Richard Litson is looking for members of Bournemouth band The Original Artists and anyone who has seen them playing locally.

The bass guitarist was his brother Bruce Litson, who also wrote the music for the band, along with the drummer Rod Myatt. Sadly last September, Bruce died aged 53. So far Richard has been unable to trace any of the band members.

Bruce Charles John Litson was born in Dorchester in 1959. The family lived in Swanage in mid 1960s when his father was head of a local junior school, before they returned to Dorchester at the end of 1968, where Bruce attended Damer Road Junior School and then Hardye’s Grammar School.

At grammar school he and a group of friends formed the band Banty Rooster, and he continued his love of music when he went on to Bournemouth and Poole College of Art in 1977 to study photography.

During his first year, Bruce and Phil Legg played at the college with an ‘ad hoc collection of players’ some of whom may have been other art students. Bruce was then living in Bournemouth, at ‘Shakedown’, a flat he shared on Holdenhurst Road.

“Exactly when the Original Artists came into being, we’re not sure”, said Richard.

“The first evidence we’ve got of their existence dates from 1979. At the time, Bruce explained that they had chosen the name so that the front cover of their first LP could proclaim: 20 Hits by The Original Artists!”

For the most part the band was a four piece, consisting of Richard Giles on guitar, Leo Letts as lead vocals and guitar; Rod Myatt on drums and backing vocals and Bruce on bass guitar. For a while they also had a saxophone player, but Richard can’t recall his name.

The Original Artists played live at Baxters, Weymouth in 1980, supporting another Bournemouth band Interference. Richard set up mygodwevecreatedamonster.co.uk in tribute to his brother which gives details of other bands he played for. Contact Richard at rex_marriott@inbox.com