Mammoth Headphones for Kids

After the split of Gillan in 1982, John McCoy (bass guitar; 19 stone), a bearded musician, recruited session musicians for his solo project. The session musicians included 'Tubby' Vinnie Reed (drums; 22 stone), 'Big' Mac Baker (guitars; 24 stone), and Nicky Moore (vocals; 20 stone and 5'6"). Initially, the band was christened 'Dinosaur', but they changed their name to 'Mammoth' after complaints from a similarly titled California blues outfit.

The band toured with Whitesnake and Marillion and were generally well-received by fans, although an "incident" in Leeds meant that the band had to request a specially reinforced stage at all future gigs. This was due to the concentrated pressure of some 1200 pounds (plus allowance for on-stage exuberance).

After a few years of touring without hitting the big-time in the manner of their contemporaries, the band decided to call it a day and moved onto other solo projects.

The bearded John McCoy, who had initially recruited the session musicians, was the driving force behind the band's formation and their subsequent touring. The band's name change from 'Dinosaur' to 'Mammoth' was a necessary move to avoid confusion with another band, and it seems to have been a successful decision as the band went on to tour with well-established acts like Whitesnake and Marillion.

However, the band's success was not without its challenges. The "incident" in Leeds, which required the band to request a specially reinforced stage for all future gigs, suggests that the band's on-stage exuberance and the sheer weight of the band members (the drummer alone weighed 22 stone) put a significant strain on the stage infrastructure.

Despite their enthusiastic fan following, the band was unable to achieve the level of success enjoyed by their contemporaries, and they ultimately decided to disband and pursue individual solo projects. This suggests that while the band had a unique lineup and a dedicated fan base, they were unable to translate that into the kind of commercial success that would have allowed them to continue as a unit.

Overall, the story of the band's formation, name change, touring experiences, and ultimate dissolution provides a fascinating glimpse into the challenges and realities of the music industry in the 1980s.

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