Interview with The Lovers of Alginoil

Rumours have abound for years that one of Llanelli’s most popular bands of the late 90s, The Lovers of Alginol, were planning a comeback so this week, I contacted Cheeky O’Brian from the band to find out if these rumours were true. They were not. The Lovers were a full-on Hair Metal band playing in spandex and full make-up, often turning up to gigs in stretch limos while their large cult following would hold pitchforks aloft to welcome the band.

Who were the band members?

Rural Thomas – Guitar/vocals/recorder

Cheeky O’Brien -Guitar/Vocals/bass

Lone Wolf McQuade - Drums/Visual percussion

Cleavage McFluff - Bass/productions

Skyflyte Bwowt Lomas -Keyboards/vocals

Romanov Danger Estoppel – Guitars/Vocals

Who were your main influences?

Influence is such a strong word don’t you think? We played the music we found in our hearts and the bottom of our wine glasses, nothing more, nothing less. Did anyone band really influence us, I’m not sure but for your readers we could be compared to our peers such as Motley Crue, Stryper and Accept. I think the only person who truly influenced us was Sally Spectra so ably played by Darlene Conley. A true visionary.

How when did the band start and finish?

The band officially formed sometime in the middle 12:43am of August 4th 1997 when the first piece of magic was committed to tape. Our first single “Closet People” which was the first of our true life chronicles of the Dixon household, was available only on cassette and sold out its limited run overnight.

The band have never really finished, but are on an extended hiatus. Our last official gig was in 2003 at the British Legion a few months after our farewell show.

What other bands, musicians and venues do you remember from the time?

Llanelli was pretty vibrant musically at the time, you had Leash and Stickman (who loaned Lone Wolf McQuade in his civilian form of Gareth “Scruff” Walters from us), Artimus Crisis, Tedo, Tyderium, you had Liberty 37 doing well from Swansea along with bands like Nozzle. Foster was Foster even then, I’m sure the fish song was about then too, that terrible terrible thing. You also had Simon Merrifield and Steve Milton doing some pretty hardcore stuff out of the bedroom too. Some gigs were often plagued by one dumb monkey also.

The Masons was the hub of the time, you’d get there on a Thursday for a few before going to the Zone in Swansea, on a Friday and Saturday nearly every local musician would be there if not gigging, and finish off the weekend on Monday for John DJ’s pool tournament. This was of course back in the days where Harp lager was still a thing!

There were a few venues, from the big ones like Felinfoel International Arena, The British Legion to Stamps, Waterloo and a few others. The Masons was at the time less of a venue than it is now.

Any good band stories?

Most of the band stories cannot be repeated here, for decency sake and to prevent us from potential incrimination! Suffice to say there was the usual band debauchery which left Rural Thomas in rehab for his addiction of buying service station dolphin sweets. He was in terrible shape.

The Lovers earlier jams were marred by constant games of mob, the practice hall offered a myriad of places to hide. When we played music though we knew we were onto something.

I remember a time when Romanov Danger Estoppel used to work at McDonalds to get a feel for how the average person lived. When he mentioned that he was playing a gig that night, he was told not to bother, as the Lover’s were playing. We knew we had the town then.

Highlights?

Selling out every piece of merch ever created, selling out the Felinfoel International Arena and being part of the biggest gigs in the Legion, people losing teeth at our gigs were all highlights. My this is your life appearance was also a personal highlight (Cheeky O’Brien). Meeting the Cardinal Blame Sedgwick was a true honour.

What have we been doing since?

Rural Thomas went on to star with Cheeky O’Brien in the UK edition of the Bold and the Beautiful, the other members also turned up in small cameo roles.

Rural is now head of Wine for Bynea and Llwynhendy and teaches classical pottery, specialising in the pre-byzantine epoch. He sings only when necessary.

Cheeky O’Brien retired from acting to concentrate on his writing having written and achieved success with “Not an Ounce of Hope” Biography of CJ and a screenplay for Sharknando 37 “Tope in a bath” and in civilian form plays with the bands Beyond the Break and E11ven.

Lone Wolf Mcquade hiding in plain sight following a hornet bite scare.

Cleavage Mcfluff remains an enigma, working presently as a bridge whisperer.

Skyflyte Bwowt Lomas went on to become an international jet set playboy that some have called the modern-day Jeffrey from Rainbow. His alter ego sings and plays guitar for E11ven.

Romanov Danger Estoppel went in to horrific debt fighting his own addictions to soup making. Thankfully he is now clean, leading a wholesome life. He walks spiders for their owners. He too plays in his human form in E11ven

Anything available online?

No. Plans are with our legal team to put the remastered box set online

Anything else?

The Lovers will at the time of their choosing play the 15 year anniversary of the 2002 farewell show.