The Northern Lights.
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The Northern Lights as a band have being going since the 70's, the line up has changed over the years a few times.
Plank joined in 1997, around Aug. to replace Steve Petrico on guitar. Steve's brother Paul stayed in the band for some time after, then left to start and open 'Fab Cafe' with his brother Steve and a friend of there's called Mike.(Look in the links page for their web site.)
The line up was to stay this way for some time, Plank playing guitars and bgv's, Eric Erickson Drums and lead vocals, Paul P keyboards and bgv's and Jimmy Jamerson on the bass guitar. The band played covers from the 60's and 70's, with Plank joining, the sound got a new, harder edge. The type of sound they now had was, 'Rock/Pop with a HARD edge', as it was called. This got some agents worried, but soon learned that this was a band that could go from soft, slow songs to rock within one song, and back again. The work flowed in faster than anybody could keep up with.
After Paul left the band, a friend of Plank's Dougie Mc.Kenner, who used to have a music inst. shop(Dougies Music)in Northwich, Cheshire, UK, joined on keyboards, and the band went from strength to strength. The band had a fan base that was growing weekend to weekend. Gig's were filling up to a point that most return gig's were sold out in the clubs, and return bookings were done before the show was finished, but due to gigs piling up it was some time before the band could return to each club.
Some time down the road Plank and Eric were getting on each others nerves, and at the end of Jan '99 Plank left the band to take 12 months off from playing altogether, he had been working non stop for nearly 10 years solid. A past member Billy,(pre Steve P.) was brought in to replace Plank, and the band continued for another 11 months.
In Feb 2000 Eric asked Plank about going out as a Duo. This was tried for some time, the gig's started to roll in as the name of Plank and Eric, still going under the banner of 'The Northern Lights', was well known and respected. But the old problems between Plank and Eric came up once again. It all came to a head at the end of June 2000, when they parted company.
At this time, it is unknown what is to become of the Band/Duo, 'The Northern Lights'.
Jim and Billy went off and did their own duo called 'The Odd Couple', at this time they are still together and working around the UK.
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