtr), Brian Coyle (gtr), Eddy Walton jr. (gtr),
Billy McLeish (b) and Steve Irvine (d). In the
first half of 1978 they played at the Kelvingrove
Rock Festival and were approached by Radio
Clyde’s John McCalman who helped the combo
release their debut 7”, which emerged late in
July on Jammy Records, an extension of the
music publishing company of the same name.
Not a bad record by any means, with well-structured
vocal harmonies and songs not unlike
those of Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame in the
early ’80s. Having disbanded in November
1978, Underhand Jones re-formed in April
1979 with Stevie Doherty and Roger Cameron
breplacing Fairnbairn and McLeish. The
combo were on the bill of the Loch Lomond
Rock Festival on May 27, opening for The
Boomtown Rats, Rockpile, Buzzcocks, Fairport
Convention and Average White Band. They
continued to perform throughout the new
decade, contributing no less than seven tracks
to the local compilation JAMMY BUT NICE,
issued by Jammy Records in November 1980.
The same compilation also featured The Shops,
whose line-up comprised two members of
Underhand Jones – Forbes and Irvine – plus
Billy McLeish and Billy Fairbairn, the latter
being the co-composer of the four tracks on
Underhand Jones’ EP.
Article taken from the book "45 Revolutions".
45 REVOLUTIONS is the definitive book on PUNK, MOD, POWERPOP, NEW WAVE,NWOBHM and INDIE SINGLES issued in the UK and in Ireland between late1976 and the end of 1979.

Hits, Failures and Obscurities
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UHJ # 1
UHJ # 2