Hi Brian, to kick things off , would care to introduce yourself and the current members of Twelfth Night to the readers of HRH?

Brian: The current line-up is Brian Devoil - Drums, Andy Revell - Guitar, Clive Mitten - Bass, Keyboards, Andy Sears - Vocals, Keyboards and our new boy Mark Spencer - Keyboards

Who are and were your personnel heroes and influences?

Rev: Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Leadbelly, U2, Depeche Mode. Guitarists: Page, Gilmour, The Edge
Brian: Cream, Genesis, Jethro Tull, U2. Drummers: Ginger Baker, John Bonham, Clive Bunker, Phil Collins, Billy Cobham
Clive: Yes (Steve Howe / Chris Squire) Pink Floyd, Dream Theater
Andy: Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Queen, Paul Rodgers, Pink Floyd

Why is the band called Twelfth Night ,due to the Shakespeare play ?

Rev: Yes, the first line is “If music be the food of love, play on.”

How would describe the band’s sound?

Rev: Like a large, complex but engaging character, with a tendency to go on a bit after a few drinks!
Clive: Aggressive prog rock (pre-metallic prog) + occasional AOR.
Andy: Loud with some quiet bits, long when not short !

How was/is the typical Twelfth night song written ?

Rev: From small, individual ideas – oaks from acorns and all that.
Clive & Andy: Music then Melody then Band then Words.

How did you meet up with Geoff Mann and why did he leave the band ?

Rev: Brian, Clive, Rick (the original keyboard player) and Geoff and I all met at University. Brian and I first got together, entered and won a band competition. Clive soon joined on bass and then Rick on keyboards. Geoff was studying Fine Art and began painting backdrops for our live performances. When we started auditioning for a vocalist he recorded a guide version of Sequences for people to audition with. Eventually, after many auditions we realized that it was Geoff who we wanted so we persuaded him to join and debut... at the Reading Festival in 1981! Geoff left to pursue his religious studies and to write and perform more explicitly Christian music.
Brian: He was also married with a family and living in Manchester, while the rest of us were based in Reading.

Where did you find his replacement Andy Sears and how would describe the differences in material recorded with Mann and Sears?

Rev: Through auditions. I think the material with Andy on board is a bit more accessible and a bit harder-edged but no major change.
Brian: Andy saw an ad in Melody Maker - and along with a couple of other prospective singers was able to see us play live with Geoff before he left. Part of the reason we chose Andy was that we felt he would help us achieve a more commercial sound, and take us on to the next level.

Why do feel that Twelfth Night never made the big break through that say Marillion did ?

Rev: I don’t think we were ever as easily categorized or packaged as Marillion. We did not really feel that we fitted the Progressive Rock tag and we always wanted to mix different influences up and try to come up very different sounding material. Lyrically we were also quite ‘political’. I think this determination to not fit into a box made us more of a challenge to market.
Clive: Going off the road and into the studio for a year (to record the Fact & Fiction album in 1982) at precisely the wrong moment - clearly didn't help !
Andy: Wrong management, and ultimately some wrong decisions.

Which album would you recommend to Twelfth Night novice?

All: Collectors Item as it covers a broad range of times and styles from the band’s career.

Why did the band call it a day in 1988 ?

Rev: We lost our record deal with Virgin and had had enough.
Brian: We weren't having much fun - and weren't making a living either. You can cope with having only one of these, but not both !

And why, some nine years later, have you decided to reform ?

All: For fun.

At the time of writing the band have just played their first re-union show, how did it go and how did feel to be back on stage after all this time ?

Rev: It was really good fun performing the old favourites without any pressure (i.e. to further the band’s career). The audience were tremendous and we all had a party!
Brian: It went better than we could realistically have hoped, and one of the most pleasing things was that those people who had never seen us before were as enthusiastic as those who had !

What’s next for the Twelfth Night after these reunion shows?

 Currently no plans beyond the second gig and the DVD.